BRUSSELS, March 30 (Reuters) &#8211; Leaders of 23 countries and the World Health Organisation on Tuesday backed an idea to create an international treaty that would help the world deal with future health emergencies like the coronavirus pandemic now ravaging the globe.
The idea of such a treaty, which would ensure universal and equitable access to vaccines, medicines and diagnostics for pandemics, was floated by the chairman of European Union leaders Charles Michel at a G20 summit last November.
On Tuesday it got the formal backing of the leaders of Fiji, Portugal, Romania, Britain, Rwanda, Kenya, France, Germany, Greece, Korea, Chile, Costa Rica, Albania, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, the Netherlands, Tunisia, Senegal, Spain, Norway, Serbia, Indonesia, Ukraine and the WHO.
&#8220;There will be other pandemics and other major health emergencies. No single government or multilateral agency can address this threat alone,&#8221; the leaders wrote in a joint opinion article in major newspapers.
&#8220;We believe that nations should work together towards a new international treaty for pandemic preparedness and response,&#8221; they said.
The main goal of such a treaty would be to strengthen the world&#8217;s resilience to future pandemics through better alert systems, data sharing, research and the production and distribution of vaccines, medicines, diagnostics and personal protective equipment, they said.
The treaty would also state that the health of humans, animals and the planet are all connected and should lead to shared responsibility, transparency and cooperation globally.
&#8220;We are convinced that it is our responsibility, as leaders of nations and international institutions, to ensure that the world learns the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic,&#8221; the leaders wrote. (Reporting by Jan Strupczewski; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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Leaders of 23 countries back pandemic treaty idea for future emergencies

JOHANNESBURG, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; All members of South Africa&#8217;s governing African National Congress (ANC) party who have been charged with corruption or other serious crimes must step aside within 30 days, or else face suspension, President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Monday.
Allegations of corruption against party members including Ace Magashule, secretary-general and one of the six most powerful officials of the ANC, have deepened fault lines within the party that has ruled South Africa since the end of white minority rule in 1994.
Magashule has denied the corruption charges, which relate to a contract to audit homes with asbestos roofs when he was premier of the Free State province.
In December, the ANC&#8217;s Integrity Commission recommended that Magashule step aside from his position pending the outcome of the corruption case.
The decision on members vacating their positions, which has been at the centre of talks in ANC National Executive Committee (NEC) meetings, will be seen as a victory for Ramaphosa, who has pledged to clean up the ANC&#8217;s image with a tough stance on corruption since becoming party leader in December 2017.
It could have significant political ramifications, however, ahead of local government elections this year.
Magashule is from a faction within the ruling party that has at times appeared at odds with Ramaphosa since he replaced Jacob Zuma as head of state in February 2018.
Following the ANC&#8217;s NEC meeting, Ramaphosa said on Monday that the 30-day period &#8220;will be to enable the implementation of the decision in line with the guidelines, not to review the decision.&#8221;
&#8220;The NEC welcomed the decision by the ANC Secretary General Ace Magashule to use this time to seek the counsel of past leaders of the movement,&#8221; Ramaphosa added during his address to the nation.
Reuters could not reach Magashule for comment. He said in November: &#8220;I will only step aside if I am asked by the branches who voted me.&#8221;
($1 = 14.9060 rand) (Reporting by Nqobile Dludla; Editing by Peter Cooney)
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All members of S.Africa’s ANC charged with corruption must step aside or face suspension -Ramaphosa

The NBA&#8217;s Basketball Africa League is slated to open its inaugural, 14-day season on May 16 in Kigali, Rwanda.
The league will feature a dozen club teams from across Africa, with all 26 games being held at Kigali Arena in Rwanda and concluding with the title game on May 30.
The BAL was initially expected to debut in March 2020 in Dakar, Senegal, but was ultimately postponed due to the worldwide pandemic caused by the coronavirus.
The 12 teams are Algeria&#8217;s GSP (Groupement Sportif des Petroliers), Angola&#8217;s Petro de Luanda (Clube Atletico Petroleos de Luanda), Cameroon&#8217;s FAP (Forces Armees et Police Basketball), Egypt&#8217;s Zamalek, Madagascar&#8217;s GNBC (Gendarmerie Nationale Basketball Club), Mali&#8217;s AS Police (Association Sportive de la Police Nationale), Morocco&#8217;s AS Sale (Association Sportive de Sale), Mozambique&#8217;s Ferroviàrio de Maputo, Nigeria&#8217;s Rivers Hoopers BC, Rwanda&#8217;s Patriots BC, Senegal&#8217;s AS Douanes (Association Sportive des Douanes) and Tunisia&#8217;s US Monastir (Union Sportive Monastirienne).
The six teams that won the title in national leagues in Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia received automatic berths in the BAL. The six other teams &#8212; one apiece from Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique and Rwanda &#8212; had to play their way into the league through qualifying tournaments organized by FIBA&#8217;s African regional office in 2019.
The 26-game season will consist of the 12 teams split into three, four-team divisions. Teams will play each team in its respective group once, with the top eight teams from group play advancing to the playoffs, which will be single elimination.
The BAL will seek the advice of the the World Health Organization and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention to implement strict health and safety protocols for the 12 teams and personnel traveling to Rwanda. The BAL, which is the NBA&#8217;s first collaboration to operate a league outside of North America, is a partnership between the NBA and the International Basketball Federation.
&#8220;We are thrilled that the inaugural Basketball Africa League season will take place at the world-class Kigali Arena,&#8221; BAL president Amadou Gallo Fall told said in a statement. &#8220;Through the BAL, we will provide a platform for elite players from across the continent to showcase their talent and inspire fans of all ages, use basketball as an economic growth engine across Africa, and shine a light on Africa&#8217;s vibrant sporting culture.&#8221;
&#8211;Field Level Media
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NBA’s Basketball Africa League to open May 16

