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Mark Zuckerberg survived 5 hours of relentless questioning from Congress — here’s what you need to know

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Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified before the US Senate in a gruelling five-hour session on Tuesday.
Zuckerberg’s delivery was wooden, and stuck closely to company talking points — but didn’t make any major mistakes.
Many of the senators were painfully tech illiterate, and the 33-year-old exec found himself explaining basic features of Facebook.
His answers to some of the tougher questions were less satisfying, but he was never pushed as hard as he could have been.

Mark Zuckerberg didn’t really screw up. This time, at least.

On Tuesday, the Facebook CEO testified in front of a rare US Senate joint committee hearing. The subject: Facebook’s mounting scandals, from the misappropriation of up to 87 million users’ profile data by Cambridge Analytica to Russia’s use the platform to spread propaganda and misinformation.

The stakes were high, and a major misstep had the potential to be played ad nauseam across cable news, and define Zuckerberg’s — and Facebook’s — public image for years. (Recall when, in a notorious 2010 on-stage interview, the executive grew so flustered and sweaty he had to take his hoodie off.)

The 33-year-old CEO is not a natural public speaker, and he stuck closely to talking points with a somewhat robotic delivery. Facebook’s new, broader view of its responsibilities was constantly referenced, while his frequent references to starting Facebook in his dorm room even drew jokes from some senators.

But he managed to basically stay on message throughout the five-hour hearing. Facebook is very sorry, it made a “big mistake,” it’s proactively making significant changes to prevent this happening again, and so on. His remarks closely echoed what he and other executives have repeated in numerous blog posts and press interviews over the last week or so — and shows how Facebook has managed to largely stay ahead of lawmakers’ questions.

Attempts by high-profile Republican senators like Ted Cruz to highlight perceived left-wing bias at the company failed to elicit a damaging reaction from Zuckerberg. And the tech illiteracy of many senators was on painful display, with Zuckerberg repeatedly having to explain basic concepts and features of Facebook: Zuckerberg explained Facebook doesn’t sell user data at least three times.

When it came to harder questions from more tech-literate senators — who asked questions about trust, potential violations of an FTC order, and conversations inside the company — Zuckerberg’s answers were less satisfying. But with only five minutes per senator, he was never pushed as far as he could have been.

The embattled executive isn’t out of the hotseat just yet. On Wednesday, he will appear again before Congress, this time in front of a House committee. That hearing that could easily run as long as Tuesday’s affair, if not even longer.

Here’s the key news from Tuesday’s Senate hearing:

Facebook employees have been interviewed by the special counsel’s office. Mark Zuckerberg revealed that unspecified employees from his company have been interviewed as part of Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 US presidential election. (Zuckerberg himself has not been interviewed.)
Facebook was accused of violating a 2011 FTC order, which Zuckerberg denied. The order stipulated how Facebook must protect user data and obtain consent before it is shared, and senators suggested that the Cambridge Analytica scandal means Facebook failed in that. Zuckerberg’s (unsatisfying) defence: Users supposedly technically consented to it, even if the systems Facebook had built were clearly flawed. “We explained to people how it worked and they did consent to it,” he said.
Facebook has considered offering an ad-free, subscription option for users. “In general we believe the ad model is the right one for us,” Zuckerberg said. “Certainly we consider ideas like that … [it is] reasonable to think through.” However, he says that there will always be a “version” of Facebook that’s free.
Zuckerberg admitted most users don’t read the social network’s terms of service before signing up. The mammoth legalese documents new users are supposed to agree to came up multiple times throughout the hearing. “I would imagine that probably most people do not read the whole thing, but everyone has the opportunity to, and consents to it,” he said.
Facebook does not have “specific knowledge” of Russia or China scraping data and building profiles on users. Zuckerberg said Facebook is still investigating the Cambridge Analytica scandal and who else had harvested user data, but “I don’t think sitting here today we have specific knowledge of other efforts by these nation states.”
Zuckerberg got grilled over Facebook’s perceived political bias. Republican senator Ted Cruz outlined what he alleged was a “pervasive pattern of bias and political censorship” — from the closure of right-wing pages to the alleged suppression of conservative news stories — and hit the CEO with multiple leading questions. But the CEO handled the exchange reasonably well, holding his own.
Zuckerberg refused to say what hotel he was staying in. In an awkward exchange, top Democratic senator Dick Durbin asked the CEO what hotel he was staying in, which he refused to answer.”I think that might be what this is all about, ” Durbin told Zuckerberg. “Your right to privacy, the limits of your right to privacy, and how much you’d give away in modern America.”

By Rob Price (Business Insider)

Vietnamese model first to represent country at top fashion show in New York

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Fuji Nguyen, 22, graced the stage of Dolce & Gabbana’s Alta Sartoria show last Saturday.

A Vietnamese model became the first of his countrymen to star in a prestigious Italian fashion show in New York City last Saturday.

Fuji Nguyen, 22, was the first Vietnamese national to ever grace the stage of the 2018 Alta Sartoria fashion show by Italian brand Dolce & Gabbana.

