Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech reporter, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills), for more coverage.

 

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EVERYONE’S ON FACEBOOK: Facebook has seen a huge spike in usage as the coronavirus pandemic has hit most parts of the world, the company announced Tuesday.

“The usage growth from COVID-19 is unprecedented across the industry, and we are experiencing new records in usage almost every day,” Alex Schultz and Jay Parikh, two Facebook vice presidents, wrote in a blog post.

The social media giant shared that in the countries hardest hit by the virus, total messaging has increased more than 50 percent over the last month.

Voice and video calling have also doubled in those places, the company said.

In Italy in particular, which has nearly 70,000 confirmed cases, Facebook reported that time spent on the platform has gone up 70 percent.

In addition, calls with three or more participants have gone up over 1,000 percent in the last month.

Read more here.

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THE ELECTION MUST GO ON: Democrats and election security advocates are insisting that funds for mail-in and absentee voting be included in a massive economic stimulus package to ensure the November elections proceed smoothly.

The GOP-controlled Senate and Democratic House are split on how much federal funding to provide to states as Election Day draws near.

Senate Republicans have included $140 million in their coronavirus supplemental bill, while the competing House version calls for $4 billion to boost voting by mail and other measures to ensure elections this year are not interrupted.

For Senate Democrats, the GOP proposal is not nearly enough.

Sens. Amy KlobucharAmy KlobucharHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Biden says he has ‘short list’ of potential women for VP pick The Hill’s Morning Report – Presented by Airbnb – Trump, Dems close in on deal MORE (Minn.), Ron WydenRonald (Ron) Lee WydenHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Democrats press for more stimulus funding to boost mail-in voting Preparing for November’s election must be a national priority MORE (Ore.) and Chris CoonsChristopher (Chris) Andrew CoonsHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Democrats press for more stimulus funding to boost mail-in voting Blame game heats up as Senate motion fails MORE (Del.) are leading the charge in the Senate to boost funding, calling for $2 billion in election funding Monday.

Coons argued immediate action was needed “to address the threat that COVID-19 poses to our elections this fall.”

“Senators Klobuchar, Wyden, and I are calling on Congress to include funding to expand vote by mail and early voting in the third stimulus package, so Americans across the country can access the ballot box in November,” Coons said in a statement. “No American should have to choose between their health and their right to vote.”

But over in the House, Rep. Rodney DavisRodney Lee DavisHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Democrats press for more stimulus funding to boost mail-in voting Democrats introduce bill to promote mail-in voting amid coronavirus crisis MORE (Ill.), the top Republican on the House Administration Committee, called the $4 billion amount a “dangerous ploy to federalize elections.”

He also took issue with language in the House bill that would require 15 days of early voting in all states and mandates states offer same-day voter registration.

The $2 billion sought by Democratic senators is the same amount recommended last week in a study by New York University’s Brennan Center for Justice.

The bulk of the funds would go toward ensuring all citizens have the option for mail-in voting, along with hiring poll workers, boosting absentee ballots, and ensuring in-person polling places are clean and safe.

Klobuchar told reporters during a press call Monday that the funding needed to be included in the stimulus package because of the “unprecedented disruptions” Americans are already facing due to coronavirus.

“Many election officials have expressed concern regarding how this public health emergency will affect upcoming elections,” Klobuchar said. “We must take critical steps to provide states with resources to expand early voting and ensure that every American who wants to vote by mail gets a ballot sent to their door.”

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DEADLINE EXTENDED: President TrumpDonald John TrumpWhite House, Senate reach deal on trillion stimulus package Biden hits Trump’s remarks about reopening economy within weeks: ‘He should stop talking’ New York Times editorial board calls for national lockdown over coronavirus MORE on Monday said the federal government will delay requirements for Americans to obtain a Real ID to travel, citing the coronavirus.

Trump told reporters at the White House that he was postponing the Oct. 1, 2020, deadline in order to alleviate crowding at local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices.

