BBC Radio Podcasts from Witness History: Witness Archive 2017
"Spend, Spend, Spend" - The Miner's Wife Who Won Big
How Viv Nicholson became a celebrity in Britain after winning the football pools in 1961.
Voyager: Around The World On One Tank of Fuel
How two pilots became the first to fly non-stop around the world without refuelling
The Climbers of Leningrad
Mountaineers risked their lives to camouflage landmarks in the Russian city during WW2.
The First Kwanzaa
The African-American winter holiday was invented in Los Angeles in 1966.
Trivial Pursuit
The game has become a holiday tradition with families around the world.
To Kill A Mockingbird
One of the most successful American films of all time was released at Christmas 1962.
BR Ambedkar
The Indian independence leader and campaigner for Dalit rights died in December 1956.
The Exam That Changed China
The return of university entrance exams showed the Cultural Revolution had really ended.
The Development of WiFi
Australian scientists were central to the development of wifi.
Somalia's Islamic Courts Union
How the Islamic movement brought a brief moment of peace to Mogadishu after years of war
The Disappearance of Harold Holt
The Australian Prime Minister went for a swim on December 17th 1967 - and never came back
Otis Redding
The great soul singer who was killed in a plane crash in December 1967
The Great London Smog
Thousands died as a thick polluted fog engulfed London in 1952
The Unsung Hero of Heart Surgery
The African-American lab technician whose surgery helped save millions of babies..
Hypnotising Saddam's Son
How an American hypnotist went to Iraq to treat Uday, the eldest son of Saddam Hussein.
Art in Revolutionary Russia
Avant-garde art flourished in Russia after the 1917 revolution but was later suppressed
The Discovery of Whale Song
Whales were being hunted to extinction until a biologist realised they could sing.
Finland Wins Independence From Russia
In December 1917 Finland became an independent country for the first time.
Britain's withdrawal from South Yemen
In 1967 Britain's departure from Aden leads to the creation of an independent South Yemen
Mount Rushmore
Construction on one of America's most famous monuments started in 1927.
Science City in Siberia
Thousands of scientists moved to deepest Siberia to dedicate their lives to research.
The Poisoning of Litvinenko
Former colonel in the Russian secret service Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned in London.
The Prestige Oil Disaster in Spain
How thousands of volunteers cleaned up after a huge environmental disaster in 2002
The Audacious Plot to Kill a Colonel
How El Salvador's leftist rebels led a top army officer into a deadly trap
The Case of Alger Hiss
The conviction of diplomat Alger Hiss was one of America's most notorious spy cases
The Exile of Wolf Biermann
East Germany's most famous singer-songwriter was exiled to the West in November 1976.
Toy Story - The First Digitally-Animated Feature Film
It was a box-office hit and a revolution in the world of animated films.
The Assassination of Ngo Dinh Diem
The president of South Vietnam was overthrown and murdered in a coup in November 1963.
The Man Who Prosecuted Charles Manson
Charles Manson's followers murdered 9 people on his orders. But how to prove his guilt?
The Siege of Mecca
In 1979 Islamic militants took over the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the holiest site in Islam
Botswana's Diamonds
Huge diamond deposits were first discovered in the Kalahari desert in Botswana in 1967
The 'Disappeared' of Lebanon
Searching for the thousands who went missing during Lebanon's brutal civil war.
The Windmill Theatre
A British national institution closed in 1964.
The British Love Affair with Curry
Indian restaurants first became popular in the UK in the 1950s.
The Exploding Whale
The story behind one of the most famous viral videos ever.
World War One: Ordinary Lives
Recordings of two people who felt the cost of war both on the battlefield and at home
Laika the Space Dog
The Russian street dog was the first living creature to orbit the Earth.
The Russian Revolution: The Bolsheviks Take Control
Eyewitness accounts of the Russian Revolution of 7 November 1917
Osama Bin Laden's Last Interview
Osama bin Laden spoke to journalist Hamid Mir as US-led forces closed in after 9/11.
The Naked Ape
The book that revolutionised the way we look at human behaviour.
The Case That Saved Sex on the Internet
In 1997 the US Supreme Court ruled against censoring sex on the internet.
Oscar Niemeyer's Forgotten Masterpiece
In the Lebanese city of Tripoli there is an exceptional architectural site.
Martin Luther's 95 Theses
How German monk Martin Luther started a religious revolution
The Murder of Brazil's Leading Journalist
Journalist Vladimir Herzog was killed in detention by the secret police in October 1975.
