#looked like they were around $900 to tokyo in April?

[romance-incubomp3]

should I go ahead and just buy tickets for the bt tour… I’m actually considering trying to make it out there and I don’t want to lose my chance if I wait too long and they sell out

[ask-serendipity-sky]

1108: Facts and observations

•Day 0

1108 started on the 8th of November of 2015.

Jimin uploaded a video of him and Jungkook to twitter:

On the 26th of January 2016, Jk uploaded a small snippet of a song he was covering.

•Day 100

And on the 15th of February of 2016, Jk uploaded the entire song Nothing Like Us and noted to listen to the lyrics as they were expressing what he wanted to say:

In Korean culture, parents celebrate 100 days after a child is born. This is to indicate that the child made it through the first vulnerable phase in their life. In the same manner, the 100 days are celebrated by Korean couples.

And this is what Jk had to say 100 days after the 8th of November of 2015:

There's nothing like us There's nothing like you and me Together through the storm There's nothing like us There's nothing like you and me together, oh

•Day 366 (1 year)

On 08/11/2016, a year later, Jimin posted another video of them:

•Day 732 (2 years)

On Oct. 28, 2017, Jungkook treated Jimin to a trip to Tokyo. It was because of this trip, that Jungkook released gcfTokyo on Nov. 08, 2017.

A fan used the images in the video and was able to determine the hotel and room jikook stayed at. It was room number 1108.

The video also used the song There For You by Troye Sivan:

Boy, I'm holdin' onto something Won't let go of you for nothing I'm runnin', runnin' just to keep my hands on you There was a time that I was so blue What I got to do to show you? I'm runnin', runnin' just to keep my hands on you

Day 811

On the 26th of January 2018, in a Japanese fancafe, Jimin gifted Jungkook a drawing of a set of champagne glasses and a bottle. Note the details of the glasses.

•Day 900

On the 25th of April 2018, a day before the 900 day milestone, Jimin had a vlive where it was obvious he wasn't alone in the room. He kept looking to the side, laughing shyly and explained:

After he said this, you can hear someone whisper, "Jimin."

Day 1000

On August 3rd 2018, Jk posted a selfie while they were all filming BV3:

During BV3, jikook were able to look around the city alone, and have a boat date under the moonlight.

Day 1013

As you all may know 10:13 is also known as Jimin ssi, or Jimin time. It only makes sense that this day would be special to jikook too.

On the 16th of August 2018, Jimin tweeted a series of 3 tweets:

Jungkook was the only member that appeared in the photos with Jimin. It is also interesting to note the 2 butterfly temporary tattoos he had on his hand.

This is the same time when they had the photoshoot with the inflatable unicorn:

The next day, Jimin uploaded a tweet with the caption "Love Ya", and one of the photos was him and Jk.

•Day 1141

On the 22nd of December 2018, when fans uploaded their selfies on fancafe, the fans let Jk know that Jimin had uploaded his own:

This prompted Jk to type "JIMINNNN" and he signed off. He later uploaded a song that he stopped at 1:18:

You take my mind away When you touch me that way This place, your face It gets hard to breathe I know you're feeling me now You're all I see Almost like we're dreaming

•Day 1394

On the 1st of September 2019, Jk made 2 tweets. One in which uploaded a snippet of Decalcamonia, which he also ended on 1:18:

•Day 1500

On the 16th of Dec 2019, Jimin posted a good night tweet:

The time he uploaded this was at 1:50.

•Day 2300

On Feb 22, 2022, Jk uploaded a story on insta where he is in a car, listening to So Good by Joan. The story was labeled 23:08 even though he uploaded it at 1:24 am.

You and me Got a lotta tension, not even to mention Ooh, that night, just two weeks ago It was half past ten Thinking about living, suddenly when you walked it You took my breath away

•Day 2315

On March 10, 2022, during the Permission to Dance Concert, Jimin used the 2315 numbers and stated the following:

2315 days had passed since November 8, 2015.

•Day 2545

On the 26th of October 2022, Jk uploaded a photo of himself while he was in Qatar. He uploaded the photo at 11:08 Korea time and, 5:08 Qatar time.

•Day 2643

On the 2nd of February 2023, Jimin answered a question on weverse at exactly 23:08. The question is now deleted.

•Day 2684

During Jungkook hosted a series of lives on White Day, 14th of March 2022. His first live was started at 8:11 pm:

During these lives, Jk changed to various outfits and had an extensive playlist. One of the songs that was included was There For You.

•Day 2855

On the 1st of September 2023, Jk hosted a short live to thank the fans for being present with him during so many birthdays. He ended his live quickly and it lasted 8:56 minutes:

My impressions

Based on Korean customs, celebrating different day milestones is typical in a Korean couple.

While some may think that jikook started dating on the 8th of November 2015, I think that's when they decided to be intimate with each other.

I feel like a jikook kiss had already happened since the last time Jimin asked Jk for a kiss publicly was in September 2015 for Jk's birthday. From there, one can only think that things proceeded quite quickly.

I think that in recent years, we have observed less mentions of 1108 because of BTS' popularity and so many fans expecting something from jikook.

It's possible that jikook has decided to not make these milestones known like they did before, but every now and then, they still reference that number. Who knows when they will do it again.

But who is counting, right?

[xtruss]

Special Report

China Expands Amphibious Forces in Challenge to U.S. Beyond Asia

— David Lague | July 20, 2020 | Reuters

FILE PHOTO: Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Marine Corps are seen in training at a military training base in Bayingol, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China January 21, 2016. To match Special Report CHINA-MILITARY/AMPHIBIOUS REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT.

HONG KONG (Reuters) — China launched its military build-up in the mid-1990s with a top priority: keep the United States at bay in any conflict by making the waters off the Chinese coast a death trap. Now, China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is preparing to challenge American power further afield.

China’s shipyards have launched the PLA Navy’s first two Type 075 amphibious assault ships, which will form the spearhead of an expeditionary force to play a role similar to that of the U.S. Marine Corps. And like the Marines, the new force will be self-contained - able to deploy solo with all its supporting weapons to fight in distant conflicts or demonstrate Chinese military power.

The 40,000-tonne Type 075 ships are a kind of small aircraft carrier with accommodation for up to 900 troops and space for heavy equipment and landing craft, according to Western military experts who have studied satellite images and photographs of the new vessels. They will carry up to 30 helicopters at first; later they could carry fighter jets, if China can build short take off and vertical landing aircraft like the U.S. F-35B.