“At a time when we’re asking Americans to maintain social distancing, we do not want to require people to go with their local DMV,” Trump said. “We will be announcing the new deadline very soon.”

The law’s implementation plan previously stipulated that on Oct. 1, 2020, people will need Real ID-compliant identification in order to board commercial flights, enter federal buildings or gain access to American nuclear plants.

Three Democratic chairmen of relevant House committees sent a letter last week to the Department of Homeland Security asking for the implementation of the Real ID Act to be delayed, citing the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

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‘PUTIN’S CHEF’ IN HOT WATER: The bipartisan leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday strongly urged the European Union to sanction a close associate of Russian President Vladimir PutinVladimir Vladimirovich PutinHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference Global conflict in the ‘Age of Coronavirus’: No shortage of deadly threats MORE over what they say are ongoing efforts to interfere in U.S. elections.

In a letter to Stavros Lambrinidis, the head of the Delegation of the EU to the U.S., committee Chairman Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference Democrats press Pompeo to help Americans stranded abroad amid coronavirus MORE (D-N.Y.), ranking member Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaulHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Overnight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference MORE (R-Texas), and almost a dozen other committee members pressed for the EU to impose sanctions on Yevgeniy Prigozhin.

Prigozhin, who is known as “Putin’s chef” due to the Kremlin’s use of his catering service for official functions, was indicted by former Special Counsel Robert MuellerRobert (Bob) MuellerCNN’s Toobin warns McCabe is in ‘perilous condition’ with emboldened Trump CNN anchor rips Trump over Stone while evoking Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting The Hill’s 12:30 Report: New Hampshire fallout MORE due to his efforts to interfere in the 2016 elections. 

Prigozhin is the leader and main source of funding behind Russia’s Internet Research Agency (IRA), the troll farm that spread misinformation in the run up to 2016 U.S. presidential elections designed to favor the campaign of now President Trump. The IRA was also indicted by Mueller. 

Prigozhin has been linked to the mercenary organization The Wagner Group, which was sanctioned by the U.S. due to its support of Russian forces in Ukraine. 

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“We must thwart his malign global activities done at Putin’s behest and ongoing efforts to interfere in the domestic politics of democracies on both sides of the Atlantic,” the House members wrote of Prigozhin. “By working together and coordinating our sanctions policies against common adversaries, we can present a united front that stands for our shared values and deters further Russian attempts to subvert Western democracy.”

Read more here. 

 

SHUT IT DOWN: Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates on Tuesday said that the United States missed its opportunity to control the outbreak of the novel coronavirus without a shutdown, arguing that the government did not “act fast enough” to avoid this. 

“We need to shut down so that the worst case that was happening in [Wuhan, China] or Northern Italy, that we avoid that,” Gates said in an interview on the TED Connects program, referring to regions hit particularly hard by the virus.

Asked about suggestions being floated in the U.S. about relaxing social distancing measures to avoid severe economic damage, Gates said that there is “no middle ground” between the virus and the cost to businesses. 

“It’s very tough to say to people, ‘Hey, keep going to restaurants, go buy new houses, ignore that pile of bodies over in the corner. We want you to keep spending because there’s maybe a politician who thinks GDP growth is what really counts,'” Gates said, adding that a shutdown may need to remain in place for six to 10 weeks. 

Read more here.

 

Elon MuskElon Reeve MuskHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID On The Money: Trump hopes to reopen economy by Easter | GOP senators expect stimulus vote on Wednesday | Democratic leaders forecast at least two more relief bills Elon Musk delivers hundreds of ventilators bought in China to US MORE STEPS IN: Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Monday announced that the electric car company had bought hundreds of ventilators, a medical device crucial to combating severe cases of the coronavirus, from China and shipped them to the U.S.

“China had an oversupply, so we bought 1255 FDA-approved ResMed, Philips & Medtronic ventilators on Friday night & airshipped them to LA,” Musk tweeted late Monday night.

