September 13, 2025
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 Evening Brief: Radioactive Wasp Nest Found at Former US Nuclear Bomb Site in South Carolina, Malta to Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September

World War 3 News022 mins
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Tsunami Fears Ease After Massive Quake Near Russia, But Alerts Extend to South America

A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula early Wednesday, triggering widespread tsunami alerts across the Pacific.

Initial fears of a catastrophic event faded in the US and Japan by midday, but warnings and evacuations were later issued along the coasts of South America, including Chile, Colombia, and Ecuador.

The quake, among the world’s strongest since Japan’s 2011 disaster, shook buildings in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, caused minor damage, and prompted evacuations. Several people were injured while fleeing, including a hospital patient who jumped from a window.

A tsunami of up to six meters (20 feet) was recorded near Kamchatka’s coast. Lava also began flowing from a nearby volcano.

Tsunami waves reached Hawaii, northern California, and Japan, but caused no major damage. Honolulu saw mass evacuations and gridlock as residents fled beachfront areas. Japan reported a 2-foot wave in Hokkaido and minor injuries. In Fukushima, residents sought refuge on hilltops, and nuclear plant workers moved to higher ground. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed no impact on Japan’s nuclear facilities.

Hawaii and US West Coast advisories were lifted later Wednesday, though California warned of continued hazardous currents. Crescent City recorded waves over 3.5 feet.

Chile raised its tsunami alert to the highest level and evacuated coastal areas. Colombia shut down beaches and maritime traffic, while Ecuador canceled classes in coastal regions and the Galapagos Islands. New Zealand, though far from the epicenter, reported strong currents and wave surges, advising residents to avoid coastlines.

 

Radioactive Wasp Nest Found at Former US Nuclear Bomb Site in South Carolina

Workers at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina discovered a wasp nest with radiation levels 10 times higher than federal limits, according to a recent US Department of Energy report.

The nest was located near tanks storing liquid nuclear waste but posed no danger to the public, officials said.

The July 3 finds involved no live wasps. Crews neutralized the nest with insecticide and disposed of it as radioactive waste.

Officials stated there were no leaks from the tanks and blamed “legacy radioactive contamination” left from the site’s Cold War-era nuclear weapons production.

Watchdog group Savannah River Site Watch criticized the report as incomplete, demanding more clarity on the source of the contamination and whether other radioactive nests could exist.

Group director Tom Clements warned the incident could point to an undisclosed leak and urged further investigation.

The Savannah River Site, active since the 1950s, once produced plutonium cores for nuclear weapons. It now focuses on nuclear fuel production and environmental cleanup. Roughly 34 million gallons of nuclear waste remain stored in 43 active underground tanks at the facility.

 

ICE Launches Aggressive Recruitment Drive Ahead of Mass Deportation Push

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has launched a nationwide recruiting campaign to fill thousands of new positions as it prepares for a major expansion of immigration enforcement under President Donald Trump.

The campaign, unveiled Tuesday, seeks “brave and heroic Americans” for roles as deportation officers, criminal investigators, and immigration lawyers.

Fueled by a new $170 billion congressional funding package for border security and enforcement, ICE will receive $76.5 billion over five years, nearly 10 times its current annual budget. Of that, $45 billion will expand detention capacity and $30 billion will support the hiring of 10,000 new staff, aiming to execute up to 1 million deportations annually.

The campaign features patriotic imagery reminiscent of World War II posters and offers up to $50,000 in signing bonuses, overtime opportunities, and loan forgiveness incentives.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem called it “a defining moment,” urging Americans to “defend the homeland.”

Recruitment will target college campuses, job fairs, and law enforcement networks. ICE’s goal of 3,000 arrests per day has raised concerns over rushed hiring and training.

Former ICE Chief of Staff Jason Houser warned that rapid expansion could lead to lowered standards and increased misconduct, citing past problems with Border Patrol’s rapid growth.

With limited staff currently available and lengthy onboarding timelines, ICE may rely on contractors, National Guard troops, and other federal agencies to meet operational demands in the short term.

 

Syria’s New Foreign Minister to Visit Moscow in First Post-Assad Diplomatic Mission

Russia announced Wednesday that Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani will visit Moscow for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, marking the first official visit by a member of Syria’s new government since former President Bashar Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive last year.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said the meeting will focus on bilateral relations and broader regional and international issues. Syria has not yet issued a public statement on the visit.

Moscow, which backed Assad militarily for over a decade, did not intervene during the latest rebel surge that led to his fall. Assad was evacuated to Russia on December 8, 2024, via the Hmeimim air base after rebels seized Damascus. In a later statement, Assad claimed he had planned to continue fighting but was pulled out by Russian forces.

Despite once opposing the rebels, Russia has maintained relations with Syria’s interim leadership under President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Al-Sharaa has praised Moscow for rejecting Israeli airstrikes and defending Syrian sovereignty.

Russian forces remain stationed along the Syrian coast, and reports indicate ongoing oil shipments from Russia to Syria.

 

At Least 48 Killed in Gaza Aid Line Shooting as US Envoy Heads to Israel

At least 48 Palestinians died, and dozens were wounded Wednesday while waiting for food at Gaza’s Zikim Crossing, according to Shifa Hospital.