The first Type 075 was launched last September and the second in April, according to reports in China’s official military media. A third is under construction, according to the May edition of a Congressional Research Service report.

Eventually, the PLA Navy could have seven or more of these ships, according to reports in China’s official military press.

Chinese military commentators quoted in official media say China’s shipyards are now building and launching amphibious ships so rapidly it is like “dropping dumplings” into water.

The military rivalry between China and the United States is only growing sharper. Last week, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo declared most of Beijing’s claims of sovereignty in the South China Sea illegal, throwing Washington’s weight behind the rival claims of Southeast Asian nations over territory and resources in the strategic waterway that were supported by international law. China said the U.S. position raised tensions in the region and undermined stability.

China’s nascent amphibious forces still lag far behind those of the United States, but the speed of China’s military rise has already shifted the balance of power in Asia. Over the past two decades, China has deployed an arsenal of missiles and a massive surface and sub-surface fleet to deter potential enemies from sailing in its coastal waters. Now, as part of an accelerated modernization of the PLA since Chinese President Xi Jinping came to power in 2012, these new amphibious ships and the specially trained marines they carry will boost Beijing’s firepower and political influence far from its shores, according to Chinese and Western military analysts.

As shipyards churn out amphibious vessels, China is expanding its force of marines under the command of the PLA Navy. These troops are being trained and equipped to make landings and fight their way ashore. China now has between 25,000 and 35,000 marines, according to U.S. and Japanese military estimates. That’s a sharp increase from about 10,000 in 2017.

“Without an amphibious force, any military force is greatly constrained in where and how it can conduct operations,” said Grant Newsham, a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel and researcher at the Japan Forum for Strategic Studies. Newsham advised the Japanese military on the formation of Tokyo’s own Amphibious Rapid Deployment Brigade, formed in 2018. “Jets can drop bombs and ships can fire missiles at the shore - but you might need infantry to go ashore and kill the enemy and occupy the ground.”

China’s Ministry of National Defense and the Pentagon did not respond to questions from Reuters.

At home, too, the PLA marines have become an important tool in the ruling Communist Party’s efforts to showcase China’s increasingly powerful military to its domestic audience. The state-controlled media regularly reports on the gruelling training and military skills of the Jiaolong, or Sea Dragon commandos - a unit from the marines special forces brigade based on Hainan Island off southern China.

“We should be the point of the sword in joint operations to strike terror into the heart of the enemy,” said Gong Kaifeng, a Jiaolong commandos company commander, in a report last year on the unit’s training broadcast on state television.

When the Type 075 ships enter service, China will have the capacity to combine them with its other new amphibious and support vessels, Chinese and foreign analysts say. These self-contained fleets can be sent to distant conflicts, deployed as a show of force to deter potential enemies or to protect Chinese investments and citizens abroad. They would also allow the PLA to provide disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, competing with the U.S. for prestige and soft power.

INVADING TAIWAN

For Beijing, these amphibious forces will also contribute to the PLA’s mounting capacity to make a landing on Taiwan or seize other strategically important or disputed territory in China’s offshore regions, according to specialists in amphibious warfare.

FILE PHOTO: Soldiers of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Marine Corps are seen in training in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, China July 20, 2017. To match Special Report CHINA-MILITARY/AMPHIBIOUS REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. CHINA OUT.

Beijing regards self-governing Taiwan a province of China. Xi Jinping has said unifying Taiwan with the mainland is a vital step in realizing the Chinese people’s dream of a powerful, rejuvenated nation. In a key speech early last year calling on Taiwan to open talks on peaceful reunification, Xi warned that this long-standing dispute could not be deferred indefinitely. “We make no promise to renounce the use of force and reserve the option of taking all necessary means,” Xi said.

China has this year stepped up military operations and exercises around Taiwan, according to U.S. and Taiwanese military analysts. PLA Air Force jets, including at least one bomber and a fighter, briefly entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on June 22, before being warned off by the Taiwanese air force, the island’s military said. It was the eighth such encounter in two weeks, the military said.

Taiwan launched its annual Han Kuang defense exercise on July 13 with an emphasis on joint operations between land, sea and air forces to defend the island from attack, according to the island’s military. The exercise also involved an expanded role for reservists as the military strives to boost its firepower, senior Taiwan government officials said.

“Our military is always working hard to prepare for war, closely monitoring the dynamics of the Chinese Communist’s military and the development of the situation in the Taiwan Strait,” Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said in response to questions from Reuters. “We have a complete defense plan and appropriate actions to deal with the threat of the Chinese Communists attacking Taiwan and the seizure of offshore islands, which can ensure national security.”

Experts on amphibious forces note the PLA already has powerful army units that are trained and equipped to make the kind of landings necessary for an invasion of Taiwan. In expanding the marines, they argue, PLA military planners are looking at operations across the globe, in places where China has extensive offshore investments. These commercial interests are likely to multiply as Beijing presses ahead with its Belt and Road Initiative, an ambitious bid to put China at the center of global trading routes.

China’s marines will also be important to man what is expected to become a network of strategic military bases around the world, including fortifications on territory Beijing has seized in the South China Sea, according to Chinese and Western military commentators.

Beijing has already deployed marines and their armored vehicles to its first overseas base at Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, according to Pentagon reports. Marines are also deployed on the flotillas China sends on naval anti-piracy missions to the Gulf of Aden, these reports said.

“We are currently only seeing the tip of the iceberg,” said Ian Easton, the senior director of the Project 2049 Institute, an Arlington, Virginia-based security research group. “Ten years from now, China is almost certainly going to have marine units deployed at locations all over the world. The Chinese Communist Party’s ambitions are global. Its interests are global. It plans to send military units wherever its global strategic interests require.”

Short of war, capable amphibious forces will also become a powerful diplomatic or coercive tool for Beijing, military analysts say. So far, Washington has had a monopoly on this type of engagement with other governments, routinely sending marine expeditionary units abroad for port visits, joint training exercises and disaster relief.

U.S. expeditionary flotillas, packed with marines, all their heavy equipment and air support, are a potent reminder of American power. A raw demonstration came in the tense period in 1999 when an Australian-led United Nations peacekeeping force intervened to stop violence in what was then Indonesian-controlled East Timor. American forces didn’t become heavily involved on the ground. But the presence of the USS Belleau Wood, a 40,000-tonne amphibious assault ship carrying 900 marines and heavy lift and attack helicopters, served as formidable back-up as the UN troops restored order without any significant resistance from Indonesia.

