Rear Vision — How History Shaped Today

In the early 1950s Iran had a democratic government led by Mohammad Mosaddeq. On 19 August 1953 that government was overthrown by a CIA coup and the young Shah was installed in its place. Part 1 of our series on the role the United States played in the making of Modern Iran - the 1953 CIA Coup in Iran.

Rupert Murdoch retired last year but now wants his eldest son to have control of the family trust when he dies.  The move would disempower three of his other children and they're fighting the change in court, we examine the story of the Murdoch Family Trust and ask how it all got so messy?

The Middle East teetering on the brink of a war between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. While seen by many western nations as a terrorist organisation – Hezbollah is more than that, it plays a critical role in Lebanese politics and a pivotal role in Iran’s network of alliances in the region. It also has around 150 thousand rockets aim at Israel. The story of Hezbollah.

The Lebanese Shiite militant group, Hezbollah is seen by many western governments as a terrorist organisation but it’s also much more than that. Hezbollah plays pivotal role in Lebanon both socially and politics, has emerged as a significant regional actor and is a key ally of Iran. Since its creation in 1982 Hezbollah has been engaged in a conflict with Israel and today that conflict threatens to...

The world's most popular tourist destinations have been having a bumper 2024.But many places are again struggling with over tourism. We look back on the relentless rise of global travel.

Raw sewage is being pumped into rivers and waterways across England and it’s increasing becoming a political and health issues. What’s going wrong and does it have anything to do with the privatisation of the English water industry 30 years ago. The unexpected consequences of the free market.

We examine the evolution of NASA's human space flight programAnd how past disasters influenced their cautious approach with the two astronauts stuck in space.

The protests that engulfed Bangladesh last month, that resulted in the removal of the Sheikh Hasina Government, were led by students and sparked by the reintroduction of a quota system for the civil service.  But what were they really about and how were the connected to the Bangladeshi War of Independence from 1971. The second part of our deep dive into Bangladesh history and politics.

In 1971 a conflict marred by atrocities and war crimes led to the creation of the state of Bangladesh. After 40 years of inaction the government of Bangladesh established the International Crimes Tribunal to bring those who committed war crimes to justice. This month the war crimes court sentenced a senior Islamic party politician, Mohammad Kamaruzzaman, to death for masterminding the slaughter of...

Australians have always loved to gamble but sports betting apps are making it more accessible to more of us. We look at the history of online sports gambling in Australia and its social impact.

This week at the Democratic Convention in Chicago - Kamala Harris will become the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. But what do you know about her family, her sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha or her time as a prosecutor and the Attorney general of California.

The assassination attempt on Trump was a shocking mission failure for the Secret Service.  From JFK to Reagan, we examine what the agency’s history and response to past failures.

The Philippines is refusing to concede a small reef inside their territorial waters. What does it reveal about China's ambitions and the broader security dilemma in the South China?

The selection of a new justice to the United States Supreme Court is frequently controversial and almost always political. It’s a 'captain's pick' for the US president and one that can shape American society long after the president’s gone.

US Presidents don’t give up power easily, only twice before has a sitting Democratic President decided not to stand for a second term. This week we explore the eerie parallels between President Lyndon Johnson who pulled out of the 1968 Presidential race and President Joe Biden who has just stepped aside from the 2024 race. 

While America was founded on lofty ideas – like democracy, equality and freedom – it’s was also shaped and continues to be shaped by political violence. The history of political violence in America from the time of slavery through to the assassination attempt on Donald trump.

The country's position as a democracy next to China and North Korea is critical. We examine South Korea's role on the global stage and how the society is changing.

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

History is filled with examples of industries minimising or ignoring the risks associated with their products. We examine the story of forever chemicals and compare it to what happened with lead petrol.

Until recently Far-right political parties, often with historical links to fascism and nazism, were relegated to the fringes of politics. But their success in this month’s European parliamentary elections, demonstrated that they are now appealing to a broader demographic. We look at the rise of the Far-Right in European politics and what it might mean for issues like immigration and the Green tran...

Australia starting taxing capital gains in 1986, stamping out a whole lot of tax evasion in the process. So why in 1999 did the Howard government introduce a discount on that tax? And how has that concession impacted investing in property?

Rear Vision puts contemporary events in their historical context.

Its colonial history, the fight for independence and why this archipelago in the heart of the pacific is so important to France.

At colleges and universities across America, students have been protesting the ongoing war in Gaza and their institutions connections with Israel. In the 1960’s and early 70’s students protested America’s involvement in the Vietnam war. Are we seeing history repeat itself or is this movement completely different.

The United States spends more on defence than the next ten countries combined.  The drive for military dominance started during the Cold War but what does it look like today?