GPA Project Headlines August 8-15, 2020

TOP HEADLINES

Federal Reserve reveals scope of its digital dollar research

Congressman Tom Emmer to Lead First-Ever Crypto Town Hall

China to Launch Major Expansion of Digital Currency Trials

Bye Bye Benjamin! Russia & China Speed up De-dollarization Process

Iran rejects claims about seizure of its tankers by U.S.

GLOBAL

TOP ANALYSIS>>> Is This a Remake of the 1941 Hitler Stalin Great War?

Russia's COVID-19 Vaccine Is A Much-Needed Victory In World War C

Pompeo alienates Germany, now sows discord in Eastern Europe

Lebanon: The Beirut Blast, Destabilisation, Chaos, And An Attempt At Regime Change

Is The US-China Trade War Impacting BRI Countries' Trade And Chinese FDI?

Patient zero not always found among first cluster, so who and where is this person?

Report: Britons Would Run Out of Food by Friday If Country Was Solely Reliant on Homegrown Produce

Small Businesses Are Dying by the Thousands — And No One Is Tracking the Carnage

Four Reasons Civilization Won’t Decline: It Will Collapse

BIO-NEWS>>> Russia is first to register COVID-19 vaccine worldwide, Putin says

Philippines' Duterte has 'huge trust' in Russia vaccine, volunteers for trial

Data on Russian COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials to be published in the coming days

Chinese, Russian Pharma Developers Discussing Joint COVID-19 Vaccine Tests

Vietnam to purchase Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Russian scientists publish first results of Avifavir clinical trials

Moderna Wants to Transform the Body Into a Vaccine-Making Machine

Sinovac launches Phase 3 trial for COVID-19 vaccine in Indonesia, reports Phase 2 details

Chinese-developed inactivated vaccine has low rate of adverse reactions

U.S. inks $1.5 billion deal with Moderna for 100 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine

Russian vaccine will protect from COVID-19 for at least two years, developer says

Russia, Germany discuss potential production of Russian COVID-19 vaccine in Germany

Venezuela ready to test Russian COVID-19 vaccine

Philippines eyes clinical trials for Russian COVID-19 vaccine in October

Chinese-built lab helps Iraq in anti-COVID-19 battle

CanSino Biologics to be listed at STAR Market Thursday

New vulnerability in SARS-CoV-2 exposed: study

The World’s Airports Are Catching Covid, Too

French PM: Coronavirus spread may get harder to control

TECH>>> A perspective on DoD’s cloud adoption journey — mid-pandemic and afterward

The Resilience of Sino-Russian High-Tech Cooperation

COVID Passports: A New Concept

Three more U.S. states launching coronavirus exposure warning apps

Decentralized Tech Will Be Ready for Humanity’s Next Crisis

U.S. Government Contractor Embedded Software in Apps to Track Phones

Blockchain to Play ‘Essential Role’ in Farming Supply Chains, Says US Government

China Registers Over 10,000 New Blockchain Firms This Year

Trade finance blockchain startup grows customers by 5,000% during COVID

Blockchain Firm Says Banks Need DLT to Manage Identities Better

Dapp Platform NEAR Protocol Taps Ontology’s Expertise for Decentralized Identity Effort

The Linux Foundation Wants Open-Source Tech to Address Future Pandemics

Honeywell partners for blockchain digital twin solution

China’s Open Source Development Has Lessons for the US

USA>>> Economic clout makes China tougher challenge for U.S. than Soviet Union was - Pompeo

China denounces U.S. health chief's criticism over virus as 'political show'

Breakingviews - Pompeo's Chinese web wall is a tall order

Watchdog finds U.S. did not weigh civilian risks when pushing Saudi arms sales

White House announces spectrum auction to fuel 5G growth

Top U.S. health official says approval of COVID vaccines unlikely before November

Biden says all U.S. governors should mandate masks to slow coronavirus' spread

Texas, California governors take heat in battle over school reopenings

White House to unveil new anti-coronavirus steps for reopening U.S. schools, aide says

U.S. Justice Department says Yale illegally discriminates against Asians, whites

Exclusive: UPS, FedEx warn they cannot carry ballots like U.S. Postal Service

More Americans Go Hungry Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Census Shows