SEIZING ISLANDS

China’s first two Type 075 amphibious assault vessels are now berthed together undergoing final fit-out at a state-owned Shanghai shipyard, China’s official military media has reported. Photographs in the official media and commercial satellite images show that the 250-meter-long vessels appear similar to flat-top amphibious assault ships in service with other advanced navies, including the U.S. fleet. America currently has a fleet of eight Wasp and two America-class amphibious assault vessels.

However, in a blow to U.S. efforts to blunt the challenge from China, the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard caught fire on July 12 while tied up at its home port in San Diego. The ship was extensively damaged in the fire which burned for four days. It was unclear if the ship would be salvaged, the U.S. Navy said.

Since 2005, China has also built a fleet of six Type 071 amphibious ships, according to a 2019 report from the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency. These vessels can carry up to four air-cushion landing craft, similar to the hovercraft carried on U.S. amphibious landing ships, as well as four or more helicopters, armored vehicles and troops on long-distance deployments, the report said. A seventh Type 071 is under construction, according to Western military analysts.

China’s official shipbuilding industry journals have reported the 29,000-tonne Type 071 has command and control capabilities, a medical unit and accommodation for hundreds of marines. The 210-meter long vessel has a range of 10,000 nautical miles and reached a speed of 25 knots in trials, these reports said.

To build the force that will embark on these ships, China began a rapid increase in the size of its marine force in 2017, according to Pentagon reports. Earlier, marines had been a low priority in the decades when China’s military built a massive ground force to defend the mainland. A regiment of marines was formed in 1953 and expanded to a division but then disbanded in 1957, according to an official timeline of major events in PLA history. It was reformed in 1979, the timeline shows.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency report said China’s marine force is now organized into seven brigades, each with armor, infantry, artillery and missiles, and is the strongest force of this type among the rival claimants to disputed territories in the South China Sea. China’s marines “can simultaneously seize multiple islands in the Spratlys,” the report said, referring to a contested group of islands and reefs in the South China Sea. They could also rapidly reinforce China’s outposts in the Paracel Islands, another disputed territory in the same waterway. China does not publish detailed accounts of the disposition of its forces.

Amphibious warfare specialists say these marines would also be useful for seizing other disputed territory, including the uninhabited group of isles in the East China Sea that are claimed by both Tokyo and Beijing - known as the Senkaku islands in Japan and the Diaoyu islands in China.

Selected army units are being transferred to the marines to boost the force’s capability, according to reports in the official Chinese military media and Western defense analysts. China’s official military newspaper, the PLA Daily, reported in April that two army units trained in aerial assault had been transferred to a marines brigade dedicated to helicopter landings.

The Pentagon’s annual report on Chinese military power in 2018 revealed that a newly established headquarters under the command of the navy was responsible for staffing, training and equipping the expanding force. And, the report said, a new commander had been appointed to lead the marines. China’s state-controlled media has identified him as Major General Kong Jun, a former army officer who transferred to the marines in early 2017.

Despite this build-up, the Pentagon and other Western military experts argue the PLA marines remain far less capable than the 186,000-strong U.S. Marine Corps, with its extensive experience of amphibious and land operations.

In its 2019 report on China’s military power, the Pentagon said most of the new PLA marines brigades were not yet manned and equipped to be fully operational. It said China’s marines lacked sufficient armored vehicles, helicopters and training to conduct complex amphibious operations.

Some Western military experts suggest one reason for this: The top priorities for the PLA brass are the army amphibious units and air force airborne troops that would spearhead an attack on Taiwan. So, the marines “don’t have priority when it comes to things like amphibious tanks and helicopters,” said Easton of the Project 2049 Institute, who has written a book, The Chinese Invasion Threat, on the PLA’s preparations to conquer Taiwan.

The ruling Communist Party has long wanted control of Taiwan for political reasons. The island also has huge strategic importance. It would give the PLA a key foothold in the so-called first island chain, the string of islands that run from the Japanese archipelago through Taiwan, the Philippines and on to Borneo, enclosing China’s coastal seas. From bases on Taiwan, Chinese warships, strike aircraft and missiles would dominate the sea lanes vital to Japan and South Korea. And Taiwan would be an ideal jump-off point for operations aimed at seizing further territory in the island chain.

Newsham, the retired U.S. Marine colonel, said the PLA had assembled a formidable army amphibious force and sufficient ships, military and civilian, to probably land enough troops on Taiwan as part of a full-scale attack that includes air, missile, naval and cyber assaults. “The PLA already has a lot lined up,” he said.

[bigyack-com]

Whitbread Opens First hub by Premier Inn Hotel Outside of London’s Zone 1

Whitbread has opened the first hub by Premier Inn hotel outside of London’s Zone 1. The new 89-room hub by Premier Inn West Brompton is located on Lillie Road, adjacent to West Brompton Underground station and opposite the Earls Court development site. Whitbread committed to a 30-year lease on the completed hotel building, which increases Whitbread’s network of hub by Premier Inn hotels to nine locations across London with a further five locations (more than 900 rooms) on-site or in planning.

Derek Griffin, Head of Acquisitions in London and the south for Whitbread, said, “West Brompton is an excellent location for a hub by Premier Inn hotel given the vibrancy of the local area and it’s excellent transport connections. Our hub by Premier Inn hotels are performing well across our network of sites in London and Edinburgh and we’re confident the brand will trade just as well in urban village locations like West Brompton as in central London. It’s an exciting time for our hub by Premier Inn brand and we are actively seeking new freehold and leasehold opportunities across London and in towns and cities across the UK.” The hub by Premier Inn employs 23 people, all of whom were recruited through the local Fulham Job Centre and live in the West Brompton / Fulham area. Approximately half of the staff work at the hotel part-time, with four front-of-house employees studying at University whilst working at the hotel. 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[jobsearchtips02]

Coronavirus live updates: White House won’t talk stimulus until July, Regeneron tests antibody drug on humans

The U.K.’s GDP fell by 20.4% compared to the previous month — the largest monthly fall on record — as lockdowns necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic battered the economy.

