QUICK HITS

1 U.S. advances probe of Teslas: A U.S. investigation into Teslas operating on partially automated driving systems that have crashed into parked emergency vehicles has moved a step closer to a recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday it is upgrading the probe to an engineering analysis, another sign of increased scrutiny of the electric vehicle maker and automated systems that perform at least some driving tasks.

2 Biden pushing to lower shipping costs: President Joe Biden launched a renewed push Thursday to reduce the costs of shipping goods across oceans, a major challenge for retailers that the White House said has pushed up prices as the world emerges from the coronavirus pandemic. The White House released a video featuring Biden talking with retail CEOS and calling on the House to pass the Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022, which the Senate passed at the end of March.

3 American trust in government near ‘historic lows’: Public trust has fallen to a disturbing 20%, “near historic lows,” according to a Pew Research Center report released this week. Unfortunately, that low approval rating reflects “decades of distrust,” the report said, and “a sentiment that has changed very little since former President George W. Bush’s second term in office.”

4 Thailand makes marijuana legal: Thailand made it legal to cultivate and possess marijuana as of Thursday. The public health minister plans to distribute 1 million marijuana seedlings beginning today.

5 Europe’s central bank to hike rates in July: The European Central Bank will raise interest rates next month for the first time in 11 years and add another hike in September, catching up with other central banks worldwide as they pivot from supporting the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic to squelching soaring inflation.