The Global Story

In the last year, the US has admitted just 13,000 refugees — a fraction of the number it has accepted in previous years. And almost all of those new arrivals have been white South Africans.
The Trump administration says Afrikaners are fleeing persecution in South Africa. But there is little evidence of attacks specifically targeting the country’s white Afrikaner minority. South Africa’s new ambassador to the US has told the BBC that the idea of a mass attack against white Afrikaners simply does not exist.
So why have Afrikaners been given preferential access to the US refugee programme? And what has life in America been like for those who have made the journey?
Today on The Global Story, the BBC’s North America correspondent Ione Wells and Africa producer Ed Habershon share their conversations with the Afrikaners who are using new refugee policies to immigrate to the US — and the South African officials who say the Trump administration is overlooking the full picture.
Producer: Cat Farnsworth, Aron Keller and Xandra Ellin
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Mix: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo:US President Donald Trump meets with South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 21 May 2025. Credit: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA/Shutterstock

How did the passengers of Flydubai's flight FZ1073 prevent a catastrophe after a cockpit attack? And what does this incident mean for Israel at a politically charged moment?
On Wednesday, a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after one pilot allegedly stabbed the other. The aircraft entered a 17,000ft plunge before passengers and crew forced their way into the cockpit, overpowered the alleged attacker and helped bring the plane back under control. The injured pilot, identified as Indian national Capt Smit Machchhar, was taken to hospital after the flight landed and later called a "hero" by the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Now, Israeli officials are investigating whether the stabbing was an act of terrorism – and whether any warning signs were missed.
On The Global Story, Tristan Redman speaks to BBC Middle East correspondent Yolande Knell, who explains what we know so far about the Flydubai flight and the significance of a suspected security incident so close to pivotal elections in Israel.
Producers: Sam Chantarasak and Valerio Esposito
Executive producers: James Shield and Martine Powers
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport. REUTERS/Ammar Awad

Fifteen years ago, the film The Social Network told the story of Facebook’s rise to global prominence. As Meta faces growing scrutiny from regulators and pours billions into AI, a new movie examines what the company allegedly knew about the harms linked to Facebook.
Jeff Horwitz is the journalist whose reporting inspired the new film, The Social Reckoning, which hits cinemas next week. Horwitz helped expose internal debates at Meta over misinformation, teenage well-being, political polarisation and the tension between keeping users safe and growing the business.
After a turbulent year for the company and amid declining public trust, The Global Story’s Tristan Redman talks to Horwitz about whether Meta can reinvent itself while remaining one of the world’s most powerful tech giants.
Producers: Xandra Ellin and Valerio Esposito
Executive producer: Martine Powers
Sound engineer: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Image: CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg (Annabelle Gordon/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock)

In the early hours of Sunday morning, three vans were spotted near a British military base used by the United States for its bombing operations in Iran. A huge police operation followed, bomb disposal teams were spotted on the scene, and five men were arrested on suspicion of explosive and terrorism offences. Donald Trump said the men were “looking to do big damage to our fort” and that “we had them under investigation”.
The suspects – all British nationals – were released on police bail on Monday afternoon, leaving questions about how dangerous a plot this was alleged to be.
What is going on? We speak to Nick Aldworth, a former Detective Chief Superintendent in UK Counter Terrorism Policing.
Producers: Aron Keller, Mhairi MacKenzie, Lucy Pawle and Valerio Esposito
Mix: Travis Evans
Digital producer: Charlie Firth
Executive producer: James Shield
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: B‑1B Lancer bomber is parked at the RAF Fairford airbase, in Fairford, Gloucestershire, Britain, September 27, 2026. Credit: Reuters/Toby Shepheard

Climate scientists have put out a dire warning about this year’s El Niño; that it will likely be the worst in recorded history. And if previous ‘super’ El Niños are anything to go by, that means that this cycle will bring extreme weather - flooding, drought, wildfires, and hunger- across the world.
But how do scientists know what the effects of an El Niño will be? And how do they communicate that information to governments and the public in a way that causes calm preparedness instead of panic?
Tom Di Liberto is a former climate scientist for the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and a science communicator, who specialises in monitoring El Niño phenomena. He joins us on today’s show.
Producers: Hannah Moore and Mhairi MacKenzie
Executive producer: Bridget Harney
Mix: Travis Evans
Senior news editor: China Collins
Photo: A man wades through water in northern Peru, in 2017, during that year’s El Niño. Credit: Ernesto Benavides/AFP.