Foreign
Cabinet Reshuffle: President Sacks Finance Minister
South Sudan President Salva Kiir fired Finance Minister Bak Barnaba Chol in a reshuffle that was unveiled on state television on Monday evening.
Chol was appointed to the post in November, following the president’s firing of Athian Diing Athian just two months after his appointment.
Kiir appointed Salvatore Garang, an economist trained at the University of Khartoum in Sudan, as the new Minister of Finance.
Garang previously served as finance minister from 2018 to 2020, a period marked by economic reforms and fiscal strains.
During his first stint in the role, local media reported that Garang faced corruption allegations, including that he allocated 100,000 dollars to cover the cost of his son’s funeral.
He has not commented on the allegations.
The decree also removed several other senior officials, including the commissioner general of the National Revenue Authority, as part of the broader administrative changes.
Analysts say Kiir regularly makes changes to ranks in the military and government to maintain control as he contends with armed conflict and speculation about his eventual succession.
No reason was given for the ninth change in the finance minister since 2020.
-Source: (Reuters/News Agency of Nigeria NAN)
Foreign
Elon Musk’s Net Worth Surges To $1.3 Trillion As SpaceX Stock Rally Continues
Elon Musk’s wealth jumped by about $165 billion in one day as SpaceX stock surged after its historic stock market debut. SpaceX briefly crossed a $3 trillion valuation, making it one of the world’s most valuable companies and further cementing Musk’s position as the richest person on earth. The company also holds 18,712 bitcoin, while some analysts warn that SpaceX’s rapid rise in value may be difficult to sustain over the long term.
Elon Musk has added an astonishing $165 billion to his personal fortune in just one day, pushing his estimated net worth to around $1.3 trillion after SpaceX shares continued their explosive run on the stock market.
The sharp jump came as SpaceX stock gained nearly 20% during its second full trading session following its historic Nasdaq debut. The rally briefly pushed the company’s market valuation above $3 trillion, cementing its position among the world’s most valuable publicly traded companies.
SpaceX entered the public market under the ticker symbol SPCX after pricing its initial public offering (IPO) at $135 per share. The company raised approximately $75 billion, making it the largest IPO ever recorded. Investor demand was reportedly overwhelming, with orders exceeding $350 billion, nearly four times the amount of stock available.
By Monday’s close, SpaceX shares had climbed as high as $229.40, giving the aerospace and satellite internet giant a market capitalization of about $2.52 trillion. At one point during trading, the company’s value crossed the $3 trillion mark.
The rally has had a massive impact on Musk’s wealth because he remains the company’s largest shareholder. According to estimates, his one-day gain exceeded the entire net worth of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates.
Investor and entrepreneur Anthony Pompliano highlighted the scale of the surge in a post on X, writing:
Foreign
JUST IN: 12 Dead as Aircraft Crashes Near Airport
At least 12 people have been killed in a plane crash in Missouri in the midwestern United States, according to authorities.
The crash on Sunday was near Butler Memorial Airport in Bates County, south of the state’s largest city, Kansas City.
“Troopers are on scene assisting the Butler Police Department & Bates County Sheriff’s Office of a Fatal Plane Crash near the Butler Memorial Airport,” the Missouri State Highway Patrol posted on X.
“At this time reports indicate all occupants (12 total) have perished,” it said.
Missouri Highway Patrol Sergeant Justin Ewing said the plane was taking people up to skydive.
Emergency responders received a call that a plane was down and engulfed in fire around 11:30 am local time (16:30 GMT) on Sunday, he said.
They were able to extinguish the fire shortly after the crash, he said, describing the scene as “brutal.”
“It landed in a field adjacent to the airport, but I think they’re shutting down the roadway just as a precaution,” Ewing said.
The identities of those killed were not immediately released.
Ewing said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) was on scene investigating the crash.
The cause was not immediately available.
Foreign
Relief as Marketers Release Cheaper Petrol Prices Nationwide
The cost of importing petrol into Nigeria dropped sharply following the recent decline in global crude oil prices, creating fresh competition for local refiners, including the $20 billion Dangote Refinery.
New data released by the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN) showed that the landing cost of imported Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, had fallen to N1,117 per litre as of June 4, 2026.
The figure was significantly lower than Dangote Refinery’s gantry price of N1,250 per litre, leaving a difference of N133 per litre.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s fuel market is facing renewed uncertainty after the Dangote Refinery reportedly reduced petrol production, prompting fuel marketers to increase imports of cheaper products amid concerns over supply stability.
The development comes at a sensitive period for global energy markets, with rising crude oil prices and geopolitical tensions already putting pressure on fuel costs worldwide.
According to industry monitor IIR Energy, the Dangote Refinery has reduced operating rates at its key gasoline-producing unit, the Residual Fluid Catalytic Cracking Unit (RFCCU), by about 34%.
The reduction is linked to technical issues affecting the unit, which plays a major role in converting heavy crude residues into valuable products such as petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
-
News2 days agoIslamic New Year: Full List of States Declaring Public Holiday Revealed
-
Business1 day agoPetrol Prices Drop As Dangote Refinery Announces New Rate
-
Politics2 days agoBREAKING: Kenneth Okonkwo Dumps Atiku, Gives Shocking Reason
-
Business10 hours agoJUST IN: Saraki Gets Fresh Appointment
-
Uncategorized2 days agoBREAKING: Niger Governor, Bago Declares One-Day Public Holiday
-
News2 days agoBREAKING: Court Orders INEC to Deregister ADC, Four Other Political Parties
-
Politics2 days agoBREAKING: APC Suffers Major Defeat as PDP Wins 20 LGAs in Council Election
-
Politics2 days agoPopular ADC Supporter Withdraws Support For Atiku, Cites Reasons
