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OPEC chief guarantees to deepen relations with the Biden authorities

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An offshore oil rig offshore in Huntington Beach, California on April 5, 2020.

Leonard Ortiz | MediaNews Group | Orange County Register | Getty Images

DUBAI – Oil exploration group OPEC will further strengthen its relationship with the US energy industry under the new administration of Joe Biden, oil cartel general secretary Mohammed Barkindo told CNBC on Tuesday.

This is happening in spite of the democratic leader’s declared commitment to combating climate change and focusing on renewable energies.

Barkindo congratulated Biden on his upcoming inauguration during a virtual panel hosted by the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Forum and said, “We are deepening this relationship that we have all found mutually beneficial.”

“And we intend to continue that fashion and administration of President Biden,” he said in an exclusive interview with CNBC’s Hadley Gamble.

OPEC leaders were known to have communicated at times with outgoing President Donald Trump, who was particularly vocal and active in talking about the oil markets and what he believed oil-producing countries should do to change crude oil prices.

Biden’s likely change in approach, as well as his focus on investing in non-oil energy sources, has reportedly unsettled some members of the 13-strong oil exploration group. The possible return of the president-elect to the Iranian nuclear deal, which could bring millions of barrels of new oil to the market, has also raised concerns.

The OPEC chief has been diplomatic when it comes to discussing US presidents, but some in the organization are wary of Biden, according to sources cited by Reuters.

When asked if he had any contact with Biden, Barkindo replied, “No, not at all.”

“We believe we have developed very mutually beneficial industrial relationships in the US, and I think we have no choice but to further strengthen that relationship under President Biden,” he added.

Climate change under Biden

Dan Yergin, a longtime expert on the oil industry and founder of IHS Markit, said on the same panel that Biden’s biggest impact on the oil industry would be his commitment to climate change action.

“I think he will step on the gas on the climate,” said Yergin. He expects the administration to provide “incentives for electric vehicles … for solar, wind and other regulations (for the oil industry) on a broad front”.

The bitter truth is that a clean energy transition is coming and coming very quickly.

Fatih Birol

International Energy Agency

Biden has described climate change as one of the four biggest crises in the US and plans to rejoin the Paris Climate Agreement on his first day in office. Trump withdrew from the climate agreement in 2017.

Looking ahead, global trends in energy and climate could worry OPEC member states far more than anyone else in the White House.

“There is one thing that is extremely important to understand,” said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency, during the panel. “The share of oil in the global energy markets will decrease. The speed of this decline will be determined by the speed of the energy transition.”

“The bitter truth is that a clean energy transition is coming and very quickly,” said Birol.

He also said the world should expect more innovations like carbon capture, hydrogen power, electric vehicles, and new generation of nuclear power.

“The US political position will send unmistakable signals to investors around the world,” he added.

New map exhibits the place China’s newest virus instances are grouped

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More than half a year since Covid-19 halted its spread in mainland China, new clusters of cases have appeared in and around the capital Beijing in recent weeks.

The number of newly reported cases is nowhere near as high as in many countries outside of China, including the US. Hebei, the worst-hit province, has reported more than 800 new confirmed cases since January 1. Here’s a look at the provinces that have reported confirmed coronavirus cases since December 1, with darker shades representing areas with higher numbers of cases:

The ongoing spread of the virus, particularly in Hebei province surrounding Beijing, has led authorities to lockdown several regions and urge people across the country not to travel during the upcoming New Year celebrations. The holiday officially falls in mid-February this year.

“Given the rapid response from local governments, efficient testing and tracking systems, and the ongoing adoption of vaccines, we believe the situation will eventually be brought under control,” said Ting Lu, Nomura’s chief economist, China, in a January 18 note . “However, the unusually cold weather and the upcoming Lunar New Year (LNY) rush could make the task of containing the virus more difficult.”

“The hospitality sector is expected to slow while the industrial sector may remain solid,” said Lu, adding, “Markets may need to lower expectations of strong pent-up consumer demand during the upcoming LNY vacation in mid-February.”

Hebei Province started an increase in coronavirus cases earlier this year, with daily numbers topping 90 last week. The numbers don’t include the many asymptomatic cases found by mass testing.