Nguyen was one of two Asian models to feature at the event, alongside 70 others from around the world.

He was born in Vietnam to entrepreneur parents and moved to the United States with his family when he was in secondary school.

He said he became interested in modeling while he was still in elementary school, inspired by fashion shows on TV.

“My parents didn’t support me because they were worried I wouldn’t be able to resist the temptations or withstand the hardships of this career,” Nguyen said.

During his time working for the New York-based boutique model agency Fusion Models in 2017, he received a casting schedule for Dolce & Gabbana, and subsequently basked in the limelight last Saturday.In 2015, Nguyen got his big break in the fashion world after being signed by several modeling agencies in NYC. From 2016 onwards, he starred in the New York Fashion Week and catwalked for several fashion brands such as Landlord, Ovadia And Sons, Rochambeau, Pyer Moss and Kenneth King.

Fuji Nguyen is currently working in the fields of modeling and marketing, and also says that stylism is one of his hobbies.

Dolce & Gabbana is a luxury Italian fashion house founded in 1985 by Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. The company reported a net profit of $94 million last year, as cited by Fashion United.

Source: VnExpress

Vietnamese e-commerce booms, with rosy future

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E-commerce in Vietnam has grown significantly in recent times and is expecting its heyday in several years ahead, presenting fresh opportunities for online retailers.

Vietnam’s ecommerce growth rate for 2017 was over 25 percent and is likely to remain stable or even become higher between 2018 and 2020, according to an e-business index report formulated by the Vietnam E-commerce Association (VECOM), a non-profit founded in 2007.

The rate was ranked amongst the highest worldwide, said Mai Thi Lan Van, marketing director of Adayroi, a local online retailer.

E-commerce tends to form online marketplaces which gain the greatest shopping trust from customers, she added.

Non-traditional enterprises have reaped substantial benefits from the upswing.

The number of orders and sales of products from Lazada in the Vietnam market each surged by a massive 100 percent last year, said a representative of the firm’s branch in the country.

Vietnam is a market that no international business giants can afford to miss, commented Tran Ngoc Thai Son, CEO of Tiki, a major Vietnamese online retailer.

VECOM recorded a healthy rise of 62 percent to 200 percent in the turnover of delivery services nationwide.

The association’s figures also showed that several affiliate marketing enterprises – those receiving commission for selling products of other firms – achieved an impressive growth rate between 100 and 200 percent.

E-commerce in Vietnam has long been common as a concept but only started developing about three years ago as an activity, when capital from large companies poured in, noted Nguyen Ngoc Dung, VECOM’s vice-director.

Some famed brick-and-mortar businesses have made forays into e-commerce by introducing their own websites as an adaptation to the new type of selling.

But the burgeoning electronic trading scene also includes home-based, mostly self-employed individuals who thrive financially.

Hien, a Vietnamese woman with two children, has been able to raise her family only from online trading over the past four years.

She fills orders for foreign products from customers by placing orders on websites of overseas companies, earning around US$2-10 for each item.

Mai Chi, owner of a clothes shop chain, said she has been working with online channels and selling on the Internet, even though she already has stores across Ho Chi Minh City.

Sellers have recently capitalized on flourishing e-commerce by hiring beautiful young women with verbal skills for live-streamed sales.

Over one million Vietnamese pursue online selling as a second job, according to VECOM.

Such people may be considered effective partners and formidable competitors for domestic online channels.

Source: Tuoi Tre News

Eximbank appoints former CEO of SeaBank as its new standing Deputy CEO

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The Viet Nam Export Import Commercial Joint-Stock Bank (Eximbank: EIB) has appointed Mr. Nguyen Canh Vinh, the former CEO of SeABank as its new standing Deputy CEO. His first working day at Eximbank is April 11th, 2018. .

The news source of Vietnam Insider said, in order to complete the organizational structure to meet the demand of new business model, Eximbank’s Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Nguyen Canh Vinh to be new standing Deputy CEO since April 11th, 2018.

Mr. Nguyen Canh Vinh was born in 1974, graduated from National Economics University, Hanoi University of Civil Engineering and University of La Trobe (Australia). He has 21 year experience in banking and finance. Before working at Eximbank, he worked at Techcombank for 21 years with the nearest position of Deputy CEO and at SeABank as its CEO since September 25th, 2017. On February 7th, 2018, Mr. Nguyen Canh Vinh suddenly resigned from SeABank for his personal reason.

Eximbank will hold its annual general shareholders meeting in Ho Chi Minh City on April 27th 2018.

Vynn Capital bullish on early stage bets as growth funding matures in SE Asia

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Vynn Capital, a new Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm founded by former Gobi executive Victor Chua and Singapore’s Darren Chua, says it categorizes Vietnam as one of its Tier 1 markets.

“This, coupled with our experience in Vietnam, we believe Vietnam is crucial for our investment strategy and will be a major driver of entrepreneurial activity in the region,” Victor Chua told us in an interaction.

