NEWS OF THE DAY
From Around the World
_1 Venezuela conflict: The U.S. ordered relatives of American diplomats to leave Venezuela’s capital ahead of a polarizing vote planned for Sunday to start rewriting the Constitution. The State Department said it’s also allowing U.S. government workers to depart the embassy in Caracas and limiting the movement of those who stay. The order comes as Venezuela is convulsing to a rhythm of daytime strikes and nocturnal clashes. The most recent violence drove the death toll from almost four months of unrest above 100 Thursday. Most of the dead in antigovernment demonstrations that began in early April have been young men killed by gunfire.
_2 Al Qaeda in Kashmir: An al Qaeda-linked propaganda network announced Thursday that a militant leader in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir will head a new group that will fight against Indian rule in the disputed region. It is the first time that al Qaeda has publicly claimed to be active in Kashmir. The announcement was made by the Global Islamic Media Front, which said Kashmiri militant Zakir Musa will head al Qaeda-linked Ansar Ghawzat-ul-Hind. Separatist leaders, who challenge India’s sovereignty over Kashmir, have repeatedly rejected the presence of outside groups, and have accused India of portraying the Kashmiri struggle as extremist.
_3 Village council arrested: Pakistani police arrested 25 people in a rural village near the city of Multan Thursday, after the village council ordered a man to publicly rape a teenage girl to avenge the sexual assault of his sister. Earlier this month, the council told Mohammad Ashfaq, 20, to rape the 16-year-old girl after Ashfaq’s family accused the girl’s brother of raping his 12-year-old sister, police said. Vengeance rapes to settle issues of family honor remain common in the southern part of Punjab province despite efforts by the government and rights groups to end the practice.
_4 Satellite launch: Iran successfully launched its most advanced satellite-carrying rocket into space Thursday, the country’s state media reported, in what is likely the most significant step yet for the launch vehicle. A confirmed launch of the Simorgh rocket would also mark another step forward for the Islamic Republic’s young space program, but is likely to raise alarm among its adversaries, who fear the same technology could be used to produce long-range missiles.
_5 Sick baby: A British judge has ordered that critically ill infant Charlie Gard should be moved from a hospital to a hospice, where he will “inevitably” die within a short time. Judge Nicholas Francis made the order after a noon Thursday deadline for Charlie’s parents and a hospital to agree an end-of-life care plan came and went. The judge said that meant 11-month-old Charlie, who has a rare genetic disease, should now be transferred to a hospice and taken off life support. Charlie’s parents had wanted to take him home to die, but Great Ormond Street Hospital said it was not practical. The judge has barred identification of the hospice or any of the medical staff treating Charlie.
_6 Travel warning: The U.S. State Department alerted travelers to Mexico about possible tainted or counterfeit alcohol that could cause sickness and blacking out. The department cautioned vacationers this week to drink “in moderation and to stop and seek medical attention if you begin to feel ill.” Chronicle News Services