By Mark Gleeson
CAPE TOWN, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Richard Mbulu’s diving header handed Malawi a 1-0 victory over Uganda on Monday and a place at the Africa Cup of Nations finals for only the third time.
The triumph in Blantyre secured Malawi the runners-up spot in Group B, finishing behind already-qualified Burkina Faso but ahead of Uganda.
Mbulu netted after 15 minutes for Malawi, who only previously qualified in 1984 and 2010 and the feat will come as a major boost to football in one of Africa’s poorest countries.
They are the 19th country to qualify for next January’s final. The final five places at the 24-team tournament will be settled on Tuesday.
Burkina Faso finished with 12 points in the group after Bertrand Traore’s 49th minute strike sealed a 1-0 win over South Sudan in Ouagadougou. Malawi were second on 10 points and Uganda third with eight. South Sudan lost five of their six qualifiers to finish bottom.
All of Monday’s other qualifiers had no bearing on qualification but settled the placings in several groups.
Mohamed Salah scored twice in his first home appearance with Egypt in almost two years as they beat the Comoros Islands 4-0 in Cairo to finish the campaign unbeaten. Both countries had already qualified for the finals from Group G.
Kenya finished third as they won 2-1 away in Togo, likely marking the end of the long career of Frenchman Claude Le Roy, now 73, who has coached at nine Cup of Nations finals.
Gabon and Gambia, who advanced from Group D, both lost their final outings as Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo won back some pride after failing to qualify.
Gabon, without captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by arrangement with Arsenal, were beaten 2-0 in Luanda while DR Congo edged Gambia 1-0. (Writing by Mark Gleeson, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
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WRAPUP 1–Soccer-Malawi add name to list of Cup of Nations qualifiers

March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Labat Africa Ltd:
* JSE: LAB &#8211; RENEWAL OF CAUTIONARY ANNOUNCEMENT
* LABAT AFRICA &#8211; CREDITORS&#8217; MEETING AT WHICH FINAL OFFERS RECEIVED FOR FORCE FUEL, FORCE FUEL PROPERTIES TO BE CONSIDERED TO TAKE PLACE ON 1 APRIL Source text for Eikon: Further company coverage:
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BRIEF-Labat Africa Says Creditors’ Meeting Regarding Force Fuel To Take Place On April 1

By Nita Bhalla
NAIROBI, March 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) &#8211; The swift sacking of three Kenyan radio presenters who suggested women were to blame for gender-based violence should serve as a catalyst for change in the country&#8217;s often sexist media, women&#8217;s campaigners said on Monday.
The three disc jockeys at Homeboyz Radio were fired at the weekend following outrage over their comments about an ongoing court case in which a man is accused of pushing a woman from the 12th floor of a building after she refused his advances. Women&#8217;s campaigners said misogynistic remarks remained commonplace in the Kenyan media, but they welcomed the decisive action taken, adding that it might help bring change to media coverage of gender issues.
&#8220;This is the first time we&#8217;re seeing swift and public action. We saw corporate brands denouncing it, the radio station taking action and also the authorities,&#8221; said Renee Ngamau, chairperson of Amnesty International Kenya and herself a former prime-time radio host.
&#8220;These are the hopeful signs in a terrible situation. I&#8217;m cautiously optimistic this can be a catalyst for change in moving away from this &#8216;locker room banter&#8217; on the airwaves to having more responsible, sensitive conversations.&#8221;
Consistent training and gender sensitization for all media figures is essential, she added.
The Homeboyz presenters were sacked after social media users accused them of misogyny and victim-blaming following their comments on the court case, where the victim survived the fall from the building.
&#8220;Do you think Kenyan chiles (women) are too available, are they too loose, too willing, too desperate and that&#8217;s why they get themselves caught up in such situations?&#8221; DJ Shaffie Weru said during his &#8220;The Lift Off&#8221; breakfast show on March 24.
East African Breweries Ltd said it would stop advertising on the station, and &#8211; despite an apology from Weru and co-presenters Joseph Munoru and Neville Muysa &#8211; the three were fired on Saturday.
The nation&#8217;s broadcasting watchdog also suspended &#8220;The Lift Off&#8221; radio show for six months and fined the station one million Kenyan Shillings ($9,125), saying the programme had &#8220;glorified sexual violence against women&#8221;.
It also ordered all staff at HomeBoyz to undergo gender training and sensitization certified by the National Gender and Equality Commission.
Women and girls in Kenya face widespread discrimination and violence. According to UN Women, one in five women are married before 18, and almost 40% of girls and women have been beaten or sexually assaulted by their partners or husbands.
&#8220;The Kenyan media have made a mockery out of discussions on gender-based violence as the angle generally drifts towards &#8216;what about men&#8217;s rights?&#8217;, and they find ways to victim-blame,&#8221; said Judy Gitau, regional coordinator for Africa at Equality Now.
&#8220;The action taken &#8211; especially by the private sector and Kenyan authorities &#8211; does help to send a clear message that this cannot be tolerated.&#8221; ($1 = 109.6 Kenyan shillings) (Reporting by Nita Bhalla @nitabhalla; Editing by Helen Popper; Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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Kenyan radio DJs’ sacking could teach sexist media a lesson, campaigners hope