“In terms of deal volume, we anticipate that our Tier 1 countries – Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia will offer more startups to explore. At the same time, we are also active in Myanmar and Philippines as these are also sizable markets with signs of positive changes,” he said.

In an exclusive interview with the portal, Victor Chua shared Vynn Capital’s investment plan for Southeast Asia and his thoughts about the growth of SEA’s unicorns in the near future.

Edited excerpts:

– What led to your move to exit China-anchored Gobi Partners to launch Vynn Capital? What learnings from the Gobi experience will you draw from as you develop Vynn?

My departure is a result of personal ambitions to build a local brand dedicated to supporting local and foreign entrepreneurs interested in Southeast Asia. The other factor is about being able to focus more on the opportunity and trend that most appeals to me – helping traditional corporations and families adopt new technologies and digitalize their businesses. The most valuable lesson from my experience with Gobi is the importance of having a localized approach in working with Limited Partners and founders. While it is important to demonstrate a scalable business, it is also important to be able to work with local communities and partners as well as recruiting resources to build to a larger vision that others can buy into.

We have learnt that Vynn Capital has raised an SEA-focused $40-million debut fund in the first quarter this year. Can you update us on the investments closed so far?

Yes. We are raising a $40-million fund – mainly from families and corporations of all sizes. We will be making our first investment very soon – stay tuned.

It is said that Vynn Capital will focus on seed and Series A stages. What drives your investment thesis?

First off, the focus on early-stage investment is based on my experience investing in this space and therefore is a natural focus for moving forward. The other reason is that the risk of investing in early-stage companies is decreasing as the market matures. In the past, LPs and investors were concerned that the funding value chain was incomplete as there was insufficient capital in the market to fuel growth stage investments as well as the maturity of entrepreneurs and business models. At this point of time, we are seeing more growth funds coming online in the region – particularly by players who were previously investing in earlier rounds.

This means that there is a sudden vacuum in early-stage investment and that there will be more capital to sustain these deals at later stages. So that solves one of the concerns. On top of everything, competition between startups in similar verticals is also improving the quality of early-stage companies, which further contributes to market maturity.

Which sectors will be on the radar of Vynn Capital? Why?

We are looking at travel, property, food & FMCG, female economics and logistics & enablers (including fintech and insurtech). These industries are selected based on a few key factors: Convergence of Southeast Asia as a region and synergistic value between industries and potential cross-over that allows more room for growth.

Which are the markets/countries within Southeast Asia that you would be actively watching for deals? And, why?

We believe Southeast Asia as a region has huge potential. As such, we should not overlook any local market within the region and will be evaluating Southeast Asia as a whole. In terms of deal volume, we anticipate that our Tier 1 countries – Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia will offer more startups to explore. At the same time, we are also active in Myanmar and Philippines as these are also sizable markets with signs of positive changes.

What do you think about the exit potential in early-stage companies?

Is it easier to navigate an exit at this stage or a challenge? This is the best time to invest in early-stage companies because we are also looking at a funding environment that is far more established than a couple years ago. We see a lot more Series B and growth stage funds out there in the market. As such, for early-stage investors as well as LPs, there should be less concern about the survival of investments. How that relates to exit is that now startups are no longer restricted to selling their company, but they also have the option of growing their companies to a larger scale before realizing the gains for shareholders and investors.

Over the past few years, Southeast Asia has received interest primarily from Korea, Japan and China, though it now increasingly attracts investors from other parts of the world such as the US, the Middle East and other regions. As such, exit scenarios are becoming much more optimistic than before. This is especially true when we have interest and activity from local companies and family businesses in incorporating technology as part of their business plan.

Investments into Vietnamese startups have gone up in the past few years. What do you think about the investment potential in Vietnam compared to other countries in the region?

We categorize Vietnam as one of our Tier 1 markets. This, coupled with our experience, makes us believe Vietnam is crucial for our investment strategy and will be a major driver of entrepreneurial activity in the region.

Of the $40 million debut fund, is there an allocation dedicated for investments in Vietnam?

For us, Vietnam is an exciting market with many great opportunities and a solid entrepreneur base. We do not have a specific quota to chase after, as we want to remain agile in our investment decisions. What is certain for us is that we are bullish on the Vietnam market and are currently talking to more Vietnamese startups as well as large corporations and families.

Which are the startups in Vietnam that Vynn Capital has invested in?

We are unable to disclose any investments in Vietnam at this time.

What is Vynn’s goal for 2018 in Southeast Asia in general and Vietnam in particular?

For Vynn, we aim to raise the majority of our fund this year. We are currently in talks with a number of potential LPs and are still open to discussions with new LPs. We also look to invest actively in the region and we are already talking to some Vietnamese startups at this point in time. For Vietnam, we are looking to work closer with regulators and industry builders to grow the local market. Our advantage is that we have an extensive track record building businesses that are able to scale regionally, and are able to apply these lessons to Vietnam’s unique characteristics.

