THE TELEGRAPH: Tech boss’s net worth rises above $1tn mark as shares in SpaceX surge 20pc in initial trading
Elon Musk has become the first trillionaire in history after his SpaceX business floated on the stock market in New York.
The world’s richest man’s net worth soared above the $1tn mark (£860bn) as shares in his rocket business surged by 20pc in initial trading after the company went public on the Nasdaq stock exchange.
Mr Musk has a stake of around 43pc in the rocket venture, which was valued at $2.1tn (£1.8tn) as markets opened, on top of his shares in Tesla and his other start-ups.
SpaceX’s shares jumped to $162 in early trading, flying past its initial listing price of $135.
It means Mr Musk’s stakes in SpaceX and Tesla have crystallised into a $1tn paper fortune, although he is prevented from selling shares in SpaceX for at least one year under the terms of the float. » | Matthew Field | Senior Technology Reporter | Friday, June 12, 2026
June 12, 2026
Brexit: 10 Years of Regret? • FRANCE 24 English
June 11, 2026
ECB Raises Eurozone Interest Rates as Iran War Stokes Inflation
THE GUARDIAN: European Central Bank increases main deposit rate to 2.25%, with two further rises expected by next spring
The European Central Bank has raised interest rates for the first time since 2023 in response to higher inflation caused by the war in Iran.
The ECB raised its main deposit rate from 2% to 2.25% in a move that financial markets expect to be the first of three rises by next spring.
Eurozone consumer price inflation rose to 3.2% in May 2026, from 3% in April, sparking concerns that the conflict in the Middle East will force manufacturers and retailers to push through price increases into the summer and autumn to maintain profit levels. The ECB’s inflation target is 2%.
The ECB’s president, Christine Lagarde, said the outlook for inflation and the broader economy was uncertain while the war in Iran continued to push energy costs higher. » | Philip Inman | Thursday, June 11, 2026
The European Central Bank has raised interest rates for the first time since 2023 in response to higher inflation caused by the war in Iran.
The ECB raised its main deposit rate from 2% to 2.25% in a move that financial markets expect to be the first of three rises by next spring.
Eurozone consumer price inflation rose to 3.2% in May 2026, from 3% in April, sparking concerns that the conflict in the Middle East will force manufacturers and retailers to push through price increases into the summer and autumn to maintain profit levels. The ECB’s inflation target is 2%.
The ECB’s president, Christine Lagarde, said the outlook for inflation and the broader economy was uncertain while the war in Iran continued to push energy costs higher. » | Philip Inman | Thursday, June 11, 2026
How Poland Built a Trillion-Dollar Economy
May 31, 2026 | Poland has become one of Europe’s standout growth stories, with an economy that crossed $1 trillion and a new generation of entrepreneurs returning home after studying and working abroad.
Finance Minister Andrzej Domański points to decades of reform, EU integration, foreign investment, and a diversified economy as drivers of Poland’s rise, while venture capitalist Aleksandra Pedraszewska says Warsaw’s technology scene now offers opportunities that were far less obvious a decade ago.
But economists warn that sustaining the boom will require Poland to address large deficits, elevated defense spending, demographic decline, and the need for more investment in research, education, and innovation.
Finance Minister Andrzej Domański points to decades of reform, EU integration, foreign investment, and a diversified economy as drivers of Poland’s rise, while venture capitalist Aleksandra Pedraszewska says Warsaw’s technology scene now offers opportunities that were far less obvious a decade ago.
But economists warn that sustaining the boom will require Poland to address large deficits, elevated defense spending, demographic decline, and the need for more investment in research, education, and innovation.
The Chinese Car Company Beating Tesla | The Global Story
May 26, 2026 | In 2025, the Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD overtook Tesla as the world’s biggest seller of electric vehicles.
As conflict in the Middle East pushes up fuel prices and boosts demand for EVs, Chinese carmakers are seizing the opportunity. Driven by years of state-backed investment and industrial policy, China has quietly become the global powerhouse of EV production, leading the industry in technology, innovation, and affordability, while the US struggles to keep up.