The way to purchase and promote data on-line

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Illustration for article titled How to Buy and Sell Records OnlinePhoto: Rawpixel.com (Shutterstock)

If you consider yourself something audiophile and Spotify doesn’t cut it for you, you may want to start (or grow) your own record collection. The transition to vinyl opens doors to an entire musical universe that may not even be available on Spotify or other streaming services. Whether you want to start DJing or just love the warmth that a needle creates that caresses your favorite LP, there are a few things to keep in mind when buying and selling wax online.

Determine your taste

Part of the thrill of keeping records is finding something rare in the wild or digging through boxes for hours and getting empty just to find a gem at the last minute. While everyone can and should listen to whatever they want, I recommend looking outside the realm of mainstream contemporary pop if you want to put together a massive record collection. The reason for this is – and forgive me if I sound a bit smart – the appeal of records comes in part from their physical reality, which often entitles you to rarities like decorated vinyl and exclusive bonus tracks. You don’t necessarily want to spend a ton of money on a basic album that replicates material that you can easily listen to on Spotify, right?

But that’s just me – and you should definitely do it while head first into the world of vinyl.

Buy your documents online

If you’re looking for the vinyl answer on eBay – this isn’t eBay – you won’t do any better than that Discogs. It’s not a bidding site, but it’s similar in that it has a huge library of records that are being sold by sellers around the world. Looking for some Brazilian disco? Detroit house? Japanese or Peruvian Psych Rock? Discogs has it all – and that’s no exaggeration.

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On Discogs, you can sort by artist, album, producer, or anything else you can type into a search bar and quickly swim through records, CDs, and tapes for sale. There are a few things to consider: According to Joe Rihn, a writer, DJ and the host of Audio days, broadcast by online radio station DubLab, “It is extremely important to evaluate the condition of your recordings” when buying recordings on Discogs. This is because sellers ship your purchase to you. It is therefore important to know that whatever you buy is already in good physical shape.

When I’m looking for a specific recordThe one I’m most likely to buy displays a price, condition category, and shipping location (your records may be from Europe, South America, or some other far-away location).

As an alternative, Rihn suggests checking your local record store to see if they have any online offers. (It also doesn’t hurt to support the local business during these difficult economic times.) “Most local record stores have online stores. Even if the pandemic is preventing you from going in person, you can still support small retailers, ”he says.

Of course, you can buy vinyl in similar capacity on eBay and even throw records in with your bulk orders on Amazon. But the community thrives on local providers and grassroots activities, so I would recommend staying away from the corporate giants.

How to sell records online

If you want to sell records on Discogs it’s easy: just navigate to the “Marketplace” button at the top of the website and enter the various criteria to create your listing. You may not be inundated with inquiries straight away, but when you have something good on offer, a potential buyer will eventually discover that they are “interested” in one of your items. You can haggle from there.

Selling records on eBay is similar to selling other products on the platform. There is other resources too, but I really wouldn’t recommend anything other than Discogs and eBay – the former for robust buying choices and the latter to maximize your potential profit on sales.

Clare Crawley is “devastated” after splitting up with Dale Moss

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Alexa, play “Driver’s License” from Olivia Rodrigo.

A source says E! News that Clare Crawley is heartbroken valley moss‘Decision to end their short relationship. As the insider puts it, “She’s trying to focus on herself right now, but is completely devastated.”

The insider says Dale officially “cut it off” with Clare after realizing he wasn’t ready for the level of commitment she was asking for.

“Clare and Dale took their time and we are working on it, but it created a distinct split,” explains the source. “Dale felt that he was not ready for marriage and was not ready to move to Sacramento for Clare. They made many plans that Dale could not commit to.”

The insider adds that Dale “didn’t feel right” and “had to follow his heart” about the direction their relationship was headed.

“You are in different places in life right now,” the source says.

A “excellent storm” is brewing in response to Covid

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People wearing protective face masks walk on the main shopping street in Munich during the coronavirus crisis on April 30, 2020.

Alexander Hassenstein / Getty Images

LONDON – The “inward national agenda” of certain countries in response to the coronavirus pandemic threatens post-crisis global resilience, suggested a panelist behind the 2021 World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report.

