GTI Energy (GTR:AU) has announced Drilling Planned to Update & Grow Lo Herma Resource
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China has moved to ease its export chokehold on rare earths, with its Ministry of Commerce announcing over the weekend that it will establish a “green channel” to fast track rare earths export licenses to select EU firms.
The announcement follows high-level trade talks in Paris between Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and European Commission Vice President and Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, CNBC reported.
A ministry spokesperson stated that China hopes the EU will take “reciprocal steps” to promote “compliant trade of high-tech products with China.” The diplomatic overture also extends to US firms.
According to Reuters, China has quietly granted export licenses to suppliers working with American auto giants General Motors (NYSE:GM), Ford (NYSE:F) and Stellantis (NYSE:STLA) — manufacturer of Jeep, Dodge, Fiat and Peugeot.
The rare earth sreprieve could not come soon enough for the auto industry. Following China’s April imposition of export restrictions on several critical rare earth elements — used in everything from electric motors to fuel injectors — industry groups warned that stockpiles were dwindling rapidly, with risks of assembly line stoppages looming.
Jonathan O’Riordan, international trade director at the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), told CNBC on Monday (June 9), “We’re gradually coming into a very, very critical moment whereby those stocks are now being exhausted, and we are potentially going to see production stoppages.” The ACEA had expressed alarm over licensing delays, saying applications had been taking a “significant” amount of time to process since the April restrictions came into force.
The European Association of Automotive Suppliers echoed the same concerns last week, reporting that several plants had already shut down due to Beijing’s export controls, with more disruptions anticipated in the coming weeks.
A global leverage game
The backdrop to this rare earths standoff is China’s overwhelming dominance in the critical minerals supply chain.
The country produces roughly 60 percent of the world’s rare earth elements and accounts for about 70 percent of US rare earths imports. These minerals — used in smartphones, wind turbines, and even military fighter jets — are increasingly seen as geopolitical assets in the global transition to clean energy and high-tech manufacturing.
The leverage is already being felt in the numbers. According to data released by China’s General Administration of Customs, the value of rare earths exports in May plummeted 48.3 percent year-on-year to US$18.7 million.
Export volumes fell to 5,864.6 metric tons, down 5.67 percent compared to the same month last year.
That decline ended three consecutive months of year-on-year growth and showed the real-world effects of China’s tightening export controls, which have remained in place even after Beijing agreed during talks with Washington last month to “suspend or remove” non-tariff countermeasures imposed since April 2.
Still, total rare earths exports for the first five months of 2025 were up 2.3 percent compared to the same period last year, suggesting that while value has plummeted, some shipments are still getting through under stricter oversight.
The Ministry of Commerce reiterated that it has approved export applications for qualified entities and expressed willingness to “communicate over export controls with relevant countries to facilitate compliant trade,” hinting at a more conciliatory approach ahead of another round of US-China trade negotiations.
Supply diversification still key
Despite the temporary relief, western automakers and their governments face a more fundamental challenge: diversifying away from China’s stranglehold on rare earths. Europe in particular has recognized the urgency. EU policymakers have pushed to accelerate domestic mining projects and build up strategic reserves.
But such efforts are years away from producing material results, leaving automakers vulnerable in the short term.
With that in mind, industry leaders are warning that without rapid progress on alternative supply chains, future geopolitical shocks could cause even greater disruption.
For now, China’s “green channel” offers a pause — but not a solution.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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finlay minerals ltd. (TSXV: FYL) (OTCQB: FYMNF) (‘Finlay’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce that it has closed its non-brokered private placement (the ‘ Private Placement ‘), previously announced on May 26, 2025 and June 4, 2025 consisting in the issuance of: (i) 11,206,088 common shares of the Company issued on a flow-through basis under the Income Tax Act ( Canada ) (each, a ‘ FT Share ‘) at a price of $0.11 per FT Share, and (ii) 4,400,000 non-flow-through units of the Company (each, a ‘ NFT Unit ‘) at a price of $0.10 per NFT Unit, for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $1,672,670 .