The move by Tesla comes as different manufacturing industries, including automakers, are pitching in to help fight against COVID-19. Along with personal protective equipment like masks and gowns, ventilators are a product many hospitals around the U.S. have said are in dire shortage.

California Gov. Gavin NewsomGavin Christopher NewsomHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Death of child from coronavirus reported in California The Southern Poverty Law Center and yesterday’s wars MORE (D) confirmed Tuesday that Musk had given California, one of the states hit hardest by COVID-19, 1,000 ventilators.

Read more here.

 

A LIGHTER CLICK: Think about your choices

 

AN OP-ED TO CHEW ON: How to unlock telemedicine on such a large scale

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

As Businesses Close, WeWork Tries to Lure Workers Back (New York Times / Peter Eavis)

YouTube is reducing its default video quality to standard definition for the next month (Verge / Julia Alexander)

Hackers Are Taking Over Twitter Accounts to Advertise Face Masks (Motherboard / Joseph Cox)

Smartphone data reveal which Americans are social distancing (and not) (Washington Post / Geoffrey A. Fowler)

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Sinking to new depths

In search of the ‘oceans of tomorrow’.

The European Commission last week announced an initiative to find the “oceans of tomorrow”. That sounds like a good title for a James Bond film, which may be what the Commission has in mind.

The master-plan unveiled by Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, the European commissioner for research, and Maria Damanaki, her colleague in charge of fisheries, includes the “investigations of multi-use offshore platforms” (ie, super-villain hideouts), “new bioinformatics approaches for the exploitation of marine diversity” (ie, exercising telepathic control over sharks) and “the design of a small research vessel adapted for shallow waters” (ie, looking for where your enemies have hidden the nuclear warheads).

Damanaki said that the EU was to set forth on a mission of discovery, adding: “We know more about the surface of the Moon than the bottom of the Mediterranean.” She stressed the economic potential of investigating unexplored oceans, although it was not clear whether she intends simple conquest, or launching free-trade negotiations with whatever species lurk in the depths.

But the EU may be in a race against time with film director James Cameron, the creator of “Avatar” and “Titanic”, who this week announced his intention to travel to the bottom of the Mariana trench, the deepest part of the world’s oceans, in a custom-built submarine.

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Sen. Mark WarnerMark Robert WarnerHillicon Valley: Coronavirus deal includes funds for mail-in voting | Twitter pulled into fight over virus disinformation | State AGs target price gouging | Apple to donate 10M masks Senator sounds alarm on cyber threats to internet connectivity during coronavirus crisis Senator calls for cybersecurity review at health agencies after hacking incident MORE (D-Va.) on Wednesday expressed serious concerns about cyber threats to internet connectivity for Americans working from home during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

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Warner, who serves as the vice chairman on the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote letters to network device vendors including Google asking that they shore up the security of their products and bolster defenses against potential attacks. 

“As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, Americans will depend on connectivity products to receive tele-health; remain connected with family, colleagues, employers, and friends; and to receive news reports, and guidance from government and public health officials,” Warner wrote. 

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He emphasized that “during this time, the security of consumer devices and networks will be of heightened importance. It is also imperative that consumer Internet infrastructure not be used as attack vectors to consumer systems and workplace networks accessed from home.”

The letters were also sent to businesses including Netgear, Belkin, Eero, Asus and Commscope. Warner asked that the vendors examine the security of routers, modems, wireless access points and other internet connectivity products to lower the chances of hackers wreaking havoc on Americans working remotely. 

The senator also asked that the groups educate their customers on cyber hygiene and best practices to prevent cyberattacks on their devices, and that the companies tell their customers when products are not up-to-date on security. 

Warner’s letters were sent on the heels of repeated warnings by experts that Americans working from home are increasingly vulnerable to hackers looking to take advantage of the situation caused by the pandemic. 

Email phishing attacks have increased, with hackers using coronavirus-themed emails to tempt individuals to click on malicious emails, and agencies including the Department of Health and Human Services and the World Health Organization have suffered recent cyberattacks. 