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Spot demand was still low on Monday with an oil major offering unsold April cargoes to Europe in a rare move for the region while some straggling, prompt March cargoes were sold in the last week.

ANGOLA
* A few April loading Angolan cargoes remained.
* Sonangol was still offering two cargoes on a spot basis for May &#8211; a cargo of Saturno loading May 18-19 at dated Brent plus $1.00 and a cargo of Cabinda loading May 8-9 at dated Brent plus 80 cents a barrel.
* Chevron was offering May loading Angolan Cabinda at dated Brent plus 80 cents and BP was showing Angolan Saxi at dated Brent minus 50 cents a barrel.

NIGERIA
* The April overhang was about 20 cargoes.
* BP was Forcados at dated Brent plus 60 cents, and Escravos at plus 70 cents a barrel.
* Chevron offered two crude grades off a VLCC &#8211; Bonny Light at dated Brent plus $1.45 and Escravos at dated Brent plus $1.40 for Rotterdam or Augusta arrival May 7-13.

RELATED NEWS
* Shipping traffic through Egypt&#8217;s Suez Canal resumed on Monday after a giant container ship which had been blocking the busy waterway for almost a week was refloated, the canal authority said. (Reporting by Julia Payne; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri) ))
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W. Africa Crude-Demand remains lacklustre

LONDON, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Benchmark northwest European gasoline margins jumped to around $10 a barrel on Monday, their highest since late 2019, as the assessment switched to summer-grade gasoline which is typically more expensive than winter grade. * Oil prices fell as a container ship that has blocked the Suez Canal for nearly a week was refloated and traffic in the waterway resumed, while fuel demand in Europe remained weak. * However, disruptions in the global shipping industry could take weeks and possibly months to clear, top container shipping lines said. * The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including Russia are expected to maintain lower output levels when they meet this week. * Chevron Corp has emerged as a leading contender to buy a Royal Dutch Shell Plc refinery in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, three people familiar with the matter said on Friday. * Gasoline stocks held in independent storage in the Amsterdam-Rotterdam-Antwerp (ARA) refining and storage hub rose by 2.4% to 1.41 million tonnes, helped by rising exports to West Africa, data from Insights Global showed. * U.S. gasoline stocks rose last week by 203,000 barrels to 232.3 million barrels, the Energy Information Administration said on Wednesday.​ Gasoline (in tonnes) Trades Bids Offers Prev. Sellers Buyers (vol.) Trades Ebob $612 $615 $609 Barges MOC Platts E5 (fob ARA) &lt;EUROBOB -ARA&gt; Ebob Barges E10 Platts(f ob ARA) Ebob $611.75 WINTER: Vitol, Mabanaf Barges to $567- Litasco t, BP, Argus $622.25 $580.25 BMW E5(fob AR) SUMMER: $601.25 Ebob WINTER: Barges $567.50 E10 Argus (fob AR) April $614.25 $611.50 swap fob ARA Premium $622-$624 $621 Litasco BP, Unleaded , BP Total, (fob Litasco ARA) &lt;PU-10PP -ARA&gt; Cargoes (fob MED) Cargoes $625(T (cif hames) NWE) Naphtha (cif NWE) &lt;NAF-C-N WE&gt; Ebob crack (per barrel) $10 prev. $7.1 Brent futures Rbob Rbob crack &lt;RBc1-CLc1&gt; (Reporting by Shadia Nasralla; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri) 
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Europe Gasoline/Naphtha-Gasoline cracks jump to around $10/bbl on summer switch

