We’re closing out the week at Squirrel News talking about Ireland’s provision of a basic income for artists and creative arts works, a breakthrough experimental therapy for a deadly genetic disease, and California’s decision to stop receiving electricity from the last coal plant it relies on.
The new Basic Income for the Arts scheme aims to support the arts and encourage creative practice by giving a payment of €325 a week to artists and creative arts workers. There are 2,000 spots available, with applications set to open in September 2026.
Source: Art News
ADA-SCID is a genetic childhood illness that severely weakens the immune system and facilitates all kinds of deadly infections, such as pneumonia, meningitis, and chickenpox. The treatment involves extracting blood stem cells from the patient’s blood or bone marrow, before a healthy copy of the defective gene is introduced into the cells and reinserted to the body.
Source: El Pais
The state will stop receiving electricity from the Intermountain Power Plant in Central Utah, meaning its reliance on coal as a source of power will essentially be over.
Source: LA Times
The first-of-its-kind legislation to regulate artificial intelligence chatbots comes amid pushback from the White House to leave such technology unchecked. The law comes after revelations of suicides involving teenagers who used chatbots prior to taking their lives.
Source: France 24
The new regulation means that political advertisements must now carry a transparency label. This notice is meant to clearly identify ads as such and include key pieces of information, including the sponsor, the election to which they are linked, and the amounts paid.
Source: Euronews
The South American nation now sits among a handful of countries where seriously ill patients can legally get help to end their lives with dignity. The passing of the law decriminalising euthanasia also makes Uruguay the first country in predominantly Catholic Latin American to take such a step.
Source: AP News
Small communities across the Eastern European country are leading the way for Moldova when it comes to the movement for reliable, locally produced, independent energy.
Source: Reasons To Be Cheerful
Filled with books from local writers, LitBox started in May 2025 after author Lauren Woods grew frustrated with what she saw as some publishers’ focus on sensationalism and the lack of bookstores focused on local authors.
Source: NPR
The seven-week long Think Like A Scientist initiative was founded by Phil Heron, whose former students were so inspired by the course while incarcerated they’ve pursued academic careers on their release.
Source: CBC
Efforts to restore the Everglades and Florida’s coastal ecosystems are beginning to show progress. The bay’s health has vastly improved from the condition in the 1980s: water flow has gotten better, and the salinity is back to appropriate levels to support wildlife, such as flamingos.
Source: The Conversation
