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5 things to know for June 25: Immigration, Iran, Bill Gates, Myanmar, heat wave

Posted at 3:55 AM, Jun 25, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-25 05:55:54-04

Today isAnthony Bourdain’s birthday. Two of the late CNN host’s longtime friends, chefs José Andrés and Eric Ripert, want fans to share memories of himwith the hashtag #BourdainDay.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door. (You can also get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.)

1. Immigration

Nearly 250 migrant children held in reportedly poor conditions at a Customs and Border Protection facility in Texas will be moved. The children should be in the Department of Health and Human Services’ shelter system by today. The move comes after a team of lawyers, doctors and advocates warned ofmajor health and hygiene problems — including in some cases a lack of soap — after visiting multiple US Customs and Border Protection facilities in the state. The Trump administration argued in court last week that detained migrant children didn’t need toothbrushes, medicine and blankets in order to be held in “safe and sanitary conditions.”

Meanwhile, Mexico has deployed about 15,000 troops to its US border(on top of the 2,000 service members it’s sent to its southern border with Belize and Guatemala). Mexico is under renewed pressure from the Trump administration to help slow migration flows northward.

And the parents of Gurupreet Kaur, the 6-year-old girl from India who died near the US-Mexico border,have spoken out, explaining the predicament that ultimately ended in her death. “We trust that every parent, regardless of origin, color or creed, will understand that no mother or father ever puts their child in harm’s way unless they are desperate,” they said.

2. US and Iran

President Trump signed an executive order yesterdayimposing new sanctions on Iran as retaliation for Iran’s downing last week of a US military drone. The President said the “hard-hitting” sanctions will financially punish Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The sanctions also target Iranian military officials and the country’s top diplomat. Iran’s state media denounced the move as a sign of “America’s desperation.” CNN’s Stephen Collinson says Trump’s sanctions move still risksputting the two countries on a path to war. Still have questions about the US-Iran crisis?Here are some answers.

3. Bill Gates

An unlikely voice is joining the chorus calling for government regulation of Big Tech companies: the founder of Microsoft. Bill Gates told the Economic Club of Washington DC that “the government needs to get involved” because technology has become so central to all areas of our lives. Microsoft’s big tech rivals — Apple, Google, Amazon and Facebook — all face increased scrutinyfrom the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice, which could lead to antitrust investigations. Microsoft had its own antitrust lawsuit to deal with two decades ago and ended up changing some of its business practices after a settlement with the Justice Department.

4. Myanmar 

We told you last week about the internet being switched off in parts of Ethiopia. Now, the government in Myanmar has shut down mobile data networks in parts of that country. It was done “for the sake of security and the public interest,” a Myanmar communications official said, and services will resume when “stability is restored.” A top UN official warned of “serious implications for human rights” in places where mobile internet services were cut.

The affected areas include Rakhine state, where violence had forced more than 720,000 Rohingya to flee into Bangladesh. US lawmakers and human rights groups say the anti-Rohingya crackdown amounts to ethnic cleansing and even genocide. Internet shutdowns have becomeincreasingly common across the world in recent years, especially in Asia, often after protests or other anti-government activity. By the way, the internet is back on in Ethiopia.

5. Weather

Summer is only a few days old, but already Europe is facing down a big-time heat wave. A “potentially dangerous” blast of hot air is forecast to engulf the continent this week. Temperatures are expected to hit 100 degrees Fahrenheit in France, Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Switzerland and Italy. The uncommon heat could hang around until the start of July, one forecasting agency predicts. A climate professor in Germany says heat waves like this will happen more frequently because of climate change. He notes the hottest summers in Europe since the 16th century have all come in the past 17 years.

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What’s your sign?

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Not forgotten

Korean War vet Dale Quick died this month and left no known survivors. Still, hundreds of people showed up for his funeral.

HAPPENING LATER

Not just blowing smoke

San Francisco could become the first US city to ban e-cigarette sales. The city’s board of supervisors votes today on that.

THIS JUST IN …

We have liftoff

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket — the most powerful launch vehicle in the world — took off overnight from a launch pad in Floridacarrying 24 experimental satellites.

TODAY’S NUMBER

34

Thenumber of bridesmaidsa New Orleans woman had in her wedding. She says she would have had more if she could.

TODAY’S WEATHER

AND FINALLY

Take your pick

How many different ways can you cook a potato? Would you believe 63? (Click to view.)