Columbia space shuttle, 1981

Space shuttle Columbia makes first return landing.

• 14 mins

Reagan budget-cutting campaign, 1981

Axe falls on government spending as Reagan's budget cuts begin.

• 14 mins

Remembering Jack Thum, 1981

Mickey Rooney portrays professional clown Jack Thum.

• 14 mins

Grain embargo stalls

Embargo on grain exports to Russia fails.

• 14 mins

New York bomb threats

Mystery blitz of bomb threats after Kennedy Airport device kills man.

• 14 mins

Reagan at West Point

President Reagan addresses graduates at West Point.

• 14 mins

Reagan's policies stalled

Election promises fade as reality scuppers new administration's plans.

• 14 mins

Surgeons' insurance costs soar

Rising cost of malpractice insurance sees surgeons quitting.

• 14 mins

US-China relations warm

Arms deal announced as US relations with communist China warm.

• 14 mins

Reagan wins budget cuts

Surprise as House clears suggested budget cuts on single vote.

• 14 mins

British city riots

America shocked by violence erupting across the UK.

• 14 mins

Ottawa economic summit

Secrecy surrounds Ottawa summit talks.

• 14 mins

Royal wedding spectacle

US audiences applaud the theatre of the royal wedding.

• 14 mins

Baseball strike, 1981

The 1981 Major League Baseball strike comes to an end.

• 15 mins

Reagan breaks air strike

Air controllers strike broken by President Reagan.

• 14 mins

Neutron bomb backlash

Europe reacts angrily to Reagan's announcement of new bomb programme.

• 14 mins

Libyans challenge US aircraft

Reagan talks tough over Libyan intercepts of US airplanes.

• 14 mins

Fruit fly battle

California under siege by fruit flies.

• 14 mins

Inner city decay

Power outage highlights problem of urban infrastructure decay.

• 14 mins

First woman Supreme Court judge

Sandra Day O'Connor becomes first woman Supreme Court judge.

• 14 mins

Illegal immigration, 1981

Huge increase in illegal immigrants from Mexico entering the US.

• 14 mins

US reviews Soviet military strength

Soviet military strength ahead of US, report finds.

• 14 mins

Death of Anwar Sadat (1918-1981)

President Sadat of Egypt is assassinated in a year of political assassination attempts.

• 15 mins

Video tape copyright claim

Film studios win copyright claim against video taping.

• 14 mins

Abortion an issue again

Attorney General suggests making abortion illegal.

• 14 mins

Reagan backtracks on missiles

President suggests US and Soviet re-think on land-based missiles.

• 14 mins

Reagan vetoes budget

Presidential veto over budget sees government workers sent home.

• 14 mins

Video games craze

Newest craze in US is for Japanese video games.

• 14 mins

US-China relations

Special relationship between West Coast Americans and the Chinese.

• 14 mins

Martial law in Poland

US impotent as martial law imposed on Poland.

• 14 mins