The shooting occurred amid growing desperation over food shortages and a worsening humanitarian crisis. The source of the gunfire remains unclear, and the Israeli military has not commented.

Footage from the scene showed bodies being carried off in ambulances and carts, while survivors clutched bags of flour. Over 100 casualties were treated at Al-Saraya Field Hospital and other nearby facilities. Earlier, Israeli strikes and gunfire reportedly killed 46 more Palestinians, mostly near food distribution areas. Seven additional people, including a child, died from malnutrition-related causes.

The incident comes as US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff prepares to visit Israel for talks on Gaza.

The conflict, sparked by Hamas’ October 7 attack that killed 1,200 Israelis and led to the capture of 251 hostages, has entered its 22nd month. Gaza’s Health Ministry reports over 60,000 Palestinians have died since Israel launched its retaliatory campaign.

Despite Israel easing some restrictions, only 220 aid trucks entered Gaza Tuesday, far below the 500-600 needed daily. Aid delivery remains chaotic, with crowd control issues near Israeli-run distribution sites. Over 1,000 Palestinians have been killed seeking aid since May, according to local health officials and the United Nations (UN).

International airdrops continue but often miss targets or fall into the sea. Malnutrition deaths have surged, with 89 children and 65 adults dying since the war began. Israel denies there is famine in Gaza and blames Hamas for ongoing civilian casualties, insisting it only targets militants.

 

Malta to Recognize Palestinian State at UN in September

Malta announced Wednesday it will formally recognize the state of Palestine during the upcoming UN General Assembly in September, joining France and the United Kingdom in intensifying pressure to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Christopher Cutajar, permanent secretary at Malta’s Foreign Ministry, made the declaration during a high-level UN meeting focused on advancing a two-state solution.

Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed the decision earlier on Facebook, calling it part of efforts to secure lasting peace in the Middle East.

The move will align Malta with over 145 countries that have already recognized Palestinian statehood. France has pledged to do the same in September, while U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer tied Britain’s recognition to Israel implementing a ceasefire and engaging in a long-term peace process within eight weeks.

Israel, which opposes the two-state solution, and the United States boycotted the UN conference. Israel’s ambassador Danny Danon criticized the recognitions as appeasement, arguing they legitimize terrorism while hostages remain in Hamas captivity.

A new seven-page “New York Declaration” presented at the meeting outlines a phased plan for ending the conflict, culminating in an independent, demilitarized Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel. A separate “New York Call” statement endorsed by 15 Western nations urges countries that have not recognized Palestine to do so.

Malta joins others like Australia, Canada, Finland, and New Zealand in that pledge.

 

EU States Request $147 billion in Loans Under New Defense Scheme

Eighteen European Union (EU) countries have requested at least 127 billion euros ($147 billion) in loans under the European Commission’s new Security Action Instrument for Europe (SAFE) program, aimed at accelerating defense spending across the bloc.

The initiative, launched in May and capped at 150 billion euros ($171 billion), allows EU states to access low-interest loans backed by the central EU budget.

The move is part of Europe’s broader push to rearm in response to Russian aggression.

Key participants include France, Spain, Italy, and Poland. Final applications remain open until the end of November, with Brussels expecting total requests to grow.

EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius called the strong interest a sign of Europe’s unity and determination to strengthen its security and defense capabilities.

The SAFE scheme aligns with NATO’s new spending pledge, announced in June, requiring European members to dedicate 3.5% of GDP to core defense and another 1.5% to broader security by 2035, targets heavily pushed by US President Donald Trump.

The SAFE program also mandates that most funds be spent on EU-manufactured weapons, reinforcing the continent’s defense industrial base. To support this effort, the EU has relaxed budget rules, giving member states more flexibility to fund military expansion.

 

Russian Missile Strike Kills 3 Ukrainian Soldiers at Training Center as Manpower Crisis Deepens

Russian forces struck a Ukrainian army training center in Chernihiv with two Iskander missiles, killing three soldiers and wounding 18 others, Ukrainian officials reported Wednesday.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed the attack killed or injured around 200 troops and released footage showing multiple submunitions followed by a high-explosive blast. This marks the fourth deadly strike on a Ukrainian military facility in five months.

The attack highlights Russia’s effort to disrupt Ukraine’s struggling mobilization campaign amid an acute manpower shortage nearly 3½ years into the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently signed a law allowing men over 60 to voluntarily enlist, while the Defense Ministry continues offering incentives to attract younger volunteers.

Despite lowering the draft age to 25, Ukraine has failed to sufficiently replenish its ranks.

Russia also continued targeting civilian infrastructure, launching 78 drones overnight, including jet-powered variants, and wounding at least five people. Meanwhile, Russian drones again hit a military administration building in Ukraine’s Sumy region, marking a sustained campaign against recruitment offices.

Civilian casualties are mounting. According to the UN, 6,754 Ukrainian civilians were killed or injured in the first half of 2025, a 54 percent increase over the same period last year. Total civilian deaths since Russia’s February 2022 invasion now exceed 13,580, including 716 children.

US President Donald Trump has given Moscow until August 8 to show progress in peace efforts or face new US sanctions and tariffs. Western leaders accuse Russian President Vladimir Putin of deliberately stalling diplomacy to seize more territory along Ukraine’s 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front.

 

Sources: News Agencies

 





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