Dutch school hostage crisis

In 1977 independence activists from Indonesia's Molucca islands took a school hostage.

• 14 mins

The Theft of the Scream

In 1994 Edvard Munch's famous painting The Scream was stolen from a Norwegian art museum.

• 9 mins

The first World Trade Center attack

How Islamic extremists tried to blow up the Twin Towers eight years before 9/11.

• 9 mins

The standoff at Wounded Knee

Forty years ago, American Indian activists staged a protest against the US authorities.

• 9 mins

Choosing a Pope

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor tells the story of electing Pope Benedict in April 2005

• 9 mins

The Bethnal Green tube disaster

It is 70 years since 173 people were crushed to death at an air-raid shelter in London

• 9 mins

The Cultural Revolution in China

In the mid 1960s the young people of China were encouraged to turn on their elders.

• 1 min

Armenia and Azerbaijan

It is 25 years since violence broke out in the city of Sumgait in Azerbaijan.

• 9 mins

The death of Joseph Stalin

60 years ago the Soviet dictator died and the whole of the USSR was plunged into mourning.

• 9 mins

Skiing in the Swat Valley

One man's mission to bring fun back to the battle-scarred Swat Valley in Pakistan.

• 9 mins

Viagra

Fifteen years ago a new "wonder" drug was approved for use in the United States.

• 9 mins

Gay in the US military

In 1975 a US airman announced he was gay, to test the military's attitude to homosexuals.

• 9 mins

Cesar Chavez - Yes We Can!

How a Mexican-American civil rights leader coined the phrase that would inspire Obama.

• 15 mins

The Tibetan uprising

In 1959 the people of Tibet turned against Chinese occupying forces.

• 9 mins

The Theft of Charlie Chaplin's Body

In March 1978 thieves stole the body of Charlie Chaplin from a cemetery in Switzerland.

• 9 mins

Marie Stopes, Birth Control Pioneer

In March 1921 Marie Stopes opened Britain's first birth control clinic in London.

• 9 mins

Giandomenico Picco - Hostage negotiator

The UN envoy who tried to secure the release of Western hostages in Lebanon.

• 9 mins

Syrian uprising

Two years ago Syria's conflict began with demonstrations in the southern city of Daraa.

• 9 mins

Lebanon hostage crisis

In 1991 Giandomenico Picco went to Beirut to try to free Western hostages.

• 14 mins

Iraq: Ten years on - The bombardment of Baghdad

It is a decade since the US and its allies began their invasion of Iraq.

• 9 mins

Iraq: Ten years on - The invasion of Iraq

John Crawford was part of the US forces that rolled into Iraq in March 2003.

• 9 mins

Iraq: Ten years on - Looting in Baghdad

In April 2003, Baghdad descended into chaos as American troops took control of the city.

• 9 mins

Iraq: Ten years on - Working for the Americans

How one Iraqi who took a job with the US military, was threatened with death as a traitor.

• 9 mins

Iraq: Ten years on - The capture of Saddam Hussein

In December 2003 the former Iraqi leader was finally caught by American forces.

• 9 mins

Life in Ceausescu's Romania

Nicolae Ceausescu controlled Romania through his feared secret police - the Securitate.

• 14 mins

The Profumo Affair

Fifty years ago, a sex scandal threatened to engulf the British government.

• 9 mins

Living in Ceausescu's Romania

The communist dictator ran one of the most feared secret police forces in Eastern Europe.

• 9 mins

Unearthing the Terracotta Army

Discovered by chance by farmers digging a well, the secrets of the Qin Dynasty in China.

• 9 mins

American prisoners in Vietnam

After their release in 1973, former US prisoners of war began to talk about torture.

• 9 mins

The killing of Archbishop Romero

On 24 March 1980, Archbishop Oscar Romero was shot dead while saying mass in San Salvador.

• 9 mins