History Uncensored

History Uncensored

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History Uncensored episodes

  • Who is the REAL Benjamin Netanyahu? | History Of Israel's Prime Minister | With Anshel Pfeffer

    Benjamin Netanyahu is one of the most consequential - and controversial - political leaders of the 21st century.

    To supporters, he is "King Bibi," the leader who has kept Israel secure through decades of war and regional instability. To critics, he is responsible for prolonging conflict and undermining the prospects for peace. He also faces an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity - allegations he rejects, and which Israel disputes.
    No leader has shaped modern Israel for longer. Born just 17 months after the creation of the State of Israel, Netanyahu has governed the country for nearly 19 years - almost a quarter of its history.
    But to understand the decisions he is making today in Gaza, Iran, the United States and on Israel's future, you first have to understand the history that shaped him.
    Bianca Nobilo is joined by Israel Correspondent for The Economist Anshel Pfeffer to uncover the Israeli Prime Minister's past.

    00:00 Netanyahu 'wants to write his own history'

    00:38 Bibi, "King of Israel", "Butcher of Gaza"

    02:52 Netanyahu's upbringing - with Anshel Pfeffer

    04:46 Death of his brother Yoni

    08:48 Made in America?

    11:33 Views on Palestinians and Palestine

    15:53 Churchillian complex - "A really severe case"

    19:09 Iran - the external enemy

    26:08 Does ego shape his global role?

    30:18 Will history remember him kindly?

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    36 min
  • Is Opus Dei Infiltrating Power In Washington? Investigative Journalist Reveals All Of Scandal

    Opus Dei presents itself as a Catholic movement dedicated to finding holiness in everyday life. Critics and former members, however, allege a far darker reality.

    Bianca Nobilo is joined by investigative journalist Gareth Gore, author of Opus, who traces the organisation's rise from its founding in Spain in 1928 to its influence in politics, finance and the Catholic Church.
    He examines allegations of psychological manipulation, labour exploitation, human trafficking and abuse - claims Opus Dei strongly denies - and explores the controversial legacy of founder Josemaría Escrivá, the movement's culture of secrecy, and its global reach.
    Gore also explains how he had a meeting with Pope Leo XIV, where he called for an independent Vatican investigation, Opus Dei's detailed rebuttal to his book, and questioned whether one of the world's most influential Catholic organisations is facing reform or renewed growth.
    Opus Dei rejects Gareth Gore's characterisation of the organisation and denies allegations of human trafficking and other wrongdoing discussed in this conversation.
    00:00 Opus Dei's troubling history
    02:03 Alleged abuses - investigative journalist Gareth Gore
    03:42 Controversial traditions & corporal mortification
    07:35 Children as alleged targets
    11:35 Opus Dei cracks America
    14:56 Opus Dei & Spain's civil war
    17:13 Allegations: human trafficking & sexual misconduct
    20:29 Opus Dei response
    22:35 An audience with Pope Leo
    28:30 What should people know?

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    32 min
  • Worse Than The Strait Of Hormuz? Iran War ESCALATION As Houthis Block Tankers | With Tim Marshall

    As attention remains focused on the of years. Strait of Hormuz, another strategic waterway is emerging as a critical geopolitical flashpoint: Bab el-Mandeb, the ancient "Gate of Tears."

    Why has this narrow passage between the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean has become one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints?
    From ancient trade routes and imperial rivalries to the Houthis' attacks on commercial shipping and the risk of wider regional escalation, Bab el-Mandeb has shaped global commerce for thousands of years.
    The expansion of the Iran conflict into the Red Sea has created a new threat to global energy markets, raising concerns over the security of one of the world's busiest shipping routes.
    Nearly two weeks after the latest escalation between the United States and Iran, tensions intensified when the Iran-backed Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi vessels transiting the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a vital maritime gateway at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
    This week, Bianca Nobilo is joined by journalist and author Tim Marshall to see how consequential unfolding events could be...

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    30 min
  • Has The Iran War Shattered US Power In The Middle East? | With Dr Andreas Krieg

    Has America and Israel's war with Iran marked the beginning of the end of the post-1991 American order in the Middle East?

    For more than three decades after the Gulf War, the United States appeared to guarantee regional security, protect global energy routes and shape the outcome of major conflicts. The 2026 war with Iran has prompted renewed debate over whether that era has come to an end.
    The conflict raises fundamental questions about who really emerged as the winners and losers, whether Israel's long-standing strategy of forward defence has reached its limits, why the Strait of Hormuz may now represent a strategic weapon more powerful than nuclear deterrence, and whether perpetual war has become the defining feature of the region's security order.
    Bianca Nobilo is joined by Dr Andreas Krieg, author and Fellow at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies, to give an in-depth analysis of the forces reshaping the Middle East and the global balance of power.

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    33 min
  • Has Russia's War Against NATO And Europe Already Begun?

