Overdose deaths involving street xylazine surged years earlier than reported A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found U.S. deaths involving xylazine, known on the street as Tranq, had already risen 35-fold by 2021. Read more on NPR

Shein invited influencers on an all-expenses-paid trip. Here’s why people are livid After a recent trip to some of the company’s facilities in Guangzhou, China, young tastemakers fawned over happy employees and sweat-free working conditions. Now the influencers are facing a backlash. Read more on NPR

With affirmative action gutted for college, race-conscious work programs may be next With the Supreme Court having ruled against affirmative action policies in higher education, some legal experts worry about the future of workplace diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Read more on NPR

Here’s what happened when affirmative action ended at California public colleges Twenty-five years of experimentation under race-neutral admissions policies — and a half-billion dollars later — the University of California system says they still can’t meet their diversity goals. Read more on NPR

Traveling over the Fourth of July weekend? So is everyone else AAA is forecasting record-high travel this weekend, when more than 50 million Americans are expected to get out of town. That could mean clogged roads and snarls at airports. Read more on NPR

He was diagnosed with ALS. Then they changed the face of medical advocacy After Brian Wallach was diagnosed with ALS, he and his wife Sandra Abrevaya threw themselves into advocating for patients. Everyone up to President Biden took notice. Read more on NPR

Weekly news quiz: From ugly dogs to SCOTUS and a shiny new game show host From ugly dogs to SCOTUS decisions and Ryan Seacrest, it’s been another news-filled week. How well were you paying attention? Read more on NPR

An afternoon with Bob the Drag Queen Bob the Drag Queen knows the world of drag is getting politicized. But as he prepares his next moves on stage and screen, he makes no apologies for expressing his signature flair. Read more on NPR

He took one of the deadliest migrant routes, hoping to save his cancer-stricken son NPR speaks to the family of a Syrian refugee who died along with possibly hundreds of other people in a shipwreck off the Greek coast in June. Read more on NPR