California Heat Wave Forces Power Outages

Powerful Storm Leaves 2 Dead, Heavy Crop Damage across US Midwest

Derecho winds tear through U.S. farmland, leave 500,000-plus without power

Trucking Company Refuses to Deliver to Cities Calling to ‘Defund the Police’

Seattle police chief resigns after cuts to police budget

Seattle reduces police funding, signals deeper cuts ahead

RUSSIA>>>   Ex-PM Medvedev: US trying to use Internet as its fiefdom

Medvedev: events in Abkhazia, South Ossetia 12 years ago "declaration of war on Russia"

Moscow residents will be able to choose out of a few coronavirus vaccines — mayor

Press review: Belarus sanctions may hit Moscow and Europe chooses LNG over Russian gas

Russian Financial Crime Agency Plans AI Tool to Link Crypto Transfers to Users

Russia reports drop in prison population for the first time

Russian Emergencies Ministry’s hospital in Beirut receives over 500 patients

BELARUS>>> Lukashenko guarantees election won’t spiral into chaos and civil war

Lukashenko: protests orchestrated from abroad, criminals involved

Lukashenko says protests were orchestrated from Poland, UK, Czech Republic

One protester killed in Minsk after explosive device blows up

Interruption in internet service in Belarus is due to numerous cyberattacks, company says

Mobile web access is on again in Minsk after three-day interruption

Belarus bans trade in pyrotechnics starting from August 12

VPN Usage Surges as Belarus Remains Offline

Riot police pulled to central Minsk, problems with mobile communication reported

Internet in Belarus cut off ‘from abroad’ rather than by authorities — president

Belarus hands over 32 ‘Russian mercenaries’ KGB accused of ‘planning riots’ – ignoring Ukraine’s extradition demand

Caitlin Johnstone on Belarus: Imperialists run the same tired old script day after day

Belarusian opposition leader urges to continue protests

Lukashenko describes pandemic as political and economic warfare

Belarusian police open fire at attackers in Brest

Pompeo says US may consider sanctions against Belarus

Belarus and Russia invited OSCE to develop election standards to no avail — Lukashenko

Unknown armed men raid Yandex, Uber offices in Minsk

Belarus interior minister takes responsibility for injuries of passers-by in protests

EU raps Belarus over election violence, says may take measures

Belarusian security chief says assassination attempt on candidate Tikhanovskaya was foiled

CHINA>>> US sanctions: economist Yu Yongding flags risk of Chinese bank assets being seized overseas  

China’s Blockchain Infrastructure Launches Website for Global Devs

Tencent posts 37 per cent quarterly profit increase on back of games as US WeChat ban looms

Tencent tries to soothe concerns about U.S. ban as profit jumps

Why Tencent and WeChat Are Such a Big Deal in China

TikTok Seeks More Lobbyists as Trump Ban Aims to Force U.S. Sale

Who are funding Hong Kong SAR secessionist groups for anti-China activities?

Nigerians Are Using Bitcoin to Bypass Trade Hurdles With China

Assault on Confucius Institutes is more groundless McCarthyism

Major Chinese carriers report rising passenger traffic in July

US-China trade war: Beijing will honour phase one deal by opening financial sector wider, its central bank chief says

Chinese canola oil traders seek sources other than Canada

US companies not leaving Chinese market: USCBC report

Chinese AI firm advances against headwinds, doesn't fear US' bullying

China's Chang'e-4 probe resumes work for 21st lunar day

Researchers develop adsorbent for sustainable seawater desalination

IRAN>>> Exclusive: Report of US seizure of Iranian fuel cargoes false

Iran, Turkey considering new rail border crossing to expand trade

Iran rejects claims about seizure of its tankers by U.S.

