Tobacco causes 30 000 deaths a year in South Africa, said Dr Yussuf Saloojee, Director of the National Council Against Smoking. He was speaking to Parliament's health portfolio committee in January.
Domestic workers and children
Second-hand smoke breathed in from smokers' cigarettes, is harmful to non-smokers.
More than 30 youth leaders, youth health experts and activists attended a meeting organised by the Youth Commission on youth health, HIV and Aids and substance abuse in Pretoria recently. They represented national youth organisations and youth health non-government organisations.
On 2 January this year, South Africa became a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the first time.
The UN is an association of countries set up in 1945 to promote peace and co-operation between nations.
Peace and security
Building houses for South Africa's millions of homeless people is one of government's number one goals. To reach its target of getting rid of informal settlements by 2014, government has a number of plans in place. One of these is to work together with communities.
Finance Minister Trevor Manuel made members of the National Assembly laugh when he explained in his joking way what the amount of R2 trillion to be spent by government in the next three years looks like. "Madam Speaker," he said "That's a two followed by 12 zeros."
KEEPING CANCER AT BAY
About one in every four South Africans gets cancer during his or her lifetime. More than 80 000 die from cancer every year says the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA).
But the good news is that if cancer is found early, it can be beaten. Today, chances of surviving cancer are higher than they were 30 years ago.
What is cancer?
LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME
MERSETA - 'WORK HARD AND THE OPPORTUNITIES WILL COME'
Men seem to like to give orders, while women prefer getting the job done themselves. This is one of the reasons why women are successful farmers, says Fhatuwani Ramabulana, the youngest female farmer and one of the most successful farmers in Limpopo.
Ramabulana, a well-known farmer in Venda, says farming is very tough and needs people who do a hands-on job instead of giving
orders from a distance.
FESTIVE FOCUS
CELEBRATE BUT WATCH YOUR SPENDING
Happy days are here again. It's holidays and a time when many people will spend money they saved during the year. It's good to buy gifts for loved ones and to celebrate, but people should be careful not to overspend.