IWTL how to catch up in-depth on past global social, economic and political events which influence the world today to help give a background to current events.

Basically I feel like when I read the news I'm reading articles in isolation and am unable to place current events in a wider historical or political context during discussions with other people. Whilst I like to think I am up to speed on current affairs, when I refer to something I just read in the news or make a point and other people are often able to place it in a wider context or refer to the history of an issue. I do not have this breadth of knowledge about the background to current affairs.

Does anyone know of a good method, resource, website etc. of learning in depth about the, I guess, modern history of the world and issues, conflicts, economics etc. which have shaped the modern world? A sort of primer or catchup service etc.