Life Orientation resources for South African teachers

South Africa has struggled for decades to reclaim abandoned buildings taken over by criminals. Known as “hijacked buildings”, these properties, mainly in inner cities, are controlled by people who are not their legal owners.

Meta has launched Muse, a new AI assistant designed to watch, learn and act on your behalf, with the company promising a future where artificial intelligence helps manage everything from shopping and bookings to emails and daily tasks.

But is Muse a helpful digital companion, or the latest step in Big Tech's push into our personal lives?

In this AI Decoded, Presenter Christian Fraser is joined by AI technology critic Ed Zitron and AI consumer tech expert Ben Hatton to examine Meta's ambitious new AI agent and the wearable devices designed to keep it with you at all times.

There are thousands of videos on social media of exotic animals being kept as pets.

But, behind the clips lies a troubling reality.

That's according to conservationists, who worry that content creators are glamourising the animals as pets, spreading misinformation about the behaviour they show.

BBC Tech Now's Franchesca Hashemi investigates the consequences of viral social media videos of exotic animals, and whether they are fuelling the illegal wildlife trade.

Arrested by ICE and deported to West Africa - this is how Donald Trump's immigration crackdown is sending people to countries they've never heard of.

Thousands of protesters across France rallied against a new law they say will give police a "licence to kill”. It says that any law enforcement official who uses force is assumed to have acted legally when using their weapon. Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler has more.

The European Union unveiled proposals on Wednesday to ban social media for children under 13, as a growing number of countries look to restrict children's access to the platforms following a global backlash.

Sydney Sweeney chose to use her sexuality to sell a sports betting app and female athletes are pushing back. But in a moment when women’s sport is more commercially valuable than ever, the real question may be why sex is still such a powerful way to sell sport?

Tests show a rapid decline in reading skills among fifteen-year-olds around the world, from Germany to China. Experts Maryanne Wolf and Andreas Schleicher tell us what they think is behind this worrying trend, what it means for society, and how we can bring back ‘deep reading’.

Dating doesn’t have to be a chore. On this week’s episode of Explain It to Me, host Jonquilyn Hall talks to dating coach Lily Womble about why she tells singles to ignore the traditional rules of dating in order to make it fun again.

We’re in Texas where Muslims make up around 1% of the population and they feel like they’re under attack by the Republican Party. This is as Muslims in the US are facing what some have described as the worst wave of Islamophobia since 9/11.

AI-powered smart glasses are rapidly moving from science fiction into everyday life.

Meta has already sold millions of pairs, with supporters claiming they could become the next major computing platform, helping people make calls, translate languages, identify objects and navigate the world hands-free.

Ten years after becoming the first American athlete to compete in a hijab at the Olympics, fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad has visited Doha to inspire the next generation of young women in sport. The New Jersey-born bronze medallist recalled facing discrimination during her career, including accusations of slacking while fasting during Ramadan. Muhammad, the only American Muslim woman to win an Olympic medal, says she draws inspiration from Muhammad Ali's activism and hopes to encourage young athletes to believe they belong in spaces traditionally closed to them.

Family vlogging is one of the internet’s most lucrative genres - but is it worth the safeguarding risks to children?

Tariq Nafi reports the business of broadcasting childhood and hears from former ‘content kids’ now old enough to reckon with what was shared.

Government research suggests that around two thirds of parents with young children feel overwhelmed by the amount of parenting information available and struggle with conflicting advice, with many turning to social media for support.

Faced with an array of parenting philosophies, or "brands" to choose from, is all of this advice helping parents or making them more anxious?

The United Nations relies on member states to fund its nearly $3.5bn regular budget, with the US and China the largest contributors at 22 and 20 percent respectively. Washington alone owes almost $4bn in unpaid dues, straining UN finances already hit by outdated refund rules and reliance on voluntary funding. Financial power, however, does not equal political power, as permanent Security Council members retain veto rights regardless of payment, while top contributors like Germany and Japan have none. Shortfalls have forced historic cuts and record borrowing, affecting aid delivery and peacekeeping reimbursements worldwide.

AI is making itself felt in many different parts of our lives - including looking for a job - or hiring someone for a job.

Right now, there's what's being called an 'application explosion' - which is creating challenges for job seekers and employers.

What if this isn't your first life? For Sikhs, reincarnation is part of a journey toward becoming one with God. Meet 23-year-old Damandeep from the UK and discover the beliefs that shape her daily life.

Around 270 refugees and asylum seekers have been moved from South Africa's Durban in Kwazulu-Natal to Krugersdorp near Johannesburg. The Department of Home Affairs moved them to the Lindela Repatriation Center, a facility that has historically been used to house people who are facing deportation. The authorities say the group will be offered temporary shelter there. #dwnews

How does bullying take root? Social psychologist Amy Cuddy got an inside view of this question after she became the target of a coordinated campaign to discredit her. Drawing on her own experience and years of research, she gives a clear-eyed analysis of how bullying reshaped our culture and how each of us can practice social bravery — everyday acts of standing up for one another — to end it. 

Why are so many men feeling angry, lost and without purpose, and what role do algorithms, AI and the collapse of traditional institutions have in this?

Jon Ronson has spent decades investigating the strange corners of modern life. His new book, The Castle: Adventures in a World of Unraveling Men, begins with his son being lured to a mysterious castle in Connecticut and expands into an investigation of masculinity, internet fame, the manosphere, public shaming and the increasingly extreme incentives of social media.

He joins Krishnan Guru-Murthy to discuss his long-running feud with Graham Linehan, why YouTube can push ordinary people towards increasingly extreme behaviour, the seductive promise of becoming a personal brand, and whether AI threatens our sense of purpose. Jon also reflects on his own search for purpose, the impact of his upbringing, and why he believes the answer lies not online, but in reconnecting with communities in the real world.
This episode contains offensive language.

A new study capturing the experiences of UK residents of all backgrounds has found that many feel discrimination has become part of everyday life.

In the report, conducted by the think tank British Future, almost half of those from ethnic minorities said they had experienced prejudice because of their race or nationality in the past year.

And nearly fifty percent of those surveyed believe that racial equality is getting worse, not better.

A Greek couple has welcomed a child using an embryo frozen for 22 years, racing against the government’s 54-year age limit for women undergoing IVF procedures. The child was born three days ago in Athens.