Podcast Episodes

The trial of Soviet writers Daniel and Sinyavsky

In 1965, two writers were accused of publishing anti-Soviet material abroad.

The arrest of Yuli Daniel and Andrei Sinyavsky was seen as symbolic of the new era in the Soviet Union.

The liberal leader …

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Jorge Luis Borges: 'Father' of Latin American fiction

In 1961, the Argentine poet and short story writer Jorge Luis Borges won the Formentor Prize for literature.

Borges’ stories were characterised by mind-bending plots often featuring labyrinths, dreams…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Wallander and the rise of Nordic Noir

Published in 1991, Faceless Killers was the first of Henning Mankell’s crime novels featuring police inspector Kurt Wallander. The series changed the world of crime writing, introducing gritty social…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

How BRICS got its name

In 2001, a few months after 9/11, economist Jim O’Neill was working at Goldman Sachs when he wrote a report about which countries might become big players in the world economy.

That’s when he came up…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

Japan surrenders in Beijing

Eighty years ago, in the autumn of 1945, World War II surrender ceremonies took place across the Japanese Empire.

The one in China was held at the Forbidden City in Beijing bringing an end to eight ye…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

The remote island that was evacuated to 10,000km away

On 10 October 1961, a volcanic eruption threatened the population of Tristan da Cunha, a British Overseas Territory in the South Atlantic, and all 264 islanders were evacuated to the UK.

Two years la…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

'I designed the Indian rupee symbol'

In 2009, the Indian government launched a national competition to find a design for the Indian rupee.

With more than 3,000 entries and five finalists, the winning design was announced on 15 July 2010.…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

The home video war

Before streaming and catch-up TV, owning a video recorder was one of the only ways to watch on-demand entertainment.

In 1975 Sony launched Betamax with its half-inch-wide tape capable of recording 60…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

The acquittal of OJ Simpson

It’s 30 years since American football star OJ Simpson was acquitted of murdering his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman.

Ron Shipp was a close friend of OJ Simpson's and also…

Published on 2 months, 2 weeks ago

'I took the famous photo of JFK and his son'

On 2 October 1963, American photographer Stanley Tretick took the best picture of his life – a photo of President John F Kennedy working at the Resolute Desk in the White House, with his two-year-old…

Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago