Sunday, May 17, 2020

GPA Project Headlines May 1-May 15, 2020



GLOBAL

Global virus lockdown was ‘madness’
IBM, R3, Mastercard join open source digital identity consortium
US firm combines nanotechnology, blockchain for COVID-19 immunity passports
Swiss blockchain ticketing firm launches COVID-19 health certificate app
60 strong Self Sovereign Identity group targets COVID-19 immunity passports, credentials

Pentagon’s Silent Killers
Coronavirus would have failed as a bioweapon
Coronavirus and Dodgy Death Numbers
The COVID-19 Chronicles: China
Pandemic Exposes US as Only Bioweapons Superpower
The COVID-19 Chronicles: USA
Political & Media Spin in Pandemic Times
Medical experts fear rich nations may get privileged access to potential COVID-19 vaccine
Soros Thinks That Germany Is A Greater Threat To His Plans Than COVID, Trump, Or China
Coronavirus may put an end to EU: George Soros

America’s Military Vaccine Mandate? Dept. of Defense Purchasing 500 Million ApiJect Syringes to Inject Every Person in America with Coronavirus Vaccine
France rejects US should get coronavirus vaccine first
France’s Sanofi does U-turn after saying US would get coronavirus vaccine first
What In The World Is COVID -19/SARS-CoV-2?: A Geopolitical & Monetary Perspective
Sweden’s Coronavirus Strategy Will Soon Be the World’s
A Double Pandemic: Domestic Violence in the Age of COVID-19
The Coming Post-COVID Anarchy
More Mexican beef headed to U.S. dinner tables as American supply crunch bites

Coronavirus: US vaccine tsar expresses optimism for ‘a few hundred million doses’ by end of the year
UK Police Fear Explosion of Violent Crime as Lockdown Eases
A Leading Medical Journal Says Americans Should Oust Trump from WH over Coronavirus Response
U.S. Senate blocks bid to curb surveillance of Americans' internet habits
Blockchain voting on U.S. Congress agenda given COVID-19 disruption

Why Duterte won’t lift world’s longest lockdown
Qatar mask rule breakers face three years jail
Covid-19 threatens to spark biodefense arms race
Wuhan’s lockdown cut air pollution by 63%, research
Will COVID Crack America’s Racist Egg?
Holding Healthcare Hostage: The Making of a Ventilator Crisis
Iranian Firm Manufactures UV System to Disinfect Coronavirus-Contaminated Areas

'I don't think you are the end-all': Rand Paul calls out Fauci over Covid-19 policy based 'one wrong prediction after another'
‘Summer cancelled’: Los Angeles County to extend stay-at-home order another 3 MONTHS, stoking fears of civil unrest
States start to reopen, ending coronavirus lockdowns: As parts of New York state prepare to take first steps, Broadway theaters to stay closed all summer
State Department inspector general who faulted Trump administration moves is fired by Pompeo

Trump says he doesn’t want to speak to Xi and is ‘very disappointed’ with China’s coronavirus response
China calls on US to pay its debts to United Nations
China urges US to stop ‘unreasonable suppression’ of Huawei
Pompeo warns ICC of 'consequences' if it probes Israeli war crimes
Australia says calls for easing tensions with China still unanswered
China’s ambassador to Israel found dead in his Tel Aviv home
Chinese ambassador to Israel found dead in Herzliya home
Pompeo in Israel on a mission to counter China

China's countermeasures ready for prolonged 'war' with US: Global Times editorial
Chinese envoy says U.S. undermining global economy, virus fight
US elites try to set up China as pandemic scapegoat with unauthorized material: expert
Trump administration excessively critical of China, creates dangerous confrontation: former US ambassador to China
China’s envoy to Denmark lashes out at ‘unprovoked attacks’ from US over Greenland
China hits out at US coronavirus research hacking claims as tensions flare
Why Trump’s threats to ‘punish’ China over Covid-19 ring hollow

U.S. Senate intelligence chair steps down amid probe into controversial stock sales
US Lawlessness Unmasked
Future of FT, NYT in Russia to depend on whether they retract Russia Covid-19 death toll articles - Foreign Ministry
US giving priority to nuke arsenal instead of health system: Analyst

Putin orders to ensure control of genetic technology use
Last plane carrying Russian military from Italy lands outside Moscow
Diplomat slams West’s biased ‘coronavirus disinfo’ claims against Russia, China
Number of IT crimes in Russia rises by over 82% in four months
Russia suspends use of ventilator type sent to U.S. after fatal fires


ECONOMIC

Digital yuan ‘can replace cash’
JP Morgan Offering Banking Services to Coinbase, Gemini
China’s central bank digital currency wallet is revealed
China set to be world's first major country to launch digital currency: expert
Former Citigroup CEO urges Fed to adopt digital dollar
JP Morgan in blockchain hiring drive doubles down on JPM Coin, IIN
JP Morgan adds major cryptocurrency exchanges as banking clients
Larry Summers says central bank digital currencies should not be anonymous

Visa Files for US Patent for a Digital Fiat Currency
Global Times editor tweets China could retaliate for Huawei move
Congress pushes Digital Dollar in another COVID-19 stimulus bill
Saying Goodbye to the Dollar
Wave of COVID-19 bankruptcies poses next threat to US economy
Intelsat files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
J.C. Penney files for bankruptcy, stock falls 29%
Trump’s pension fund ban could split global markets

Airline stocks take a dive after Boeing CEO warns of possible industry bankruptcy
Retail sales crater a record 16.4% in April amid coronavirus lockdowns and spending slump
Fed’s Mester calls for more fiscal support to ward off ‘dire scenarios’ facing U.S. economy
US kills Telegram cryptocurrency to maintain dollar dominance as Durov concedes defeat in ‘battle of generation’
Airlines are on the brink of bankruptcy — what happens to your voucher, travel miles and airline credit card if they go belly up?
'There Are Going to Be Layoffs.' State and Local Governments Brace for Cuts as Budget Crisis Looms

U.S. industrial output collapses in April
U.S. manufacturing production posts record decline
Bank of America sold a first-of-a-kind COVID-19 bond
Microsoft, Visa and others worth combined $11.5 trillion want Congress to include climate in COVID-19 recovery plan
It’s ‘wishful thinking’ to believe the economy will get back to normal soon, says winner of Forecaster of the Month contest

Fed's Powell says full economic recovery may require coronavirus vaccine: CBS
U.S. Fed warns of financial vulnerabilities amid pandemic
U.S. reports record $738 billion budget deficit in April
Bank of America sold a first-of-a-kind COVID-19 bond

Only Three Countries Control Over 80% of Global Diamond Reserves
Moscow Exchange Has Well Over Five Million Retail Investors
Breaking: CME Group to Close European and Australian Repositories


ENERGY

Chinese Natural Gas Seller: Prices Could Go Negative
LNG price war could send natural gas into negative territory
'Gasmaggedon' sweeps over global gas market
China has oil and gas trump card on US

Rosneft has completely ceased operations in Venezuela - CEO
U.S. begins delivering oil to Belarus

The State Hit Hardest By The Oil Crash 
U.S. Fuel Import Prices Drop The Most On Record
Oil Price Crash Leads To Large Drop In U.S. Fixed Investment
U.S. Fracking Activity To Hit Rock Bottom In May
U.S. Shale Could Crush The Oil Market Recovery
Oilfield Services Stocks Lose Half Their Value In 2020
Another 1,000 Texas Oil & Gas Jobs Vanish
Synergy Markets Releases Crude Oil Report

Renewable Energy Sector Sheds 600,000 Jobs In Pandemic
IEA: Oil Market Recovery Faces Two Major Uncertainties
The Death Of U.S. Oil
The Beginning of the End for Oil?
Oil flows spell deep depression

Saudi Arabia's Financial Crisis
Saudi Aramco posts 25% quarterly profit fall
Saudi Arabia triples VAT and suspends handouts


OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Trump touts a ‘superduper’ missile as new Space Force flag is unfurled in Oval Office
Trump: US will beat out Russia and China with 'super duper missile'
US shows ambition for space hegemony amid grim COVID-19 situation
Air Force touts missions on top secret space plane
US anti-ISIS chief says his goal in Syria is to create a ‘quagmire’ for Russia, not battle terrorism
US Army is giving Lockheed Martin … how much?
US special operations forces ill-equipped to counter China, Russia

Jordan’s king warns Israel of ‘massive conflict’ if it proceeds with West Bank annexation plans
Why is Israel Bombing Syria?
Thermal balloons dropped by US plane set fire to wheat crops in Hasaka countryside

Zuckerberg really must think we’re all ‘dumb f**ks’: Filling his ‘Supreme Court’ with like-minded liberals is just window dressing

China builds a mega-fortress on the Horn of Africa
China’s Shenzhen armed with YJ-12 carrier killer
US Navy warship transits Taiwan Strait as PLA starts live-fire drills

Families of Tal Tamir countryside intercept a US occupation convoy and prevent it from crossing
Erdogan’s mercenaries continue to destroy infrastructure in Syria, video
Army repels terrorist attack on military position in al-Ghab area, inflicting heavy losses upon terrorists
Iraqi MP Warns of Unknown Helicopters, Planes’ Landing in Regions of ISIL Presence
Senior MP Cautions of Heliborne Transfer of ISIL Terrorists to Iraq

Ayatollah Khamenei: Americans support terrorists, will be expelled from Syria and Iraq
Iran – Powerful and Determined
Iran FM: Threatening Iranian tankers by US amounts to piracy, jeopardizes intl. peace
US behind recent terrorist operation in Iraq: analyst

Israeli researchers manipulate cows' microbiome to reduce methane emissions