What are your thoughts on the growth of SEA’s unicorns with the recent instance of Grab acquiring Uber’s Southeast Asia operations and assets?

How would you play a part in a company’s journey to become a Unicorn? This is a great example of a local company leveraging its in-market advantages to overcome a foreign competitor. Our role is to ensure companies we back are equipped with a long-term strategy for sustainable business growth. That means, as much as we love high growth companies, we also love sustainable businesses. One way of winning the growth game is to outlast your competitors.

Which countries are likely to spawn new unicorns in Southeast Asia?

I believe that the next batch of unicorns will not be from any country in particular. In fact, it will be a regional company – a business that has the scalability advantage to reach audiences from more than one market. You are seeing existing unicorns like Go-jek expanding outside of Indonesia. That means that the region is maturing with signs of a converging environment that encourages companies to be as regional as possible.

- By Quynh Nguyen, Deal Street Asia

Matildas attacker Sam Kerr scores two goals in 8-0 win over Vietnam at Asian Cup

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Australia’s Women’s Asian Cup campaign is well and truly back on track following an 8-0 win over an outclassed Vietnam in Jordan.

An opening scoreless draw against South Korea left little margin for error, but the Matildas responded in perfect fashion with a one-sided victory to sit on top of their group on goal difference.

The rout means Australia need to only draw their final group match against Japan to reach the semi-finals, and at the same time shore up one of five tickets on offer to next year’s Women’s World Cup.

Coach Alen Stajcic made seven changes to his side and one of those new faces, Kyah Simon, was first on the scoresheet.

Simon netted from close-range after seven minutes before Alanna Kennedy, Chloe Logarzo and Emily van Egmond ensured the match was effectively over as a contest by the half-hour mark.

Sam Kerr scored either side of halftime, while Hayley Raso and a Vietnamese own goal completed the tally.

“It was an up and down game from us,” said Stajcic.

“There was lots of good passages of play, but plenty of areas where we could have had better execution.”

In contrast to the first match, Australia found a huge amount of space to attack in their opponents’ half, also hitting the frame of the goal twice.

Despite the goal avalanche, there is still room for improvement with some of the team’s trademark attacking combinations missing on occasions.

“There were some careless losses of possession that I wasn’t very happy with,” Stajcic said.

“We have pretty high standards in our team and throughout the 90 minutes we were good at times.

“But if we are going to beat the likes of Korea, China and Japan at this tournament then we need to do better with the possession that we had tonight.”

South Korea and Japan played out a hard-fought 0-0 draw in the other Group B match.

- AAP

Vietnam’s US$2 billion cosmetics market controlled by foreign brands

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Vietnamese spend an average of $4 a month per capita on beauty products and services, while women spend VND140,000 (nearly $6) a month.

The demand for cosmetics has increased rapidly, but Vietnamese enterprises cannot satisfy it.

Speakers at the Mekong Beauty Show’s press conference said that Vietnam’s cosmetics import value increased from $500 million in 2011 to $2 billion in 2016, according to ITC and World Bank.

Vietnamese buy cosmetics via two major channels – friends (70 percent) and websites (30 percent).

Bui Ngoc Quynh Giao from Ilahui Vietnam said that Vietnam has a lot of potential in retail with a GDP of $220 billion and population of 90 million.

In 2017, Vietnam ranked sixth in A.T. Kearney’s list of the world’s most attractive retail markets (GRDI – global retail development index).

The demand for natural cosmetics has increased from spas (about 2,000 spas open in Vietnam each year) and individuals (both women and men).

A report from Mintel shows that the value of the cosmetics market may reach $2.35 billion by 2018. Noting that the figure was $1.78 billion, Vietnam has had the highest growth rate in the cosmetics industry.

Vietnam is expected to have 33 million middle-income earners by 2020, based on the facts that Vietnam’s GDP will grow by more than 6 percent per annum.

Aware of the great potential of the domestic cosmetics market, Vietnamese companies have poured money into production projects. However, Vietnam-made products are still unpopular.

Foreign brands are dominating the cosmetics market, especially the high-end market segment. A report found that 90 percent of the revenue of the cosmetics market goes into the pockets of foreign manufacturers, especially South Koreans.

Vietnamese brands hold a tiny market share and their products can be sold only in the low-end market segment which bring modest profits. With limited financial capability, Vietnamese companies don’t have a budget for R&D, advertisement and marketing.

A representative from the Essential Oil – Fragrance – Cosmetics Association said that domestic enterprises have high quality products but don’t know how to do branding.

Local brands’ strong points are in products for the face, skin and hands. Vietnamese customers choose foreign brands if they want other products.

A survey by Ilahui found that Vietnamese companies are not manufacturing full sets of products, but specialize in certain products only, which is a weak point.

Source: VietNamNet

What does Vietnam have to lose or gain from US-China trade war?

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Vietnam’s shipments are part of China’s value chain and may be badly hit, while U.S. companies may leave China for Vietnam to avoid high taxes.