Each NFT Unit was comprised of one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a ‘ NFT Share ‘) and one non-flow-through common share purchase warrant (a ‘ Warrant ‘). Each Warrant is exercisable by the holder thereof to acquire one NFT Share at an exercise price of $0.20 per NFT Share until June 9, 2027 , subject to acceleration as described in the Company’s press release dated June 4, 2025 .
The Company intends to use the gross proceeds of the Private Placement for exploration of the Company’s SAY, JJB and Silver Hope properties, and for general working capital purposes, as more particularly described in the amended and restated offering document in respect of the Private Placement filed on www.sedarplus.ca under the Company’s profile. The Company will use the gross proceeds from the issuance of FT Shares to incur ‘Canadian exploration expenses’ that qualify as ‘flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures’, as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act ( Canada ).
The Private Placement was conducted pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 – Prospectus Exemptions and in reliance on the Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 – Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption . The securities issued to purchasers in the Private Placement are not subject to a hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. The securities issued to certain insiders of the Company that participated in the Private Placement are subject to a hold period expiring on October 10, 2025 in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the ‘ TSXV ‘). The Private Placement is subject to the final approval of the TSXV.
The Company paid aggregate cash finder’s fees of $89,196 and granted 829,145 non-transferable finder warrants (each, a ‘ Finder Warrant ‘) to arm’s length finders of the Company, as compensation for locating purchasers in the Private Placement. Each Finder Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one non-flow-through common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.20 per share until June 9, 2027 . The Finder Warrants and the common shares issued on exercise thereof are subject to a hold period expiring on October 10, 2025 in accordance with applicable securities laws.
Gordon Steblin , the Chief Financial Officer of the Company, participated in the Private Placement by subscribing for 200,000 FT Shares, which constitutes a related party transaction pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 – Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions (‘ MI 61-101 ‘). There has not been a material change in the percentage of the outstanding securities of the Company that are owned by Mr. Steblin as a result of his participation in the Private Placement. The Company is exempt from the requirements to obtain a formal valuation and minority shareholder approval in connection with the participation of the insider in the Private Placement in reliance on the exemptions contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, respectively, as the fair market value of the insider participation does not exceed 25% of the Company’s market capitalization as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. The Company obtained approval by the board of directors of the Company to the Private Placement. No materially contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director of the Company in relation thereto. The Company did not file a material change report less than 21 days before the expected closing date of the Private Placement as the insider participation was not settled until shortly prior to closing and the Company wished to close on an expedited basis for sound business reasons.
This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in the United States or in any other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The securities have not been registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 , as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements thereunder.
About finlay minerals ltd.
Finlay is a TSXV company focused on exploration for base and precious metal deposits through the advancement of its ATTY, PIL, JJB, SAY and Silver Hope Properties; these properties host copper-gold porphyry and gold-silver epithermal targets within different porphyry districts of northern and central BC. Each property is located in areas of recent development and porphyry discoveries with the advantage of hosting the potential for new discoveries.
Finlay trades under the symbol ‘FYL’ on the TSXV and under the symbol ‘FYMNF’ on the OTCQB. For further information and details, please visit the Company’s website at www.finlayminerals.com
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Robert F. Brown ,
Executive Chairman of the Board & Director
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Forward-Looking Information: This news release includes certain ‘forward-looking information’ and ‘forward-looking statements’ (collectively, ‘forward-looking statements’) within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. All statements in this news release that address events or developments that we expect to occur in the future are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, although not always, identified by words such as ‘expect’, ‘plan’, ‘anticipate’, ‘project’, ‘target’, ‘potential’, ‘schedule’, ‘forecast’, ‘budget’, ‘estimate’, ‘intend’ or ‘believe’ and similar expressions or their negative connotations, or that events or conditions ‘will’, ‘would’, ‘may’, ‘could’, ‘should’ or ‘might’ occur. All such forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding, among others, the final approval for the Private Placement from the TSXV and the planned use of proceeds for the Private Placement. Although Finlay believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include the ability to obtain regulatory approval for the Private Placement, the state of equity markets in Canada and other jurisdictions, market prices, exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing and general economic, market or business conditions. These forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions including, among other things, assumptions regarding general business and economic conditions, the timing and receipt of regulatory and governmental approvals, the ability of Finlay and other parties to satisfy stock exchange and other regulatory requirements in a timely manner, the availability of financing for Finlay’s proposed transactions and programs on reasonable terms, and the ability of third-party service providers to deliver services in a timely manner. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. Finlay does not assume any obligation to update or revise its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future or otherwise, except as required by applicable law.
