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world news Diaranson 6 Januari 2021

Saudis take on burden of oil output cut to support price

(AP) — Saudi Arabia said would partially withdraw the
Tuesday it will cut its oil 7.7 million barrels a day in
production by 1 million production cuts agreed last
barrels a day, taking on year.
the burden of supporting
prices in the energy mar- OPEC faces conflicting pres-
ket as a “goodwill gesture” sures after last year’s plunge
after a meeting with other in oil prices as the pandemic
crude-producing coun- held back energy use and
tries. travel. Last year’s output cuts
kept prices from collapsing
The decision came after a even more than they would
meeting between countries have. Raising production
that are part of the OPEC oil now as recovery beckons in
cartel and allies like Russia the distance would increase
that have coordinated their revenues for producing
production levels in recent countries that have seen their
years in an effort to sway budgets hard hit by lower
the market. The pandemic prices. But pumping too
has sowed uncertainty about much too soon could under-
when an economic recovery mine the modest rebound in
might arrive and boost sag- energy prices.
ging demand for energy.
Leading OPEC member The decision Tuesday saw
Saudi Arabia urged cau- energy minister, Abdulaziz “We hope this gesture of good 500,000 barrels at the start energy prices jump. Oil ral-
tion, saying demand for oil bin Salman, told a news con- will not be in vain,” he said. of the new year and then to lied 5.4% to $50.18 per barrel
remains fragile even as the ference on Tuesday that his OPEC countries and allies reassess the oil market every on the New York Mercantile
vaccination rollout raises country would unilaterally like Russia had decided in month. Their goal is to even- Exchange while the inter-
hopes for an eventual return cut its output to help support December to gingerly in- tually increase production by national benchmark, Brent
to more normal behavior. Its prices. crease daily production by 2 million barrels a day. That crude, rose 5.4% to $53.84.

Germany extends lockdown until Jan 31 and toughens curbs

(AP) — The German gov- they have a good reason to go
ernment said Tuesday it is further.
extending the country’s “In particular, day trips are
lockdown by three weeks not a good reason,” Merkel
until Jan. 31, tightening said. She pointed to a string
curbs on social contacts of recent incidents in which
and planning limits on day-trippers hoping to ski
people’s movements in or sled have overrun winter
the worst-affected regions resorts even though lifts and
as it tries to reduce stub- other facilities are closed.
bornly high infection fig- Merkel and the governors
ures and worrying num- plan to confer again Jan. 25
bers of coronavirus-relat- on what happens after the
ed deaths. end of the month.
Germany launched a nation-
Chancellor Angela Merkel wide partial shutdown on
said it was “absolutely neces- Nov. 2, closing restaurants,
sary” to maintain restrictions, bars, leisure and sports fa-
particularly in light of a more cilities. That failed to reduce
infectious variant of the virus infections, and the current
that emerged in England. lockdown -- which also work properly. was too hesitant in order- borders.
“We must reach a point where closed nonessential shops On Tuesday, the infec- ing the BioNTech-Pfizer “A high number of vaccinat-
we can once again follow the and schools -- took effect tion rate stood at 1,34.7 per vaccine, the only one so far ed people in Germany com-
chains of infection,” Merkel Dec. 16. It was initially due 100,000 nationwide, and 944 cleared for use in the 27-na- bined with many who aren’t
said after a lengthy videocon- to run through Jan. 10. more deaths were reported tion bloc. vaccinated in our neighbor-
ference with Germany’s 16 Authorities say Germany’s to authorities in 24 hours, Germany had vaccinated hood won’t be good for Ger-
state governors. “Otherwise, reported numbers for CO- one of the highest daily death nearly 317,000 people by many,” she said. “So we don’t
we will just go keep going VID-19 cases are distorted tolls yet in a country that had Tuesday, just over a week into want national solo efforts.
back into a lockdown after a by lower testing and delayed a relatively low COVID-19 the campaign. That’s a better We think the most effective
short relaxation.” reporting over the Christ- mortality rate during the showing than in several oth- health protection for us can
The chancellor said that re- mas and New Year’s period. pandemic’s first phase. er EU countries, but critics be attained through a com-
strictions on social contacts The country’s disease control have pointed to faster prog- mon European procedure.”
will be tightened. People will center says it expects to have Merkel said the emergence ress in the U.K., the United Health Minister Jens Spahn,
be allowed to meet only one a reliable picture of what is of the new variant in England States and Israel. who has faced criticism from
person outside their own going on only from Jan. 17, is “one reason more” to keep Merkel said it was “right and inside Germany’s govern-
household. Merkel said. up restrictions. A few cases important” for the EU rather ing coalition, has repeatedly
In a new move, authorities But even according to the of the variant have been de- than individual countries to said that vaccinations are
across Germany will allow current figures, Germany is tected in Germany. order vaccines for the whole progressing as expected and
people in areas with more far from its declared aim of The chancellor defended bloc. She said that it “is in that the slow start is because
than 200 new infections per getting new confirmed cases Germany’s approach to vac- Germany’s interests” since teams are first going to nurs-
100,000 residents over seven below 50 per 100,000 resi- cinations following criticism the country is surrounded by ing homes to vaccinate the
days to travel only 15 kilo- dents over seven days — the fueled by perceptions that other EU member nations most vulnerable. Merkel said
meters (just over nine miles) maximum level at which of- Europe has made a slow start and in the middle of the EU she thinks Spahn is doing “a
from their hometown unless ficials say contact-tracing can and that the European Union trade zone that relies on open great job.”