A Literary Love Affair
How Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir met and fell in love in Paris in October 1929
The Death of Dele Giwa
An eyewitness to the assassination of the famous Nigerian journalist Dele Giwa in 1986
The Fake IDs That Saved Jewish Lives
How tens of thousands of Hungarian Jews escaped the Nazis by using false papers.
Private Eye
A new satirical magazine called Private Eye was published in London in October 1961.
Romania's Abortion Ban
Dictator Nicolae Ceausescu made abortion illegal in October 1966.
The 43 Group: Battling British Fascism
How British Jewish ex-servicemen fought fascists on the streets of Britain after WW2
The Mysterious Death of Samora Machel
The socialist leader of Mozambique was killed in a plane crash and many were suspicious.
Moscow Theatre Siege
Svetlana Gubareva recalls her ordeal when Chechen rebels seized a Moscow theatre in 2002.
The Death of JG Farrell
The writer drowned off the south-west coast of Ireland in 1979.
Cuban Missile Crisis: the Governments
In October 1962 the Cuban Missile Crisis took the world to the brink of nuclear war
Testifying Against OJ Simpson
Ron Shipp was a close friend of OJ Simpson's but decided to testify against him in court.
Saving Italy's Art During WW2
Italy's great works of art were threatened by bombing and looting during World War Two.
Lluis Companys - Martyr of Catalan Nationalism
The Catalan leader who was executed by a Spanish fascist firing squad in October 1940.
The Death of Che Guevara
Felix Rodriguez recalls his part in the killing of the Marxist revolutionary in Oct 1967.
Matthew Shepard: A killing that changed American law
The murder of a gay student shocked Americans and helped reform US hate crime law
The first black American at Ole Miss
In 1962 the first black American was enrolled at Mississippi University amid riots
Israel Withdraws From Gaza
One woman's account of life on the front-line of Israel's occupation of Gaza.
The Raising of the Mary Rose
King Henry VIII's favourite warship sank in a naval battle in 1545.
The Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art
Shortly before the Islamic revolution in Iran, a very modern museum opened in the capital
The Sudden Death of Pope John Paul I
Just 33 days into his reign, Pope John Paul I died unexpectedly in September 1978.
A Bitter Divorce: When Guinea said "No" to France
How Guinea became the first French West African colony to declare independence in 1958.
Walking the Great Wall of China
It took 508 days to complete the first expedition along the entire length of the wall.
Britain's Land Girls
Thousands of women and girls worked on farms throughout WW2 to produce much needed food.
Steve Biko: Black Consciousness Leader
The activist had died in South African police custody. He was buried on September 25 1977
The Cross Border Horse Race
A showdown on the American/Mexican border on September 14th 1958.
Roselle - The 9/11 Guide Dog
The inspiring story of how a Labrador led her blind master out of the World Trade Center.
Australia's Rabbit Plague
Rabbits infested huge swathes of the Australian countryside in the 1940s and 1950s.
Shark Attack Survivor
When Rodney Fox survived the jaws of a Great White Shark it inspired him to study them.
The Transatlantic Locust Plague
Millions of African locusts invaded the Caribbean having flown 5,000 kilometres non-stop.
Sabra and Shatila - A Massacre in Lebanon
A doctor working in Sabra and Shatila refugee camp in Lebanon recalls the massacre there
The German Schoolboy Arrested for Writing a Letter
Karl-Heinz Borchardt was arrested at the age of 18 by East German secret police.
The Hippydilly Squat
A group of hippies occupied a sixty-room mansion in central London in September 1969.
The Collapse of Northern Rock
Panicked run on bank signals the start of the financial crisis in the UK
Nok Terracottas: Nigeria's Ancient Treasure
When West African tin miners unearthed evidence of a lost civilization
France's Last Guillotine
The last man to be executed by guillotine in France was a Tunisian, Hamida Djandoubi.
BBC Proms: Audience Member Rescues Concert
When the principal singer collapsed, a member of the audience took over his role.
Biosphere 2: Building A New World
Eight scientists sealed themselves inside a giant greenhouse for an ambitious experiment.
The Fairy Photos
How two girls' photos convinced Sir Arthur Conan Doyle that fairies exist.
Jamaica's Worst Train Accident
A survivor recalls the Kendal train crash in September 1957 when more than 200 died.
The Funeral of Princess Diana
Diana's brother Earl Spencer remembers the emotional speech he made at her funeral.
The Birth of eBay
The online auction site first went live in 1995.