In Asia, Japan plans to allow up to 250 foreign travelers a day into the country, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday. The decision comes as the country eases coronavirus restrictions with Tokyo moving into the final stages for a full resumption of business and economic activities.

The coronavirus pandemic continue to weigh on investor sentiment, hitting Asian markets on Friday after U.S.  stocks had their worst day since March as confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. topped two million.

The coverage on this live blog has ended — but for up-to-the-minute coverage on the coronavirus, visit the live blog from CNBC’s U.S. team. 

Global cases: More than 7.5 million

Global deaths: At least 421,032

U.S. cases: More than 2 million

U.S. deaths: At least 113,818

The data above was compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Hubei to lower its emergency response level 

11: 40 a.m. London time — The original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak, China’s Hubei province, is lowering its emergency response level again after 24 days with no confirmed cases.

Officials said Friday that it will move from level II to level III effective from Saturday, according to Reuters. —Clinch

Formula One cancels Grands Prix races in Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan

4: 40 p.m. Singapore time — Organizers of the Formula One (F1) Grands Prix in Azerbaijan, Singapore and Japan have canceled this year’s races due to the pandemic, F1 said in a statement on Friday.

“In Singapore and Azerbaijan the long lead times required to construct street circuits made hosting the events during a period of uncertainty impossible and in Japan, ongoing travel restrictions also led to the decision not to proceed with the race,” said F1 in the release.

F1 had already canceled four other races, including its showcase Monaco race in May. It will instead hold a revised, shortened 2020 season that is due to start in Austria on July 5. —Huileng Tan

Island nations face ‘perfect storm’ with hurricane season, pandemic

4: 20 p.m. Singapore time — Small island states will be hit by a “perfect storm” in the months ahead as the pandemic and extreme weather conditions strike simultaneously, said Patricia Scotland, secretary-general of the Commonwealth — an alliance of 54 countries with a combined population of 2.4 billion people.

Scotland told CNBC in a phone call that several economies will be forced into a “perilous” situation this year by the overlapping crises of the pandemic, its economic fallout, a tourism slump and the the rising prevalence of extreme weather events. —Chloe Taylor

UK economy contracted by 20.4% on-month in April due to lockdowns

3: 15 p.m. Singapore time — The U.K.’s GDP fell by 20.4% compared to the previous month — the largest monthly fall on record — as lockdowns necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic battered the economy.

Britain entered lockdown on March 23 in a bid to curtail the spread of the coronavirus pandemic and has confirmed 292,860 infections as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Some measures began to be eased in May, the U.K. economy was mostly stymied throughout April. —Elliott Smith

A jogger walks along Southbank by the River Thames on May 29, 2020 in London.

Jo Hale | Getty Images

Share price of world’s biggest medical glove maker has more than tripled this year

3: 00 p.m. Singapore time — The share price of Malaysian firm Top Glove has surged by more than three times this year as demand for medical gloves saw a significant increase due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The company, which is the world’s largest medical glove maker, said an increase in demand for its products came “from virtually every country in the world.” Its monthly sales orders jumped by some 180%, with some customers placing orders for delivery more than a year later.

Such an increase in sales helped the company to report a 366% year-over-year jump in net profit to 347.9 million Malaysian ringgit ($81.4 million) in the quarter ended May.

As of Thursday’s close, Top Glove’s Malaysia-listed shares were up by more than 255% this year, while its Singapore-listed shares jumped by over 256%, according to data by Refinitiv. —Yen Nee Lee

The number of extreme poor could rise over 1 billion due to the pandemic

1: 45 p.m. Singapore time — Extreme poverty could spike due to the economic fallout from the coronavirus pandemic, according to a report published by UNU-WIDER, which is part of the United Nations University.

That comes as the cost of the public healthcare crisis could reach $500 million a day in lost income for the world’s poorest people.

The pandemic would push an additional 395 million people into extreme poverty, sending the number of those living on less than $1.90 a day to more than 1 billion globally.

Poverty is likely to increase dramatically in middle-income developing countries, with the location of global poverty shifting back towards developing countries in South Asia and East Asia, said the report. —Huileng Tan

Twitter takes down China-linked accounts spreading coronavirus disinformation

1: 45 p.m. Singapore time — Social media platform Twitter has taken down thousands of accounts linked to China that were part of a “manipulative and coordinated” campaign to spread disinformation around topics including the coronavirus.

The social media site said that 23,750 accounts that were spreading “geopolitical narratives favorable to the Communist Party of China (CCP)” were removed. Another 150,000 accounts designed to boost that content were also taken down.

China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. —Arjun Kharpal

Japan plans to allow up to 250 foreign travelers a day

People enjoy food and drink at an izakaya bar near Yurakucho Station on June 05, 2020 in Tokyo, Japan.

Takashi Aoyama | Getty Images

11: 15 a.m. Singapore time — Japan plans to allow up to 250 foreign travelers a day into the country, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday.

The quota is set to be introduced this summer for travelers from Australia, New Zealand, Thailand and Vietnam, Kyodo reported, citing government sources. Business travelers will be given priority.

Japan has banned foreign travelers who have been in 111 countries and regions within the last two weeks.

The country has reported over 17,000 cases of the coronavirus and over 900 deaths so far. Various parts of the country have reopened for business with capital Tokyo further easing restrictions on business activities in this city from Thursday this week. —Huileng Tan

Arizona cases nearly double since Memorial Day as state nears hospital capacity

7: 30 p.m. ET — The Arizona Department of Health Services reported an additional 1,412 new cases, bringing the state’s total to 31,264. The number of cases have climbed by nearly 300% since May 1 and have roughly doubled since Memorial Day, according to historical data from Johns Hopkins University compiled by CNBC. The state’s 7-day average of daily new cases as of Wednesday was 1,071. A week ago the state was averaging 720 daily new cases, according to Hopkins data.

While testing has increased over the last couple weeks, which could cause an uptick in new cases, the proportion of positive tests has also increased in recent weeks. Arizona hospitals reported that they were at 84% capacity on Wednesday, however, Gov. Doug Ducey later said the state has additional surge capacity available if needed.

“All of these trends come together to point to it being more than just testing and really because of extensive community spread,” Dr. Farshad Marvasti, University of Arizona College of Medicine director of public health and prevention, told CNBC’s “Power Lunch” on Thursday. —William Feuer

Houston may have to implement coronavirus restrictions again

COVID unit nurse Anita Pedy (left) and medical student volunteer Alan Araiza (right) check bruises on the back of COVID patient Melquiades Cervantes. In Houston, Texas.