By Promit Mukherjee
JOHANNESBURG, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; South African health insurer Discovery Ltd said on Monday it was in contact with all COVID-19 vaccine producers but cannot independently source vaccines as procurement and distribution is in the hands of the government.
As in many countries, vaccine procurement in South Africa is centralised and controlled by government but the pace of procurement and inoculation has been slow, with less than 250,000 people, or just 0.5% of the population vaccinated so far.
This has prompted calls from health experts to allow the private sector to source vaccines to bolster government efforts.
&#8220;While we (Discovery) might be in contact with vaccine manufacturers, the acquisition of the vaccine and the policy for who receives it and in what sequence remains the exclusive responsibility of government, until such time as government informs otherwise,&#8221; said Ryan Noach, CEO of the company&#8217;s medical scheme Discovery Health.
&#8220;We have been in regular liaison with vaccine manufacturers since September 2020,&#8221; Noach said in an emailed response to Reuters. He said the company is taking all measures to &#8220;ensure the procurement is efficient, and stock available quickly, especially for the most at risk.&#8221;
South Africa&#8217;s vaccine rollout faced a blow in early February when it decided to halt the rollout of AstraZeneca&#8217;s shots on concerns about its effectiveness against the 501Y.V2 variant that caused a huge spurt in infections late last year.
The country has since opted for Johnson &amp; Johnson&#8217;s vaccine under an &#8220;implementation study.&#8221;
In a note to policyholders on Friday, Discovery&#8217;s group CEO Adrian Gore said the company was aiming to vaccinate its three million adult policyholders, with the capacity of 50,000 vaccinations per day starting in May, if vaccine supplies are on time.
&#8220;This will enable all of Discovery&#8217;s 550,000 high-risk members to be vaccinated within a few weeks,&#8221; he said.
South Africa&#8217;s Health Ministry did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment when asked about private vaccine procurement. (Reporting by Promit Mukherjee. Editing by Jane Merriman)
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S.African health insurer Discovery in touch with vaccine makers

NAIROBI, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Ethiopia on Monday said it would receive 300,000 COVID-19 vaccine doses from China&#8217;s state-backed China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) on Tuesday.
The Sinopharm doses are the first shots Ethiopia has secured outside the global COVAX vaccine-sharing initiative, Health Minister Lia Tadesse told Reuters in a text message.
Ethiopia is struggling to administer shots and tame infections that have spiked.
In the past month, it has recorded a 26% increase in coronavirus infections and deaths rose by 18%, health ministry data shows. On Thursday, Africa&#8217;s disease control body, the Africa CDC, said Ethiopia had reported the highest number of new cases in the last week of any country on the continent.
With a population of over 110 million, the Horn of Africa nation has recorded 200,563 infections and 2,801 deaths since its first case was announced in March last year.
On Monday, Johnson &amp; Johnson said it had agreed to supply up to 400 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine to the African Union (AU) from the third quarter of 2021.
On March 7, Ethiopia received nearly 2.2 million doses of the AstraZeneza vaccine through COVAX.
In February the minister said Ethiopia hoped to inoculate at least a fifth of the country’s 110 million people by the end of the year. (Reporting by Nairobi newsroom Editing by Maggie Fick and Barbara Lewis)
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Ethiopia to get 300,000 doses of Sinopharm COVID-19 shot, health minister says

(Repeats item issued earlier. The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters.)
By Clyde Russell
LAUNCESTON, Australia, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; The price of spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) in Asia has moved higher amid the blockage of the Suez Canal, but it&#8217;s doubtful it needs to as the delays to shipping to the region will likely only have a marginal impact on supply.
The spot LNG price &lt;LNG-AS&gt; rose to $6.80 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) in the week ended March 26, up from $6.50 the prior week and the highest in a month.
LNG futures in New York did even better, ending at $6.93 per mmBtu on March 26, up 7.9% from the last price a week earlier.
In some ways it&#8217;s not surprising that spot LNG prices have shifted higher, as the unexpected blockage of a major shipping transit point introduces a level of uncertainty and volatility to the market.
The 400-metre (430-yard) long Ever Given, jammed diagonally across a southern section of the canal since Tuesday, was almost fully re-floated on Monday and has restarted its engines, a shipping source with knowledge of the matter said, raising hopes the busy waterway will soon be reopened.
But an analysis of how LNG usually flows around the globe shows that only small volumes move to Asia through the Suez Canal.
Rather, the main LNG flow through the canal is from major Gulf exporter Qatar to purchasers in Europe, meaning that delays and re-routing of vessels around the longer Cape of Good Hope route will largely impact supplies to Europe.
The United States has in recent years emerged as the third-biggest supplier of LNG to global markets, and has made inroads into the top-consuming region of Asia from export terminals along its east coast and in the Gulf of Mexico.
However, no U.S. cargo currently sailing is heading for the Suez Canal, although as many as five laden ships appear to have been diverted to avoid the blockage, according to vessel-tracking data compiled by Refinitiv.
A total of 16 vessels carrying U.S. LNG are currently en route to Asia, the majority having used the Panama Canal to access faster sailing times to north Asia, home to the world&#8217;s three-biggest LNG buyers, Japan, China and North Korea.