SOURCE finlay minerals ltd.
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Walker Lane Resources Ltd. (TSX-V: WLR) (Frankfurt:ZM5P) (‘WLR’ or the ‘Company’) is pleased to announce the terms to its best efforts non-brokered private placement. The proposed terms are to issue 4,000,000 non-flow through units at a price of C$0.12 per unit (the NFT Units’) and 6,000,000 flow-through units at a price of $0.14 per unit (the ‘ FT Units’) of the Company for aggregate gross proceeds of up to C$1,320,000 (collectively, the ‘ Offering ‘). There may be agents who will be acting as finder on behalf of the Company in relation to the Offering.
Each Unit will consist of one common share of the Company (each, a ‘ Unit Share ‘) and one full Warrant. Each whole Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to acquire one non-flow-through common share of the Company (each, a ‘ Warrant Share ‘) at a price of C$0.16 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the closing date of the Offering. The proposed closing date of the Offering is on or before
The net proceeds from the sale of Units will be used to;
- fund property expenses and exploration at the WLR’s properties in Yukon, British Columbia and Nevada which may include drilling activities on its Amy Project in British Columbia, pending receipt of an exploration permit, or other properties; and
- general working capital,
The Company may pay finders’ fees comprised of cash and non-transferable warrants (the ‘ Finder’s Warrants ‘) in connection with the Offering, subject to compliance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange. The terms of the Finder’s Warrants will be the same as the Warrants distributed in the Units. All securities issued and sold under the Offering will be subject to a hold period expiring four months and one day from their date of issuance. Closing is subject to customary closing conditions including, but not limited to, the negotiation and execution of subscription agreements and receipt of applicable regulatory approvals, including approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
The securities being offered will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the ‘U.S. Securities Act’ ), or any applicable state securities laws, and may not be offered or sold to, or for the account or benefit of, persons in the United States or ‘U.S. persons,’ as such term is defined in Regulation S promulgated under the U.S. Securities Act, absent registration or an exemption from such registration requirements. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of the securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Qualified Person
Qualified Person Kevin Brewer, a registered professional geoscientist, is the Company’s President and CEO, and Qualified Person (as defined by National Instrument 43-101). He has given his approval of the technical information pertaining reported herein. The Company is committed to meeting the highest standards of integrity, transparency and consistency in reporting technical content, including geological reporting, geophysical investigations, environmental and baseline studies, engineering studies, metallurgical testing, assaying and all other technical data.
About Walker Lane Resources Ltd.
Walker Lane Resources Ltd. is a growth-stage exploration company focused on the exploration of high-grade gold, silver and polymetallic deposits in the Walker Lane Gold Trend District in Nevada (i.e., Tule Canyon, Cambridge and Silver Mountain) and the Rancheria Silver District in Yukon/B.C. (Amy and Silver Hart/Blue Heaven) and Logjam ( Yukon). The Company intends to initiate an aggressive exploration program to advance the Amy (Rancheria Silver, B.C.) projects through an aggressive drilling program to resource definition stage in the near future. An exploration permit application is currently being reviewed for the Amy Project.
On behalf of the Board:
‘Kevin Brewer’
Kevin Brewer, President, CEO and Director
Walker Lane Resources Ltd.