Warner introduced legislation last year to establish baseline cybersecurity standards for government-purchased devices. The legislation awaits a vote in the Senate.

Welcome to Hillicon Valley, The Hill’s newsletter detailing all you need to know about the tech and cyber news from Capitol Hill to Silicon Valley. If you don’t already, be sure to sign up for our newsletter with this LINK.

Welcome! Follow our cyber reporter, Maggie Miller (@magmill95), and tech reporter, Chris Mills Rodrigo (@chrisismills), for more coverage.

 

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MALICIOUS EMAILS SPIKING: Malicious emails that used coronavirus information to target individuals spiked over the past month as the crisis ramped up, according to a report from cyber threat researchers at Barracuda Networks released Thursday.

The researchers saw a 667 percent increase in malicious phishing emails that were citing the coronavirus. These types of emails try to lure individuals to click on dangerous links or download attachments that typically include computer viruses.

Barracuda Networks tracked almost 10,0000 attempted phishing email cyberattacks linked to the coronavirus crisis since the beginning of March, while by comparison the researchers only saw about 1,800 in February and even fewer in January. 

“Although the overall number of these attacks is still low compared to other threats, the threat is growing quickly,” the researchers wrote. 

They cautioned that hackers were “taking advantage of the heightened focus on COVID-19 to distribute malware, steal credentials, and scam users out of money. The attacks use common phishing tactics that are seen regularly, however a growing number of campaigns are using the coronavirus as a lure to try to trick distracted users [and] capitalize on the fear and uncertainty of their intended victims.”

The majority of the emails studied by the researchers were classified as scams, while about a third were brand impersonation emails, and 11 percent were blackmail attacks. 

The researchers warned that as the coronavirus crisis continues, they expect hackers to grow increasingly “sophisticated” at using coronavirus to lure individuals. 

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The findings by the researchers were released a week after the FBI put out an alert warning Americans to be wary of suspicious emails, such as those claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or those asking for sensitive information in exchange for coronavirus stimulus checks from the government. 

Read more here.

 

REAL ID DEADLINE DELAYED: The requirement for Americans to obtain a Real ID for travel will be delayed one year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Thursday.

Americans will now have until Oct. 1, 2021, to get Real ID Act compliant identification needed to board commercial flights, enter federal buildings or gain access to American nuclear plants.

President TrumpDonald John TrumpNorth Korea asking for aid, while denying any coronavirus cases: report Iranian official maintains Tehran has ‘no knowledge’ of American hostage’s whereabouts Unemployment claims surge to 3.2 million as coronavirus devastates economy MORE recommended the delay earlier this week to ease crowding at Department of Motor Vehicle offices.

“The federal, state and local response to the spread of the Coronavirus here in the United States necessitates a delay in this deadline,” acting DHS Secretary Chad WolfChad WolfUndocumented aliens should stay away as COVID-19 rages in the US Hillicon Valley: Twitter says Chinese official’s virus disinformation doesn’t violate rules | Hackers target WHO | Senators urge agencies to stop coronavirus robocalls DHS chief: False reports of national shutdown may be part of Russian disinformation campaign MORE said in a statement Thursday. “Our state and local partners are working tirelessly with the Administration to flatten the curve and, therefore, we want to remove any impediments to response and recovery efforts.”

Three Democratic chairmen of relevant House committees had sent a letter to the DHS last week asking for the implementation of the Real ID Act to be delayed, citing the rapid spread of the coronavirus.

Read more here.

 

TRAVEL INDUSTRY APPLAUDS: The U.S. Travel Association applauded the administration for delaying the enforcement date of REAL ID requirements, which the group said would have likely caused greater economic uncertainty, but cautioned the extension may need to be longer.

Americans will now have until Oct. 1, 2021, to get Real ID Act compliant identification, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Thursday, which will be needed to board commercial flights, enter federal buildings or gain access to American nuclear plants.