In today’s episode, we speak to Suranjana Tewari, Asia Business Correspondent for BBC News. She explains what BYD cars are really like, and how China won the EV race.
As conflict in the Middle East pushes up fuel prices and boosts demand for EVs, Chinese carmakers are seizing the opportunity. Driven by years of state-backed investment and industrial policy, China has quietly become the global powerhouse of EV production, leading the industry in technology, innovation, and affordability, while the US struggles to keep up.
In today’s episode, we speak to Suranjana Tewari, Asia Business Correspondent for BBC News. She explains what BYD cars are really like, and how China won the EV race.
Spaniens Boom dank Einwanderung | ARTE Re:
Jun 11, 2026 | In Spanien arbeiten viele Migrantinnen und Migranten ohne Status oder Papiere in den Bereichen Pflege, Landwirtschaft und Tourismus. Nun legalisiert ein Gesetz den Aufenthalt von rund 500.000 von ihnen.
Mildred, Diana und Luz sind Frauen, die es geschafft haben, sich in Spanien zu behaupten. Ändert das neue Gesetz ihr Leben? Mildred kam vor 15 Jahren aus Ecuador nach Spanien – auf der Suche nach Sicherheit und besseren Bildungschancen für sich und ihre Kinder. Sie reiste mit einem Touristenvisum ein und blieb. Wie viele Migrantinnen aus Lateinamerika fand sie Arbeit als Haushaltshilfe – ohne offiziellen Status und in ständiger Angst vor Abschiebung. "Es gab häufig Razzien in Diskotheken oder Nachtlokalen, wo Dokumente kontrolliert wurden. Deshalb bin ich gar nicht erst ausgegangen."
Der Dienstleistungssektor – insbesondere Tourismus, Pflege und haushaltsnahe Leistungen – zählt neben der Landwirtschaft zu den zentralen Treibern des spanischen Wirtschafts-wachstums. In diesem Bereich arbeiten die meisten der lateinamerikanischen Migrantinnen, darunter auch Mildred. Inzwischen arbeitet sie offiziell als Haushaltshilfe. Ihr Aufenthaltsstatus wurde im Zuge eines Regierungsdekrets legalisiert. Eine umstrittene Entscheidung: Für die einen ist das ein längst überfälliger Schritt zu Rechten, Schutz und gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe. Für die anderen ein Signal, das neue irreguläre Migration begünstigt.
Reportage (D 2026, 30 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 17/05/2031
Mildred, Diana und Luz sind Frauen, die es geschafft haben, sich in Spanien zu behaupten. Ändert das neue Gesetz ihr Leben? Mildred kam vor 15 Jahren aus Ecuador nach Spanien – auf der Suche nach Sicherheit und besseren Bildungschancen für sich und ihre Kinder. Sie reiste mit einem Touristenvisum ein und blieb. Wie viele Migrantinnen aus Lateinamerika fand sie Arbeit als Haushaltshilfe – ohne offiziellen Status und in ständiger Angst vor Abschiebung. "Es gab häufig Razzien in Diskotheken oder Nachtlokalen, wo Dokumente kontrolliert wurden. Deshalb bin ich gar nicht erst ausgegangen."
Der Dienstleistungssektor – insbesondere Tourismus, Pflege und haushaltsnahe Leistungen – zählt neben der Landwirtschaft zu den zentralen Treibern des spanischen Wirtschafts-wachstums. In diesem Bereich arbeiten die meisten der lateinamerikanischen Migrantinnen, darunter auch Mildred. Inzwischen arbeitet sie offiziell als Haushaltshilfe. Ihr Aufenthaltsstatus wurde im Zuge eines Regierungsdekrets legalisiert. Eine umstrittene Entscheidung: Für die einen ist das ein längst überfälliger Schritt zu Rechten, Schutz und gesellschaftlicher Teilhabe. Für die anderen ein Signal, das neue irreguläre Migration begünstigt.
Reportage (D 2026, 30 Min)
Video verfügbar bis zum 17/05/2031
Steve Rosenberg: Russia's Barred from the FIFA World Cup. But What Are the Russian Papers Saying about It?
