NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 03:00 (JST), October 20

Ukraine Launches Large-Scale Drone Attack on St. Petersburg

Ukraine carried out a large-scale drone attack on Russia's St. Petersburg and Leningrad Oblast. The mayor of St. Petersburg reported one death and five injuries, confirming fires at an oil facility. The logistics center of Ozon, one of Russia's largest online retailers, was also targeted. The governor of Leningrad Oblast said a power substation, residential buildings, and a social media data center were struck, while Russia's military claimed to have shot down 145 drones.

President Zelensky accused Russia of intensifying attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, revealing that approximately 2,700 drones and 66 missiles had been fired at Ukraine in just the past week alone.

Zelensky vs. Trump: A Widening Rift and Putin's Trilateral Summit Proposal

In an NBC interview, Zelensky said that if the United States supports Putin, "it would be an incredible thing, a historic mistake and a great tragedy," urging Trump to stand with Ukraine or at least take a neutral stance. Trump, meanwhile, announced this month that he had reached an agreement with Putin on supplying Russian diesel to U.S. and global markets and signed an executive order blocking new sanctions on Russia. He also sharply criticized Zelensky for attacking Russian diesel refining facilities and dealing severe damage to global diesel markets, including in the United States. Analysts point to Trump's political motivation to demonstrate action on fuel costs with midterm elections now less than two and a half weeks away.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Putin is seeking to exploit this rift. He has reportedly proposed a trilateral meeting with Trump and Xi Jinping on the sidelines of next month's APEC summit in China, and a Russian spokesman acknowledged that talks are ongoing. U.S. officials say Trump has not yet agreed but is open to the idea. Such a meeting, held without Zelensky, would be without precedent and is already raising alarm in European capitals.

France's Riots Expose a Europe-Wide Cost-of-Living Crisis

Protests in France over rising prices and demands for improvements in education spiraled into large-scale rioting. Violence exploded on Saturday, and by Sunday more than 2,300 people had been detained. In Paris, smartphone stores were looted with approximately €70,000 (around $78,000) stolen, and retail industry associations reported more than 1,500 stores nationwide suffered damage. "I didn't sleep at all last night. The store was like my child, and now it's all gone," said one affected shop owner. President Macron said in a televised address that "the demands of those who took to the streets are legitimate," while condemning property destruction and looting as "completely unjustifiable" and promising to address inflation and rising fuel costs.

Similar protests spread to Turin, Bologna, and Milan in Italy, where more than 60 people were taken to police stations. Belgium and Albania also saw comparable demonstrations this month, making clear that anger over the cost of living is boiling over across the continent.

China's Economy: Export-Led Growth Amid Sluggish Domestic Demand

China's real GDP grew 4.5% year-on-year in the July–September quarter, a slight improvement from 4.3% the previous quarter. The figure, however, sits at the lower bound of the government's annual target of 4.5–5%. Exports of automobiles and high-tech products, along with related manufacturing expansion, underpinned the growth, while a prolonged real estate slump continued to weigh on consumption and investment. The EU has announced plans to restrict imports of Chinese hybrid vehicles, signaling rising external pressure.

Domestic tourism was also subdued. A well-known 400-meter street in Kaifeng, Henan Province that recreates the atmosphere of the Song dynasty was largely empty during this year's major holidays. A nearby theme park is attempting to draw visitors with immersive experiences where staff dressed as emperors, nobles, and classical characters interact with guests. In Thailand, Chinese-made EVs are gaining ground: new EV taxi registrations from January to September rose more than 20% year-on-year to approximately 2,600 vehicles. Bangkok's taxi association stated that "European and Japanese models are not suitable — we have no choice but to rely on Chinese manufacturers." Vietnam, meanwhile, signed a free trade agreement with EFTA members Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland; negotiations that began in 2012 accelerated last year amid global tensions over U.S. tariffs, with the signing ceremony held in Hanoi.

Philippine Ube Goes Global — and Faces a Serious Supply Shortage

The Philippine purple yam known as ube, prized for its vivid purple color, mild sweetness, and high nutritional value, has become a global food trend. In New York it appears in doughnuts and ube lattes, with enthusiastic fans declaring "that color looks like it came from outer space." In Tokyo, popularity has spread through Instagram, with customers saying "I came to take photos, but the taste was genuinely delicious." Ube's nutritional profile has resonated with health-conscious consumers, and it drew significant attention at a food trade fair in Manila. American buyers predict rising demand, noting that "as petroleum-based food dyes are phased out, ube fits the needs of younger consumers as a natural ingredient."

Domestic supply in the Philippines, however, cannot keep up with demand. Bohol Island, which accounts for about 30% of national production, has been hard hit by El Niño-driven drought and water shortages; last year's harvest was the lowest in a decade. One producer said, "There is a lot of demand from the global market, and we plan to expand our production line to at least one tonne per day." The Philippine government has established a national public-private organization to secure stable supply and is advancing research aimed at improving cultivation techniques.