INDIA AFFECTED
Cargoes from the U.S. that use the Suez Canal are usually headed to India, and there are currently three vessels signalling destinations in India. All three appeared headed to round the bottom of Africa via the Cape of Good Hope.
While this will impact delivery times for those three cargoes, and potentially cut the profit for the cargo owners given the additional sailing time, the volumes involved are too small to have much impact on prices in Asia.
What may make more of a difference is the likelihood of increased cargoes being made available by Qatar to buyers in Asia.
If Qatar is unable to ship through the Suez, it may prefer to sell cargoes to Asian buyers, rather than wear the additional costs and time associated with sending vessels around the Cape of Good Hope.
If the Suez blockage lasts for some time yet, it may perversely have the effect of boosting the amount of LNG available to Asian buyers, while cutting that to Europe.
Of course, U.S. LNG may well find a price incentive to sell more to Europe than Asia, assuming natural gas prices in Europe outperform those in Asia.
The price of day-ahead natural gas in the United Kingdom rose 9.6% last week to end at 44.91 pence per therm, equivalent to about $6.40 per mmBtu.
While that is below the price for spot LNG in north Asia, the British price doesn&#8217;t include the cost of freight, and adding in those costs of at least 50 cents per mmBtu means that the delivered prices are currently similar.
If the Suez blockage continues, it may delay as much as 1 million tonnes of LNG for delivery to Europe, meaning natural gas prices there may rise further in order to draw spot cargoes from the United States and from the west coast of Africa, home to exporters Nigeria and Angola. (Editing by Richard Pullin)
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COLUMN-Suez blockage boosts Asia LNG price, but it probably shouldn’t: Russell

* Limpopo is home to nature reserves and indigenous forests
* Chinese-backed coal-fired megaproject promises much-needed jobs
* Critics warn of a climate and health disaster
By Kim Harrisberg
MAKHADO, South Africa, March 29 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) &#8211; South Africa&#8217;s northern Limpopo province is known for its lush forests, national parks, fruit farms and heritage sites &#8211; but lately its green image has come under threat from a proposed multi-billion-dollar industrial mega-project.
Made up of a cluster of 20 steel and other metalworking plants and fuelled by a coal-fired power station, supporters say the project would create much-needed local jobs, while opponents warn it would spell catastrophe for the climate and health.
&#8220;We are worried that if the project goes ahead, we will be wearing masks for years to come, not because of coronavirus but because of pollution,&#8221; said environmental activist Innocent Ramuhala from Mudimeli village, close to the proposed site.
&#8220;We have so many questions and so few answers,&#8221; said Ramuhala, secretary of the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA).
The planned Musina-Makhado Energy-Metallurgical Special Economic Zone (EMSEZ) would cover 8,000 hectares (19,768 acres) with industrial facilities including a coal washery and plants for coking coal, ferromanganese, steel and cement.
It promises to provide nearly 54,000 jobs in a province with 22% unemployment, according to government data.
But critics say South Africa is already Africa&#8217;s biggest emitter of planet-heating carbon dioxide due to its heavy reliance on coal for electric power, and is failing to align its energy policy with a pledge to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Zaid Kalla, spokesman for the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (LEDET), which is tasked with assessing the Limpopo project&#8217;s merits, said &#8220;balancing economic, social and environmental benefits &#8230; forms part of the ongoing review and consideration of the application&#8221;.
The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), a South African environmental law organisation, has submitted comments opposing the project on behalf of MEJCON-SA and other green groups.
&#8220;We have strong objections to the project – which entails the development of massive, unnecessary and expensive polluting infrastructure,&#8221; said Michelle Koyama, an attorney with the CER.
In Mudimeli, which is close to potential coal mine sites mentioned in the project&#8217;s environmental impact assessment (EIA), young boys ride past on a donkey-drawn cart.
&#8220;These boys should be in school but instead they are driving carts for money,&#8221; said Lawrence Neluheni, 37, who had heard about the EMSEZ on the radio but said the details remained hazy.
&#8220;Of course we want jobs&#8230; But we also want our health &#8211; if you are rich but you are sick, then what is the point?&#8221; said the construction worker, covered in dust from a day of building.

CHINESE INVESTMENT
Economic zones like the EMSEZ are typically business or industrial areas, governed by special laws, that aim to boost economic activity and employment.
The EMSEZ is the largest such zone planned for South Africa, according to the EIA published in February by Delta BEC, a South African environmental consulting firm.
The EMSEZ will be managed by the Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA), with capital investment estimated at 248 billion rand ($16.8 billion), according to the EIA.
The area was selected for its proximity to minerals and road networks, says the assessment, which was funded by the LEDA.
The project is expected to generate about 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide over its lifetime &#8211; equal to a little more than double South Africa&#8217;s current annual emissions.
The planned EMSEZ would comprise a northern site for logistics and a southern site for the energy and metallurgical cluster &#8211; where more than 100,000 indigenous and protected tree species are found, according to the EIA.
Chinese company Shenzhen Hoi Mor has reportedly pledged to invest $3.8 billion in the zone, but could not be reached for comment on its role.
The EMSEZ operator permit was issued to South African Energy Metallurgical Base, a subsidiary of Shenzhen Hoi Mor, according to a government news site.
Shavana Mushwana, a spokesman for the zone, added that China would be a likely export partner for products and materials produced in the EMSEZ, alongside &#8220;various market destinations across the globe&#8221;.