Jun 11, 2026 | In today’s Russian papers: how are the “fuel crisis, petrol sales restrictions, drone strikes, flight delays” affecting Russians’ holiday plans? What “victories” does Moscow think it has already gained?
Plus, reaction to the start of the FIFA World Cup, which Russia is banned from taking part in.)
Plus, reaction to the start of the FIFA World Cup, which Russia is banned from taking part in.)
June 10, 2026
SpaceX’s I.P.O. Could Turn 4,400 Employees Into Millionaires
THE NEW YORK TIMES: While Elon Musk may soon become a trillionaire, his rocket company’s market debut is set to the change the lives of its current and former employees, too.
Screenshot taken from this NYT article. | Chelsea Beck
As Trevor Hise was getting ready to graduate from college in 2011, his parents wanted him to take what they saw as a stable job at General Electric. But Mr. Hise had landed an internship at a start-up he loved. Against his parents’ advice, he stayed for a full-time job at that young company for the next 12 years.
The start-up was Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Today, Mr. Hise has more than 100,000 SpaceX shares that he earned from his time working there. With the rocket maker expected to go public this week at $135 a share, Mr. Hise’s SpaceX stock is likely worth at least $13.5 million — a sum that has left him in disbelief.
“The magnitude of this has been ridiculous,” said the 37-year-old, who worked as a SpaceX launch engineer and now considers himself semiretired.
SpaceX’s journey to the stock market has been defined by a series of superlatives. It is the biggest-ever initial public offering of the most dominant space company by the world’s richest man. And it is set to unleash generational wealth if its shares soar in its trading debut at the whopping valuation of $1.77 trillion, five times the market capitalization of General Electric.
SpaceX’s I.P.O. is expected to make a lot of rich people even richer. First in the queue is Mr. Musk, 54, who is likely to become the world’s first trillionaire. His friends, along with Silicon Valley venture capitalists, private investment firms and others who put money into the company, are also set to reap billions. » | Kirsten Grind Reporting from San Francisco | Wednesday, June 10, 2026
As Trevor Hise was getting ready to graduate from college in 2011, his parents wanted him to take what they saw as a stable job at General Electric. But Mr. Hise had landed an internship at a start-up he loved. Against his parents’ advice, he stayed for a full-time job at that young company for the next 12 years.
The start-up was Elon Musk’s SpaceX.
Today, Mr. Hise has more than 100,000 SpaceX shares that he earned from his time working there. With the rocket maker expected to go public this week at $135 a share, Mr. Hise’s SpaceX stock is likely worth at least $13.5 million — a sum that has left him in disbelief.
“The magnitude of this has been ridiculous,” said the 37-year-old, who worked as a SpaceX launch engineer and now considers himself semiretired.
SpaceX’s journey to the stock market has been defined by a series of superlatives. It is the biggest-ever initial public offering of the most dominant space company by the world’s richest man. And it is set to unleash generational wealth if its shares soar in its trading debut at the whopping valuation of $1.77 trillion, five times the market capitalization of General Electric.
SpaceX’s I.P.O. is expected to make a lot of rich people even richer. First in the queue is Mr. Musk, 54, who is likely to become the world’s first trillionaire. His friends, along with Silicon Valley venture capitalists, private investment firms and others who put money into the company, are also set to reap billions. » | Kirsten Grind Reporting from San Francisco | Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Guerre en Iran, inflation, popularité... Donald Trump collectionne revers et déconvenues
LE FIGARO : ANALYSE - Le conflit au Moyen-Orient et la hausse des prix rendent le président de plus en plus impopulaire. Tandis que les républicains sont moins enclins à soutenir tous ses projets, à commencer par les plus somptuaires.