For Further Information and Investor Inquiries:
Kevin Brewer,
P. Geo., MBA, B.Sc. (Hons), Dip. Mine Eng.
President, CEO and Director
Tel: (709) 327 8013
kbrewer80@hotmail.com
Suite 1600-409 Granville St., Vancouver, BC, V6C 1T2
Cautionary and Forward Looking Statements
This press release and related figures, contain certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as forward-looking statements). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. The use of any of the words ‘anticipate’, ‘plans’, ‘continue’, ‘estimate’, ‘expect’, ‘may’, ‘will’, ‘project’, ‘predict’, ‘potential’, ‘should’, ‘believe’ ‘targeted’, ‘can’, ‘anticipates’, ‘intends’, ‘likely’, ‘should’, ‘could’ or grammatical variations thereof and similar expressions is intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this presentation. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning: our strategy and priorities including certain statements included in this presentation are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the Tule Canyon, Cambridge, Silver Mountain, and Shamrock Properties in Nevada (USA), and its properties including Silverknife and Amy properties in British Columbia, the Silver Hart, Blue Heaven and Logjam properties in Yukon and the Bridal Veil property in Newfoundland and Labrador all of which now comprise the mineral property assets of WLR. WLR has assumed other assets of CMC Metals Ltd. including common share holdings of North Bay Resources Inc. and all conditions and agreements pertaining to the sale of the Bishop mill gold processing facility and remain subject to the condition of the option of the Silverknife property with Coeur Mining Inc. These forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to the Company and assumptions the Company believes are reasonable. The Company has made various assumptions, including, among others, that: the historical information related to the Company’s properties is reliable; the Company’s operations are not disrupted or delayed by unusual geological or technical problems; the Company has the ability to explore the Company’s properties; the Company will be able to raise any necessary additional capital on reasonable terms to execute its business plan; the Company’s current corporate activities will proceed as expected; general business and economic conditions will not change in a material adverse manner; and budgeted costs and expenditures are and will continue to be accurate.
Actual results and developments may differ materially from results and developments discussed in the forward-looking statements as they are subject to a number of significant risks and uncertainties, including: public health threats; fluctuations in metals prices, price of consumed commodities and currency markets; future profitability of mining operations; access to personnel; results of exploration and development activities, accuracy of technical information; risks related to ownership of properties; risks related to mining operations; risks related to mineral resource figures being estimates based on interpretations and assumptions which may result in less mineral production under actual conditions than is currently anticipated; the interpretation of drilling results and other geological data; receipt, maintenance and security of permits and mineral property titles; environmental and other regulatory risks; changes in operating expenses; changes in general market and industry conditions; changes in legal or regulatory requirements; other risk factors set out in this presentation; and other risk factors set out in the Company’s public disclosure documents. Although the Company has attempted to identify significant risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be other risks that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Certain of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the Company’s control. Consequently, all of the forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements, and there can be no assurances that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, that they will have the expected consequences or benefits to, or effect on, the Company.
The information contained in this presentation is derived from management of the Company and otherwise from publicly available information and does not purport to contain all of the information that an investor may desire to have in evaluating the Company. The information has not been independently verified, may prove to be imprecise, and is subject to material updating, revision and further amendment. While management is not aware of any misstatements regarding any industry data presented herein, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is made or given by or on behalf of the Company as to the accuracy, completeness or fairness of the information or opinions contained in this presentation and no responsibility or liability is accepted by any person for such information or opinions. The forward-looking statements and information in this presentation speak only as of the date of this presentation and the Company assumes no obligation to update or revise such information to reflect new events or circumstances, except as may be required by applicable law. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, there can be no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, prospective investors should not read forward-looking information as guarantees of future performance or results and should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. Nothing in this presentation is, or should be relied upon as, a promise or representation as to the future. To the extent any forward-looking statement in this presentation constitutes ‘future-oriented financial information’ or ‘financial outlooks’ within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, such information is being provided to demonstrate the anticipated market penetration and the reader is cautioned that this information may not be appropriate for any other purpose and the reader should not place undue reliance on such future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks. Future-oriented financial information and financial outlooks, as with forward-looking statements generally, are, without limitation, based on the assumptions and subject to the risks set out above. The Company’s actual financial position and results of operations may differ materially from management’s current expectations and, as a result, the Company’s revenue and expenses. The Company’s financial projections were not prepared with a view toward compliance with published guidelines of International Financial Reporting Standards and have not been examined, reviewed or compiled by the Company’s accountants or auditors. The Company’s financial projections represent management’s estimates as of the dates indicated thereon.
