By Jordan Valinsky, CNN

New York (CNN) — The latest craze in fast food is actually a beverage, albeit one that’s hard to define.

From Starbucks to Sonic, Dunkin’ and soon McDonald’s, several chains are adding or expanding their beverage lineup with “Refreshers” — drinks flavored with fruit that have bright colors and appeal to younger consumers.

Besides sharing the Refresher name (or in Taco Bell’s case, Refrescas), no two are the same. Some are high in caffeine or contain sugar, like at Starbucks or Dunkin’; but others are caffeine-free, like Panera’s new additions; while Sonic’s are either bubbly or flat.

The drinks are “not a specifically defined category,” according to Maeve Webster, president of consulting firm Menu Matters, so chains have a “wide latitude for innovation.”

They are an “affordable indulgence” as consumers cut back on eating out, said David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic.

Plus, drinks are on a tear: Sales at beverage and snack-focused chains jumped 8.1% last year, while burger chains grew just 0.2%, according to newly released Technomic data.

Refreshers are aimed at afternoon consumers who are cutting back on their coffee intake, Webster said.

Younger consumers are also ditching hot drinks in favor of colorful, iced options that carry the perception of a “health halo.” But despite the fruit, the sugary drinks are not necessarily healthier, she said.

Rise of the refreshers

Confused about what refreshers are? Well, it’s easier to define what they’re not, said Claire Conaghan, a trendologist for research firm Datassential. They aren’t coffee or iced tea.

The original refresher was an Arnold Palmer, Conaghan told CNN. “It’s got caffeine from the iced tea and then it mixes with the lemonade, which is a refreshing fruit component,” she said.

But in 2012, Starbucks pioneered the concept among chains, adding it to its menu for people who don’t drink coffee or tea. Refreshers have been a success for Starbucks, now generating $2 billion in annual US sales, the company said. Earlier this month, it launched new, caffeinated versions.

Refreshers have also been a “major growth driver” for Dunkin’, a spokesperson told CNN. The category recorded double-digit sales gains in each of the past four years for the privately held brand. (Specific sales numbers weren’t disclosed.)

Dunkin’ often releases new variations and has enlisted high-profile stars, like singer Sabrina Carpenter and rapper Morgan Thee Stallion, for marketing efforts.

Swig, a Utah-based chain known for its dirty sodas, is having success with its selection of refreshers and even lets people make their own. Refreshers, which the chain defines as water-based drinks, is among its top-performing beverages.

The drinks attract younger women, typically age 16 to 35, and are aimed at health-conscious customers that don’t want Swig’s more caloric and filling dirty sodas, CEO Alex Dunn said.

“We’re fitting into their day kind of in that afternoon where they need that spark, a little treat, a little time for themselves,” he told CNN.

What’s next?

Although the word “refresh

By Kara Alaimo, CNN

(CNN) — To protect kids from the harms of social media, some of us have proposed banning social networks for young people or delaying the age at which they use them. One expert has another solution: teaching kids critical thinking so they’ll know how to be safe online.

As a professor, I’ve seen a decline in the ability of the average college student to make or refute strong arguments over the past decade — probably at least partly because constantly checking their screens has left them unable to focus. (I’m not the only one who has noticed.) This lack of critical thinking, of course, can make them vulnerable to misinformation, scams and other dangers online.

Not sure how to teach them this skill? In her new book, “Teaching Critical Thinking to Teenagers: How Kids Can Be Street Smart about AI, Algorithms, Fake News and Social Media,” Dr. Maree Davies explains the way to do it. I spoke to Davies, a senior lecturer of education and social practice at New Zealand’s University of Auckland, about what parents should do — and why it can also give kids a leg up in the job market.

This conversation has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

CNN: What is critical thinking?

Dr. Maree Davies: Critical thinking is the ability to carefully question, analyze and evaluate information or ideas before deciding what to believe or do. It often involves considering counterarguments and weighing evidence to determine which claim or argument is the strongest.

CNN: You say critical thinking is the most important thing we can teach kids to protect them on social media. Why?

Davies: If you understand critical thinking, then when you see something online, your mind automatically thinks, “Hang on a minute, is that right? Maybe I should find further information. Is that true for everyone?”

Teaching teenagers to do that — about anything, not just social media — is better than banning social media. If we ban it, it’s not like kids wake up on their 16th birthdays and suddenly are very savvy about using social media and understand how algorithms work. So instead of everyone shouting at them saying, “You’re spending too much time on screens,” the key is instilling self-efficacy. If you understand how different platforms and algorithms work, you’re going to be more savvy.

I think this can also, at some level, help with anxiety. Anxiety is about not having control. If you know critical thinking, then you’ve got these tools.

CNN: How can parents teach our kids to think critically?