Les contrariétés s’accumulent pour Donald Trump. Le 250e anniversaire de la fondation des États-Unis, qui tombe par un heureux hasard le même jour que le sien, le 14 juin, est déjà l’objet de controverses qui menacent de gâcher la fête. Sa « petite excursion » militaire contre l’Iran traîne en longueur. Au lieu des quelques semaines prévues, le conflit a dépassé les cent jours et son issue reste incertaine. Les Iraniens refusent de s’avouer vaincus, le détroit d’Ormuz reste fermé à la navigation, et la guerre menace régulièrement de reprendre pour se transformer en un conflit régional. L’impopularité de cette aventure militaire alimente celle du président, tombé aussi bas dans les sondages que Joe Biden après son retrait catastrophique d’Afghanistan en 2021. La hausse des prix du carburant et la reprise de l’inflation attisent le mécontentement, alimentant la nervosité des républicains à l’approche des élections de mi-mandat, en novembre prochain.
Même si Trump maintient son contrôle sur le parti, certains élus commencent à manifester des réticences à soutenir les projets les plus audacieux de ce président pas comme les autres. La création d’un fonds d’indemnisation de 1,776 milliard de dollars pour verser des dommages et intérêts aux victimes de l’Administration Biden, à commencer par les émeutiers du 6 janvier 2021, passe mal. L’enrichissement de Trump et de son entourage et ses projets somptuaires servent aux démocrates à décrire un président coupé des réalités, ne fréquentant que des oligarques, et reclus dans son cocon doré de Mar-a-Lago. » | Par Adrien Jaulmes, correspondant à Washington | mercredi 10 juin 2026
Réservé aux abonnés
June 09, 2026
Kushner’s Sazan Plan: Barefoot Self-discovery or Modern Land Grab?| Soumaya Ghannoushi | MEE Opinion
Jun 9, 2026 | Soumaya Ghannoushi, a writer and expert in Middle East politics, argues that Jared Kushner's multi-billion-dollar plan to build a luxury resort on Sazan Island exposes a significant disconnect between elite privilege and the real-world implications of sovereignty.
Ghannoushi points out that what Ivanka Trump describes as an innocent "barefoot discovery" of an untouched "mysterious Mediterranean paradise" is actually a calculated venture supported by foreign sovereign wealth funds and facilitated by local authorities that are compliant with these plans.
She argues that Kushner is attempting to reduce sovereign geography to merely a picturesque backdrop, drawing a troubling parallel to his controversial real estate ambitions regarding the "waterfront potential of Gaza" during Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged strip.
This is a fantastic synopsis. Bravo! — Mark
Ghannoushi points out that what Ivanka Trump describes as an innocent "barefoot discovery" of an untouched "mysterious Mediterranean paradise" is actually a calculated venture supported by foreign sovereign wealth funds and facilitated by local authorities that are compliant with these plans.
She argues that Kushner is attempting to reduce sovereign geography to merely a picturesque backdrop, drawing a troubling parallel to his controversial real estate ambitions regarding the "waterfront potential of Gaza" during Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged strip.
This is a fantastic synopsis. Bravo! — Mark
Steve Rosenberg: Russian Holidaymakers Using Fortune-telling Cards to Predict When Airports Won't Be Shut by Drones
June 08, 2026
Machen Superreiche die Welt besser? | Stimmt es, dass ...? | ARTE
Jun 7, 2026 | Mit Milliarden die Welt zu einem besseren Ort machen – Philanthropie gilt als große Erfolgsgeschichte. Aber stimmt das eigentlich?
Die Doku zeigt die Gestaltungsmacht superreicher Spender und wie sie mit ihren Geldern tief in soziale Strukturen eingreifen können. Zwischen Fortschritt und Einfluss stellt sich die Frage: Was hat das für Gesellschaften bedeutet? Und für die Demokratie?
Video verfügbar bis zum 03/06/2027
Die Doku zeigt die Gestaltungsmacht superreicher Spender und wie sie mit ihren Geldern tief in soziale Strukturen eingreifen können. Zwischen Fortschritt und Einfluss stellt sich die Frage: Was hat das für Gesellschaften bedeutet? Und für die Demokratie?
Video verfügbar bis zum 03/06/2027
Why Things Are Going Very Well for Péter Magyar
Steve Rosenberg: "Petrol Sales Restricted in Many Russian Regions" Russian Media Reports
June 07, 2026
Ivanka Trump's Sazan Island Dream Project Torpedoed? Albania Protests Kushner–Rama Deal
Jun 7, 2026 | A major luxury development linked to Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner is facing growing backlash in Albania, where thousands of protesters have taken to the streets against the proposed $1.4 billion Sazan Island project.
