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A8 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 7 March 2020
EU seeks united front to tackle medical shortages from virus

By SAMUEL PETREQUIN Commission, the bloc's ex-
Associated Press ecutive arm, would support
BRUSSELS (AP) — Fearing a such temporary measures
possible shortage in masks only if they help the bloc's
and protective equipment common cause, regulate
to fight the new coronavi- the market, avoid price
rus, top European Union of- hikes and do not "favor one
ficials are urging members member state at the ex-
to put solidarity above na- pense of others."
tional interests as the virus "That would undermine our
spreads quickly across the common approach to this
continent. crisis," Lenarcic said.
Speaking Friday after an Europe largely relies on
urgent meeting in Brussels China and India for drugs
of health ministers from the and protective equipment.
27-country bloc, crisis man- German Health Minister
agement commissioner Jens Spahn said Germany
Janez Lenarcic said EU na- and others asked the Com-
tions are entitled to restrict mission to implement a ban
exports of medical equip- on exporting protective
ment but warned that such masks and clothing to third
decisions could compro- France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks as he eats with ederly people during a visit to an countries.
mise the EU's ability to man- EHPAD (Housing Establishment for Dependant Elderly People), amid fear of COVID-19, the novel Spahn argued there should
age the growing COVID-19 coronavius, in Paris France, Friday, March 6, 2020. be economic incentives
virus crisis. Associated Press for companies to produce
While Italy is the hardest-hit pharmaceutical products
country in Europe, with 197 risk of coronavirus infection virus deaths had been re- ment such as respiratory in Germany, which might
deaths and over 4,600 cas- from moderate to high. ported in Europe. Now the masks, gloves and protec- mean having to pay more
es, more than 6,470 infec- "Preparedness has to be EU has seen 211 deaths, tive suits. As contagion for generic medicines.
tions have been recorded enhanced still further be- with the Netherlands an- fears have led to shortages He also urged EU neighbors
across the bloc. The epi- cause simply it is more nouncing its first death on of face masks and sanitis- such as Britain, Switzerland,
demic has been spread- probable that what we Friday. ing gels, French President Norway and Serbia to be
ing at a quicker pace over have now in Italy will hap- In response to the outbreak, Emmanuel Macron's gov- invited to future meetings
the past two weeks, lead- pen elsewhere in Europe," Germany and other coun- ernment is requisitioning all on fighting the virus "be-
ing the European Centre Lenarcic said. tries including the Czech current and future stocks of cause this is not about just
for Disease Prevention and The last time EU health min- Republic have banned the protective masks. the European Union, this is
Control (ECDC) to raise the isters met, on Feb. 13, no export of medical equip- Lenarcic said the European about Europe."q

Plácido Domingo pulls out of Royal Uzbekistan ends cotton

Opera House performances controls, could reduce

LONDON (AP) — Spanish forced labor
tenor ‪Plácido Domingo,
who is ensnared in allega- TASHKENT, Uzbekistan were forced to work in the
tions of sexual misconduct, (AP) — The president of annual cotton harvest. It is
has withdrawn from this Uzbekistan has abolished a significant export that Uz-
summer's production of state regulation of cotton beks often call "white gold."
Don Carlo at London's Roy- production and sales — a Mirziyoyev has implement-
al Opera House. move seen as a significant ed reforms since succeed-
The Royal Opera House step toward ending de- ing Karimov, but more than
said in a statement Friday it cades of forced labor in 100,000 forced laborers
had been mutually agreed the country's cotton har- worked in last year's har-
with Domingo that he will vest. President Shavkat vest, according to the ILO.
not be taking up his role in Mirziyoyev's order on Fri- Uzbek cotton has been sub-
the Giuseppe Verdi classic day ends state-established ject to boycotts by a num-
in July. production targets. Jonas ber of international textile
It's the latest in a string of In this Dec. 19, 2009 file photo, Placido Domingo performs during Astrup, an adviser for the producers and countries,
withdrawals over the past a sound check prior to a free concert in Mexico City. International Labor Orga- including the United States
weeks as venues have re- Associated Press nization in Uzbekistan, told and the European Union.
assessed their ties with the The Associated Press that In 2007, a group of human
Spanish star. Performances during his time at the ven- many decades." local governments and rights organisations found-
by Domingo have been ue and said it was "sympa- The sexual harassment al- other organizations were ed the Cotton Campaign,
cancelled in cities includ- thetic" about his reasons for legations against Domingo ordered to produce cer- which aims to end human
ing Tokyo, Madrid and San withdrawing. surfaced last year in two tain amounts and that they rights violations in Uzbeki-
Francisco, among others. It added that Domingo, stories by The Associated used forced labor to meet stan's fields.
The Royal Opera House 79, is an "outstanding sing- Press. The Royal Opera those targets. The Cotton Campaign will
stressed that it had not re- er and artist and we are House said Domingo's re- Under dictator Islam Kari- meet at the end of March
ceived any claims of mis- hugely grateful for his sup- placement will be an- mov, who died in 2016, to decide whether to end
conduct against Domingo port and commitment over nounced in due course.q more than 2 million Uzbeks the boycott.q