WATER DOUBTS
Bordering Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, Limpopo&#8217;s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and reputation for being the country&#8217;s winter breadbasket have earned it the title of Africa&#8217;s Eden.
It is also considered a hotspot for climate change, with rising temperatures and increased rainfall variability in the region already leading to more droughts and floods, according to University of the Witwatersrand researcher Victor Munnik.
The N1 highway that runs along the proposed EMSEZ site is flanked by game lodges and villages shrouded in dense, green indigenous trees.
Lodge owner Johan Fourie, deputy chair of the Save Our Limpopo Valley Environment group, said its members &#8211; citizens based in South Africa and abroad &#8211; were not &#8220;anti-development&#8221;.
&#8220;But it must be the right kind of development that benefits local communities,&#8221; he said, walking through his property where a 1,200-year-old baobab tree towers above his lodge.
Recent rains have painted the area green, but for years it has been brown and parched due to patchy rainfall, Fourie said.
The EIA for the zone &#8211; which will require 80 million cubic metres of water per year &#8211; refers to a possible water source in Zimbabwe that could meet part of this demand, while noting that Zimbabwe is at high risk of groundwater scarcity.
&#8220;This keeps me up at night. Where will we get this water from?&#8221; asked Fourie.

WHAT JOBS?
Part of the planned EMSEZ will be built on the ancestral land of the Mulambwane people, where graves and mopane trees are found, said activist Ramuhala.
&#8220;It feels like I am between a rock and fire, imagining that my village can be destroyed from the coal mine and ancestral land lost to the industrial zone,&#8221; he said, standing by the proposed site.
Hundreds of women camp out here twice a year to collect mopane worms from the Emperor moth, which they dry to eat.
Regina Mukwevho, 48, has sold high-protein mopane worms for the past decade, enabling her to build a home and support her family &#8211; but she, like many villagers in Mudimeli, said she had never heard of the economic zone project.
&#8220;If it bring jobs then OK, but what jobs? We are in the dark. Experts must explain it to us and they must make sure our groundwater will be safe,&#8221; she said.
The LEDET recently put the project on hold temporarily, stating that the environmental impact assessment was not complete, partly due to poor community consultation, a lack of clarity on water and energy supplies, and the fact that the EIA did not recommend a final decision on the zone.
EMSEZ spokesman Mushwana said public participation would continue to be solicited through April, while Kalla from the LEDET said it was up to the Limpopo Economic Development Agency to decide whether a new project site should be considered.
&#8220;It feels like good news for now,&#8221; said Ramuhala. &#8220;But it is not yet a victory&#8230; We still need clarity on all the rumours, and we will keep fighting until our voices are heard.&#8221; ($1 = 14.7850 rand) (Reporting by Kim @KimHarrisberg; editing by Megan Rowling. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)
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FEATURE-Coal-powered industry plan for South Africa’s ‘Eden’ sparks green outcry

MOSCOW, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; The New Development Bank (NDB) has approved a loan of up to $1 billion to support healthcare workers treating patients for COVID-19 in Russia, it said on Monday.
The NDB was established by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, a group of emerging economies known as the BRICS. It set up an Emergency Assistance Facility in April 2020 to provide up to $10 billion in crisis-related assistance to its member countries.
&#8220;The loan will provide financial resources to address one of the most critical needs in Russia&#8217;s healthcare response to the COVID-19 outbreak and improve the capacity and resilience of the country&#8217;s public health sector,&#8221; the NDB said in a statement.
The NDB said its board of directors had approved the loan on March 25 to support incentive payments for frontline health workers, including doctors, nurses and medical staff.
Russia stepped up borrowing in 2020 to plug budget holes amid the COVID-19 pandemic and low prices for oil, its chief export. The finance ministry said the loan and other resources would help offset budget costs.
&#8220;As loans for financing the fight against COVID-19 are provided by the NDB on favourable terms, the Ministry of Finance considers it appropriate to attract credit from the NDB,&#8221; the ministry said in a statement, adding that it would submit a proposal to the government for consideration. (Reporting by Darya Korsunskaya and Alexander Marrow Editing by Gareth Jones)
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BRICS development bank approves $1 bln loan for Russia’s frontline health workers

