App store age verification, THC’s impact, new energy drink: Catch up on the day’s stories

Morgan Severson, CNN

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Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day:

5 things

1️⃣ Safety first: Texas is the latest state to pass a law requiring Google and Apple to verify app store users’ ages. It’s part of a broader push to better protect kids online, but critics say the verification rules could pose privacy risks and be difficult to enforce.

2️⃣ Sweaty months ahead: In the summertime, Athens is Europe’s hottest destination — in terms of temperature and popularity. The city is expected to host a record 10 million visitors this year, which could strain efforts to protect unprepared tourists from the heat and to support locals facing inflation and infrastructure pressure.

3️⃣ Blunt facts: Using THC-laced edibles and smoking marijuana are both linked to early signs of cardiovascular disease, a new study found. A senior author says it’s the first to look at the impact the drug has on vascular function in humans.

4️⃣ Fighting back: US and European authorities just announced major progress in countering cybercrime. The US Justice Department seized the computer system hackers allegedly used to access Lumma, a software tool they are accused of applying to attack airlines, universities, banks, hospitals and state governments.

5️⃣ Something’s brewing: Beer sales have been declining for the past several years, so what does Anheuser-Busch do? Hop into the energy drink market by teaming up with controversial UFC boss Dana White.

Watch this

🐝 Buzzworthy: Starting today, 243 students will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee under new rules for the lightning-round tiebreaker. CNN spoke with Faizan Zaki, who came in second place last year after time ran out during the round.

Top headlines

• Trump was just asked about the ‘TACO trade’ for the first time. He called it the ‘nastiest question’
• Trump says he’ll give it two weeks to determine if Putin is serious about Ukraine peace
• Nick Kroll ‘produced’ John Mulaney’s intervention because he was ‘deeply scared’ Mulaney was going to die

$3,500

📱 That’s how much a financial expert predicts an iPhone could cost if it were manufactured in the US due to tariffs.

Check this out

🧸 Doll brawl: Distributor Pop Mart has halted sales of Labubus — a palm-sized plush toy with sharp teeth — in all its UK stores after reports of long lines, crowd surges and fights.

Sports spotlight

⚽ 17-year-old superstar: After having a historic 2024 season, Lamine Yamal signed a contract extension with FC Barcelona until the end of the 2030–31 season. According to Spanish media, the teenager is set to become one of the club’s highest earners.

Quiz time

💸 A Texas woman is suing the state for not awarding her $83.5 million that she won from a lottery ticket. Why hasn’t she been paid?
A. She is a convicted felon
B. She has unpaid speeding tickets
C. She bought the ticket on an app
D. She moved out of state
⬇️ Scroll down for the answer.

Good vibes

🫶 Touch over tech: Technology is impacting the interactions between patients and doctors, but to Abraham Verghese — Harvard’s commencement speaker this week — the most important innovation in medicine is “the power of the human hand to touch, to comfort, to diagnose, and to bring about treatment.”

Thanks for reading

👋 We’ll see you tomorrow.
🧠 Quiz answer: C. The woman bought the ticket on the app Jackpocket, a lottery courier service, in February but Texas banned the service this month.
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5 Things PM is produced by CNN’s Chris Good, Meghan Pryce, Kimberly Richardson and Daniel Wine.

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