In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re talking about a pilot universal basic income scheme hoping to tackle poverty in Wales, a landmark decision to ban through traffic in the city centre of Paris, and a new project across Spain looking to see whether or not bison make decent firefighters.
Wales to launch pilot universal basic income scheme
Campaigners are hailing the decision as a “huge moment”, as Wales’ first minister commits to trials of payments to cover basic living costs.
Source: The Guardian
Paris is set to ban through traffic in its city centre
The move is mayor Anne Hidalgo’s latest effort to reduce car usage in the French capital, with non-residents to be no longer allowed to drive across the city from 2022.
Source: Bloomberg
Bison are acting as “natural firefighters” in Spain
A new project is reintroducing bison to several sites across the country to see if their grazing methods reduce the amount of scrubland and vegetation that fuel blazes.
Source: Euronews
The farmers putting trees back into the UK’s fields
A 12-year trial in Devon hopes to persuade local policymakers to back silvopasture to benefit the soil, livestock and climate.
Source: The Guardian
Samoa is set to appoint its first female prime minister
Fiame Naomi Mataafa is poised to make history followed a tightly contested election last month.
Source: Reuters
Artisanal fishing practices are empowering Senegal’s women
A growing movement amongst the country’s fisherwomen is calling for real change in a traditionally patriarchal society.
Source: AP News
Fake faces are helping tackle racial bias in tech
As facial recognition software is often developed for and by Caucasian men, it struggles to identify non-white faces – and a new type of AI hopes to change this.
Source: BBC
Volunteers are fighting anti-vax propaganda through decoy Facebook groups
A trainee psychologist aims to attract vaccine sceptics through the “honeypot” groups, before spreading helpful information in an attempt to educate them and change their perspectives.
Source: BBC News
“Tulip turbines” doubling as eco-art are making clean energy production prettier
With many people objecting to the installation of giant wind turbines in their local areas, a Dutch company hopes to turn this around with flower power.
Source: Euronews
The Seed Guardians Network is stopping ancient seed varities from disappearing
The Ecuadorian organisation aims to save slowly vanishing species, as local farmers move away from traditional seed types.
Source: Deutsche Welle
Italian towns are paying newcomers to relocate and work remotely
Places such as Santa Fiora and Rieti will pay up to 50% of the rent of anyone who moves to the town, and is installing high-speed internet in order to make this feasible.