Washington and Beijing are going toe-to-toe in a trade spat, and Vietnam is set to become embroiled in the conflict, for better or for worse.

The row is likely to deal a blow to export-reliant Vietnam, as its overseas shipments form part of China’s value chain.

“If the U.S imposes high tariffs on China’s broader cross-border supply chain, Vietnam, which exports goods that serve as inputs for China’s exports, will be badly hit,” said economist Le Dang Doanh.

It’s unclear whether Washington will tax Chinese firms alone or their wider supply networks.

About 2.2 percent of Vietnam’ shipments abroad are part of China’s value chain, Bloomberg quoted date from RHB Bank Bhd as saying.

Sharing the same opinion, Steven Schwartz, senior director of sovereign ratings for Asia at Fitch Ratings, said South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia, all of which export goods – such as machine parts and components for communications equipment – used in the production of items that China then sells to the U.S., are vulnerable, according to the South China Morning Post.

Another risk is that Chinese products hit by high tariffs might flood Vietnam, hurting local manufacturing, while overall world market volatility caused by trade tension could have negative impacts on Vietnam’s exports, Doanh added.

President Trump has recently directed U.S. trade officials to identify tariffs on $100 billion more Chinese imports, upping the ante in an already high-stakes trade confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.

The additional tariffs are being considered “in light of China’s unfair retaliation” against earlier U.S. trade actions, which included a proposed $50 billion worth of tariffs on Chinese goods, Reuters quoted Trump as saying in a White House statement.

In response, Beijing announced extra tariffs on $50 billion worth of U.S. products, including soybeans and cars.

Earlier, China imposed tariffs worth $3 billion on 128 U.S. products in retaliation for U.S. duties on steel and aluminum.

The tit-for-tat escalation of tariff announcements which have stirred fears have unfolded surprisingly rapidly.

However, the U.S.-China trade conflict is not all bad news for Vietnam, as the country may become a more attractive investment destination compared to China due to higher U.S. tariffs, according to some analysts.

Many investors may leave China for Vietnam to avoid the high taxes, they said.

Bloomberg noted that China, the world’s largest exporter, has long been the destination of choice for U.S. and European companies looking to outsource and offshore manufacturing, especially for labor-intensive consumer goods such as clothing, footwear and electronics.

Factory wages in China have risen at the highest pace in emerging Asia, so other developing countries with lower costs have begun to steal away investment and jobs, helping to promote industrialization and boost growth at home, it said.

Apparel and electronics manufacturers, for instance, have already started diversifying production to rivals such as Vietnam and India. Vietnam has been enjoying an export boom, led by sectors traditionally dominated by China, including clothes and mobile phones, Bloomberg analyzed.

In a recent report on Vietnam’s business environment, the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) said the country is becoming more attractive to investors, and up to 36 percent of surveyed U.S. firms said they wanted to expand their operations in Vietnam, compared to 21 percent in Thailand and 19 percent in Malaysia.

As of late October 2017, the U.S. had poured $9.4 billion into Vietnam, ranking it 9th of the 100 countries and territories with investments in the Southeast Asian nation.

Source: VnExpress

The 5 biggest takeaways from Mark Zuckerberg’s appearance before the Senate

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Mark Zuckerberg made his highly anticipated debut before Congress today during a marathon five-hour hearing before a joint session of the Commerce and Judiciary committees.

Zuckerberg remained calm and level-headed throughout, and senators were mostly polite and deferential as they sought to understand how Facebook had inadvertently allowed the profiles of up to 87 million people to be collected by the political data-mining firm Cambridge Analytica.

In the weeks leading up to the hearing, Facebook made a series of announcements designed to demonstrate that it took the data leak seriously and was working to prevent it from happening again. Zuckerberg referred repeatedly today to these changes, which include making privacy shortcuts easier to find, restricting the data shared with developers when you log in using your Facebook account, labeling political ads and making them available for public inspection, and launching a bounty program to reward people who find examples of data misuse.

Facebook also sent Zuckerberg and his chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, on a media tour to answer questions and hone their talking points. By the time today’s hearing began, Facebook had done what it could to ensure the day would feel light on news. Meanwhile, many senators still struggle to understand basic questions about how Facebook collects data and makes money. (Hint: not by selling that data to advertisers.)

Still, here are the five most notable developments from today’s hearings.

Zuckerberg had to confront Facebook’s monopoly power. When Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asked Zuckerberg to name his biggest competitor, Zuckerberg couldn’t name one. He was pressed repeatedly on Facebook’s large size, and at one point was asked whether Facebook was too powerful. Zuckerberg demurred. “It certainly doesn’t feel like that to me,” he said to Graham’s monopoly question. Senators do seem to be grappling with Facebook’s massive power in a way they haven’t before. But it’s not clear they have any coherent strategy to increase the amount of competition in the social media marketplace.

