Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchFirst Danish queen for 600 years
In January 1972, King Frederick IX of Denmark died after a short illness at the age of 72.
He was succeeded by his daughter Margrethe who became the …
3 years ago
'Hot Autumn': When Italy’s workers revolted
In 1969 and 1970, thousands of workers in Italy went on strike, protesting against low pay and poor working conditions. It became known as the ‘Hot A…
3 years ago
'I told the world Pope Benedict XVI was resigning'
On 11 February 2013, Benedict XVI shocked the world by becoming the first pope in nearly 600 years to quit. All other popes in the modern era had hel…
3 years ago
The Pope and Jews
In April 1986, Pope John Paul II made a historic visit to a Rome synagogue.
It was aimed at healing centuries of deep wounds between Jews and Catholic…
3 years, 1 month ago
Pope John Paul I’s sudden death
Cardinal Albino Luciani became Pope John Paul I on 26 August 1978. He died unexpectedly 33 days later.
He was discovered in the early morning lying on…
3 years, 1 month ago
Reforming the Catholic Church with Vatican II
In January 1959, Pope John XXIII announced a council of all the world's Catholic bishops and cardinals in Rome.
It led to sweeping reforms, including…
3 years, 1 month ago
How a Pope is chosen
Following the death of Pope John Paul II, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became Pope Benedict XVI in April 2005. He was elected after four ballots of the …
3 years, 1 month ago
The first black music station in Europe
In 1981, Rita Marley’s brother Leroy Anderson aka Lepke launched the Dread Broadcasting Corporation (DBC), Europe’s first dedicated black music stati…
3 years, 1 month ago
The assassination of Burundian President Melchior Ndadaye
In July 1993, Melchior Ndadaye became Burundi’s first democratically elected president.
He was also the first president to come from the country’s Hut…
3 years, 1 month ago
Columbia space shuttle disaster
The US space shuttle Columbia broke up on its way back to Earth on 1 February 2003.
It had been in use since 1981.
Iain Mackness spoke to Admiral Hal…
3 years, 1 month ago