Carolina Klint, head of risk management for continental Europe at Marsh & McLennan, told CNBC’s Geoff Cutmore on Monday that the collaboration needs to learn lessons that are needed to develop coronavirus vaccines at an “unprecedented rate”.

However, she added that the “inward-looking national agendas” of some countries were “cause for concern”.

Their comments come from activists criticizing some wealthier countries for “hoarding” more doses of coronavirus vaccines than they need, while lower-income countries struggle to get enough shots to immunize their populations. A December report by Amnesty International raised concerns about “vaccine nationalism” with the UK, US, EU, Japan, Canada and Australia cited as the largest advanced vaccine doses buyers.

On Tuesday, Co-Chair of the World Health Organization’s Independent Pandemic Review Panel, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, shared her disappointment that “vaccine adoption is currently benefiting wealthy countries.”

Zombie company; Asset bubbles

Klint said the “substantial” stimulus packages that governments put in their respective economies in their immediate response to the pandemic also coincided with the “ongoing trend towards self-sufficiency accelerated by Covid-19”.

She added that there is a risk of “business zombification” if the stimulus packages are not “properly structured”.

“So it really is a perfect storm brewing here,” she said.

So-called zombie companies are considered to be the lagging companies that need debt to operate or earn just enough to survive and service their debts. This has been an issue in the face of the pandemic with increased corporate support from governments and central banks.

Similarly, Klint warned of asset bubbles – when an asset rises in price quickly based on market dynamics rather than underlying fundamentals – as another potential risk.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, infectious diseases were ranked as the most impacting threat for the next decade in the WEF’s annual global risk report. For comparison: In January 2019, the spread of infectious diseases was classified as the 10th largest risk in terms of possible effects over the next 10 years.

In its very first global risk report in 2006, the WEF highlighted pandemic influenza as one of four main risks. It warned that “fatal flu, the spread of which is facilitated by global travel patterns and not prevented by inadequate warning mechanisms, would pose an acute threat”.

The annual report is based on the WEF’s Global Risks Perception Survey conducted by more than 650 members of the forum’s “diverse leadership communities”.

In this year’s risk report, infectious diseases along with livelihood crises were also identified as the top short-term threats to the world, according to 60% of those surveyed.

Klint added, “The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way we think about risk. It has raised awareness that disasters, which could potentially lead to mass death and destruction, can indeed happen.”

Extreme weather, climate protection failures and man-made environmental damage were seen by respondents to the WEF survey as the most likely risks for the next decade. This continued the trend seen in last year’s report, in which all five of the biggest long-term global risks were related to environmental issues.

Alongside employment and livelihood crises, digital inequality and youth disillusionment were cited as one of the most immediate threats to the world, with the report focusing on the larger societal gaps created by the pandemic.

When are you able to freeze meals once more after it has thawed?

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frozen foodPhoto: BravissimoS (Shutterstock)

Freezing food is a great way to keep it fresh if you buy it in bulk. However, once thawed, it is not always safe to refreeze them. Often the answer to the question: “Can I freeze this again?” is “it depends.”

In general, you shouldn’t refreeze something if you have doubts about how safely it was kept during thawing. If something has been outside at room temperature for too long, refreezing won’t necessarily kill the bacteria that grew during that time.

The other reason to be careful about freezing is for texture. Every time a product is frozen – especially meat and products – cell walls are broken open. This is why frozen foods don’t always taste as good as fresh foods. If you freeze this food again after it has been thawed, even more cell structure will be destroyed.

Raw meat, poultry and seafood

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says that it’s okay to refreeze raw meat as long as it’s been defrosted at refrigerator temperature. You should never thaw meat at room temperature anyway – not on the counter or in a garage, basement, car, or any other location that isn’t kept cold all the time.

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Ice cream

When the ice has softened a bit on the table and it’s still cold, you can put it back in the freezer. But when ice melts, it’s not worth saving.

First there is the safety problem: if you leave a carton of ice cream at room temperature, the melted part can get warm enough for Listeria bacteria to grow.