Zuckerberg won’t rule out a paid version of Facebook. The CEO took numerous questions about the company’s business model and whether it could truly protect users’ privacy given that it relies so heavily on collecting data about their lives and behavior. Multiple senators asked Zuckerberg whether he might consider a paid, ad-free version of Facebook in the future. He told Orrin Hatch that there would always be a free version of Facebook, suggesting a paid option might be possible. Later, he told another senator that a paid version would be worth thinking about.

Zuckerberg is leaning heavily on the future promise of artificial intelligence. Whenever asked about how Facebook would improve its moderation tools, Zuckerberg invoked the promise of AI to help Facebook quickly sort through hate speech and other problematic posts. It certainly seems possible that AI will improve Facebook’s content moderation efforts, but it remains unproven.

The conspiracy about Facebook targeting ads at you by snooping with your phone’s microphone is now part of the congressional record. For years now, Facebook has struggled to contain an urban legend that the company’s ad targeting is so effective because the company listens to your conversations in real time through your phone’s microphone. Thanks to Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI), this is now a matter of public record. “Yes or no, does Facebook use audio obtained from mobile devices to enrich personal information about users?” he asked. “No,” Zuckerberg said.

Senators don’t understand how Facebook works. Senators peppered Facebook with questions about the basic features of its data-collection and advertising practices. How does Facebook acquire data? How long does it keep that data? How can users control what data they share? These are important questions, and senators were surely speaking for the majority of Americans when they asked them. At the same time, they frittered away hours of testimony by asking the CEO questions that can be answered by Googling. And they mostly failed to answer deeper questions about how Facebook uses the data it collects. Of course, some senators argued that complexity itself is the problem. As Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) put it — bluntly, if not helpfully — “your user agreement sucks.”

Source: The Verge

Hoi An promotes new tourist products

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Hoi An town in Quang Nam province is attractive for its unique and ancient culture. Recently, Hoi An has launched a number of new tourism products such as “Night in the ancient town” to give visitors a new experience.

Hoi An streets are particularly exciting after the sun sets. Along the scenic Hoai River are stalls selling local souvenirs and handicraft products.

These include colorful lanterns, toy figurines made by Thanh Ha pottery artisans, silk items, and local cuisines like noodles, rice cakes, and sweet soup.

Walking through Hoi An’s narrow alleys at night induces a feeling of profound peace.

Dan Phuong, a visitor from Da Nang city, said she visits the Hoi An night market at the weekend just to mingle in the crowd under the colorful lights, walk along the river, and stop at a stall to sample Hoi An food.

She said, “I’m not sure exactly why it is, but Hoi An inspires me so much that I visit the town quite often. I particularly like the night market where they offer delicious food and cute handicraft souvenirs. It’s very exciting and fun.”

Nguyen Van Son, Vice Chairman of the Hoi An Municipal People’s Committee said that nearly 9,000 visitors come to the Nguyen Hoang market every evening, which makes the area too crowded. Now the Tran Quy Cap night market has opened and expanded to Tieu La street.

Mr Son said, “We have opened a new night market where artists perform Bai Choi folk singing and contemporary romantic songs hoping to reduce the overload at the old night market. Since it opened in early March, it has been attracting crowds of visitors. The business there has been very good. “

Hoi An also offers boat tours that take to the Bay Mau coconut forest in Cam Thanh commune. The forest, part of the Cua Dai mangrove ecological site, is up the Hoai river, 3 km from Hoi An.

Yoon Young Joo, a visitor from the Republic of Korea, said, “Local people are friendly. The air is pure. It’s interesting to sit on a bamboo boat visiting the coconut forest. I love performances featuring the bamboo boats and fish net throwing by the locals. They are like performing artists.”

Most visitors to Bay Mau forest are foreigners. 70% of them are Koreans. The forest receives around 1,500 visitors a day during the week on holidays and special occasions, the number reaches 3,000. 85,000 people visited the site in the first two months of this year.

Nguyen Van Son said, “We plan to recreate a revolutionary base in the Bay Mau coconut forest. The original military tunnels will be rebuilt to enable visitors to explore the base underground. We will also upgrade the pier and guest service facilities.”

Hoi An received approximately 3.5 million visitors last year.

Source: VOV5/Vietnamnet

Five things for newcomers to discover in HCMC

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Those wishing to experience culture and lifestyles as natives of Ho Chi Minh City should check out the following places.

Strolling around night markets

Ho Thi Ky Flower Market and Vo Thanh Trang Market are perfect places for those wanting to get a broader picture of night life in HCM City.

Ho Thi Ky, the city’s largest wholesale flower market, is home to more than 100 households selling hundreds of kinds of flowers in vivid colors. It operates round the clock and its busiest time is from 2 a.m. to 4 a.m. with dozens of trucks carrying tons of fresh flowers to the market for delivery to sellers there.

Vo Thanh Trang Market on Truong Chinh Street in Tan Binh District is known as the only traditional wet market in the city that is open day and night for nearly half a century. Like Ho Thi Ky, goods are delivered during the small hours. From 3 a.m. to 5 a.m., trading activities turn very active.

