Magna Carta for web
Internet founder Tim Berners-Lee has launched a global campaign to create an internet rule book or “Magna Carta” to protect people’s rights online from threats like fake news, prejudice and hate. Cited by The Guardian, Berners-Lee spoke at the opening of the Web Summit in Lisbon on Monday where he presented his “contract for the web”, outlining central principles to be built into a full contract. Some 50 organisations have already signed it, among them are Facebook and Google, says the Financial Times.
US Midterms
His name isn’t on any ballot however, Tuesday’s midterm elections in the US are all about Donald Trump, says the BBC. 35 seats in the Senate and all 435 seats in the lower House of Representatives will be elected. The Republicans will be keen to keep control of both. Trump used the last hours before more than 31 million voted to focus on an anti-immigration message, says the Financial Times. The New York Times cites a poll showing that Democrats have a 13 point edge over which party should control Congress, thanks to support from women. While LGBT candidates are in record numbers (244 among Democrats) in what is being called a “rainbow wave” as this marginalised community strikes back at White House hostility. Check out Bloomberg’s breakdown of who actually votes in American elections here.
They came, we missed them
Oumuamua, the 230-metre long cigar-shaped rock, which flew past Earth at 97,200 mph in October 2017, could have been an alien spacecraft, according to a science paper cited by the Independent. Researchers Shmuel Bialy and Abraham Loeb wrote that the object might be a “light sail”, serving as a “fully operational probe sent to Earth vicinity by an alien civilisation.” Their idea is further expanded in pys.org in which the pair suggest it could even be a wreck, floating through space.
Italy storm toll
The death toll in Italy’s storms and flooding reached 30, according to officials, euronews reports. Among those who died was a family of nine living in an illegal house in the Sicilian town of Casteldaccia, forcing the country to ask difficult questions about its system of “amnesty buildings”, says The Guardian. This impressive video posted by the Independent shot from a drone shows some of the damage to natural habitats.
Pilatus Bank licence withdrawn
Malta’s Pilatus Bank, which is at the heart of a money-laundering investigation, has had its European licence withdrawn by the European Central Bank. Pilatus Bank was closed after Iranian chairman and owner Ali Sadr Hasheminejad was charged in the US in connection with money-laundering and fraud, The Guardian reports. The EU began investigating when Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was murdered in a car bombing. More on this story from euronews.
Spice Girls reunion tour
1990s girls band the Spice Girls announced a reunion tour for 2019 on Monday, though Victoria Beckham won’t be joining them. Melanie Chisholm, Melanie Brown, Emma Bunton and Geri Horner start their six-month tour on 1 June 2019 at Manchester Etihad stadium. BBC news posted this video vox pop showing what people thought of the news.
Today’s breakfast briefing was written by Jess Bauldry