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JERUSALEM — Ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels caused "minor damage" to a Panama-flagged oil tanker traveling through the Red Sea on Friday, authorities said. The attack follows an uptick in assaults launched by the Houthis in recent days after a relative lull in their monthslong campaign over Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. The rebels fired three missiles in the attack, one of which damaged the Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered Andromeda Star, the U.S. military's Central Command said. The private security firm Ambrey described the tanker as being "engaged in Russia-linked trade." The vessel was traveling from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said. Houthi military spokesperson Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree later claimed the attack early Saturday in a prerecorded statement aired by the rebels. He described the tanker as being "directly hit." Another vessel, the Antiqua-Barbados-flagged, Liberia-operated Maisha, was also nearby at the time of the assault, the U.S. said. The attack occurred off Mocha, Yemen, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration. Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen. Shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and after firing drones and missiles steadily in the last months. However, since Wednesday, there have been at least two other attacks claimed by the Houthis. The first targeted the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members. Another targeted the MSC Darwin. The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which the Hamas-controlled health ministry says has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage. Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.

sydney — Analysis of more than 25,000 images from divers, tourism operators and recreational boats on Australia’s annual Great Reef Census is getting under way. Now in its fourth year, one of the world’s fastest-growing conservation projects is helping to gauge the health and degradation of the world’s largest coral system, which is suffering from another mass bleaching event. The Great Reef Census collects a trove of images of what is arguably Australia’s greatest natural treasure. Each picture can contain vital information about the health of the Great Barrier Reef. Together, the images create a vital evaluation of the state of the ecosystem. The barrier reef stretches for 2,300 kilometers down Australia’s northeastern coast. It is under increasing threat from global warming, pollution and overfishing, as well as coral-eating crown of thorns starfish. The surveillance project is urging so-called citizen scientists around the world to help in the analysis of the images. The survey also uses artificial intelligence to scan much of the data. The public is being asked to analyze the images to see which reefs fared better than others and potentially identify so-called new "key source reefs," which are those reefs that appear to have escaped the worst of the degradation. Anyone can help in the effort, said Nicole Senn, impact and engagement lead at Citizens of the Reef, which coordinates the survey. "Citizen scientists using our A.I assisted platform can actually provide data that is highly comparable in accuracy to a reef expert, and it takes as little as one minute to analyze an image, and the data you are generating helps to prioritize conservation efforts on the reef and identify key source reefs,” she said. “These are healthy reefs that are positioned in a way that they can help nearby reefs recover and this is just one of the many ways your analysis of these images can help." The Great Barrier Reef is suffering from another widespread bleaching event. Scientists say that corals bleach, or turn white, when they are stressed by changes in water temperature, light, or nutrients. In response, the coral expels the symbiotic algae living in their tissues that give them their color and energy, exposing their white skeleton. Not all bleaching incidents are due to warm water, but experts say the mass bleaching reported on the Great Barrier Reef is caused by a marine heatwave. Experts say reefs around the world last year and early this year have been affected by high ocean surface temperatures. Chris Lawson, a data scientist with the Great Reef Census’ Science Committee, told VOA that the situation appears to be dire. "The latest mass bleaching event has been designated as the fourth global mass bleaching event,” he said. “So, it is not just in Australia, it has been observed globally and by all accounts is the worst one on record in terms of its extent and its severity of bleaching." Experts say reefs’ extreme susceptibility to warming sea temperatures makes them one of the world's ecosystems that is most vulnerable to climate change.

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Washington — British officials formally charged two men Friday with spying on behalf of China in the latest in a series of European arrests of suspected Chinese intelligence agents. The two men, Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, were charged with violations of the Official Secrets Act by "providing prejudicial information to a foreign state, China” between 2021 and February 2023. Their arrests on Monday occurred at the same time that German authorities arrested three people suspected of spying for China and leaking information on military technology. German authorities separately arrested an assistant to a far-right European Parliament member. The Chinese Embassy in London said the charges Cash and Berry face are "completely fabricated" and "malicious slander," a part of British "anti-China political manipulation." Dominic Murphy, who leads the counterterrorism command of London’s Metropolitan Police, told The Associated Press the charges are the result of “an extremely complex investigation into what are very serious allegations." Cash, a parliamentary researcher with the governing Conservative Party, and Berry, an academic, have been granted bail and released after a court appearance in London. They will next appear in court for a preliminary hearing on May 10. Cash maintains his innocence, while Berry and his lawyers have provided no public statements. British and EU officials have warned of the threat that Chinese covert activities pose, with Ken McCallum, the head of Britain’s domestic intelligence agency, warning in 2022 that China has sought to target and influence British political officials. Last month, the U.S. and U.K. governments announced new sanctions against hackers with ties to the Chinese government, and both countries accused the hackers of targeting government officials and businesses at the direction of Chinese government leadership. Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press. 