Second, it will never get that creamy texture again. The whole concept of ice cream is based on the idea of ​​mixing a milk mixture while you are freezing it. Think about it: if you could just freeze the ice cream dough and make ice cream, the device known as an “ice cream maker” wouldn’t have to exist. Frozen ice is rock hard and not fun to eat.

Cooked meat and other foods

Once the food is cooked, it only has a few days left in the refrigerator before it goes bad. If you freeze it during this time, the freezer will act as a pause button in the process. This allows you to refreeze cooked food that you have thawed, but put it back in the freezer immediately within 2 to 4 days.

Proper handling is also required here. Throw away your leftovers if they’ve been room temperature for two hours or more, or if they’ve been above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour or more.

Even if you think this could save you a few bucks, knowing when to just toss something is important. Rules like these are used in the restaurant and food industries, so it only makes sense to treat the food in your home with the same level of care.

Clare Crawley of Bachelorette, Dale Moss “take the time”

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C.Lare Crawley and Dale Moss‘Relationship is not as rosy as it may seem.

E! News learned that the couple, who met and engaged at The Bachelorette last summer, have taken a hiatus from their romance.

“Clare and Dale have been fighting a lot lately,” a source tells E! News exclusive. “They mostly disagree on lifestyle preferences. Dale wants to be in a bustling city and focus on his career, and Clare is rooted in Sacramento to take care of her mother. It has been very between them lately tense.”

The reality TV couple’s Instagram followers have noticed the distance between them as Dale shares moments from his time in New York City while Clare stays near her home in Northern California.

Our insider notes that Dale, 32, cares deeply about Clare but “feels like he’s diving into something he’s not sure about.”

“Both are still getting to know each other and finding out everything,” the source explains. “You have decided to take some time for now … You are still wondering how logistical their relationship is and whether they will stay together.”

Biden’s New CDC Director Says Trump Administration “Silenced” Scientists

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Rochelle Walensky, who was nominated as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks after U.S. President-elect Joe Biden started his team dealing with the Covid-19 on December 8 at The Queen in Wilmington, Delaware. Pandemic commissioned, 2020.

Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, banned by the Trump administration during the Covid-19 pandemic, will be “heard again,” said Joe Biden’s election to head the agency on Tuesday.

Last year, the CDC went months without addressing the US public after Dr. Nancy Messonnier, Director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases of the CDC, warned in February that schools and businesses may have to close to contain the coronavirus.

“We urge the American public to work with us to prepare for expectation that this could be bad,” Messonnier said in forward-looking remarks that upset markets and allegedly angered President Donald Trump.

During the pandemic, Trump continued to work with the best scientists in the country, including current CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield, got into conflict and publicly contradicted him on issues like the schedule for the Covid-19 vaccine.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, Biden’s new CDC director, promised to restore the public voice of the CDC and its scholars.

“They were decreased. I think they became constipated. That science was not heard,” she told Dr. Howard Bauchner of the Journal of the American Medical Association. “This world-class agency, world-famous, hasn’t really been appreciated in the last four years and has really been evident in the last year so I have to fix this.”

Walensky said she intends to revise the CDC’s communications efforts under the Biden administration. This could include regular briefings led by herself or subject matter experts to explain the scientific research published in the CDC’s weekly report on morbidity and mortality, she said. She added that this will likely also mean a more concerted plan to engage the public on social media.

“Science is now being delivered on Twitter. Science is delivered on social media, in podcasts, and in a lot of different ways, and I think that’s crucial,” Walensky said. “We need to have a social media plan for the agency.”

She said building the agency’s social media presence will be especially important as the country battles vaccine hesitation. Misinformation about the Covid-19 vaccines is rife on social media, she said, adding that the agency needs to get “the right information” out.

Over the past year, the CDC’s communications have often contradicted those of the White House. The agency revised guidelines on reopening churches and religious sites after Trump urged state officials to allow houses of worship to reopen. Over the summer, Trump installed longtime ally and former campaign official Michael Caputo as top spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services, the CDC’s mother division, to better tailor the news to the White House.