Carolyn Cole | Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

6: 30 p.m. ET — Houston is at risk of having to “backtrack” in its reopening measures, according to Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo.

“This week, the Covid-19 general hospital population in Harris County was the highest it’s ever been,” Hidalgo said at a press briefing. “It’s gotten worse every day.”

She said the city and county face a “significant” threat and that increases in hospitalizations have raised concern that Houston has reopened too quickly. If things get worse, she said Houston may have to resort to using NRG Stadium as a medical shelter. —Hannah Miller

Georgia lifts further coronavirus restrictions

Rapper Skooly performs during Skooly’s “Nobody Likes Me’ parking lot concert after more than two months of a lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic at Murphy Park Fairgrounds on June 06, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Marcus Ingram | Getty Images

5: 50 p.m. ET — Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp signed an executive order lifting certain coronavirus restrictions.

Residents who are 65 and older are no longer required to shelter in place unless they have certain health conditions or live in a long-term care facility. The state will also lift capacity limits on restaurants and dining rooms and allow bars to have up to 50 people beginning June 16. Live performance venues can also reopen on July 1. —Hannah Miller

New York City’s signed real estate contracts decrease by 87 percent in May 2020

5: 20 p.m. ET — CNBC’s Robert Frank reports on how the New York City real estate market is getting hit by the coronavirus pandemic and what the forecast looks like.

George Floyd protests highlight health-care disparities for black Americans

A man offers free masks to people during a protest against police brutality on June 6, 2020 in Atlanta, Georgia. This is the 12th day of protests since George Floyd died in Minneapolis police custody on May 25.

Elijah Nouvelage | Getty Images

4: 38 p.m. ET — Protests in response to the police killing of George Floyd have brought greater attention to the health-care disparities that black people face in the U.S.

Though black Americans make up only around 13% of the U.S. population, they constitute 23% of all coronavirus deaths as of June 3, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

This deadlier outcome stems from complex factors linked to centuries of slavery followed by further discrimination in the U.S., CNBC’s Noah Higgins-Dunn, William Feur, Berkeley Lovelace Jr. and Jasmine Kim report.

Black Americans are more likely to suffer from underlying health conditions, lack health insurance and hold essential jobs that are typically lower paying and involve direct exposure to the public amid the pandemic. —Hannah Miller

Dow drops nearly 7% amid fears of second wave

4: 26 p.m. ET — Stocks fells the most since March as the number of coronavirus cases increases in a number of states that are reopening businesses, raising concerns that a second wave of outbreaks could leader to renewed shutdowns. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1,861.82 points or 6.9% to close at 25,128.17; the S&P 500 dropped 5.9% to 3,002.10; and the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 5.3% to end at 9,492.73. It was the worst day for all three indexes since March 16, when they all fell more than 11% as the pandemic started to hit the United States. 

“You’re seeing the psychology in the market get retested today” as traders weigh the the recent uptick in coronavirus hospitalizations and a grim outlook from the U.S. central bank, said Dan Deming, managing director at KKM Financial. “The sense is maybe the market got ahead of itself, which makes sense given the fact that we’ve come so far so fast.” —Spencer Kimball, Fred Imbert, Yun Li

Nashville mayor delays next stage of reopening after cases rise

An employee wearing rubber gloves and a mask greets patrons at Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant on April 27, 2020 in Franklin, Tennessee.

Jason Kempin | Getty Images

3: 06 p.m. ET — Nashville Mayor John Cooper said he intends to curb the city’s next reopening phase after reporting a “slightly elevated” average in Covid-19 cases over the last two weeks.

Nashville’s local health department reported 6,627 total confirmed Covid-19 cases on Thursday, an increase of 56 cases since Wednesday.

“As of today, the majority of our public health metrics are satisfactory. But our 14-day new case average remains slightly elevated, prompting us to stay in Phase Two of our Roadmap for Reopening Nashville,” Cooper said in a press release.

Nashville is currently in phase two of its reopening plan, which allows restaurants and retail stores to operate at 75% capacity but bars must remain closed.

The next phase of the city’s reopening plan would allow for restaurants and retail stores to operate at full capacity and bars, clubs, karaoke bars, tours, live entertainment and “transportainment” businesses to operate at 50% capacity. —Noah Higgins-Dunn

Here’s what might be in the next round of stimulus

2: 38 p.m.  ET — If you’re eager for more financial support from the government, you may have to wait.

Congress is poised to consider another round of stimulus legislation. But it might not be until later next month. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin spoke this week about the areas on which the government may focus its next efforts to shore up the U.S. economy.

“I definitely think we are going to need another bipartisan legislation to put more money into the economy,” Mnuchin told the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

“We don’t want to rush into that because we want to be both careful at this point in seeing how the money is in the economy,” Mnuchin said.

Further efforts could focus on unemployment benefits and direct payments to individuals, Mnuchin said. Options that are on the table include either more one-time stimulus payments or back-to-work bonuses. —Lorie Konish

5 New York regions to open more businesses

Source: The State of New York

1: 42 p.m. ET — More businesses will be allowed to reopen in five central and upstate New York regions on Friday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced.

The North Country, Mohawk Valley, Southern Tier, Finger Lakes and Central New York regions will move to phase three of reopening, allowing restaurants to reopen for indoor dining at 50% capacity and personal care facilities like spas to reopen also at 50% capacity.

The decision comes as the virus recedes in New York, once the epicenter of the country’s outbreak, but gains speed in some other states that were among the first and most aggressive to reopen, such as Texas, Arizona and North Carolina.

“We are the exception. To date, we are the exception. And that can change and that can change over night,” Cuomo said Thursday. “It’s the same story. ‘We want to reopen, we want to reopen. It’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine.’ No, it’s fine until it’s not fine.” —Will Feuer, Noah Higgins-Dunn

Delta CEO says all employees will be tested for virus, antibodies

1: 26 p.m. ET — Delta CEO Ed Bastian said in a memo Thursday that all employees will be tested for the coronavirus and antibodies. The announcement comes as Delta and other airlines begin adding summer flights as passengers start returning.

Bastian said Delta is partnering with the Mayo Clinic and Quest Diagnostics to facilitate the testing. The program will begin in Minneapolis, Atlanta, Detroit and New York starting next week, then will evolve into a company-wide testing protocol.

