Photo of the Day.

Mike Bloomberg in Cape Town, South Africa last night at the closing of the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control. The awards recognize governments and non-governmental organizations demonstrating excellent progress or achievement in the implementation of tobacco control strategies in low-and middle-income countries. (March 7, 2018)

Good morning from Dakar, Senegal, where we’ve stopped on the way back from Cape Town, South Africa after Mike Bloomberg presented the Bloomberg Philanthropies Awards for Global Tobacco Control last night.

Bloomberg Philanthropies public health lead Dr. Kelly Henning today writes about her team’s efforts to curb tobacco use by women and here’s Mike discussing the new global tobacco industry watchdog that Bloomberg Philanthropies launched yesterday.

Yesterday morning, Mike Bloomberg joined several prominent environmental and water experts to visit the Theewaterskloof Dam outside of Cape Town, which is the largest reservoir supplying water to the Western Cape and has essentially run dry. They discussed the scope of the Cape Town drought and how, given the intensification of extreme weather due to climate change around the globe, other cities should accelerate their own drought preparations.

It was his first undertaking following his appointment Monday as U.N. Special Envoy for Climate Action.

He said, “The extreme drought here in Cape Town should be a wake-up call for all who think that climate change is some far off threat. It’s already here, it’s making droughts and storms more dangerous, and we’ve got to do more to keep it from getting worse. Cities and businesses are helping to lead the way, but all levels of society in all countries – on all continents – must take bolder actions.”

Photos from Theewaterskloof Dam, South Africa

Mike Bloomberg at the Theewaterskloof Dam on the Western Cape of South Africa. (March 7, 2018)​

From left to right: Dr. Gisela Kaiser (City of Cape Town), Peter Flower (City of Cape Town), Dr. Kevin Winter (Future Water Research Institute), Christine Colvin (WWF-South Africa), and Mike Bloomberg (U.N. Special Envoy for Climate Action) visit the Theewaterskloof Dam which is currently down to about 11% of capacity. (March 7, 2018)

With South African President Cyril Ramaphosa

Mike Bloomberg with South African president Cyril Ramaphosa in Cape Town, South Africa. (March 7, 2018)

International Women’s Day 2018
Today marks International Women’s Day, which calls attention to gender equality globally.

At Bloomberg, we work throughout the year on numerous fronts to support the cause: At the company, our Gender Equality Index is bringing transparency to equality data and our news operation is elevating women’s voices throughout our coverage, including broadcast programming throughout the day today on Bloomberg TV. Among numerous initiatives supporting women globally, Bloomberg Philanthropies is working on a project in Tanzania to help women in childbirth that can be scaled to other parts of the developing world. And we are helping women in Africa, particularly in Rwanda, become economically self-sufficient. #IWD2018

Learn more:
How Bloomberg is Increasing Women’s Voices in News (The Drum)
Rwandan Woman Rebuilding Their Lives, Brick by Brick (Bloomberg.org)
Preventing Maternal Mortality and Expanding Reproductive Health Access (Bloomberg.org)
Focus On: Women (Bloomberg TV)
The Bloomberg Gender Equality Index – Transparency for a New Norm (Bloomberg LP)

Magazine covers of the day.

Bloomberg Businessweek publishes three simultaneous covers this week globally.

We Leaned In: Five years since Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg’s book “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” Bloomberg Businessweek publishes three covers today featuring women in the workplace along with a report on what’s changed. Sandberg tells Bloomberg Businessweek, “We had a lot of work to do then, and we have a lot of work to do now. Until we started talking about it, I think people didn’t quite realize how slow the progress was.” Inside the Battle to Lean In (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Most Read on the Terminal (Last 8 Hours):
JPMorgan Co-President Sees Possible 40% Correction in Equity Markets (Bloomberg)

China Warns: “A trade war is never the right solution,” Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said. “In a globalized world, it is particularly unhelpful, as it will harm both the initiator and the target countries. In the event of a trade war, China will make a justified and necessary response.” China Warns of ‘Justified and Necessary Response’ (Bloomberg)

Weakening tariff proposal: President Trump could exempt some nations when he formalizes steel and aluminum tariffs amid threats of retaliation from U.S. trading partners and opposition from his own party. The administration will initially exclude Canada and Mexico, pending agreement an updated North American Free Trade Agreement. Other U.S. allies could also seek similar treatment, White House trade adviser Peter Navarro said. Trump Set to Impose Steel Tariffs Amid Threats of Retaliation (Bloomberg / Balance of Power)

Headlines from around the world.

La Nacion (Argentina): Macri announces the submission to Congress of the draft to equalize wages

Globe and Mail (Canada): Canada’s female corporate leaders give sage advice to future CEOs

China Daily: In China, retailers cash in on ‘she’ economy for Women’s Day

The Telegraph (UK): 200 business leaders and MPs sign Telegraph letter urging Government to boost female entrepreneurship in Britain

Japan Times: U.N. regional director praises Japan’s efforts to empower women

The Independent (South Africa): 5 women doing extraordinary things in Africa

Best of Twitter.

​@MikeBloomberg: At @Bloomberg, we’re committed to making a lasting impact on the lives of women around the world, through career development, support of global health and economic development programs, and initiatives like the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index. #IWD2018

@emilychangtv: Cheers to women! Thanks to all these amazing ladies who joined @Bloomberg’s #pressforprogress luncheon @SFMOMA. Happy #IWD2018!

@c_leech: Insight panel hosted by @markbartontv @Bloomberg featuring EMEA Women’s Community Lead @nsuz – discussing international career journeys, leadership development and opportunities to progress in the business. #PressForProgess #IWD2018

@MikeBloomberg: Congratulations to the winners of the 4th @BloombergDotOrg Awards for Global Tobacco Control for their outstanding work to reduce tobacco use. We still have a long way to go in this fight, and these honorees are helping to lead the way forward. http://mikebloom.bg/2FleAjm

@MikeBloomberg: Met with an old friend today – South Africa’s new President @CyrilRamaphosa who’s boosting faith in the economy. Business confidence has climbed to its strongest since October 2015.

@MikeBloomberg: The extreme drought in Cape Town should be a wake-up call for all those who oppose bold action on climate change. I visited Theewaterskloof Dam to help raise awareness of the crisis and the need for all cities & countries to do more. http://mikebloom.bg/2oYsZH8

@tictoc: From taking a half day at work to receiving flowers from the police, here’s how countries around the world are celebrating #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2018 #tictocnews

Best of late night.

For this week’s “Full Frontal” on TBS, Samantha Bee made a pitch to National Rifle Association members, inviting them to become Scientologists, arguing that it would be “safer for the rest of us.”

Watch: NRA Members: There’s a better, safer cult awaiting you.