George Orwell and Animal Farm
Animal Farm was an allegory about the dangers of Soviet communism and of Joseph Stalin.
The Revolutionary Head Scan
The summer of 1983 saw a major breakthrough in the treatment of facial deformities.
Notting Hill Race Riot
The racial disturbances in west London which shocked Britain in 1958.
The Rostock-Lichtenhagen Riots
A home for asylum seekers was set on fire in the German city of Rostock in August 1992
Medicine In World War One
Veterans tell the story of how medical care dealt with the horrors of WW1
The Discovery of Botox
How an ophthalmologist and a dermatologist discovered that a toxin could stop wrinkles
The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials
A German court put Nazi war criminals on trial 20 years after the end of World War Two
Rabindranath Tagore
The "Bard of Bengal" died on August the 7th 1941.
The Division of Cyprus
In August 1974, Turkish troops invaded Cyprus for a second time cutting the island in two
The Buenos Aires Herald
The English-language newspaper was credited with standing up to Argentina's dictatorship.
Nike and the Sweatshop Problem
In the 1990s Nike got a bad name after being linked to sweatshops in Asia.
Germany's Nudists
How East Germans went naked on the beaches despite official communist party disapproval.
Reagan's Bombing Joke
"We begin bombing in five minutes" said the US President in 1984. But he was only joking
Florence Nightingale
The "lady with the lamp" died on August 13th 1910.
The Calcutta Killings of 1946
Exactly a year before Indian independence there were deadly riots in the city of Calcutta
The Murder of Naji al-Ali
The acclaimed Palestinian cartoonist was gunned down in London in 1987
Discovering The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Charles Moore recalls how he came across the world's largest floating rubbish dump.
The Camp David Summit
In 2000 the US led a major effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
China's Crackdown on Falun Gong
In July 1999, the Chinese government banned the spiritual movement Falun Gong
The Birth of the Water Baby
In 1977 a state hospital near Paris began quietly changing the way women gave birth.
Surviving the "Auschwitz of the Balkans"
Croatian fascists killed Serbs, Jews and Roma people in Jasenovac camp during WW2.
The Death of Evita
Remembering Argentina's controversial First Lady Eva Peron, who died on July 26 1952.
Pioneer North Sea Divers
In the 1970s, deep sea divers were at the sharp end of the North Sea oil boom
Chiang Kai Shek: The Man Who Lost China
The Chinese civil war remembered by the Nationalist leader's former chief aide.
When homosexuality was a crime
Hear one man's story of living in fear before 1967 when Britain legalised homosexuality
Khrushchev's Soviet Housing Programme
In the 1960s, many Soviet families moved to a flat of their own for the first time.
The Welsh Language Act
In July 1967 there was a breakthrough for the Welsh language.
US Psychological Warfare in Vietnam
How American military PSYOP teams waged war in Vietnam in the 1960s
The Bonus Army
In summer 1932, thousands of American First World War veterans marched on Washington
The Killing of Gianni Versace
In July 1997 the Italian fashion designer was shot on the steps of his Florida mansion.
Nintendo's Family Computer
The home gaming console was a breakthrough in the world of computer games.
The Mont Blanc Tunnel
In July 1965 an 11-km tunnel dug deep beneath the Alps was opened to traffic
The Oka Crisis
Indigenous Canadians spent the summer of 1990 in a stand off with police.
Castlemorton Common: Britain's Biggest Illegal Rave
In the summer of 1992 thousands of ravers and New Age travellers gathered for a festival.
The Rudolf Nureyev Phenomenon
In 1961, one of the world's best ballet dancers, Rudolf Nureyev, defected from the USSR.
The Imprisonment of Irina Ratushinskaya
The dissident poet was sentenced to 7 years in a Soviet labour camp.
The birth of UKIP
In 1993, academic Dr Alan Sked started an anti-EU political party
The First Tamil Suicide Bombing
In July 1987 Tamil separatist rebels attacked a Sri Lankan army camp.
The Staffordshire Hoard
In 2009, a metal detectorist found the largest ever hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver
No Sex in the USSR
Why a Russian woman blurted out "We have no sex in the USSR" on international TV.
Around the World in a Balloon
In 2002 Steve Fossett succeeded in flying solo around the world in a hot air balloon.
The Roswell Incident
It was probably the most famous ever story of an alien spacecraft - on earth
Euro Disney
In 1992 Disney opened its first theme park in Europe.
The Disputed Resort of Taba
Israel and Egypt both laid claim for years to the Red Sea resort of Taba
Lonely Planet
The travel guide that helped tourists make their way around the world on a budget.