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Washington — Iran's handing of a death sentence this week to dissident rapper Toomaj Salehi has drawn outrage from the Islamic republic's domestic and international critics, including a German lawmaker who says Tehran risks fueling the backlash if it moves toward executing the artist. In an interview for the Friday edition of VOA's Flashpoint Global Crises program, German parliament member Ye-One Rhie said the Iranian government is using the death sentence to monitor who is still reacting to developments in Salehi's case and how they are reacting. Rhie has been acting as a "political sponsor" or advocate for the 33-year-old Iranian singer since shortly after his initial arrest in October 2022. "The Islamic Republic of Iran is testing the waters," Rhie said, noting that Tehran did the same when it staged an unprecedented aerial assault on Israel earlier this month. Israeli forces largely thwarted the attack with military assistance from a coalition of Western allies and Arab neighbors. Iranian state-approved newspaper Shargh first reported the death sentence against Salehi in an article published Wednesday, citing one of his lawyers who vowed to appeal it. Salehi was charged upon arrest with "spreading corruption on earth," an offense punishable by death. Days earlier, he had posted videos on Instagram, showing himself joining a nationwide protest movement against Iran's Islamist government and releasing a music video denouncing the government for 44 years of "failure." The rapper was sentenced last July to six years in prison, but Iran's Supreme Court reviewed the ruling and declared it flawed, enabling his release in November. He was re-arrested two weeks later, after posting another video online complaining of being tortured in custody. Wednesday's report of Salehi's death sentence drew swift condemnations from other dissidents and artists in Iran and from Iranian teachers' trade unions. VOA's Persian Service also received and vetted several videos that appeared to show protest actions inside Iran. VOA could not verify the videos independently because it is barred from reporting inside Iran. One video shows a banner with Salehi’s image on a bridge over Tehran's Modarres Expressway, as a woman filming the scene says the date is April 25. Another clip shows a Persian slogan citing Salehi scrawled onto a building's exterior wall in an unidentified location. The graffiti says: "We will return to the streets with strength." Criticism of Salehi's death sentence also came quickly from the United States and U.N. human rights bodies. In a Wednesday post on the X platform, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Iran Abram Paley said the U.S. "strongly" condemns the move. U.N. rights experts issued a statement Thursday demanding that Iran release Salehi immediately and reverse the sentence. As those calls were made, some Iranian state media appeared to downplay the possibility of Salehi being executed. In articles published Thursday, they cited Iran's Judiciary Media Center as saying that even if the Supreme Court confirms Salehi's death sentence upon appeal, a Pardon and Forgiveness Commission would review the case for possible commutation. Rhie said her efforts to raise international awareness of Salehi's plight for the past year-and-a-half have kept his case on the radar and agenda of Western media and governments. "It is important for the Iranian regime to know that Salehi has a status that they cannot touch. I would warn them against doing anything to him, because they don't want to know what the backlash would be," Rhie said. While Iran has signaled that Salehi's death sentence could be reversed, the German lawmaker said she will keep up her fight. "I don't think that there is anything that will stop us from our activism," she said. VOA's Persian Service contributed to this report.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced a military aid package for Ukraine valued at up to $6 billion. Analysts say the aid is desperately needed to help Ukraine regain the upper hand after months of having to ration ammunition. VOA Pentagon correspondent Carla Babb has details.

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Students protesting the Israel-Hamas war are digging in at Columbia University and inspiring more and more demonstrations at university campuses across the United States. The protests are causing rising tensions on all sides of emotionally charged issues that have leadership at institutions facing a delicate balance to encourage free speech while protecting students.