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When Sana Yousaf turned 17, she posted a video of her birthday celebrations to more than a million followers on TikTok.
They saw her cutting a pink and cream cake beneath a matching balloon arch, the June breeze ruffling her long hair as she beamed against the backdrop of the cloud-covered Margalla Hills in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad.
Less than 24 hours later, Sana was dead, a bullet through her chest and graphic images of her dead body going viral on Pakistani social media, outraging women across the country, who fear there are no safe spaces for them anymore – in reality, or online.
As Sana’s family prepared for her funeral, disturbing comments started popping up on her TikTok and Instagram posts, most in Urdu, celebrating her killing. “Happy to see these things happening,” read one. Another stated, “My heart is happy today, I’m going to turn on music and dance with joy.”
Under a picture of Sana wearing traditional Pakistani clothes covering her entire body, a comment said, “encouraging young women to seek attention or expose themselves can have serious negative consequences.”
The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), a women-led nonprofit that promotes online safety, said such rhetoric “dangerously links a woman’s online presence or perceived morality to justifications for violence.”
“This form of digital vigilantism contributes to a broader culture of victim-blaming, where abuse is normalized and accountability is shifted away from the perpetrator,” the DRF said in a report released soon after Sana’s death.
Alongside toxic online comments, rage has simmered among women across Pakistan, who are demanding justice for Sana, pointing to a crisis of masculinity in the South Asian nation.
And Pakistan is far from alone in seeing heated debates over the prevalence of violence against women.
Recent multiple murders in Latin America, including a Mexican influencer who was shot dead while livestreaming, has sparked indignation and highlighted the high rates of femicide across the continent.
British miniseries“Adolescence” became a global hit this year with its raw depiction of the damage caused by online misogyny while a recent largescale Australia study found one in three men saying they have committed intimate partner violence at some point in their lives.
Few safe spaces online
Sana’s TikTok content would be familiar to any teenager online. Her recent shorts included showing off her fashionwear, singing songs while driving, and filming a blowdry at the salon.
But for prominent women’s rights campaigners, Sana’s death was the ultimate outcome of unrestricted online abuse of women in a patriarchal country.
Amber Rahim Shamsi, a prominent journalist and Pakistan editor of a news digital platform, Nukta, says she was relentlessly harassed online in 2020 for a variety of issues, including her views on women’s rights.
Shamsi agrees that there is a crisis in masculinity, “especially in how it plays out in our digital spaces.” And that it needs to be talked about “not just for women’s sake, but for men’s, too.”
According to Shamsi, “social media has amplified women’s voices – especially those of young women – who are increasingly educated, politically aware, and unafraid to own their choices. That visibility, that confidence, is unsettling for some men who have grown up believing their authority, their control, is a given.”
“It’s an identity crisis,” says Shamsi. “A subset of men is reacting with anxiety and aggression to this shift in gender dynamic as though the solution is to shrink women’s spaces, rather than question why so many boys are being raised to feel threatened by equality.”
The DRF’s report stated that since 2017 its helpline “has documented over 20,000 cases of technology-facilitated gender-based violence and online threats, numbers that have only grown.”