The Hippie Trail
In the 1960s and 70s, thousands of westerners travelled to India by overland bus.
The First Budget Flights Across the Atlantic
How a small Icelandic company broke the mould in air travel in the 1950s.
Italy's Shame: The Massacre in Ethiopia
In 1937 Italian forces occupying Addis Ababa murdered thousands of Ethiopian civilians
The Killing of Vincent Chin
The movement sparked by the brutal murder of a Chinese-American by 2 white men.
Persecution of Christians In the Korean War
In 1950, tens of thousands of Christians were persecuted during the Korean War.
Body Worlds Exhibition
In 1995 Tokyo University staged the first exhibition to feature plastinated human corpses
Italy's 'State-within-a-State'
In 1982 Italian banker Roberto Calvi was found dead in London in mysterious circumstances
The Sinking of the Lancastria
We hear from one of the last survivors of a forgotten World War Two disaster
Algeria's Berbers
In June 2001 hundreds of thousands of people demonstrated for Berber rights in Algiers.
The Woman Who Stopped Equal Rights in America
In June 1982 Phyllis Schlafly defeated a law to guarantee gender equality in the US.
The Montserrat Volcano
In June 1997 a devastating eruption took place on the Caribbean island of Montserrat
The Six Day War: A Jordanian view
Captain Nabih El Suhaimat fought to defend East Jerusalem from the Israelis
The Six Day War: An Israeli view
In 1967, Israel captured the whole of Jerusalem on the third day of the Six Day War
The Killing of Robert Kennedy
The Democrat Senator and Presidential hopeful died on June 6th 1968 after being shot.
Escape From Slavery
The story of the Pakistani boy forced into bonded labour at the age of four.
America's First Female Rabbi
In June 1972 Sally Priesand became the first woman to be ordained as a rabbi in the USA.
Rock Concert for Chernobyl
In May 1986, a small group of musicians staged the first charity rock concert in the USSR
Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy
Actor Barbara Leigh-Hunt on her role in one of the most controversial Hitchcock movies
India's "Mr Sanitation"
In 1968 Dr Bindeshwar Pathak began his mission to improve toilet facilities for the poor.
Operation Lifeline: Canada's Refugee Revolution
In 1979 Canadians began a revolutionary scheme to aid thousands of Indochinese refugees
Pakistan's First Nuclear Test
In May 1998 Pakistan responded to an Indian nuclear test with an explosion of its own
The Killing of Poet Roque Dalton
In May 1975 one of Latin America's leading young poets was shot dead in El Salvador.
When Irish Pubs Saved the Economy
When Ireland's banks went on strike in 1970, people cashed their cheques in pubs.
The Roma Victims of the Holocaust
In 1942, the fascist government of Romania deported its Roma citizens to Transdniestria
Teresa Teng
The Taiwanese pop singer who became a superstar in communist China
The Death of Neda Agha Soltan
The young woman, killed at a protest in 2009, who became a symbol for opposition in Iran
Alexander Hamilton
A Broadway musical has made an 18th century American politician famous once more.
Brown vs The Board of Education
In 1954 the US Supreme Court ruled that segregated public schools were unconstitutional.
Weight Watchers
How a New York housewife started a worldwide weight loss business in May 1963.
The George Wallace Assassination Attempt
How one of America's most controversial politicians was shot while running for president.
The Trial of Maurice Papon
French minister Maurice Papon went on trial for helping the Nazis to deport French Jews
Wine Shock: 'The Judgement of Paris'
In 1976, unknown Californian wines beat top French wines in a blind wine tasting in Paris
Americans told 'Eat Less' to Live Longer
In 1977 a US government body first warned Americans that their diet was killing them.
The Soviet James Bond
In 1973, the most successful TV spy series ever to be broadcast in the USSR, went on air.
Shenzhen - Special Economic Zone
In May 1980 Communist China allowed capitalist activity for the first time.
The Invention of Liposuction
It was a father and son team of Italian cosmetic surgeons who created liposuction.
Ulrike Meinhof
In May 1976 the German left-wing extremist Ulrike Meinhof killed herself in prison.
The French Army Mutiny of 1917
After enduring years of slaughter during WW1, French army units finally mutinied
Civil War in Tajikistan
In 1992, shortly after the collapse of the USSR, a civil war erupted in Tajikistan.
Magnum Photos
The legendary photographic cooperative, Magnum, was founded 70 years ago
Searching For Argentina's Disappeared
How the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo challenged Argentina's military rulers.