    Across Europe, governments and intelligence agencies have accused Russia of escalating a campaign of hybrid warfare, from sabotage and GPS interference to cyber operations and suspected attacks on critical infrastructure.

    Much of the attention is focused on Kaliningrad - Russia's heavily militarised exclave on the Baltic Sea - and the nearby Suwałki Gap, NATO's only land link to the Baltic states.
    Bianca Nobilo explores how a medieval Prussian city became one of Europe's most strategically important military flashpoints. Tracing the history of Königsberg, the Second World War, the Soviet Union and NATO's expansion, she takes a look at why Kaliningrad remains central to Russia's military strategy and how the Suwałki Gap is considered one of the alliance's greatest vulnerabilities.
    Could this war continue to shape Europe's security and what does that mean for the future?

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    16 min
  • Is The USA STILL A Democracy? | 250 Years Of American Independence

    When did America actually become a democracy and could it be losing it?

    As the United States marks 250 years since independence, this episode examines one of the country's biggest founding myths: that America has always been a democracy.
    From the Constitution of 1787 to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the programme traces how political rights gradually expanded from a system that excluded most Americans - including enslaved people, women, Native Americans and many Black citizens - to something closer to universal democracy.
    If full democratic participation only became a reality around sixty years ago, what does that mean for the strength and resilience of the American system today?
    Bianca Nobilo is joined by Professor of Political Science, Lucan Way, to explore what democracy has meant to Americans over the years.
    00:00 Is America still a democracy?
    02:22 Defining democracy - with Lucan Way
    05:02 When did America become a full democracy?
    09:43 Nixon and Trump
    12:44 Free press (costs money)
    15:00 Competitive authoritarian
    18:33 Where have we seen this before?
    21:57 The counter argument
    25:59 Does democracy ebb and flow?

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    32 min
  • Why Can’t 'Broken Britain' KEEP a Prime Minister? From Scandal to Assassination

    Keir Starmer is stepping down as the UK’s Prime Minister, less than two years after winning the election with a landslide victory.

    Between 1979 and 2016, Britain had five prime ministers in 37 years… and since 2016, it has had six in roughly a decade. So is the UK political system broken, or is this chaos exactly what the parliamentary model was designed to do?
    Bianca Nobilo looks back at three centuries of the history behind the headlines to determine if this is a constitutional crisis - or the system working exactly as intended.
    00:00 Why can't Britain keep a Prime Minister?
    02:09 Assassination of Spencer Perceval
    03:28 Shortest tenure: From George Canning to Liz Truss
    05:44 What's different today? 2016 - 2026
    07:03 What's causing the chaos?
    10:14 Is Britain broken?

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    13 min
  • How Has Putin's Childhood Dictated Russian Strategy? | With Mark Galeotti

    Who is the real Vladimir Putin?

    For decades, the Russian president has been portrayed as everything from a master strategist and nationalist strongman to a ruthless former spy. How much of that image reflects reality and how much is carefully crafted mythology?
    Bianca Nobilo is joined by historian and Russia expert Mark Galeotti to examine the formative experiences that shaped Putin's worldview, from his lonely childhood in Soviet Leningrad to his years in the KGB and rise to power in the Kremlin.
    What misconceptions continue to define Western perceptions of Putin? What drives his decision-making? What does his personal history might reveal about Russia's future plans in Ukraine and beyond?

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    31 min
  • Is Israel Using White Phosphorus In Lebanon, And Is It Legal?

    White phosphorus has been used on battlefields for more than a century, but its deployment over populated areas continues to spark fierce legal and ethical debate.

    Bianca Nobilo examines the growing scrutiny surrounding Israel's use of white phosphorus in Lebanon, where human rights groups have raised concerns about the impact on civilians. Capable of burning at extreme temperatures and causing severe injuries, the substance occupies a controversial legal grey area because it is often classified as a smoke-screening munition rather than a chemical weapon.
    From its origins in the 17th century to its use in modern conflicts, the history of white phosphorus reveals why it remains one of warfare's most controversial weapons. As concerns mount over its use in civilian areas, questions continue to be asked about whether military necessity can ever justify the risks it poses.

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    10 min
  • The WILD History Of The UFC: 1993 To Trump's White House | With Luke Thomas

    How did the UFC go from a controversial fringe spectacle in 1993 to hosting an event at the White House?

    Combat sports journalist Luke Thomas joins Bianca Nobilo to discuss the UFC's extraordinary rise, its ties to Donald Trump, and how the promotion became one of the most influential forces in modern sports and culture.
    From its no-holds-barred beginnings to the heart of American political power, they examine the remarkable journey of the UFC, the key figures who transformed the sport, and the cultural shift that took mixed martial arts from the margins to the mainstream.
    With the UFC now firmly embedded in American popular culture, what does its White House debut say about the sport's evolution and its growing influence beyond the octagon?

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    27 min

About History Uncensored

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Every headline has a history.