Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe creation of the state of Israel
On 14 May 1948, the state of Israel was proclaimed.
Tears and applause met the declaration, witnessed by 200 dignitaries, but fighting intensified in …
1 year, 9 months ago
The ‘Catastrophe’ for Palestinians
In 1948, tens of thousands of Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes in the Middle East.
The period after World War Two in the region w…
1 year, 9 months ago
Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal
In 1992, a photograph of Princess Diana alone on a bench in front of the Taj Mahal became one of the most famous photos in the world.
Anwar Hussein …
1 year, 10 months ago
How a billion Indians got a digital ID
In 2009, the Indian government embarked on an ambitious task to register all of the country's billion-plus citizens with a unique digital ID.
Aadhaar…
1 year, 10 months ago
The pioneering eye surgery that led to Lasik
In 1963, Dr Jose Ignacio Barraquer Moner performed the first surgery on a human eye aimed at correcting short-sightedness.
The ophthalmologist had bee…
1 year, 10 months ago
East Germany's coffee from Vietnam
In the 1980s, a thirst for caffeine caused an unusual global collaboration.
Coffee-loving East Germans were left without after a crop failure in the w…
1 year, 10 months ago
Friends: The making of a smash hit
When a new show called Friends hit American TV screens in September 1994, it made household names of its cast.
Over 10 series, it charted the lives of…
1 year, 10 months ago
The Channel Tunnel breakthrough
Thirty years on from the opening of the Channel Tunnel between Britain and France, we look at the moment the two halves of the tunnel were connected …
1 year, 10 months ago
Ukraine's 'museum of corruption'
In February 2014, Ukraine’s ousted president, Viktor Yanukovych fled the country.
His estate was abandoned by security guards, so for the first time o…
1 year, 10 months ago
How to win friends and influence people
In 1936, Dale Carnegie wrote one of the world’s most popular self help books - How to Win Friends and Influence People.
The idea was suggested by a bo…
1 year, 10 months ago