Mar 29 (OPTA) &#8211; Scores from the PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship on Sunday -12 Joel Dahmen (USA) 67 71 68 70 -11 Rafael Campos (Puerto Rico) 68 69 69 71 Sam Ryder (USA) 68 72 70 67 -10 Michael Gligic (Canada) 73 66 68 71 Graeme McDowell (Northern Ireland) 70 69 70 69 -9 Emiliano Grillo (Argentina) 70 73 65 71 Hudson Swafford (USA) 70 71 68 70 -8 Danny Willett (England) 70 70 67 73 -7 Brice Garnett (USA) 70 72 71 68 Ben Martin (USA) 71 70 71 69 Greyson Sigg (USA) 72 70 70 69 Sepp Straka (Austria) 72 68 69 72 -6 Joseph Bramlett (USA) 69 73 72 68 Thomas Detry (Belgium) 70 70 72 70 Chesson Hadley (USA) 70 70 73 69 David Hearn (Canada) 72 72 72 66 Thomas Pieters (Belgium) 69 70 69 74 -5 Roberto Castro (USA) 70 69 70 74 Tyler Mccumber (USA) 72 69 73 69 Chase Seiffert (USA) 73 71 71 68 Jhonattan Vegas (Venezuela) 73 70 72 68 -4 Eric Cole (USA) 72 70 69 73 Roger Sloan (Canada) 71 70 70 73 Alex Smalley (USA) 73 69 69 73 Peter Uihlein (USA) 70 70 73 71 Andrew Yun (USA) 67 72 75 70 Fabrizio Zanotti (Paraguay) 69 68 72 75 -3 Bronson Burgoon (USA) 70 72 71 72 Charles Howell III (USA) 70 71 73 71 Nate Lashley (USA) 68 75 72 70 David Lingmerth (Sweden) 73 72 74 66 Justin Suh (USA) 68 69 77 71 Vincent Whaley (USA) 71 74 70 70 -2 Ryan Brehm (USA) 73 71 73 69 Sebastian Cappelen (Denmark) 69 73 70 74 Will Gordon (USA) 72 71 68 75 Charley Hoffman (USA) 69 72 68 77 Troy Merritt (USA) 72 69 70 75 Taylor Pendrith (Canada) 71 73 72 70 Wes Roach (USA) 70 73 69 74 Josh Teater (USA) 73 72 74 67 Tim Wilkinson (New Zealand) 71 69 70 76 -1 Mark Anderson (USA) 68 72 73 74 Scott Brown (USA) 74 70 74 69 Alex Cejka (Germany) 70 71 78 68 Patrick Rodgers (USA) 71 71 71 74 Robby Shelton (USA) 73 72 73 69 0 Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 70 70 74 74 Tyler Duncan (USA) 69 69 74 76 Stephan Jaeger (Germany) 66 73 75 74 Pat Perez (USA) 72 70 69 77 1 Richard S Johnson (Sweden) 72 69 74 74 D.J. Trahan (USA) 70 73 74 72 2 Seamus Power (Republic of Ireland) 72 72 73 73 Ben Taylor (England) 71 73 72 74 3 Fabian Gomez (Argentina) 69 74 77 71 Retief Goosen (South Africa) 71 74 71 75 Padraig Harrington (Republic of Ireland) 69 75 74 73 Tom Lewis (England) 70 74 75 72 Adam Schenk (USA) 68 73 74 76 Martin Trainer (USA) 71 70 75 75 Bo Van Pelt (USA) 71 72 74 74 4 Jonathan Byrd (USA) 69 76 77 70 Rhein Gibson (Australia) 70 75 75 72 Scott Harrington (USA) 75 70 72 75 Lee Hodges (USA) 72 73 74 73 5 Sangmoon Bae (Korea Republic) 70 75 74 74 J.J. Spaun (USA) 70 75 72 76 7 Grayson Murray (USA) 71 72 77 75 Brian Stuard (USA) 71 72 75 77 14 Parker McLachlin (USA) 71 74 80 77 
(c) Copyright Opta Sports Data 2021. All Rights Reserved
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PGA Tour Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship Scores

March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Holdings of the largest gold-backed exchange-traded-fund (ETF), New York&#8217;s SPDR Gold Trust, fell 0.61% on Friday from Thursday, while holdings of the largest silver-backed ETF, New York&#8217;s iShares Silver Trust, fell 0.34% during the same period. Exchange-traded funds, the most widely recognized type of ETP, back each security issued with physical stocks of a given commodity, creating a product they say is free from counterparty risk. Name New Holdings Date Prev Holdings Prev Abs Change (OZ) % chg YTD AbsChange (OZ) (OZ) (OZ) GOLD SPDR Gold Trust 33,328,400.5 Mar 26 33,534,534.6 Mar 25 -206,134.0 -0.61% -4,311,905.4 COMEX Gold Trust 16,296,665.7 Mar 26 16,303,811.5 Mar 25 -7,145.8 -0.04% -584,985.9 ETF Securities gold (ex-US) 9,293,742.4 Nov 30 9,293,742.4 Nov 30 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ZKB Physical Gold ** 5,466,221.5 Mar 19 5,497,364.1 Mar 12 -31,142.6 -0.57% -131,568.1 Sprott Physical Gold Trust 2,604,213.0 Mar 26 2,604,200.0 Mar 25 13.0 0.00% 28,993.0 ETFS Physical Swiss Gold 844,902.3 Jan 24 844,902.3 Jan 24 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ABSA &#8211; NewGold ETF 634,330.8 Mar 26 634,336.0 Mar 25 -5.2 0.00% 10,655.4 Total 68,468,476.2 68,712,890.9 -244,414.7 -0.36% -5,231,520.7 SILVER iShares Silver Trust 578,605,155.4 Mar 26 580,554,631.6 Mar 25 -1,949,476.2 -0.34% 19,889,273.0 Sprott Physical Silver 130,736,414.0 Mar 26 130,536,414.0 Mar 25 200,000.0 0.15% 39,627,759.0 ETF Securities silver ex-US 100,389,761.6 Nov 30 100,389,761.6 Nov 30 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ZKB Physical Silver 94,956,516.3 Mar 19 94,989,728.0 Mar 12 -33,211.7 -0.03% 1,512,435.4 ETFS Physical Silver Shares 22,908,298.3 Mar 20 22,908,298.3 Mar 20 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; Total 927,596,145.6 929,378,833.5 -1,782,687.9 -0.19% 87,856,703.6 PLATINUM ETFS Physical Platinum Shares 738,343.9 Mar 20 738,343.9 Mar 20 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ABSA &#8211; NewPlat ETF 572,653.1 Mar 26 572,658.5 Mar 25 -5.4 0.00% -446,655.5 ETF Securities platinum ex-US 617,330.8 Nov 30 617,330.8 Nov 30 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ZKB Physical Platinum 442,230.8 Mar 19 442,230.8 Mar 12 0.0 0.00% 18,976.3 Total 2,370,558.6 2,370,564.0 -5.4 0.00% -405,651.8 PALLADIUM InvestPalladium ETF # 142,113.50 Mar 25 142,113.50 Mar 25 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ETFS Physical Palladium Shares 129,466.60 Mar 20 129,466.60 Mar 20 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ETF Securities palladium ex-US 111,915.00 Nov 30 111,915.00 Nov 30 &#8212; &#8212; &#8212; ZKB Physical Palladium 78,361.80 Mar 19 78,361.80 Mar 12 &#8212; 0.00% 352.6 ABSA &#8211; NewPalladium ETF **** 27,470.90 Mar 26 27,471.20 Mar 25 -0.3 0.00% -14,396.6 Total 489,327.90 489,328.10 -0.2 0.00% -51,347.8 The figures above are those reported to Reuters by the organizations involved by telephone or email on the date shown, or those that are publicly available on their websites. ** ZKB physical gold, silver, platinum and palladium funds are fully backed by physical precious metal and investors are entitled to physical delivery of them. *** Shareholders in the GAM Gold fund can elect to hold &#8220;A class&#8221; shares, which are fully backed by physical gold. Investors in that class are entitled to physical delivery of the precious metal. Investors may also elect to hold &#8220;AX&#8221; class shares, which are fully backed by physical gold. Investors in that class are not entitled to physical delivery of the precious metal. **** Absa Capital&#8217;s NewPalladium Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) was listed on March 27, 2014 and is fully backed with South African palladium. # Standard Bank&#8217;s AfricaPalladium ETF, South Africa&#8217;s first listed palladium exchange traded fund, debuted on March 24, 2014. 
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2021. Click For Restrictions &#8211; https://agency.reuters.com/en/copyright.html
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TABLE-Holdings of SPDR Gold, iShares Silver fall