Discovering Chinese-Vietnamese community

The Chinese Vietnamese community has been in existence for more than a century in HCM City since the first Chinese immigrants arrived there in the late 19th century. However, they have kept cultural and religious values almost unchanged. Touring District 5, visitors can see major landmarks characterized by Chinese culture.

Binh Tay Market, the Lady Thien Hau Temple, Hao Si Phuong Alley, Soai Kinh Lam fabric market, Minh Huong Pagoda, and Ha Chuong Communal Club should be among the venues recommended for tourists interested in discovering how the Chinese people have preserved their cultural and spiritual traits.

Traveling back in time at Ho Chi Minh City Museum

Situated next to the Reunification Palace, the Ho Chi Minh City Museum, formerly Gia Long Palace, was constructed in the late 19th century on 1,700 meters. With impressive architecture, the museum tells a story about the 300-year-old city through archaeological artefacts, ceramics, old city maps and displays of marriage traditions of various ethnic groups.

The admission fee is VND15,000 per person. Opening hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the week. This would be an ideal place for those wishing to learn about HCM City and Vietnam.

The museum is located at 65 Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1.

Sipping coffee in the morning

Having a cup of coffee in the morning has become a way of life of many city dwellers. For early risers, sipping coffee and chatting with friends on plastic stools on the sidewalk in the morning are a great experience.

Prices range from VND10,000 to VND15,000 (US$0.5 to US$0.7) per cup.

Vy Café on Le Thanh Ton Street in District 1 where Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited last year or Cheo Leo coffee shop on Nguyen Thien Thuat Street in District 3 are worth giving a try.

Tasting street food

When in the city, eating street food at affordable prices is another great experience.

Fans of sweet soups can come to Nguyen Tri Phuong Street in District 10, which is famous for Thai-style sweet soups, or drop by Cambodian-style sweet soup shop in Alley 374, Le Hong Phong Street in District 10, run by Cambodian Vietnamese owner known as “Mrs. Co”.

Located next to the busy Tan Dinh Market in District 1, Nguyen Huu Cau Street could be an ideal place for those who like Hue-style dishes. Dim-sum lovers can get to Ha Ton Quyen Street in District 11.

Hong Ha in Tan Binh District is famous for specialties of northern Vietnam such as bun dau mam tom (fried tofu and fresh rice vermicelli with fermented shrimp paste), bun oc (noodles with snails), bun cha (vermicelli served with grilled pork dipped in fish sauce), and banh da cua (pancake soup served with crab).

Nguyen Canh Chan in District 1 is home to a stack of eateries selling different fruits served on plates. Customers can order a combination of fresh fruits such as dragon fruit, papaya, mango, and watermelon plus yogurt, fresh milk, and shaved ice. It is a great treat for those who want to cool themselves in a hot day.

For those looking for better dining spaces, Ben Thanh street food market and Sense Market food court at Zone B of September 23 Park are highly recommended.

Source: Saigon Times

Vietnamese province designs packages in fight against counterfeit Chinese potatoes

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Potatoes imported from China have been detrimental to Vietnamese growers’ sale and engendered consumers’ mistrust toward this type of produce

The administration of a region in Vietnam’s Central Highlands has planned to create packaging for its own famous type of vegetable with a view to helping buyers differentiate its product from the counterfeit Chinese one, and safeguarding local farmers’ business.

Lam Dong Province is expected to deliver hundreds of thousands of packages to farmers of Da Lat potatoes – those grown with high quality in the provincial capital of Da Lat – in a bid to protect the reputation of the produce.

Emblazoned on the wrapping material are the trademark, distinctive colors and the slogan ‘Da Lat – Wonderful essence from fertile land,’ which has been used for local produce and handicrafts since late last year.

The packages are designed to contain two to five kilograms of potatoes each.

A farmer shows potatoes grown in Lam Dong Province, Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Photo: Tuoi Tre

The Lam Dong administration’s move is to respond to the licensed influx of Chinese potatoes, hundreds of tonnes annually, to the province, where many Vietnamese sellers give them a deceptive strong resemblance to the native vegetables.

The foreign potatoes, with dark yellow skin, are cleaned with water and covered with the red earth typical of the arable soil in the area.

To ordinary consumers’ eyes, the transformed vegetables look very similar to Da Lat potatoes, which have red skin or light yellow.

Before masquerading, Chinese potatoes fetch prices four or five times lower than those of Vietnamese ones, proving immensely lucrative for unscrupulous traders.

“Da Lat potatoes have had a good reputation for a long time. Now when they have their own packages, buyers can recognize and choose them without hesitation,” said Lai The Hung, an official from the provincial department of agriculture and rural development.

He was implicitly referring to the tendency that Vietnamese people keep an alert eye on any products made in China.

Chinese potatoes dominate the local market in the rainy season, when Vietnamese ones reach the bottom in production, noted Nguyen Hong Phong, director of a company in Lam Dong.