Bosnia: Rape as a Weapon of War
During the Bosnian war of the early 1990's, thousands of women were raped.
When the Syrian Army Withdrew from Lebanon
On April 26th 2005, Syrian forces finally pulled out of Lebanon after almost 30 years.
Revolutionary Psychiatrist RD Laing
The man who changed the way people thought about mental illness.
Bulgaria's "Revival Process"
Bulgaria's brutal policy of forced assimilation against its Turkish minority in the 1980s
The Suzuki Violin Method
In post-WW2 Japan, Shinichi Suzuki developed a new method of teaching the violin.
The Hubble Space Telescope
When it began sending images back to Nasa they were out of focus - Mike Weiss fixed it
Charlie Chaplin Returns to America from Exile
Eugene Chaplin remembers his famous father's love-hate relationship with the USA
The World Festival of Black Arts
In April 1966 thousands of African artists and performers gathered in Senegal
How Peru Mistook Missionaries For Drug Traffickers
Hear from the American who survived being shot down in his plane over the Amazon jungle
The Takeover of NTV in Russia
NTV was the only nationwide independent TV channel in Russia. It was taken over in 2001.
America's 504 Disability Rights Protests
In April 1977, US disabled activists occupied a government building for nearly a month.
UK Sikhs Fight For Religious Rights
In 1969 Sikh bus drivers in Wolverhampton won the right to wear turbans on duty.
The Katyn Massacre
Tens of thousands of Polish officers were executed in the USSR during World War 2.
Ethiopia's Red Terror
In the 1970s Ethiopia's military regime launched a brutal campaign of repression
Egypt's Facebook Girl
Israa Abd El Fattah was one of the first Egyptian activists to use Facebook for protests.
The USA Enters World War One
America declared war on Germany on 6 April 1917
Princess Diana's Handshake with Aids Patient
In April 1987 Princess Diana opened the UK's first purpose built HIV Aids unit
The Nagorno-Karabakh war
One man whose family were made refugees during the Nagorno-Karabakh war tells their story
The Jane Fonda Workout
In April 1982 the film star Jane Fonda launched her first workout video.
The Collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf
Glaciologist Pedro Svarka recalls the massive ice shelf tumbling into the Antarctic seas.
Teletubbies
In March 1997 the BBC launched one of the most successful children's TV programmes ever.
Anthrax Leak in the Soviet Union
In 1979, an outbreak of anthrax poisoning caused dozens of deaths in the Soviet Union.
The Flavr Savr Tomato - The World's First Genetically Engineered Food
In 1994, a tomato became the world's first genetically engineered food on sale
The Murder of Archbishop Oscar Romero
The outspoken cleric from El Salvador killed at the altar by a right-wing death squad.
The Death of King Faisal
King Faisal of Saudi Arabia was assassinated by his nephew in March 1975
Ayn Rand
The Russian-American philosopher whose novels praising capitalism sold in the millions.
Mass Deportations From Soviet Estonia
In 1949, Moscow arranged the deportation of tens of thousands of Estonians to Siberia.
Submarine Warfare in WW1
The underwater vessels were first used widely in the First World War
An Assassination in Colombia
The murder of left-wing opposition politician Bernardo Jaramillo in March 1990.
Kolkata Sex Workers.
In March 2001 thousands of Indian prostitutes united to fight for their rights.
The Germans Occupy Prague
In March 1939, German troops occupied Prague; hear the story of one young boy who escaped
The Russian Empire in Colour
Photographer Sergei Prokudin-Gorskii took the first colour photographs of Russia
The First Russian Revolution of 1917
In March 1917 Tsar Nicholas II abdicated ending centuries of autocratic rule in Russia
The Aids Patient Zero Myth
How one man was mistakenly identified as the "Patient Zero" of the Aids epidemic
The Hanafi Hostage Siege in Washington DC
In March 1977 a group of American Muslims took over 100 people hostage in the US.
Georgia O'Keeffe
One of the world's most famous female artists died in March 1986.
Mexico Slashes Car Use
How Mexico City's bold plan helped reduce dangerously high pollution levels.
Kuwaiti Women Secure the Vote
In 2005 an unprecedented protest by Kuwaiti women won a historic change
WW1: The Two Women of Pervyse
The story of two British nurses who set up a first aid station on the Western Front
The Decapitation of the Little Mermaid
In 1998 someone vandalised the most famous statue in Denmark.