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Sulaymaniyah, Iraq — Four Yemeni workers were killed Friday in a drone attack on an Emirati-owned gas complex in Iraq's northern autonomous Kurdistan region, local authorities said.   The Khor Mor complex owned by the United Arab Emirates firm Dana Gas has been hit several times in recent years, but Friday's drone strike was the first deadly attack.   "Four Yemeni workers were killed and the field was severely damaged," Kurdistan regional government spokesperson Peshawa Hawramani said.    He said the attack would cause "power shortages." “These repeated attacks must stop," Hawramani added.   He called on the federal government in Baghdad to "find the perpetrators of this terrorist act."   Iraqi security forces said they formed an investigative committee to probe the attack, vowing that the "aggressors" would be punished.  A drone hit the site about 6:45 p.m. local time (1545 GMT), said Ramak Ramadan, district chief of Chamchamal, where the Khor Mor complex is located.  He said it targeted a fuel storage tank.   The attack disrupted gas supply to the region's power plants, resulting in the loss of 2500 megawatts of electricity, local electricity authorities said.   Efforts are underway to repair the damage and restore the gas supply, it added in a statement.    There was no immediate claim of responsibility.   Threat to stability  Kurdish authorities denounced the attack and called on the federal government in Baghdad to find ways to prevent further ones.  "These attacks threaten the peace and stability of the country," regional President Nechirvan Barzani said, urging the federal authorities in Baghdad to "do their duty to stop these attacks, find the perpetrators whatever their affiliation, and punish them."      The gas field that came under attack lies between the cities of Kirkuk and Sulaymaniyah, in a region administered by Kurdish authorities. Unclaimed Katyusha rocket attacks have targeted the same complex several times in recent years without causing significant damage.   Kurdish officials have previously blamed the attacks on pro-Iran groups.  In January, two Katyushas targeted the gas field, causing a blaze but no casualties. This occurred during a time when pro-Iran Iraqi groups were attacking military bases hosting American forces in Iraq and neighboring Syria.    Kurdistan Deputy Prime Minister Qubad Talabani condemned the latest attack on the Khor Mor complex.    He called on the Iraqi government and local Kurdish authorities to "swiftly launch an investigation and take serious measures to prevent the recurrence of such attacks." 

LONDON — Britain's King Charles III will return to public duties next week for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer as he makes good progress following treatment and a period of recuperation, Buckingham Palace said on Friday. In February, the palace revealed that the 75-year-old king had been diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer detected in tests after a corrective procedure for an enlarged prostate. Although Charles continued with official state business, the diagnosis led him to postpone public engagements to begin treatment and rest. "His majesty’s treatment program will continue, but doctors are sufficiently pleased with the progress made so far that the king is now able to resume a number of public-facing duties," a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said. "His majesty is greatly encouraged to be resuming some public-facing duties and very grateful to his medical team for their continued care and expertise." Although it was too early to say how much longer his cancer treatment would last, the spokesperson said his doctors were "very encouraged by the progress made so far and remain positive about the king’s continued recovery." No further details about his condition or his treatment were given, in line with the usual stance on medical privacy. While pictured and filmed carrying out some official duties in private, Charles's only public appearance since his cancer diagnosis came last month when he greeted well-wishers in an impromptu walkabout after an Easter church service in Windsor, raising hopes that his health was improving. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak responded to the news of the king's return to public duties, saying on social media site X: "Brilliant news to end the week!" Japanese emperor visit To mark his return, Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, will visit a cancer treatment center in London next Tuesday, the palace said. It was also confirmed that the Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, would pay a state visit in late June. However, Charles will not carry out his usual summer program and his plans will be crafted in consultation with his medical team to minimize risks to recovery, the palace said. The king's absence has coincided with news that his daughter-in-law Kate, wife of his son and heir Prince William, was undergoing preventative chemotherapy after tests in the wake of major abdominal surgery revealed cancer had been present. The Princess of Wales, often known by her maiden name Kate Middleton, will herself only return to public duties when her medical team say she is well enough to do so. Charles's health scare came less than 18 months into his reign after he succeeded from his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, and less than a year since his coronation, Britain's biggest ceremonial event for seven decades. "As the first anniversary of the coronation approaches, their majesties remain deeply grateful for the many kindnesses and good wishes they have received from around the world throughout the joys and challenges of the past year," Buckingham Palace said.

jerusalem — Missiles suspected to have been fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Friday damaged a ship traveling through the Red Sea, authorities said.  The attack followed an uptick in assaults launched by the Houthis in recent days after a relative lull in their monthslong campaign in response to Israel's war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.  The private security firm Ambrey said three missiles could be seen in the attack, which landed closest to a Panama-flagged, Seychelles-registered tanker it described as being "engaged in Russia-linked trade." The vessel was traveling from Primorsk, Russia, to Vadinar, India, Ambrey said.  Those details corresponded to a tanker called the Andromeda Star, which had been previously broadcasting its location off Mocha, Yemen, according to ship-tracking data.  The Houthis did not immediately claim the missile fire, though it typically takes the rebels several hours to acknowledge their attacks. The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center also reported the attack off Mocha, saying a ship saw one missile land nearby and a second attack that damaged the vessel. It wasn't immediately clear if it was the Andromeda Star that was damaged in the attack.  The Houthis have launched more than 50 attacks on shipping, have seized one vessel and have sunk another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.  Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen, and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat.   American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and their firing off drones and missiles steadily in the past months.  However, since Wednesday, there have been at least two attacks claimed by the Houthis. The first targeted the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, -owned and -operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members. Another targeted the MSC Darwin.  The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage.  Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted. 

Give us 5 minutes, and we'll give you the world. Around the clock, Voice of America keeps you in touch with the latest news. We bring you reports from our correspondents and interviews with newsmakers from across the world.