Beirut blast ‘100 percent Israeli job’: Advisor to Iran’s Leader

China welcomes Putin’s call for Iran summit; Trump seeks 'snapback'

UN refusal to back US-drafted anti-Iran resolution proves existence of intl. law: Russia

Flights through Iranian airspace up by 71% y/y in July: Report

Failure to extend Iran arms embargo 'not an option,' says US diplomat after UNSC defeat

IRGC Quds Force arrests perpetrator of sound bomb blast in Iran's Sistan & Baluchestan

Putin proposal for summit with Iran on table even without Trump, Moscow says

Iran, Uzbekistan ready to hold joint economic committee meeting next week

DM: Iran to Send Satellites into Space with Home-Made Carriers

Official: Iran Ranks First in Islamic World in Number of Top Universities

MBS Expected to Be Saudi King by Year’s End: Asia Times

Lebanese government resigns in full

Lebanon crisis timeline: From Beirut blast to gov't's resignation

FINANCIAL

Stimulus Impasse Risks Dragging to September, Imperiling Economy

Fed's Evans says another coronavirus aid package 'incredibly important': interview

Federal Reserve reveals scope of its digital dollar research

Congressman Tom Emmer to Lead First-Ever Crypto Town Hall

Alternative Dollar Gauge Signals Talk of Demise Is Premature

Long-Time Analyst Bove Says Cryptocurrency One Challenge to Dollar’s Dominance

Fed's Main Street program sees largest weekly increase so far

Households with children taking the biggest financial hit during pandemic: New York Fed report

Trump to nominate Robert Benedict Bowes as U.S. CFTC commissioner

Rent the Runway to Close All Retail Stores Permanently

Off-Price Retailer Stein Mart Files for Bankruptcy, Plans to Close Stores

White House Says Most Coronavirus Job Losses Likely to Be Temporary

Airport contractors to be included in COVID-19 stimulus program audit -Treasury watchdog

Boeing 737 MAX cancellations rise, deliveries drop as crises drag on

Fed policymakers say economic growth will be muted until virus contained

U.S. companies should consider slavery reparations, Vista Equity CEO says

Gold Is Flying High, but Getting Harder to Mine

Weaker Dollar Is a Reprieve for Central Banks Hoping to Ease

Dollar slips as U.S. stimulus stalemate persists

Breakingviews - China bank failure fires quiet warning shot

China to Launch Major Expansion of Digital Currency Trials

Blockchain Bites: Ripple’s Rebuff, DeFi’s ‘Degens’ and China’s CBDC

JP Morgan close to transferring Quorum blockchain to ConsenSys, investing

Standard Chartered Taps Microsoft to Roll Out Cloud Banking Services

BCB Group Adopts Circle’s USDC in Its Unified Infrastructure

South Korea’s Largest Bank to Offer Digital Assets Custody Services

Following OCC Letter, Some US Banks Appear Open to Providing Crypto Services

Russia’s Sberbank Launches Blockchain on Hyperledger, Mulls Stablecoin in 2021

Facebook Forms Financial Unit Led By David Marcus, Hires Ex-Upwork CEO

David Marcus’ payments role at Facebook expands. Facebook’s payment strategy explored

Facebook Goes All-In on Fintech With Launch of New Product Group

MicroStrategy Buys $250M in Bitcoin, Calling the Crypto ‘Superior to Cash’

Airbnb backs OECD approach to digital services tax

Bye Bye Benjamin! Russia & China Speed up De-dollarization Process

Economic Decline Reversal Vital for BRICS as Long Recession Could Undermine Growth - NDB

India Biggest Borrower from China-Based Bank for COVID-19 Relief Fund

Buying frenzy takes China’s stock market close to US$10 trillion – the ominous milestone that marked the start of the 2015 crash

Iran's Central Bank to Sue South Korea for Blocking Iran's Funds

Deutsche Boerse expels Wirecard from Germany's blue-chip index DAX

Venezuela Moving to Accept Taxes in State-Issued Crypto

ENERGY

'Canary in the coal mine': Greenland ice has shrunk beyond return, study finds

Doom or denial: Is there another path?