Demonstrators have targeted the development, backed by Kushner's Affinity Partners, with some invoking Jeffrey Epstein as they criticize the plan.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the high-profile project and fuelled debate over its political, environmental and economic impact on the Balkan nation.
It sounds to me as if the Albanian government is as corrupt as Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and the rest of the mob! I hope and trust that Albanians will be successful in stopping this crazy project. The Trumps have kitsched up just about everything they have ever touched—just look at that Oval Office for proof!—so don’t let them kitsch up Albania’s beautiful coastline now, as well. — © Mark Alexander
The Trumps are eco-saboteurs. They should be STOPPED. You can help stop them and help protect Sazan Island from the Trump family by signing this petition: Sign it here.
Demonstrators have targeted the development, backed by Kushner's Affinity Partners, with some invoking Jeffrey Epstein as they criticize the plan.
The controversy has intensified scrutiny of the high-profile project and fuelled debate over its political, environmental and economic impact on the Balkan nation.
It sounds to me as if the Albanian government is as corrupt as Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, and the rest of the mob! I hope and trust that Albanians will be successful in stopping this crazy project. The Trumps have kitsched up just about everything they have ever touched—just look at that Oval Office for proof!—so don’t let them kitsch up Albania’s beautiful coastline now, as well. — © Mark Alexander
The Trumps are eco-saboteurs. They should be STOPPED. You can help stop them and help protect Sazan Island from the Trump family by signing this petition: Sign it here.
June 06, 2026
Michael Lambert: Nigel Farage Exposed | Riots, Tate, Putin & a £5 Million Scandal
Jun 5, 2026 | Nigel Farage is finished — and he knows it. But before he goes, it's worth understanding exactly what he really is and what he has done to this country.
In this video, I go through the evidence: his racist dog-whistles and the role his speeches played in the Southport riots; his defence of Andrew Tate — a man accused of rape and human trafficking — as "an important voice for men"; his warm relationships with Viktor Orbán and stated admiration for Vladimir Putin; twenty years as an MEP in which he attended just one out of forty-two fisheries committee meetings, claimed every penny of expenses, and is now collecting an EU pension of £73,000 a year. Yes, really.
I also look at the organisation he leads — Reform UK Party Ltd — which is not a democratic party at all. It is a private limited company with three directors, one of whom is Farage himself, and where ordinary members have no vote on anything. A pathetic little dictatorship.
Then there is the small matter of the £5 million currently being investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog, his rich friends including Harbourne and Aaron Banks, and the question of what exactly they get in return.
And finally — Brexit. The biggest act of economic self-harm in British peacetime history. That is his legacy. The Makerfield by-election is coming. Reform is expected to lose. And Farage knows exactly what that means.
Farage is an odious character. Totally and utterly sickening. — © Mark Alexander
In this video, I go through the evidence: his racist dog-whistles and the role his speeches played in the Southport riots; his defence of Andrew Tate — a man accused of rape and human trafficking — as "an important voice for men"; his warm relationships with Viktor Orbán and stated admiration for Vladimir Putin; twenty years as an MEP in which he attended just one out of forty-two fisheries committee meetings, claimed every penny of expenses, and is now collecting an EU pension of £73,000 a year. Yes, really.
I also look at the organisation he leads — Reform UK Party Ltd — which is not a democratic party at all. It is a private limited company with three directors, one of whom is Farage himself, and where ordinary members have no vote on anything. A pathetic little dictatorship.
Then there is the small matter of the £5 million currently being investigated by the Parliamentary Standards Watchdog, his rich friends including Harbourne and Aaron Banks, and the question of what exactly they get in return.
And finally — Brexit. The biggest act of economic self-harm in British peacetime history. That is his legacy. The Makerfield by-election is coming. Reform is expected to lose. And Farage knows exactly what that means.
Farage is an odious character. Totally and utterly sickening. — © Mark Alexander
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