Must Reads

• Before turning 1, KJ Muldoon made medical history: Meet the 9½-month-old who became the first person to receive a custom gene-editing treatment
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• ​A tour of the pope’s potential new digs

Health

Opioid Overdose Deaths Plunged to Lowest Level Since 2019

One of Nice News’ top stories last year was the news that opioid drug deaths were plummeting to an “unprecedented” level. At the time, experts were cautiously optimistic about the numbers coming out of certain opioid crisis hot spots, and now we know they were right to feel hopeful. U.S. drug overdoses in 2024 dropped to their lowest annual level since 2019, according to a report updated Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Preliminary data shows roughly 80,000 fatal overdoses in 2024. That’s down a whopping 26.9% from the year prior. More good news: Overdose deaths involving cocaine and psychostimulants decreased as well, and fatalities aren’t just dropping in a few states — nearly all are reporting lower numbers.
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Some credit the drop to the wider availability of the opioid reversal drug naloxone (a version of the drug, Narcan, was made available over the counter in 2023). Better treatment programs and health care services are potential factors, as well as a waning effect from the COVID-19 pandemic ending.
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To keep the trend going in the right direction, many experts agree that these efforts to curb drug usage need to remain in high gear: “The recent drop in overdose deaths is extremely welcome news, yet there is still a colossal amount of work to be done,” Andrew Kessler, founder of Slingshot Solutions, a consulting firm focused on mental health and substance abuse, told Vox. “Just as with HIV, COVID, or any other public health emergency, the keys are investments in research, practicing prevention, and evidence-based treatment. It is a tried-and-true formula that should not be deviated from.”

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How Incogni Removes Your Personal Data From the Internet

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Environment

NYC’s Pricing Congestion Scheme Is Showing Results You Can See (and Hear)

On Jan. 5, the first congestion pricing scheme in the U.S. officially came into effect in New York City, requiring most drivers entering lower Manhattan during peak hours to pay $9. While it’s only been a little over four months, the policy change is already showing consistently positive results across the board, according to data compiled by The New York Times. ​
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Of the many pros, the program is checking off two of its main goals: reducing traffic and raising revenue for public transit. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority estimates that about 76,000 fewer vehicles entered Manhattan’s central district per day in April than in pre-toll times — and the tolls are on track to generate $500 million in the first year alone.
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What else? Car crash injuries are down, as are noise complaints.Local buses are also less delayed, transit ridership is up, fire response times are improved, and more students are arriving to class on time. The impact is even trickling across the river to New Jersey: Port Authority reported an 8% decrease in cars entering through the Lincoln Tunnel in January compared to 2024.
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Whether or not the public’s attitude about the program is improving is still TBD, but we’d venture to guess less gridlock and honking is something even the most skeptical New Yorkers can warm up to. Time will tell!

Culture

A Shortlist of Designs for Queen Elizabeth II’s Memorial Is out — Pick Your Favorite

The British government is looking for a memorial fit for a queen. Queen Elizabeth II, to be specific. Artists and architects have been asked to create a vision for “an emotionally powerful place and a space for pause and reflection” to honor Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, who died in 2022 at the age of 96.
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​Five shortlisted designs for the permanent monument in London were unveiled earlier this month. And now, the public is being asked to weigh in. The showstopping designs include an installation of giant sculptural lily pads (seen here) and a bronze tree.
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Pending approval from King Charles III and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the $30 to $60 million memorial will be built in St. James’s Park,near Buckingham Palace. If all goes according to plan, the winning concept will be unveiled next year, honoring what would have been the queen’s centennial. Take a look at the gallery of memorials — andshare your thoughts by Monday.

Global Good

🇯🇵 Ayami Sato, a pitcher from Japan, became the first woman to play for a Canadian pro men’s baseball league (read more)
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🇵🇱 Poland began a free health screening program for young adults in order to promote preventive care (read more)
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🇬🇷 From office to fire zone: Meet some of the volunteer firefighters stepping up to ward off Greece’s wildfires (read more)
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🇧🇪 Beneath a street in Belgium, researchers unearthed a Roman water pipe made from hollow tree trunks (read more)
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🇧🇯 Benin is spearheading a push to make road cycling a prominent sport in West Africa (read more)

Inspiring Story

All ears

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On any given day somewhere in Canada, you might see a spectacled senior sitting at a public park with an extra folding chair, a small table, and a sign that reads “You are not alone. I will listen.” This would be Paul Jenkinson, a 70-year-old retired social worker who travels across the country to offer a listening ear to anyone who needs one. “I’m there as a fellow human to make connections,” he said. “I just create that safe space for them, a little bit like the stranger on the airplane that you’re never going to see again.”

Photo of the Day

Farm animals are out, tractors are dancing, and thousands are flocking to the 156th Balmoral Show this week in Northern Ireland. The epic agri-food event is full of quirky celebrations and farm-centered competitions — shout-out to 15-year-old Adam Gregg and his too-cute sheep, who finished first in the novice class of one of the agricultural shows.

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Up This Weekend

1. WNBA Opening Weekend: The women’s pro basketball league will have 13 teams competing this year for the first time — the 2025 season kicks off tonight with three games
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2. Eurovision Finals: 26 acts from various countries will compete in the song competition’s grand finale tomorrow (you can listen to all the songs that were in contention here)
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3. International Museum Day: Find a museum near you that’s participating in the annual observance on Sunday, organized by the International Council of Museums
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The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.

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Odds & Ends

🌈 How much good luck does a double rainbow bring?
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🎮 Video games can teach some valuable life lessons​
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🍱 Save time, money, and energy on meal planning: Get up to $130 off + free shipping on your first Factor box with code NICE130FREE*
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🐻 Sometimes the neighbors we get aren’t the neighbors we want

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*Indicates a Nice News brand partnership or affiliate

Quote of the Day

“Health and cheerfulness mutually beget each other.”

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– JOSEPH ADDISON