Eleanor Roosevelt
America's longest-serving First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt
The Immortal Cells of Henrietta Lacks
Cells taken from an African American woman in 1951 revolutionised medical science
Mother Teresa - The Nun Who Became A Saint
In March 1997 Mother Teresa retired from her charity work in India.
Obesity
In 1997 obesity was first recognised as a global problem by the World Health Organisation
The Origin of Nollywood
The story of the 1992 film which launched Nigeria's hugely successful movie industry
Bulgarian Nurses on Trial in Libya
Valya Chervenyashka was accused of mass murder and tortured in a Libyan jail.
The German American Bund
In the 1930s, American Nazi sympathisers held rallies and summer camps across the US.
The Lost Manuscript of Huckleberry Finn
In 1990, the manuscript of Mark Twain's classic novel was found in an attic in Hollywood.
The Trial of Slobodan Milosevic
The former Serbian President went on trial for war crimes in 2002. Hear from his lawyers.
The Silver Ring Thing
In 1995 a US campaign started encouraging teenagers not to have sex before marriage
Uganda's war on homosexuality
In 2006, a Ugandan newspaper began printing the names of professionals believed to be gay
Italy votes for divorce
In May 1974, Italians defied the Catholic Church and voted overwhelmingly for divorce.
The Birth of Speed Dating
In 1998, a Los Angeles rabbi came up with a new way for single people to meet each other.
The Conman Who Married His Victims
When Giovanni Vigliotto went on trial he said he'd married more than a hundred women.
Sanctuary Cities in the USA
How American cities like San Francisco became safe havens for undocumented immigrants
The True Story of Whisky Galore
How a ship laden with bottles of whisky was wrecked off the Scottish Hebrides
Kenya's Hit Record: Jambo Bwana
The story of a 1980 Kenyan pop song which became an unlikely global hit.
The Killer Whale that Killed
In February 1991, the captive orca, Tilikum, drowned his trainer, Keltie Byrne in Canada.
Rosalind Franklin DNA Pioneer
The scientist produced an x-ray photograph in 1951 that helped show the structure of DNA
1995 Peru-Ecuador Border War
A former Peruvian army officer recalls the last war between Latin American neighbours.
The End of Apartheid
In February 1990 the South African president announced the dismantling of apartheid
Battle of Mogadishu: Black Hawk Down
In 1993, US forces launched a disastrous raid against the Somali warlord, General Aideed
Crossing Antarctica Alone
Norwegian polar explorer Borge Ousland was the first person to cross Antarctica alone.
Sexual Harassment in India
The first time a case of sexual harassment came to court in India.
Desert Island Discs at 75
The story of the BBC's longest-running radio programme.
The 'Aboriginal Tent Embassy'
On 26 January 1972 four Aboriginal men began a protest about land rights in Australia
Roald Dahl's Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl's book, Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, was published in January 1964
The Atocha Lawyers Massacre in Spain
In early 1977 far-right gunmen killed five people at a law firm in Atocha Street, Madrid
Microwave Ovens
Microwave ovens for domestic kitchens first became widely available in 1967.
Dungeons and Dragons
The fantasy role-playing game Dungeons and Dragons launched in January 1974.
Roots - The TV Series
The epic mini-series about slavery in the USA hit TV screens in January 1977
Dadaab: The World's Largest Refugee Camp
How one young woman fled war in Somalia to grow up in Kenya's massive refugee camp
The Murder of Journalist Hrant Dink
The Turkish Armenian journalist was shot dead in January 2007 in front of his office.
The End of El Salvador's Civil War
A former Salvadoran guerrilla fighter talks about her experience of war and peace.
US Presidential Transitions
What exactly goes on during the months between election and inauguration?
Princess Diana's Minefield Walk
How Britain's most famous Royal brought the danger landmines to the world's attention.
Death in the Amazon
Auca tribesmen killed five American missionaries in the jungle in January 1956.
Chicago's Police Torture
A victim of abuse at the hands of the Chicago police tells his story.
The Zimmermann Telegram
How British code-breakers exposed a German plot against the United States in 1917
Turkey's Headscarf Row
In 1999 a Turkish woman MP appeared in parliament wearing a headscarf. It caused uproar.
Albania's Economic Chaos
How the collapse of 'pyramid' investment schemes caused riots in Albania in 1977
Charter 77
In January 1977 an opposition movement began in Soviet-era Czechoslovakia.
Vietnam War: The Cu Chi Tunnels
A Vietnamese war veteran on life in the Viet Cong's tunnel network in South Vietnam