“We applaud the administration for recognizing the challenges enforcing REAL ID requirements on travelers would present to what we hope will be a full and speedy economic recovery. We believe implementing REAL ID enforcement prior to full recovery would severely delay or reverse the travel industry’s ability to recover quickly from the coronavirus crisis,” U.S. Travel CEO Roger Dow wrote in a letter to DHS Acting Secretary Wolf. 

If REAL ID were implemented today, an estimated 67,400 travelers would be turned away at airport security checkpoints on the first day, and more than 471,800 within the first week, according to a new analysis compiled in part by U.S. Travel. 

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Read more on the delay here.

 

AGREEMENT TO LIMIT HUAWEI CHIPS: Senior Trump administration officials have come to an agreement to limit the access of embattled Chinese telecommunications group Huawei to the global chip supply chain, Reuters reported Thursday. 

The new rule would require foreign companies that use American chip-making equipment to obtain a license from the U.S. before being allowed to sell this equipment to Huawei, which is the largest 5G equipment manufacturer in the world. 

According to Reuters, the decision was made to alter the Foreign Direct Product Rule to reflect the change around Huawei following a meeting on Wednesday between officials from various federal agencies. 

Both the White House and the Commerce Department declined to comment to The Hill, while a spokesperson for Huawei did not immediately have a comment. 

The move against Huawei follows months of pushback against the company from both the Trump administration and bipartisan members of Congress. 

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Concerns have largely stemmed from a Chinese intelligence law that requires Chinese companies and citizens to participate in state intelligence work and share data if requested. 

Read more.

 

DYSON PRODUCING VENTILATORS: Dyson, the company behind high-tech vacuums and hand dryers, says it has received an emergency order from the United Kingdom for 10,000 ventilators, and it has already designed a new machine.

James Dyson, the billionaire founder, wrote in a letter to employees later obtained by CNN that he received a call from U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding the short supply of ventilators.

Just 10 days later, Dyson wrote that the company has designed and built a new ventilator called the “CoVent.”

“This new device can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume,” according to Dyson. It has been designed to “address the specific needs” of coronavirus patients.

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In addition to the 10,000 ordered by the U.K.’s National Health Service, Dyson will be donating an additional 5,000 units.

A spokesperson for the company told CNN the CoVents will be ready by early April.

Read more.

 

A Lighter click: Make it home safe 🙂

 

An op-ed to chew on: From clipboards to keyboards: what’s at stake with the upcoming online census

 

NOTABLE LINKS FROM AROUND THE WEB:

Zoom iOS App Sends Data to Facebook Even if You Don’t Have a Facebook Account (Motherboard / Joseph Cox)

GoFundMe Confronts Coronavirus Demand (New York Times / Nathaniel Popper and Taylor Lorenz)

‘It’s just Armageddon’: Can coworking survive COVID-19? (Protocol / Lauren Helper)

Android Apps May Be Snooping on You More Than You Realize (Gizmodo / Shoshana Wodinsky)

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) internal watchdog will review the agency’s methods for regulating states’ air pollution following threats by Administrator Andrew WheelerAndrew WheelerDemocrat calls on EPA to withdraw ‘secret science’ rule EPA to expedite reviews of products claiming to fight coronavirus Second EPA employee tests positive for coronavirus MORE to withhold highway funding from California if they did not update their plans.

The evaluation from EPA’s Office of Inspector General, spurred by a request from lawmakers, will focus on State Implementation Plans (SIP), used by the agency to ensure states are meeting air quality standards.

But plans that would otherwise draw little attention beyond EPA circles were brought to the spotlight through the ongoing battle between the Trump administration and California.

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In September, Wheeler wrote state leaders saying they owed the agency an urgent turnaround on a backlog of air pollution plans.

“Since the 1970s, California has failed to carry out its most basic tasks under the Clean Air Act. California has the worst air quality in the United States,” Wheeler wrote, adding that the state has 130 outdated plans across various regions, some of which date back decades.