This Texas Town Is Growing Stronger By Thinking *Inside* the Box

Jet Fuel Demand Still Has A Long Way To Recovery

OPEC countries fulfill their obligations under oil production cut deal by 97% in July

Chevron's interest in giant gas field led to $5 billion bid for Noble Energy

U.S. Shale Drilling Unlikely To Rebound In 2020

As Trump Leaves Permian Oilfield, Industry Insiders Question If 2020 Bust Marks Texas Oil’s Last Big Boom

Remora Petroleum Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Atlantic Basin Oil Supply Plunges To 8-Year Low

U.S. Oilfield Services Job Losses Accelerate

Tellurian Scraps Two LNG Pipelines To Cut Costs

Demand Crash Hit U.S. Refiners With Surging Biofuel Blending Costs

Shale Giant Occidental Petroleum Reports Major Loss In Q2

Cost Of Shale Gas Drilling Permit In Pennsylvania Jumps 150%

U.S. Oil Rig Count Falls Despite Stabilizing Crude Prices

BP Set For Biggest Downsizing Of Its Office Space Ever

Hermitage Offshore Files for Bankruptcy Protection in U.S.

Extraction Oil & Gas Gave $10 Million to Political Causes on Way to Bankruptcy

Riverstone’s $1.8 Billion Fieldwood Energy Investment Put at Risk by Bankruptcy

Nord Stream 2: Is European Self-Interest Finally Surpassing US Influence

Germany in contact with companies exposed to Nord Stream 2 sanctions

Russia’s Oil Product Exports To The U.S. Jump To 16-Year High

German Utility Warns That It May Have To Impair Loan If Nord Stream 2 Fails

Sibur May Tap Russian Wealth Fund to Build Amur Gas Complex

Why Is The U.S. Importing So Much Russian Fuel Oil?

Private Chinese Refiner Boosts Crude Storage Capacity

Sino-Iran Deal and the Future of Gulf Geo-Politics

India Stops Using Chinese Vessels For Oil Trade

Chinese independent refining giants see big H1 profits after easing of coronavirus restrictions

China’s Diesel Demand Set To Jump To Record This Year

Chinese Oil Imports Slip But Remain 25% Higher Than In 2019

Venezuela Looks To Ease Gasoline Shortage By Restarting Production Units

Venezuela Ramps Up Oil Exports Against All Odds

Overflowing Oil Storage Tanks Raise Risk Of Accidents In Libya

Eastern Libya Sees Power Outages As A Result Of Oil Blockade

World’s largest methanol plant opened in southern Iran

Iran reaching full penetration rate for natural gas: Minister

Iran Considers Allowing People To Invest In Oil On Local Exchange

1st phase of West Karoun oil transmission project inaugurated

Breakingviews - Aramco’s dividend defences are triple-locked

OTHER DEVELOPMENTS

Artificial intelligence: Removing the human from mission command

New Pentagon tech chief to focus on improving project coordination

Army buys $189M counter drone system but already has plans to replace it

Navy completes first flight test of new jamming pod

Silvus Technologies develops toughened waveform for US Army

US Army seeks new airborne tech to detect, defeat radar systems

Explosions hit U.S. coalition supply convoys in Iraq: sources and military say

US Central Command claims Iranian military overtook ship in international waters

The new strategy from Navy’s cyber command

US Air Force tests electronic warfare capabilities with fighter, recon and bomber aircraft

Russia to set up continuous assembly line for Su-57 fifth-generation fighters

Russia’s Aerospace Force to get Su-57 fifth-generation fighter jets by year-end

Six people detained for attempt to break into Yemen embassy grounds in Moscow

Tu-160M2, Tu-22M3M bombers to get communications suite from latest Su-57 fighter

Russian defense firm develops new 9x19mm compact pistol

US bid to extend Iran arms embargo rejected by UN Security Council

Israel condemns U.N. decision not to extend Iran arms embargo

Israel, UAE to normalize relations in shift in Mideast politics; West Bank annexations on hold

Iran-Chinese Joker in a Game against the United States

Israel Launches Air Raids Against Hamas Positions in Gaza

Syrian President Assad slams US sanctions in speech to parliament

Trump Administration Eyes New Phase of Syria Sanctions

Erdogan says Turkey 'will not back down' in east Med standoff

Lebanon parliament ratifies state of emergency after deadly blast

Turkish strike kills Iraqi border guards, Iraqi military says

Iraq cancels Turkish Defense minister visit, summons ambassador: statement