Caputo and his team sought to undermine CDC scientists, urging them to revise scientific research that violated White House guidelines, internal emails from House lawmakers show. Walensky said Tuesday she would ensure that the CDC communicates transparently with the American people regardless of the political ramifications.

“I have to fix that immediately,” she said.

Man Metropolis go wild with Derby after blocking Scott Carson when Rams wants £ 500,000 in mortgage cash to pay wages

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MANCHESTER CITY is reportedly angry at Derby County for blocking Scott Carson’s transfer to Etihad.

The 35-year-old goalkeeper is on loan from the citizens for the second time in a row.

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Derby prevents Scott Carson from signing a permanent deal in Manchester CityPhoto credit: Getty Images – Getty

However, according to the Daily Mail, Pep Guardiola is keen to make the move permanent.

The city wants to hand over an 18-month contract to its third-choice stopper.

However, the report adds that the Rams are holding up any deal as they desperately seek the £ 500,000 installment due this month.

The loan agreement stipulates that City Derby will pay twice per season to cover Carson’s loan fee and wages.

And the championship side needs the money to cover the players’ wages.

The Rams squad was not paid in full in December as the proposed takeover of the club is not yet complete.

Even new boss Wayne Rooney and coaches Liam Rosenior and Shay Given – all promotions – are still on their old payrolls.

Carson is believed to be frustrated with Derby’s reluctance to let him go and fears he will miss out on the chance to stay with the Premier League giants for another year which could end his career as a player.

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The veteran stopper joined Etihad for extra experience and an extra native player to the roster.

Although he has not played a minute in the first team since his arrival in summer 2019, he is very popular throughout the club and gets on well with the other goalkeepers Ederson and Zack Steffen, who want Carson to stay.

The four-man England international made it through at Leeds, playing with Liverpool, West Brom, Bursaspor and Wigan before moving to Pride Park in 2015.


Manchester City has signed Scott Carson on loan from Derby County for a year

Keep away from this rip-off by providing “free” Netflix

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Illustration for article titled Avoid This Scam With Free NetflixPhoto: Tama2u (Shutterstock)

The Better Business Bureau is Reported an increase in phishing scams who offer Netflix for free for a year “because of the pandemic”. What makes them so dangerous is that they link to fake login pages that are very compelling – in some cases with working CAPTCHA user verification fields to assure you that the site is real.

How the scam works

Netflix-related scams have been a chronic problem since the pandemic began, as phishing attacks using fake Netflix URLs have increased dramatically – up 646% last summer over the same period in 2019. according to the security company Webroot. In the latest version of the grip, users receive a text message that goes something like this:

Due to the pandemic, Netflix is ​​offering everyone a free year of service so you can stay home. Click the link to sign up.

Clicking on the link will take you to a fake login page that asks for your personal and credit card details. Of course, your credit card will be charged without your permission and you will not be able to access Netflix. In addition, your personal information may be sold or used for other purposes. Because the fake login page can be, and may even contain, a very convincing replica of Netflix’s legitimate login page functional CAPTCHA boxesMany people fall for the scam.

Illustration for article titled Avoid This Scam With Free Netflix

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As a rule of thumb, don’t click links in unwanted text or trust a login page just because it looks legitimate. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) ​​has the following tips to help avoid the Netflix phishing scam:

  • Don’t believe every text you get. Typically, companies can’t send you text messages unless you choose to receive them. If you receive a text message from a company that you haven’t given permission to contact you in this way, use caution.
  • Go straight to the source. If an offer seems strange or too good to be true, contact the company directly by looking up the official contact information online. Call or email customer service to find out if the text message you received is legitimate.
  • Take a close look at the web addresses. If you follow a link in a text message that you think is legitimate, carefully check the web address before taking any action to ensure that you are visiting a company’s official website and that you are not alike.
  • Ignore the instructions for the text “STOP” or “NO”. Even if you discover that the message was a scam, don’t send a text back for any reason. Scammers may want you to send back a text message to check that your phone number is active. Instead, just block the number so you won’t receive any messages in the future.
  • Change your password. Even if you don’t fall for this scam, Netflix recommends its customers change their password if they are targeted. For more tips from Netflix, click here.

If you’ve received text messages from scammers, report them on the BBB’s scam tracker.

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