He later floated withholding billions in federal highway funds.

“We certainly want to avoid these triggers, but our foremost concern must be ensuring clean air for all Americans,” Wheeler wrote.

Wheeler’s letter came just days after President TrumpDonald John TrumpNorth Korea asking for aid, while denying any coronavirus cases: report Iranian official maintains Tehran has ‘no knowledge’ of American hostage’s whereabouts Unemployment claims surge to 3.2 million as coronavirus devastates economy MORE announced he would revoke the waiver that allows California to set tougher emissions standards for vehicles — something California has argued is necessary to fight its air pollution.

Two days after threatening to withhold funding based on the SIPs, Wheeler sent another letter saying the state is “failing to meet its obligations” on sewage and water pollution.

The review from OIG asks a number of questions about SIPs, including why states may face delays in getting EPA approval.

An EPA official said the agency is aware of the audit and will comply with requests.

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Dyson, the company behind high-tech vacuums and hand dryers, says it has received an emergency order from the United Kingdom for 10,000 ventilators, and it has already designed a new machine.

James Dyson, the billionaire founder, wrote in a letter to employees later obtained by CNN that he received a call from U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson regarding the short supply of ventilators.

Just 10 days later, Dyson wrote that the company has designed and built a new ventilator called the “CoVent.”

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“This new device can be manufactured quickly, efficiently and at volume,” according to Dyson. It has been designed to “address the specific needs” of coronavirus patients.

In addition to the 10,000 ordered by the U.K.’s National Health Service, Dyson will be donating an additional 5,000 units.

A spokesperson for the company told CNN the CoVents will be ready by early April.

“The core challenge was how to design and deliver a new, sophisticated medical product in volume and in an extremely short space of time,” Dyson wrote. “The race is now on to get it into production.”

There has been nearly 10,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the United Kingdom as of Thursday, according to a database from Johns Hopkins University.

Ventilators are in short supply in the U.S. and all around the world as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. Since the coronavirus attacks the lungs, the machines are crucial to help patients experiencing serious illness. 

Companies around the world including Ford, GM and Tesla have been given the green light to begin producing the vital machines. 

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Tesla CEO Elon MuskElon Reeve MuskHillicon Valley: Coronavirus deal includes funds for mail-in voting | Twitter pulled into fight over virus disinformation | State AGs target price gouging | Apple to donate 10M masks Apple will donate 10 million masks to health care workers in US Hillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID MORE on Monday announced that the electric car company had bought hundreds of ventilators from China and shipped them to the U.S.

The former Tottenham frontman believes a forward who finds himself behind Karim Benzema at Real Madrid would benefit from a summer transfer

Luka Jovic has endured a testing debut campaign at Real Madrid, but Dimitar Berbatov says the Serbian striker could be “useful to a number of clubs in the Premier League”.

Tottenham and Chelsea are among those to have been linked with a move to free the 22-year-old frontman from his Spanish nightmare.

Jovic was one of the most sought-after assets in Europe heading towards the summer window of 2019.

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Real won the race for his signature, but have seen him record just two goals through 24 appearances in 2019-20.

Another switch is now being mooted, with plenty of sides in England said to be keen on offering Jovic a clean slate.

Berbatov, who spent time with Spurs, Manchester United and Fulham in his playing days, believes a fellow Balkan could be a success in the Premier League.

The Bulgarian told Betfair: “Luka Jovic is still a really young footballer and he had a great season with Eintracht Frankfurt which earned him a move to Real Madrid, at the moment things aren’t going his way but let’s not forget that he has Karim Benzema ahead of him.

“For me, Benzema is one of the most underrated players in football at the moment, he scores so many goals and he often doesn’t get the recognition he deserves.

“It’s difficult for Jovic, because he has to get ahead of the Frenchman, but when Zinedine Zidane gives him another chance I hope he takes it, scores goals and shows what he was doing in Germany, if not he has two choices: be patient and work hard, or go to England or somewhere else he can play.