Kanwal Ahmed, a Pakistani social entrepreneur and storyteller, runs Soul Sister Pakistan, a Facebook group created in 2013 with over 300,000 followers. For years, it’s operated as a popular safe digital space for Pakistani women online, but Ahmed says the criticism of her page has been unrelenting.
“We have been called a man-hating, trauma-bonding club where all women do is gossip,” said Ahmed, who works with volunteers to help women in need who post on the page.
Sana is not alone when it comes to unwanted online attention that’s moved to real life. Ahmed recalled a case in 2019 of a young woman who had been stalked by a man after her friend leaked her number online.
“The only difference between her and Sana is that she wasn’t killed, the stalker turned up at her door,” said Ahmed. “You don’t have to be an influencer to face this, it can happen to anyone.”
There’s a perception in Pakistan that “violence that takes place online is not ‘real’ and is therefore less harmful,” Tariq said. But she added that what are sometimes seen as “merely virtual” online threats can often turn to physical violence.
Putting the focus on men
Much praise has been heaped on Pakistani authorities for their sensitive and swift handling of Sana’s murder, but some commentators say that’s missing the point.
Usama Khilji, the director of Bolo Bhi, a digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bhi, says Pakistan should be talking about educating boys about online harassment.
“Men in leadership positions need to be talking about these issues,” according to Khilji.
Khilji said hate speech against women in Pakistan is still “not a priority, and he’s called on the government to “show leadership in combatting online crimes against women.”
Sana’s murder comes less than two weeks after a landmark ruling by the country’s Supreme Court upheld the death penalty for Zahir Jaffer, who murdered Noor Mukkadam, the daughter of a distinguished diplomat, in 2021.
The brutal beheading horrified the country and renewed calls for better protection for victims of gender-based violence.
Noor’s father, Shaukat Mukadam, has been lauded for his relentless campaign for justice for his daughter. After the ruling, Noor’s family issued a statement saying the verdict was a “powerful reminder that women’s lives matter.”
“Every moment with her was unforgettable,” he said.
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French 7’3” NBA star Victor Wembanyama may have just unlocked a new position: Shaolin monk.
Wembanyama, who ended last season early due to a rare blood clot in his right shoulder appeared to be looking for some off-season spiritual peace and strength at a Shaolin Temple in central China.
A widely circulated image showed the San Antonio Spurs center with a freshly shaven head, sitting pensively in front of small Budda statues inside a room typically used by abbots to receive guests.
Chinese state media reports confirmed on Monday that he was indeed at the temple.
NBA said on its official Weibo page on Monday that “according to reports” Wembanyama has shaved his head and begun a 10-day retreat in the Shaolin Temple.
In a separate video on Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, a bystander spotted the towering basketball player at the temple.
The 1,500-year-old monastery, nestled deep in the forested mountains of central China’s Henan province, is known for Zen Buddhism and the Chinese martial art of kung fu.
Retreats at the temple focus on discipline, meditation and inner harmony and aim to help disconnect from real-world distractions.
The 21-year-old Wembanyama – a 2024-25 NBA All-star and 2023-24 Rookie of the Year, just went through a tough season.
He had been out since February following a rare deep vein thrombosis diagnosis and several weeks later the Spurs were officially eliminated from playoffs.
Wembanyama seemingly wanted to stay low-key on his journey at the monastery.
But a state-owned outlet of Henan province, where the temple is located, reportedly learned from people at the temple that “Wembanyama is indeed currently in the Shaolin Temple, but the relevant matters are not convenient to be disclosed to the public”.
Right before the spiritual tour, the French basketballer spent a couple of fun days in Beijing. Locals spotted him shopping, playing basketball, walking in a park, and even visiting the Greal Wall, as shown in their social media footage.
The San Antonio Spurs on Friday shared a video on Instagram of Wembanyama as he visited the Great Wall of China in Beijing.
“It’s Victor Wembanyama. Life in China on the Great Wall itself, having an amazing time. It’s crazy,” he said.