The company also announced the creation of the Delta Global Cleanliness organization, which will review Delta’s standards and policies to ensure customers and employees are safe. –Alex Harring

Ryanair rejects U.K. guidance for passengers to check in all luggage

Ryanair planes are seen at Dublin Airport, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Dublin, Ireland, May 1, 2020.

Jason Cairnduff | Reuters

1: 02 p.m. ET — Irish budget airline Ryanair said it will not follow new British government guidance recommending passengers check in all luggage. 

Instead, Ryanair will ask passengers to minimize check-in luggage, according to Reuters.

The guideline on luggage from Britain’s Department of Transport is intended to reduce the spread of Covid-19. The agency is also recommending that people wear face masks in airports and on planes.

Ryanair rejected the check-in guideline and said cabin bags are handled only by the passenger, limiting any risk of physical contact with others, Reuters reported.

Flying in and out of Britain has decreased since the coronavirus pandemic, because of new U.K. rules for international arrivals to quarantine for 14 days.

“We are taking the necessary steps to ensure a framework is in place for the aviation industry to bounce back,” said Transport Minister Grant Shapps in a statement. —Suzanne Blake, Reuters

Mortgage rates hit new record low

12: 34 p.m. ET — Mortgage rates hit a record low amid concerns over a second wave of the coronavirus, which has helped spur a market sell-off.

Though rates saw a boost last week, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate now hovers at 2.97%, CNBC’s Diana Olick reports.

Low mortgage rates have driven a fast recovery in the housing market and mortgage applications for home purchases were up 13% annually last week, according to data from the Mortgage Bankers Association. —Hannah Miller

Mnuchin warns against shutting down economy for second wave

Noon ET — Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is warning against imposing lockdowns again even as states like Texas report record coroanvirus hospitalizations as businesses reopen. 

“We can’t shut down the economy again. I think we’ve learned that if you shut down the economy, you’re going to create more damage,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC’s Jim Cramer on “Squawk on the Street.” 

“And not just economic damage, but there are other areas and we’ve talked about this: medical problems and everything else that get put on hold,”  he added. “I think it was very prudent what the president did, but I think we’ve learned a lot.” — Spencer Kimball

White House plan coronavirus stimulus talk for late July

11: 18 a.m. ET — The White House will not discuss a fourth coronavirus stimulus package until late July, when Congress returns from recess, CNBC’s Kayla Tausche reports.

Both the Senate and House of Representatives are set to return to Washington on July 21, which is 10 days before programs under the CARES Act, including increased unemployment insurance payments, will expire. The Trump administration estimates that more than half of funds from the last three stimulus packages have not been spent.

A breakdown from the Office of Management and Budget found that just $22 billion of $500 billion designated to Treasury Department for business loans has been spent. In formulating a future stimulus bill, Republican leaders and the administration do not have a uniform stance yet on what would should be included, but many want to provide liability protection to businesses that reopen. —Suzanne Blake

Dow plunges more than 900 points on worries of second coronavirus wave 

9: 33 a.m. ET — Stocks fell sharply at the open as coronavirus cases increased in some states that are reopening up from lockdowns, reports CNBC’s Fred Imbert and Yun Li. The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded more than 900 points lower, or over 3%. The S&P 500 slid 2.5% while the Nasdaq Composite slid 2.1%. —Melodie Warner

Alitalia to resume international flights from Milan in July

9: 23 a.m. ET — Alitalia intends to resume international flights from Milan next month, according to a Reuters report. 

The Italian carrier plans to operate 52 routes to 37 airports — including 19 in Italy and 18 abroad — about 60% more flights compared to June. Seats offered in July will grow by 60% compared to the previous month, Reuters reported. —Melodie Warner

Moderna to launch coronavirus vaccine trial in July

8: 58 a.m. ET — Moderna is set to start a 30,000-person trial of its coronavirus vaccine in July, the company confirmed to Reuters. The trial comes as the biotechnology company enters the final stage of testing for the potential coronavirus vaccine.

Moderna selected a100-microgram dose of the vaccine for the study, for which the primary goal would be to prevent symptomatic Covid-19. The secondary goal would be the prevention of severe disease, as defined by people being hospitalized. 

The company aims to deliver around 500 million — and potentially up to 1 billion — doses per year beginning 2021, Reuters reported. —Alex Harring

Pace of U.S. weekly jobless claims continues to decelerate

8: 48 a.m. ET — The pace of unemployment claims decelerated for the 10th straight week as the U.S. jobs market continued its plodding recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, reports CNBC’s Jeff Cox. 

Labor Department data showed initial claims totaled 1.54 million, compared to the 1.6 million expected from economists surveyed by Dow Jones and a drop of 355,000 from the previous week’s total that was just short of 1.9 million. —Melodie Warner

The latest on daily new cases

Regeneron begins testing potential treatment

7: 24 a.m. ET — Regeneron announced the start of the first human trial of its antibody cocktail that the company hopes will effectively treat and even prevent Covid-19.

The drug, REGN-COV2, which is a combination of two antibodies, is the latest potential therapy to enter clinical trials. The only drug that has so far proven to effectively treat Covid-19 patients is Gilead Sciences‘s Remdesivir. 

“REGN-COV2 could have a major impact on public health by slowing spread of the virus and providing a needed treatment for those already sick – and could be available much sooner than a vaccine,” Dr. George Yancopoulos, co-founder and chief scientific officer of Regeneron, said in a statement. —Will Feuer

WHO warns of increasing ‘hotspots’ in Africa

NAIROBI, Kenya – Health workers carry out coronavirus screening on residents in the Kibera settlement.

Kelvin Juma/SHOFCO

7: 00 a.m. ET — Africa will experience a “steady increase” in coronavirus cases until a vaccine is developed, the World Health Organization warned, according to Reuters. 

The global health body said that robust public health measures are needed in virus “hotspots” in the continent.

“Until such time as we have access to an effective vaccine, I’m afraid we’ll probably have to live with a steady increase in the region, with some hotspots having to be managed in a number of countries, as is happening now in South Africa, Algeria, Cameroon for example, which require very strong public health measures, social distancing measures to take place,” Matshidiso Moeti, WHO’s Africa regional director, told a briefing in Geneva, Reuters said. —Holly Ellyatt

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Britain’s Boris Johnson spends night in ICU as coronavirus crisis deepens

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Britain’s Boris Johnson spends night in ICU as coronavirus crisis deepens

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was in intensive care Tuesday fighting the coronavirus, while authorities in New York and elsewhere in Europe hoped that an apparent plateau of deaths and new hospitalizations signaled that key epicenters in the global pandemic had turned a corner.

