NHK WORLD RADIO JAPAN - English News at 03:00 (JST), October 17

Escalating Conflict in Yemen and the UN Security Council's Response

Houthi forces fired missiles and drones at the presidential palace in Aden—the stronghold of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government—killing several people. Cabinet ministers were confirmed safe, but the strike on a major city has deepened fears of a wider escalation.

A spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition acknowledged that Riyadh's international airport came under 20 Houthi attacks between October 7 and 11, leaving 17 dead and more than 300 wounded. The coalition, in turn, said it had destroyed 127 Houthi mountain storage facilities and numerous other targets over recent days. The UN World Food Programme (WFP) reports that 800,000 people are currently unable to access humanitarian aid.

The UN Security Council adopted a presidential statement—backed unanimously by all 15 members, including China and Russia—condemning the Houthi attacks on Riyadh's airport and other sites. The statement carries no legal force, but it is expected to increase pressure on the group.

Eight U.S. States Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT's Safety for Children

Eight states, including Iowa and Arizona, filed suit against OpenAI on Wednesday. The states allege that ChatGPT is "excessively compliant," fosters psychological dependence, and produces responses that encourage violence and suicidal behavior in children. They argue that OpenAI knowingly misled consumers by advertising the product as safe while aware of these dangers, and they are seeking financial penalties and stronger child-protection measures.

Scrutiny of AI companies' responsibility toward user safety has been mounting; there have also been reports of families suing companies after cases in which excessive reliance on AI was linked to suicide.

Trump Reverses Plan to Live-Stream Fort Hood Execution

President Trump announced on social media that the Defense Department would not proceed with a planned live-stream of the execution of death-row inmate Nidal Hasan. Hasan, a former Army physician, killed 13 people at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009. His execution by firing squad at the base in December remains scheduled.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had announced the live-stream earlier this month, but the plan drew immediate criticism from victims' families and legislators on both sides of the aisle. One victim's family member said they did not want their sibling's death turned into a spectacle. Vice President J.D. Vance also said he would not watch. Trump wrote that "many good people" did not want to see it, and reversed course.

Japan's Foreign Residents Hit a Record 4.28 Million as Specified Skilled Worker 2 Visa Expands Rapidly

Data released by Japan's Immigration Services Agency show that the number of foreign residents stood at approximately 4.28 million as of the end of June 2026—a record high and an increase of roughly 155,600 from the end of December the previous year. By visa category, permanent residents were the largest group at about 961,300, followed by those in engineering, humanities, and international services at about 516,200. By nationality, Chinese nationals topped the list at roughly 941,000, followed by Vietnamese at approximately 693,800.

Holders of the Specified Skilled Worker 2 visa—which permits long-term stays and family accompaniment—exceeded 18,000 at the end of June, an increase of more than 10,000 in just six months. Myo Thant (ミオ), a Myanmar national working at a food-processing company in Tokyo, is one of them. Foreign workers account for more than 80 percent of the company's roughly 484 employees, and Myo leads a team of four. He passed the all-Japanese examination on his first attempt and brought his wife and two children to Japan in October of last year.

His 14-year-old son has joined a soccer club and made friends, but language challenges remain—particularly in parsing exam questions. His employer connected the family to a Japanese-language class run by a nonprofit organization that now serves about 40 children. However, a company representative noted that children of foreign workers employed at small and medium-sized businesses that hire only one or two foreign nationals are often left without such support.

Experts point to the experience of South American immigrant children roughly 20 years ago—many of whom struggled to adapt to Japanese schools, leading to a cycle of poverty—as a cautionary lesson. They stress the need for a policy shift that treats foreign nationals as members of society rather than temporary laborers.

Over 30 Killed in Pakistani School Collapse; Afghanistan Faces Pre-Winter Famine

On Thursday morning, a roof caved in at a private school in Peshawar, northwestern Pakistan, during classes, bringing down the ceiling of the room below and trapping students beneath the rubble. Local hospitals confirmed that at least 30 children and one teacher were killed, with more than 50 injured. Authorities cited structural weakness as the cause, describing it as the worst building collapse in the country's history. The school's owner was arrested.

In neighboring Afghanistan, the WFP and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimate that approximately 19.2 million people—about 40 percent of the population—will face acute food insecurity this winter, with as many as 5 million at emergency-level hunger. Chronic unemployment and rising prices, compounded by funding shortfalls, are constraining humanitarian operations. The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan also reported recording more than 400 cases of arbitrary detention between July and September for alleged violations of rules on the hijab, men's beards, prayer, and listening to music.