The Shaolin temple often attracts well known figures. Prominent US YouTuber IShowSpeed visited to the same temple back in March, training with a kung fu master and generating millions of views on his social media accounts.
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India’s coast guard is fighting a massive blaze aboard a container ship that’s threatening to sink about 15 nautical miles off the coast of Kerala as the search continues for four missing crew members.
Images showed flames and towering plumes of diesel smoke rising from the Singaporean-flagged MV Wan Hai 503 that was tilting “10 to 15 degrees” in the water, according to Indian Coast Guard Commandant Amit Uniyal.
Explosions were still being heard on Tuesday, more than 24 hours after the Indian Coast Guard responded to a distress call. Around 9:30am local time Monday, the ship’s crew reported a fire caused by an explosion, Uniyal said, though it’s not clear what caused the blast.
Eighteen sailors were rescued from the stricken ship with “some injuries,” according to The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore. Four crew members remain missing.
The 269-meter (890-foot) vessel left Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 7 and was set to arrive in Mumbai, India on Monday.
Five Indian Coast Guard vessels were fighting the fire Tuesday, reporting that “explosions persist from mid‑ships to the container bay ahead of the accommodation block,” according to an official social media account.
Images posted by the Indian Coast Guard show flames, black smoke and charred containers. An environmental observation vessel is monitoring their efforts, but the scale of the impact is not yet known.
The incident is the second serious shipping incident off Kerala in under a month, after the Liberian-flagged MSC ELSA 3 sank on May 25.
The vessel went down with over 600 containers including 13 containing “hazardous cargo,” according to the government of Kerela which initiated an environmental emergency and instructed fisherman against working in the area.
India’s Director General of Shipping said none of the 61 containers that washed ashore from the MSC Elsa 3 contained hazardous cargo and 51 had been removed from the shoreline as of June 9.
An underwater operation has been launched to cap the sunken ship’s oil tanks and eventually salvage its fuel, the office wrote in a statement.
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Swedish climate and human rights activist Greta Thunberg departed Israel on a flight to France on Tuesday after being detained by Israeli forces alongside other activists aboard an aid ship bound for Gaza.
“Greta Thunberg just departed Israel on a flight to Sweden (via France),” Israel’s foreign ministry wrote in a post on X alongside two photos of the young activist aboard a plane.
Thunberg, 22, is a well-known climate activist who has long eschewed air travel, famously sailing to a climate conference in New York in 2019.
At least five of her fellow crew members who were also detained on board the Madleen aid ship Monday have refused to agree to depart voluntarily and will be deported, according to France’s Foreign Minister on Tuesday.
“Last night our consul was able to see the six French nationals who were arrested by the Israeli authorities. Their families have been contacted. One of them agreed to a voluntary departure and is expected to return today. The other five will be deported,” Jean-Noël Barrot wrote in a post on X.
One of the French nationals detained by Israel on Monday is Rima Hassan, a Member of the European Parliament.
“Over the last days and hours, the President of the European Parliament has been in constant contact with the Israeli authorities… to ensure the safety and security of the Member of the European Parliament, Rima Hassan, who was one of the people aboard the boat Madleen and all those accompanying her,” Delphine Colard, a spokesperson for the European Parliament said on Monday.
Israel’s foreign ministry had said earlier that anyone who refused to sign deportation documents and leave Israel would be brought before judicial authorities to authorize their deportation.
The detained crew of the Gaza-bound aid ship that was intercepted by Israel on Monday morning docked in the Israeli port of Ashdod Monday evening, according to Israel’s foreign ministry.
The Madleen is part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, an organization that has campaigned against Israel’s blockade of Gaza and tried to break the siege by boat.
The Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC) said the Israeli military had “attacked” and “unlawfully boarded” the Madleen, which was attempting to deliver aid to Gaza – where more than 600 days of war, and an 11-week Israeli blockade of all aid, has pushed the enclave’s 2.1 million people deeper into a hunger crisis.
Amnesty International also condemned the detention of the activists.