“Consumers are unwilling to buy potatoes whenever news spreads that Chinese potatoes pervade the market. We then take care of our potatoes in the fear that buyers won’t support us,” said Tran Huu Tho, a farmer growing potatoes in Da Lat for many years.

The government said they set their sights on cracking down on any attempt to put Chinese potatoes in packages meant specifically for the native vegetables.

A man handles a bag of Chinese potatoes. Photo: Tuoi Tre

Source: Tuoi Tre News

Hanoi suggests collecting fees in traffic jam hotpots

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Authorities in Hanoi have proposed the collection of fees from vehicles that enter frequently congested areas across the capital, as part of the efforts to alleviate traffic jams.

Vu Van Vien, director of the municipal Department of Transport, said that the agency had submitted a document to the Ministry of Transport regarding the proposal.

Vehicles that enter a congested zone will be required to pay a fee, which is aimed at easing gridlock in the capital city, Vien said.

“The plan has been listed in Resolution No. 4 on reducing traffic congestion and environmental pollution, which was previously approved by the Hanoi People’s Council in July 2017,” the official elaborated.

However, this type of fee has not been included in the current law, thus the transport ministry has been asked to review the plan and pass it to the central government and National Assembly for official approval, he continued.

This solution is considered necessary given the increasingly serious congestion across the city as well as the current conditions of infrastructure, Vien stressed.

According to an official from the Ministry of Transport, such a measure has been applied in many countries.

It can also be carried out across Vietnam as long as there is a specific law that supports the fee collection, he added.

The ministry will review the plan and gather feedback from relevant agencies before submitting it to the government and legislative body, the official stated.

Aside from the proposition, authorities in Hanoi are also set to implement additional measures, including adjusting parking fees depending on certain times and locations, and encouraging local schools to carry their students by shuttle bus.

Source: Tuoitrenews

Midfielder Luong Xuan Truong in Football Tribe’s Asia XI for March

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With his outstanding performance, Vietnamese midfielder Luong Xuan Truong has managed to enter Football-tribe.com’s Best XI list for March.

On their website, Football Tribe reported: “The 22-year-old was one of the most important players for Hoang Anh Gia Lai, opening the campaign with a goal and an assist. Truong also earned his 12th international cap in Vietnam’s Asian Cup qualifier in Jordan and is steadily raising his profile ahead of this fall’s AFF Suzuki Cup.”

Truong is the captain of Hoang Anh Gia Lai. He was also the captain of the national U23 squad.

He was a bridge for Vietnam during their match against Jordan at the Asian Cup, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Vietnam finished the qualification round with a second place in Group C.

Other players in Football Tribe’s list are goalkeeper Takuto Hayashi of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, right-back Vourica Ghafouri of Esteghlal, striker Safawi Rasid of Johor Darul Ta’rim and right-wing Stefan Mauk of Melbourne City.

Source: VNA

How is the Hoan Kiem turtle preserved?

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Modern plastination technology is helping the Vietnam National Museum of Nature to preserve the Hoan Kiem turtle.

The staff of the museum is completing the final steps of a two-year preservation process of the Hoan Kiem Lake.

The Hoan Kiem turtle died in January 2016 and was handed over to the museum for preservation. It was 185 cm long, with the shell of 100 cm wide, weighing 169 kilogram.

The cause of death was aging. The Hoan Kiem turtle is estimated at 200 years old.

Trung Minh, the head of the museum, received the turtle from the Hanoi Science & Technology Department and kept it in a room at minus 15 degrees Celsius.

After an urgent meeting about the preservation method, the Hanoi People’s Committee decided to apply plastination technology, advanced technology that keeps the complexion of the specimen and protects soft tissues.

“The contract signed between the local authorities and the museum sets a strict requirement that all the skin, bone and cartilage of the turtle must be preserved intact,” said Phan Ke Long, deputy director of the museum.

Plastination is a unique technique of tissue preservation developed by a German scientist in 1978. The plastination process includes four phases 1) fixation 2) removal of water and lipids 3) forced impregnation and 4) hardening. Water and lipids are replaced by special polymers.

In the first phase, the turtle was soaked in formaldehyde or other preservation solutions to help prevent tissue decomposition.

In the second step, after the dissection, the specimen was placed in an acetone tank. Under freezing conditions, acetone draws out all water and replaces the space inside of the cells.

In the third phase, the specimen was put into a liquid polymer tank, such as silicon rubber, polyester or epoxy resin. By creating a vacuum environment, acetone is boiled at a low temperature. As the acetone evaporates, empty cells penetrate liquid polymer, becoming cells filled with liquid.

Finally, polymer will be hardened with treatment in gas, heat or ultraviolet light.

Long said plastination is the right choice for the Hoan Kiem turtle because plastinates are dry, odourless, and durable enough for the broader public.

Also according to Long, the resin used for preservation is German made. The museum invited two German leading preservation specialists to help preserve the Hoan Kiem turtle. The specialists flew to Vietnam five times over the last two years.

Source: VNN