Yemen's Houthi operation, Ukraine targets Russian refineries and Brazil vote

Hi, I'm Tara Oaks in Liverpool. It's Sunday, October 4th. Today. Ukraine says it'll double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in response to new air strikes. Yemen's leader announces major military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis. Cornell's president vows a serious look at fraternities and sororities in the wake of rape allegations. And Brazilians vote in close presidential elections. This is Royce's world news, bringing you everything you need to know from the front lines in 10 minutes, 7 days a week. First, to Ukraine, where President Volodymyr Zelensky told Royce in an exclusive sit-down interview that they will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries. We have to respond in any way. With their attacks on our energy, we have to respond on their energy. First of all, oil refineries and so on. What gives money down for this war? Zelensky says Ukraine's intelligence services have obtained documents showing that Russian president Vladimir Putin has issued a new doctrine of military attacks on a much broader range of civilian targets ahead of this winter. And we saw documents and we know that they allow them to attack infrastructure and especially to attack in the cities. In the villages everywhere, roads, schools, hospitals, to pressure. People to live the capital live different cities. The Kremlin was not available to comment on Saturday. Both sides denied deliberately targeting civilians. US President Donald Trump last month urged Ukraine to refrain from hitting Russian oil installations, saying it was sending global diesel prices surging. Zelensky, speaking as air-raid sirens blared outside the presidential offices, says he had received no indications from Russia that Putin was interested in peace talks or discussing a ceasefire on energy infrastructure. Over the past week, the Ukrainian capital has come under persistent attack by Russian drones and missiles targeting energy assets and transport infrastructure. With Russia for the first time targeting the bridges across the Danube river, connecting east and west Kiev. Now to some developing news. The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government has announced the beginning of a major military operation against the Iran-backed Houthis, aimed at seizing the territory under their control. It comes after sources had told Reuters that Saudi Arabia was planning an offensive against Houthi militants in Yemen, with options being considered including a coastal push to secure the Batalman-Deb shipping route or an assault on multiple fronts. Timorazari has more. The most likely is a multi-pronged assault on several different fronts in Yemen from the north, from the east, from the south, to try and sort of push the Houthis off-balance and not allow them to focus their forces on one front. The other operation, which some are advocating for, is a more limited operation to retake the Batalman-Deb. What we have to note is that the situation on the ground right now is not very good for the Yemeni forces backed by Saudi Arabia. As we speak, the Houthis are advancing around the city of Taiz, which is a very strategic city, with hills that overlook the Batalman-Deb. So if they take that area, they strengthen their position in the Batalman-Deb. Despite the fact that we have reported on this Saudi plan to go on the offensive, it is the Houthis who maintain the initiative and who are making the gains on the ground. And Timor says any ground operation inside Yemen would have to rely on the disparate coalition of Yemeni fighting factions. We cannot really speak of a Yemeni armed forces, we can speak of different militias under different warlords in different regions, who are very much struggled to be under a unified command. And what we saw on the west coast is that you had three different groups essentially defending. The Houthis attacked them at a point of weakness and they very quickly fell apart. We know that the Saudis have a powerful air force, they have good targeting information now from the US, but on the ground it will have to be a Yemeni ground operation that makes those gains and sustains those gains. That broader work should include a serious look at the role of fraternities and sororities in campus life. Cornell University President Michael Kotlikov there in a video message following an outcry over the school's handling of a student rape allegations. Cornell has defended its handling of the matter, saying it launched a comprehensive investigation and barred the Chai Phi fraternity from campus. Kotlikov says the school will take steps to prevent a similar situation in the future, but added that they quote "must do better." Tennessee's prison chief has resigned after the failed execution of convicted murderer Krista Pike. Frank Strada, the head of a Tennessee Department of Correction, will step down this month, state officials have said. The announcement comes days after Pike was left gravely ill from the state's botched attempt to execute her by lethal injection. Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has ordered an independent review of the execution attempt. Voters in Brazil head to the polls today in one of the country's closest presidential races in years. One show left is president Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva's lead over right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro has narrowed significantly. Most voters are grappling with higher living costs, rising debt, and concern about gang violence. Reporter Brendan O'Boyle is following the race in Brazilia. Both candidates have a lot of baggage. Lula has been the dominant figure in Brazilian politics of this century for nearly 30 years, and his main competitor, Flavio Bolsonaro, his dad was president, and is currently serving a 27-year sentence for a conviction for plotting a coup to try to overturn his 2022 loss to Lula. It's looking like both will go to a runoff on October 25th. Calls for the runoff show an extremely close race, statistically tied. Brendan Zaz is still unclear if Brazil will follow the conservative shift that has swept Latin America or chart its own course. What happens in Brazil matters for the rest of Latin America. It matters particularly right now for regional relations. Brazil has really tried to center itself in the middle of the push and pull between China and the US, and it has clashed often with Trump. Trump has imposed tariffs over the past two years on products from Brazil, and Lula has framed that as a way of trying to sway the election. Brazil matters greatly for the US in terms of trade. It has vast critical minerals that the US needs for the US wants to reduce its dependence on China. If Flavio Bolsonaro wins, you'll see a government that wants to strengthen ties with Washington, strengthen ties with other right-wing leaders in the region, like Argentina, also with Israel, and Brazil swinging right would be kind of the consolidation of a region-wide right-ward swing. And there are many implications for trade, for regional relations, for geopolitics in general. Ethiopian government forces and allied militias have regained control of the capital of Tigray, forming a major setback to the opposition alliance that rules the northern region. The Tigray People's Liberation Front, which leads the opposition alliance, said in a statement posted on Facebook it had retreated from the capital, Mequelet. A source close to a pro-government militia, said its fighters entered the centre of Mequelet on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Ethiopian military. Prime Minister's office did not respond immediately to a request for comment. The taking of Mequelet by pro-government forces is a major loss for the opposition alliance, which launched a big offensive in September against the Ethiopian military. Analysts say that fighting threatens to escalate into a wider regional conflict. For more on any of the stories from today, as well as more analysis and the news shaping our world, check out rotors.com for the rotors app. There's a link in the description to download it and start getting started. getting pure news straight from the source. Don't forget to follow us on your favourite podcast player, and if you're listening on a smart speaker, just ask for the latest news from Reuters seven days a week. We'll be back tomorrow with our daily headline show.