From 1950 to 1970, Lebanon's Capital, Beirut, was known as the Paris of the Middle East. But after the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) moved its Headquarters to West Beirut in 1971, South Lebanon became an active battlefield against Israel. Fractures in Lebanese society emerged and from 1975 to 1990, it descended into a disastrous Civil War. Amidst the melee, Hezbollah emerged as the new militant organization, in South Lebanon, with backing from Iran.

In February 1995, Aussie Cricket legend, Shane Warne revealed that he and Tim May had been offered $200,000 each by Pakistan Captain, Salim Malik, to lose the October 1994 Karachi Test against Pakistan.

The Qayyum Commission set up by Pakistan, the King Commission by South Africa and the CBI investigation by India, explored instances of Cricket Match Fixing and the players involved.

The first ICC Anti Corruption Unit Chief, Lord Condon stated in 2011, that Match Fixing in Cricket was rampant in the 1980s and 1990s.

The US-Iran War started on Feb 28, 2026 when the Iranian Spiritual Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's residential compound was pounded by American and Israelis missiles and bombs. The intent was regime change, but several months in, the regime seems intact and more hardline. So, is there any hope of peace?

Prior to 1776, the American Colonist Leaders were reluctant to go against the Crown. But in January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet "Common Sense", which laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.

After 1958, FIFA ensured that the World Cup tournament alternated between continents. Brazil won a record 3rd time in 1970 to get permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy. West German Captain Franz Beckenbauer became the first Captain to lift the new FIFA World Cup in 1974.

In the mid-19th century, Association Football or Soccer, was introduced in English schools as part of the physical education curriculum. Soccer expanded globally, driven by British sailors, merchants, and engineers, as well as railway and mining companies, who brought the game to Europe, South America, and British colonies.

FIFA was established in 1904 to provide rules for international matches so that teams from different countries could compete fairly.

On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of East Germany) began to build a barbed wire and concrete barrier, between East and West Berlin, which came to be known as the Berlin Wall. The primary aim was to prevent mass exodus of East Germans into the affluent West Germany.

28 years later, on November 9, 1989, the Wall came crashing down, heralding an end to the Cold War.

Great rivalries from history - from the fraternal rivalry that led to Adidas and Puma to the Cola Wars between Coke and Pepsi. Tesla and Edison fought the Current Wars and Scotland continues to maintain a unique identity within Great Britain.

During the early hours of January 3, 2026, the US Forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. While the US called it an operation against narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, the real reason lay in a 1823 doctrine.

Collapse of empires starts with economic exhaustion – when an empire stretches itself beyond its resources. The episode dives into detail of the factors that led to the collapse of the Empires of Great Britain and Japan, post WWII.