Tranq Dope Deaths In The U.S. Are Skyrocketing – Overdoses linked to tranq, the street drug that can cause horrific wounds, have spiked 276 percent, according to the CDC. [vice]

Pair Sentenced In 1995 For Rape Of Alison Botha Granted Parole – Convicted rapists Frans du Toit and Theuns Kruger were on Tuesday placed on parole. Du Toit and Kruger were sentenced for the kidnapping and rape of Alison Botha at Noordhoek outside Gqeberha, what was then Port Elizabeth, in December 1994. [news24]

Belinda Carlisle On Coming Back To Pop Music After Almost 25 Years Away: ‘A Huge Gift’ – Ahead of her performance on PBS’ ‘A Capitol Fourth,” the singer explains why the “disaster” of being dropped by her record label was an unexpected blessing. [people]

Japan Will Soon Release Fukushima Radioactive Water Into The Ocean. How Worried Should We Be? – Japan will soon begin releasing treated radioactive water into the ocean following approval from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog for a controversial plan that comes 12 years after the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. [cnn]

Limpopo Princesses Win Little Miss Planet Crowns – Two Miss South Africans in the making made Limpopo and South Africa proud by winning prestigious titles at the Little Miss Planet competition—a step closer to the little pair’s big global dreams. [goodthingsguy]

Wimbledon 2023: Queue Criticised By Fans After Long Entry Delays On Day One – Wimbledon supporters have criticised the organisation of the queue after increased security checks slowed entry, causing frustrated fans to leave. [bbc]

NGO Wins Court Order Against Ministers To Stop Vaal River Sewage Pollution – An environmental watchdog has won a major court victory against several government ministers, ordering them to stop the sewage pollution of the Vaal River and its tributaries. [mail&guardian]