The 55-year-old Johnson, the world’s first known head of government to fall ill with the virus, was conscious in a London hospital and needed oxygen overnight but was not on a ventilator, Cabinet minister Michael Gove said Tuesday. Britain’s foreign secretary, Dominic Raab, has been designated to take over with Johnson sidelined by an illness that can be debilitating even for those with access to the world’s best medical care.

READ MORE: Coronavirus: 3M says Canada will continue receiving N95 masks following U.S. deal

“We’re desperately hoping that Boris can make the speediest possible recovery,” Gove said.

Japan’s prime minister on Tuesday declared a monthlong state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures after a spike in infections there but it came in the form of a stay-at-home request — not an order — and violators will not be penalized. Japan has the world’s oldest population, a worrying target for a virus that has been killing the elderly at much higher rates than other age groups.

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In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the first, faint signs the outbreak there may be nearing its peak but said it’s not time yet to relax social distancing restrictions.

2:53 Coronavirus around the world: April 6, 2020

Coronavirus around the world: April 6, 2020

“The numbers look like it may be turning,” Cuomo said.

The state has averaged just under 600 deaths daily for the past four days. Though horrific, the somewhat steady daily totals were seen as a positive sign. Cuomo also reported that the number of new people entering New York hospitals daily has dropped, as has the number of critically ill patients needing ventilators. But he said the strains on the state’s health care workers were still at unsustainable levels.

The nation’s top infectious disease specialist, Dr. Anthony Fauci, was cautiously optimistic, saying that in New York, “what we have been doing has been working.”

[ Sign up for our Health IQ newsletter for the latest coronavirus updates ]

China, the first country to go into lockdown and among the strictest, reported no new deaths over the past 24 hours for the first time since it began publishing statistics on the virus that emerged in December in the central city of Wuhan. Many infectious disease experts, however, have been skeptical of the figures coming out of China.

READ MORE: Live updates: Coronavirus in Canada

New coronavirus cases were also dropping in the European hotspots of Italy and Spain. In France, although daily deaths spiked to a record of 833, the rate of new intensive care hospitalizations has slowed dramatically.

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The final travel restrictions on residents in Wuhan are due to be lifted Wednesday and Denmark said it planned to reopen schools next week for students up to age 11 — a development that feels impossibly distant elsewhere in the world.

Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte promised residents that they will soon “reap the fruit of these sacrifices” in personal liberties, though he declined to say when a nationwide lockdown would be lifted. Italy has the world’s highest death toll — over 16,500 — but intensive care units in the north are no longer airlifting patients to other regions.

1:12 Coronavirus outbreak: U.K. PM Johnson in intensive care unit with COVID-19 symptoms

Coronavirus outbreak: U.K. PM Johnson in intensive care unit with COVID-19 symptoms

Worldwide, more than 1.3 million people have been confirmed infected and nearly 75,000 have died, according to Johns Hopkins University. The true numbers are certainly much higher, because of limited testing, different ways nations count the dead and deliberate underreporting by some governments. Deaths in the U.S. neared 11,000, with more than 368,000 confirmed infections.

For most people, the virus causes mild to moderate symptoms such as fever and cough. But for some, especially older adults and the infirm, it can cause pneumonia and lead to death. More than 285,000 people have recovered worldwide.

Stocks jumped on Wall Street and around the world on hopes that the pandemic could be slowing. Global shares were up Tuesday, as well as Dow futures, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than 1,600 points, or nearly 8%, on Monday.

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The latest data suggests social distancing appears to be working in some countries, and better than expected.

One of the main models on the outbreak, the University of Washington’s, is now projecting about 82,000 U.S. deaths through early August, or 12% fewer than previously forecast, with the highest number of daily deaths occurring on April 16. The model relies on much more robust data from Italy and Spain and from hospitals.

READ MORE: British PM Boris Johnson in intensive care due to coronavirus symptoms

One unusual lockdown exception was Wisconsin, which was asking hundreds of thousands of voters on Tuesday to ignore a stay-at-home order in the midst of a pandemic to participate in its presidential primary.

South Korea said it will soon announce guidelines for hospitals on experimental coronavirus treatments using donated blood from patients who survived. Kwon Jun-wook from South Korea’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the guide will be drawn from the country’s experience with similar treatments on MERS virus patients in 2015.

In further restrictions, China and Russia decided to close their land border and river port near Vladivostok following the discovery of 59 confirmed cases.

But as effective as the lockdowns may be, they come at a steep toll, especially for the poor.

In a housing complex in the Moroccan city of Sale, over 900 people live in crowded rooms without running water or incomes. While the North African country entered total lockdown in mid-March, self-isolation and social distancing are a luxury that few families in this complex can afford.

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1:59 Coronavirus outbreak: Trump offers help to Boris Johnson amid ‘shocking’ admittance to ICU

Coronavirus outbreak: Trump offers help to Boris Johnson amid ‘shocking’ admittance to ICU

In Sale, children hang around the communal courtyard and run through narrow alleyways. Families share one room where they wash clothes and fill buckets of water at public fountains. Warda, a mother of three at the complex, knows the risks but sees no alternatives.

“I am scared for my children. I have to lock them indoors and stay with them, but how am I supposed to feed them?” she asked.

In a move to boost spirits in New Zealand, the prime minister clarified the definition of who is considered essential workers.

“You will be pleased to know that we do consider both the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny to be essential workers,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said just a few days before Easter Sunday.

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Thousands of People United as One: Merculet Main Sale Successfully Concluded within 2 Minutes

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LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In the past few months, all Merculet team members have devoted themselves to the blockchain industry and have gone the extra mile to help Internet users and entrepreneurs. One milestone after another achieved, and just moments ago, Merculet’s main sale successfully concluded, opening a new chapter for the future.

Merculet’s Private Sale registration ended on Apr 17th. This private token contribution gave rise to widespread discussion in the blockchain community, attracting the attention of experts, influencers, and investors in the industry. Ultimately, Merculet received more than 900 applications from 25 countries. After a solid round of review, 78 participants selected, and a total of more than 26,200 ETH collected.

