History Uncensored

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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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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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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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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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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