“Like me, he is from the Balkans and we like life a bit too much at times, so I hope that success and his move to Real Madrid hasn’t gone to his head too much, that can be dangerous and he needs to be disciplined.

“I was in his position when I was at Bayer Leverkusen, I was the same age and ahead of me was Ulf Kirsten, who was a god at Leverkusen and one of the best German strikers ever.

“I was in that position thinking ‘why the f*ck am I not playing, I deserve to play, I demand to play.’ You think lots of stupid things because you’re young and you think you know everything but with a bit of patience, hard work and good people around you to tell you the truth about the situation, it helps.

“That’s one option. The other, if you want to play immediately, you choose to go on loan or find a club that will buy you so that you play more, if Jovic is in that place right now I can see him being useful to a number of clubs in the Premier League.”

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Pour promouvoir l’égalité homme-femme et améliorer le droit des femmes, le Maroc a modifié en 2004 le Code de la famille (“Moudawana”). Parmi les nombreuses dispositions annoncées, l’âge minimum légal du mariage est passé de 15 à 18 ans. Malgré cette réforme, l’union des adolescentes est en nette augmentation.Plus de 40 000 filles mineures ont été mariées en 2018, selon la présidente du Conseil national des droits de l’Homme (CNDH), Amina Bouayach.Il faut rétablir le droit des filles (…) et abolir les exceptionsAmina Bouayach, présidente du Conseil national des droits de l’Homme Lors d’une conférence à RabatUne exception à la règleLe Code de la famille promulgué par le roi prévoit des “dérogations” dans des cas exceptionnels. Le juge de la famille peut ainsi autoriser le mariage d’un garçon ou d’une fille de moins de 18 ans si les parents ou le représentant légal de l’enfant le demandent. Lorsque le juge donne son accord, sa décision est irrévocable et l’épouse mineure n’a droit à aucun recours.En 2018, plus de 25 000 dérogations légales ont été accordées, augmentant le nombre de mariages précoces. Toutes ces exceptions concernent les filles à presque 100%.Une dérogation qui devient une normeLes associations féministes et de défenses des droits de l’Homme veulent en finir avec cette dérogation. Elles demandent une révision du texte de la Moudawana pour le mettre en phase avec les nouvelles lois, notamment celle contre les violences faites aux femmes. Une campagne a été lancée début mars 2019 pour demander une fois encore l’“abolition de l’exception” et “le rétablissement de la norme“.Avec l’augmentation du nombre de mariages de mineurs “de façon alarmante”, comme il le dit, le ministre de la Justice Mohamed Aujar reconnaît l’importance de la suppression des dérogations accordées aux familles, tout en rappelant qu’il s’agit d’un sujet compliqué.La société politique est traversée par un courant très conservateur, c’est un fait à prendre en considérationMohamed Aujar, ministre marocain de la JusticeLors d’une conférence à RabatLe mariage coutumierLa dérogation concernant l’âge légal du mariage n’est pas le seul problème. Dans les régions rurales et reculées, beaucoup de Marocains, en situation précaire pour la plupart, ont recours au mariage coutumier. Par choix ou par ignorance, car ils ne connaissent pas bien les règles du Code de la famille. Le mariage qui n’a aucun cadre légal est un contrat verbal. La simple lecture de la Fatiha (sourate d’ouverture du coran) en présence de deux témoins suffit à unir deux personnes. Ces coutumes perpétuent le mariage des mineurs, dont des filles à peine pubères.Le Code de la famille prévoit la possibilité de faire reconnaître un mariage coutumier. Il s’agit de donner un cadre légal à ce mariage pour préserver le droit de la femme, mais de nombreuses associations y voient un moyen supplémentaire de cautionner un mariage précoce. Le délai de la régularisation des mariages coutumiers par “la Fatiha” devait expirer en février 2019. 