In keeping with the significant momentum that Merculet has experienced, the token main sale finally launched on May 4th, 8:00 am CST (May 4th, 9:00 pm GMT+8). The allotted 696 million tokens enthusiastically sold within a mere 2 minutes on tokeneed.com. During this main sale, a total 9,800 ETH was raised, coming from 107 different countries. The total participants reached over 6000 people, and more than 20,000 KYC candidates were waiting to participate the main sale. The diversity of the contributors falls in line with Merculet’s mission to serve global entrepreneurs and Internet users. The trust garnered from the industry community demonstrates people’s recognition of Merculet’s vision, and also shows their hope and determination to embrace the distributed commerce together with Merculet.

Embrace a Bright Future With MVP Contributors

Merculet has positioned itself as the Chief Growth Officer to serve entrepreneurs worldwide, providing Internet-based companies with solutions that grant them readily accessible token-based operation. Merculet is creating a brand new ecosystem where companies and users will polish the product together, creating value that can be circulated among companies effectively and efficiently. Merculet’s vision to completely change the existing Internet and provide sophisticated enterprise-level blockchain technology solutions, in turn, produces a massive responsibility for Merculet. One of the primary reasons that Merculet can keep its momentum moving forward is due to community members continually showing their support.

The success of this main sale can be attributed to the dedication, tenacity, and perseverance of both Merculet team members and community team members. Merculet team members feel honored to hold the trust of so many contributors from all over the world, and this trust has grown into a type of motivation for them to work even harder in the future.

Ivan Jiang (CEO of Merculet): “Merculet has positioned itself as an international project since its conception. The success of our fund-raising is directly tied to everyone’s support and efforts. Thanks goes to every team member of Merculet. Without them working day and night, our efforts would not have resulted in nearly as much success as it did.

We want to thank all members from our global community for their recognition of our work, and we thank each and every investor and partner of Merculet for their trust. We also want to thank the media for their support, as well as the Krypital Group for their marketing guidance. Without their support, this goal would not have been met.

The end of the fundraising is only the first step in this long journey. In the near future, billions of Internet entrepreneurs and Internet users will be rapidly brought into a new era of communications. Merculet’s utmost priority is to reconstruct the value of the global trillion-dollar industry of internet traffic. In the short term, we will launch our “Believer Programs” as well as “Big Sailing Plans” among investors and partners from 25 countries around the world, and the long-prepared Blue Book will be released as soon as possible. These are all meant to give everyone a more thorough understanding of our time – the mission and ambition of Merculet!”

Merculet actively communicates its progress to the community and its supporters, all the while receiving valuable suggestions for their products. Merculet team members adopt these suggestions with open hands in order to continuously optimize the product and better serve Merculet community members. Online townhall meetings started in April, Merculet team members answer questions from community members continually. All Q&A sessions in the past have met with enthusiastic debated, with questions covering topics such as product architecture, product competitiveness, and Merculet team members’ backgrounds. In the past month, Merculet has organized three Airdrops and online AMAs total across Asia, Europe and, North America.

This main sale would not have gone nearly as smooth if it were not for the continuous and unwavering support from Merculet’s early-stage supporters and developers. The Merculet team would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to Elex, Solo Ads, TOOP, Magic Window, Fenbushi Capital, DHVC, Krypital Group, Rootscap, Tokeneed, Blockchain Ventures, Dushu Foundation, Consensus Capital, Bamboo Fund, Genesis Capital, Blockfox Fund, Walsh Private Investment Fund, Consensus Technologies, V&D Capital, Hexa Group and more.

Instructions on Token Issuance

Within six weeks of the closure of main sale, Merculet will issue a MVP token to the provided ETH address. For inquiries, please email: contact@merculet.io.

Reallocate Trillion-Dollar Worth of Internet Value Globally

Due to the vigorous development of blockchain technology and the uncertainty of the blockchain market, opportunities also bring along challenges during the development process of Merculet’s projects. And the only way to conquer these challenges is to move fearlessly move forwards. In keeping with this spirit, Merculet launched their first product demo (Alpha) just before the opening of the main sale.

Merculet has been progressing rapidly since January. In the past two months, the team has reached many remarkable milestones, including receiving a strategic investment from Fenbushi Capital, the formation of Merculet Japan Co. Ltd (located in Tokyo, Japan), the publication of the book RxJava 2.x In Action (written by Tony Shen, head of Mobile Development), and the release of a Merculet product demo. Merculet’s CEO Ivan Jiang and CTO Shen Ju Zhang, have also shared Merculet’s vision in many world-class blockchain discussion forums, including “The #1 Blockchain Debate in China,” the Industry Leader Summit, the 2018 BTA Blockchain Technology and Application Summit, Think Tank Roundtable Workshops hosted by Future Forum, the Blockchain-Expo in London and the 2018 Crypto Invest Summit in Los Angeles. Further, just one day before the launch of the main sale, Merculet officially moved into its US headquarters in California.

These significant points of accomplishment have served to promote the growth at Merculet. In addition to the 35 dedicating employees in this project, the company is seeking to grow further through recruitment efforts. And while Merculet works to bring new talents onboard, they already have a few clients that are working on real pilot integration.

The future is here. In 2018 Merculet plans to implement its solutions on a grand scale and form strategic partnerships with thousands of start-ups across the world. In doing so, Merculet will bring a billion users into the blockchain era, to share in a sector valued at more than one trillion-dollars. Merculet looks forward to promoting the full-scale shift of Internet-based companies and Internet users as they move towards tokenized business, initiating a new era for the Internet that is noted by its diversity.

Attached is the Merculet’s Road Map of year 2018

2018

Q2:

Distribute MVP Token;

Release AVN system β1 (including UAV system 1.0 & UAT system 1.0) & Application Market β1;

Complete Open-Platform Product Design;

Onboard at least one partner, and complete testing for 15+ partners;

Q3:

Release AVN system β2, Attention Purse β1, UAT Application Market Version 1.1 & Open Content Platform β1;

Q4:

Release Attention Purse β2 & Open Content Platform β2;

Support the exchange between UATs;

Onboard AVN (User Attention Value Network) 1.0.

* According to different national laws and regulations, citizens from China and the United States were not considered as qualified participants to Merculet’s token contribution event.

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