“The operation of intercepting and blocking the Madleen in the middle of the night and in international waters violates international law and put the safety of those on the boat at risk,” Agnès Callamard, Amnesty International’s secretary general, said in a statement.
Israel had repeatedly vowed to stop the aid boat from reaching Gaza and described the ship as a “selfie yacht” carrying “celebrities.”
Israel imposed a full humanitarian blockade of Gaza on March 2, cutting off food, medical supplies, and other aid to the more than 2 million Palestinians who live in the territory for 11 weeks.
Faced with growing international pressure, Israel began allowing a trickle of aid in late May. But humanitarian organizations say it is only a fraction of the aid that entered the enclave before the war, and have warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis and the growing risk of widespread famine. A UN-backed report warned in late April that one in five people were facing starvation.
Dozens of Palestinians have been killed over the past week while on their way to try and obtain aid from a new US-backed group commissioned to deliver aid to Gaza, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF). The group is intended to replace the UN-led system of distributing aid in Gaza. The United Nations has warned that the new distribution mechanism has become a “death trap” for desperate people seeking food in the strip.
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Frederick Forsyth, the British author of “The Day of the Jackal” and other bestselling thrillers, has died after a brief illness, his literary agent said Monday. He was 86.
Jonathan Lloyd, his agent, said Forsyth died at home early Monday surrounded by his family.
“We mourn the passing of one of the world’s greatest thriller writers,” Lloyd said.
Born in Kent, in southern England, in 1938, Forsyth served as a Royal Air Force pilot before becoming a foreign correspondent. He covered the attempted assassination of French President Charles de Gaulle in 1962, which provided inspiration for “The Day of the Jackal,” his bestselling political thriller about a professional assassin.
Published in 1971, the book propelled him into global fame. It was made into a film in 1973 starring Edward Fox as the Jackal and more recently a television series starring Eddie Redmayne and Lashana Lynch.
In 2015, Forsyth told the BBC that he had also worked for the British intelligence agency MI6 for many years, starting from when he covered a civil war in Nigeria in the 1960s.
Although Forsyth said he did other jobs for the agency, he said he was not paid for his services and “it was hard to say no” to officials seeking information.
“The zeitgeist was different,” he told the BBC. “The Cold War was very much on.”
He wrote more than 25 books including “The Afghan,” “The Kill List,” “The Dogs of War” and “The Fist of God” that have sold over 75 million copies, Lloyd said.
His publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr, said that “Revenge of Odessa,” a sequel to the 1974 book “The Odessa File” that Forsyth worked on with fellow thriller author Tony Kent, will be published in August.
“Still read by millions across the world, Freddie’s thrillers define the genre and are still the benchmark to which contemporary writers aspire,” Scott-Kerr said.
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The Israeli military recovered the body of de facto Hamas leader Mohammed Sinwar in a tunnel underneath the European Hospital in southern Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Sunday.
The IDF said it made the announcement after the body went through an identification process.
Sinwar is the younger brother of former Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who was killed by the Israeli military in southern Gaza in October.
His death marks the latest in a string of assassinations that have dealt a serious blow to the group’s top brass but are yet to break its grip on power in the besieged enclave.
The elusive Sinwar was targeted in a massive airstrike on the hospital in Khan Younis on May 13, a day after Hamas released Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander.
At the time, the IDF said it had struck “Hamas terrorists in a command-and-control center” in underground infrastructure at the hospital.
But it took more than two weeks for Israel to say that it had definitively killed Sinwar in the strike.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement on the 600th day of the war two weeks ago.
“We changed the face of the Middle East, we pushed the terrorists from our territories, we entered the Gaza Strip with force, we eliminated tens of thousands of terrorists, we eliminated (Mohammad) Deif, (Ismail) Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Sinwar,” Netanyahu said in a speech at the Knesset, Israel’s parliament.
The attack killed 28 Palestinians and wounded more than 50 others, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said after the strike.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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