L’équipe de France de Football s’est imposée hier face aux îles Féroé. Le premier but en sélection d’André-Pierre Gignac a permis aux Bleus d’assurer l’essentiel en battant la formation féroïenne (1–0) à Torshavn, en match des éliminatoires de la Coupe du monde 2010…

André-Pierre Gignac est plus en forme que jamais. A la 42e minute, le Toulousain a ouvert le score: bien servi dans la surface de réparation par Florent Malouda, le meilleur buteur de la Ligue 1 la saison passée, est parvenu à pivoter sur lui-même pour décocher une bonne frappe qui est allée s’enfoncer droit dans le filet adverse.

Malgré les nombreuses occasions bleues, la sélection tricolore a redouté jusqu’au bout un très hypothétique retour de ses hôtes, qui l’aurait privé de cette victoire, indispensable pour garder ses chances de qualification directe pour le Mondial sud-africain:

«J’avais dit qu’il nous fallait trois points. Je ne vais pas faire la fine bouche maintenant. On connaissait le problème: il faut marquer. Les occasions, nous les avons eues.

Après, on est à la merci d’un but, c’est une possibilité mais il n’y a quand même pas eu grand-chose et cela a été surtout une attaque-défense» a commenté le sélectionneur Raymond Domenech, à l’issue de la rencontre.

En battant les Îles Féroé, la France se rapproche à cinq points de la Serbie qui conserve la tête du groupe 7 avec toutefois un match en plus que les Français.

Malgré tout, les tricolores ont globalement manqué de vitesse et de spontanéité devant une formation accrocheuse.

Les hommes de Raymond Domenech n’ont pas su soigner leur différence de buts, ni bien préparer leurs deux rendez-vous décisifs face à la Roumanie, le 5 septembre, puis en Serbie quatre jours plus tard.

Mais comme le disait une célèbre homme d’église: «il faut laisser le passé dans l’oubli et l’avenir à la providence…»

Jeudi 13 août 2009

#AlertePollutionRivières ou sols contaminés, déchets industriels abandonnés… Vous vivez à proximité d’un site pollué ?
Cliquez ici pour nous alerter !Avec le printemps, les cigognes sont de retour. À Bischoffsheim (Bas-Rhin), c’est même un événement, car elles avaient disparu depuis cinquante ans. Dans les années 1970, on ne comptait plus qu’une dizaine de couples dans toute l’Alsace, ces oiseaux mourraient en cours de migration, abattus ou électrocutés. Un programme de réintroduction a été mis en place pour sauver l’espèce, une opération de la dernière chance.Une réintroduction de trente ans“Les oiseaux gardés en captivité perdent l’instinct migratoire, donc les premières années elles ne partent pas”, détaille Christan Braun, directeur de la Ligue de protection des oiseaux d’Alsace. La réintroduction qui a duré trente ans a été si efficace, que dans certains villages, on trouve des nids de cigognes à tous les coins de rue. Pour la majorité des habitants, cet oiseau est le symbole de l’Alsace et il n’y en a pas de trop.Le JT

• JT de 12/13 du samedi 6 avril 2019 L’intégrale

Les autres sujets du JT

• 1
  

  Air Cocaïne : six ans de prison pour les pilotes Bruno Odos et Pascal Fauret

• 2
  

  Hérault : un violent coup de vent endommage une trentaine de maisons à Sauvian

• 3
  

  Savoie : une station de ski contre le Brexit

• 4
  

  “Gilets jaunes” : l’acte 21 marqué par de nombreuses zones interdites

• 5
  

  “Gilets jaunes” : la vidéo, l’arme pour traquer les violences

• 6
  

  Saint-Malo : quand les Parisiens investissent l’immobilier

• 7
  

  Mont-Saint-Michel : des caméras de surveillance qui ne convainquent pas les commerçants

• 8
  

  Santé : l’ostéopathie au cœur de la campagne

• 9
  

  Loir-et-Cher : Léonard de Vinci honoré à Blois

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