Davies: To foster curiosity, you can say things such as, “I just saw something on the news. They said such and such, and that sounds amazing. Let’s go find out more.” You’re modeling that behavior of finding out more, looking at other sources, being curious and being an interested person in the world.

You’re not going to say to your 14-year-old, “What evidence do you have for that?” You’d say something like, “Oh, I’m not sure about that. What have you seen or heard that makes you say that?”

If teenagers only see information that’s going to get them to pass an exam, many of them disengage because it’s just a means to an end. Critical thinking fosters being curious about the world, and that is very helpful for motivation and engagement

Por Hanna Ziady, CNN

El precio del petróleo superó hoy los US$ 110 por barril por primera vez en tres semanas, ante la preocupación de los operadores de que Estados Unidos e Irán no estén más cerca de un acuerdo para poner fin a la guerra y reabrir por completo el vital estrecho de Ormuz.

El crudo Brent, la referencia mundial del petróleo, subió un 2,7% hasta los US$ 111,2 por barril en las primeras horas de la mañana. El WTI, la referencia de Estados Unidos, cotizaba un 2,3% al alza, a US$ 98,5 por barril.

El presidente Donald Trump dio a entender el lunes que era improbable que aceptara la última propuesta de Irán para poner fin al conflicto, según informaron a CNN dos personas familiarizadas con el asunto. Teherán propuso un plan que reabriría el estrecho de Ormuz, dejando las cuestiones relativas a su programa nuclear para negociaciones posteriores.

“El estancamiento y el cierre del estrecho siguen teniendo un impacto negativo en los precios del petróleo”, escribió Mohit Kumar, economista jefe para Europa del banco de inversión Jefferies, en una nota. “Cuanto más tiempo permanezca cerrado el estrecho, mayor será su impacto negativo en la economía mundial”, añadió.

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By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN

(CNN) — What would Miranda Priestly say about being associated with a pair of drug store nail clippers?

Ahead of the release of “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” grooming company Tweezerman launched a limited-edition collection of tweezers, nail clippers and nail files in a licensing partnership with the film to promote its hotly anticipated sequel.

Miranda, who embodies what it means to live at the unattainable top of the luxury fashion food chain, would never.

From the outside, yes, the brand collab-heavy roll-out around “The Devil Wears Prada 2’s” has seemed like a lot — branded Diet Coke packs, Starbucks commercials, special Smartwater bottles and lots of things that don’t involve beverages. And some of those partnerships have seemed like the antithesis of the chic vibe that’s been the film’s hallmark since 2006.

But like a lumpy blue sweater that wants its cerulean origins to be told, there’s more to the story.

First, it’s important to understand the difference between official collaborations and licensing deals. In an official capacity, the movie paired with: L’Oreal Paris, Smartwater, Diet Coke, Starbucks, Samsung Galaxy, Lancôme, TRESemmé, Havaianas, Grey Goose, Google, Mercedes Benz, Tiffany & Co., Dior and Valentino fragrance.

Meanwhile, many other brands entered into licensing partnerships with the studio, including Walmart, Tangle Teezer, Old Navy, Lulus and Tweezerman, which is why you’re seeing the “Devil Wears Prada 2’s” logo on a pair of nail clippers.

On the official side of things, Lylle Breier, EVP of partnerships, promotions, synergy and events at Disney, told CNN the studio’s aim was to curate a campaign that felt “like a fashion collection,” something that made sense together but had unique qualities, too.

Major motion pictures partnering with brands to promote movies is the norm now, a practice that has evolved as quickly as technology has since the iPhone was invented in 2007, which can sometimes feel like an attack on your nervous system.

It’s become a lot less about producing collector’s edition action figures for McDonald’s Happy Meals and more about creating a cultural moment – a phrase that came up a lot when Breier discussed their strategy for the sequel – to sustain a movie’s lifespan in the conversation.

“Barbie” — which, to be fair, was a movie about a toy — proved that there was very little in the way of collabs movies couldn’t at least try to make work. See: the “Barbie”-themed candle that aimed to capture what one candle executive called a “new doll smell.” (“Barbie” was produced by Warner Bros., which shares a parent company with CNN.)

Riding that pink tailwind came “Wicked,” which partnered with over 400 brands in licensing deals, including Elphaba-inspired Crocs and green-colored macaroni and cheese.

More recently, the orange-drenched marketing strategy for Oscar-nominated movie “Marty Supreme” promoted pricey windbreakers and sneakers with the film’s title splashed across it. It also promoted a smattering of bright orange table tennis supplies, including a nearly $1,000 table tennis table in a collab with Joola.

Television shows can fall victim to the oversaturation, too. CB2 offered up “The White Lotus”-themed plate sets and Compartes sold exotic chocolate. Of course, those were at least products you might find at a fancy, murder-prone resort.

Marketing campaigns – however overstimulating they may seem – help studios sp

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