LISBON, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Portugal on Monday extended a suspension of flights to and from Britain and Brazil until April 15, with only humanitarian and repatriation flights allowed, the interior ministry said in a statement.
The country, which has so far reported 16,837 COVID-19 deaths and 820,407 cases, suspended flights to and from Brazil and the UK in January to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variants.
The new variant initially discovered in Britain was partly responsible for a devastating surge in cases at the start of 2021, putting hospitals under crippling strain. The situation has drastically improved since then.
Passengers allowed to return to Portugal from Britain or from Brazil, as well as from South Africa, must present a negative test taken a maximum of 72 hours before departure and quarantine for 14 days.
The ministry added passengers from other countries where the infection rate was equal or higher than 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants would have to isolate for 14 days upon arrival.
A plan to gradually ease a nationwide lockdown imposed on Jan. 15 to tackle what then was the world&#8217;s worst coronavirus surge is now in force but authorities said they would take a step back if necessary. (Reporting by Patrícia Vicente Rua; Editing by Catarina Demony and Louise Heavens)
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Portugal extends Britain, Brazil flights suspension until mid-April

HONG KONG, March 29 (Reuters) &#8211; Hong Kong will ease some coronavirus restrictions, the government said on Monday, allowing swimming pools and beaches to open and shortening the quarantine period for some international arrivals to 14 days from 21.
Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan told a press briefing that local infections had come down considerably, giving the administration room to relax some measures.
Beaches and swimming pools would reopen from April 1, while religious gatherings could resume with maximum capacity of 30%. Cinemas and theme parks would be able to increase capacity to 75% from 50%.
&#8220;We want to keep containing the epidemic and not undo the efforts we have made. We must continue to enforce stringent measures,&#8221; she said.
Bars, karaoke parlours and bath houses would stay closed.
Quarantine for arrivals from countries considered low-medium risk, such as Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, would be reduced to 14 days from 21 currently. High-risk destinations such as Brazil, Ireland, South Africa and the United Kingdom would need 21 days, she said.
The city has seen zero locally transmitted cases for the last two days after an outbreak in early March led to a spike in cases across the city and thousands of residents forced into quarantine.
Chan said the government was also aiming to bring back Hong Kong residents who have been stranded in Britain from late April after the government banned flights from the United Kingdom to Hong Kong in December. (Reporting by Farah Master and Twinnie Siu; Editing by Nick Macfie)
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Leaders of 23 countries back pandemic treaty idea for future emergencies

All members of S.Africa’s ANC charged with corruption must step aside or face suspension -Ramaphosa

NBA’s Basketball Africa League to open May 16

WRAPUP 1–Soccer-Malawi add name to list of Cup of Nations qualifiers

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BRICS development bank approves $1 bln loan for Russia’s frontline health workers

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Portugal extends Britain, Brazil flights suspension until mid-April

Hong Kong to reopen pools, beaches as COVID infections ease

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