Confronting Betty Ford’s addiction

In 1978, former first lady Betty Ford sought help for addiction

• 9 mins

Kobe earthquake

On 17 January 1995, an earthquake devastated the city of Kobe, in Japan

• 9 mins

'I wrote Schindler's List'

Thomas Keneally stumbled across the story of Oskar Schindler while buying a briefcase

• 9 mins

Drum: Africa’s revolutionary magazine

The first African lifestyle magazine Drum, was first printed in 1951

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Hunting the Unabomber

In September 1995, US newspapers controversially published a terrorist's manifesto.

• 9 mins

Sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway

In 1995, the doomsday cult, Aum Shinrikyo, launched a chemical attack on the Tokyo metro

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The murder of Maurizio Gucci

On 27 March 1995, the former head of the fashion house was shot dead in Milan, Italy

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Replacing the Panchen Lama

On 29 November 1995, China exerted its influence over Tibetan Buddhism's leadership

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The launch of Windows 95

In 1995 Microsoft released a new operating system after a $300 million marketing campaign

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The Milltown Cemetery attack

In 1988, during the Troubles in Northern Ireland, three people were killed at a funeral

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The Baltic chain protest

On 23 August 1989, approximately two million people joined hands to form a human chain

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Lithuania's 'wolf children'

In the aftermath of World War Two, children fled East Prussia in order to survive

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1968 New York City teachers' strike

In 1968, more than 50,000 teachers went on strike in New York City, in the USA

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English TV lessons in China go primetime

An estimated 500 million people in China watched English lessons on television in 1981

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Jacques Derrida: ‘Rock star’ philosopher

In 1966, the Frenchman upended philosophy with his theory of "deconstruction"

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Oradour massacre

In June 1944, 642 people were killed in Oradour, France

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Cuban blindness

In the early 1990s, around 50,000 Cubans were struck down with sight loss

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The first global case of coral bleaching

In 1998 a strange phenomenon turned the world’s most colourful coral reefs deathly white

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Heathers: The making of a cult classic

In 1989, dark comedy Heathers was released and changed the teen movie genre

• 9 mins

La Pasionaria: Heroine of the Spanish civil war

Dolores Ibárruri was dubbed La Pasionaria for her fiery speeches in the Spanish civil war

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Eisenhower's farewell address

In 1961, the US President ended his time in the White House with a famous speech

• 9 mins

Mary Fisher's 'A Whisper of Aids' speech

Mary Fisher set out to fight the prejudice faced by those with HIV and Aids

• 9 mins

Paul Keating's Redfern speech

In 1992, Australia's Prime Minister addressed atrocities inflicted upon Indigenous people

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Eva Peron: Argentina’s Evita

Eva Peron - or Evita - was an icon in 1940s Argentina, famous for her populist rhetoric

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The world's longest kiss

In 2013, a Thai couple locked lips for 58 hours and 35 minutes in a world record attempt

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Bo: The death of a language

In 2010, one of the oldest languages died after the death of its last remaining speaker.

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Bolivia’s first indigenous president

The election of Evo Morales in 2005 was a historic first for the South American country.

• 9 mins

Murder at the Berlin Wall

In March 1974, Polish man Czesław Kukuczka was shot by a Stasi officer at the Berlin Wall

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Assassination of Malcolm X

In 1965, the controversial black leader, Malcolm X, was assassinated in New York

• 9 mins

Discovering the structure of haemoglobin

Dr Max Perutz made one of the greatest scientific discoveries of the 20th century

• 9 mins