First reports of Ebola

Hindu extremists demolished a 16th century mosque in the Indian city of Ayodhya in December 1992 prompting months of communal violence across India. Photojournalist Praveen Jain witnessed rehearsals for the demolition the day before the activists stormed the mosque. He spoke to Iknoor Kaur in 2019.(Photo: Hindu extremists rehearsing the demolition of the Babri Masjid. Credit: Praveen Jain)

6 Des 20229min

In October 1995, the people of Quebec went to the polls to decide whether the province should declare independence from Canada. Kevin Caners hears the first-hand testimony of Jean-François Lisée and Stephane Dion, who represented opposite sides of a debate which nearly split the country in two. A Whistledown Production for BBC World Service.(Photo: Voters at the 1995 Quebec referendum. Credit: Getty Images)

5 Des 20229min

In 1970, feminists stormed the stage at the Miss World pageant in London. They were protesting against the objectification of women. Sally Alexander was one of the young protesters who was arrested for her part in the demonstration. She spoke to Andrew Whitehead in 2014.(Photo: Protestors outside the 1970 Miss World pageant. Credit: Getty Images)

2 Des 20228min

In 1985, at the height of the Cold War, Bulgaria was a strictly controlled communist dictatorship. It was also facing a wave of infection and death caused by a mysterious new virus. The authorities refused to recognise the threat of HIV and AIDS, so one of Bulgaria’s virologists took the initiative.In this programme for World Aids Day, Professor Radka Argirova tells Janet Barrie how she smuggled the live HIV virus back from Germany to start testing in Bulgaria for the first time.(Photo: Professor Radka Argirova in her laboratory. Credit: BBC)

1 Des 20229min

In 1947, thousands of Japanese families were expelled from their island homes by Soviet troops. They were taken from the Northern Territories, also known as the Southern Kurils, after the Soviet Union took control of the islands. Japan and Russia have failed to sign a peace agreement after World War Two because of the dispute. Yuzo Matsumoto, who's now 81, has been speaking to Laura Jones.(Photo: Yuzo Matsumoto with photos of his parents, standing in front of a map of Etorofu. Credit: BBC)

30 Nov 202210min

In 2000, an American personal trainer invented CrossFit. They now have gyms around the world and hold an annual international competition.Rachel Naylor speaks to two-time world champion Annie Thorisdottir, from Iceland.(Photo: Annie Thorisdottir. Credit: CrossFit LLC)

29 Nov 20229min

In 2002, journalist Kelly Hartog was on a press trip in Mombasa, in Kenya, when suicide bombers drove a car packed with explosives into the hotel where she was staying. The attack killed 18 people and injured 80. Almost at the same time, terrorists tried to bring down an Israeli charter jet using surface-to-air missiles – but narrowly missed. Kelly tells Vicky Farncombe about her ordeal.(Photo: People stand outside the Paradise Hotel after it was attacked by suicide bombers. Credit: Getty Images)

28 Nov 20229min

In 1934, the late Percy Shaw almost crashed while driving home from the pub on a foggy night in West Yorkshire, in England. He was saved when his headlights were reflected in the eyes of a cat and it gave him a brilliant idea. He invented reflective studs for the road and called them cat’s eyes. Rachel Naylor speaks to Percy's great-niece, Glenda Shaw.(Photo: Percy Shaw holding one of his cat's eyes, outside his factory in Halifax, England, in 1958. Credit: Getty Images)

25 Nov 20229min