Technology June 13: Government demarcates authority in the field of science and technology

The Government defines the authority of the field of science and technology.

The Government has just issued Decree No. 132/2025/ND-CP and Decree No. 133/2025/ND-CP dated June 12, 2025, stipulating the division of authority between the provincial and communal levels; expanding decentralization and delegation to the Provincial People's Committee and the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, in order to enhance the initiative of localities in the field of State management of science and technology (S&T). This Decree aims to streamline the apparatus, improve management effectiveness and support socio -economic development.

The People's Committee at the commune level performs State management of product and goods quality in the area. (Illustration photo)

Decree No. 133/2025/ND-CP decentralizes 16 tasks and decentralizes 62 tasks, including telecommunications licensing, intellectual property, technology transfer, radio frequency management and innovation.

This regulation helps localities decide, implement and take responsibility, while the Ministry of Science and Technology plays a role in monitoring and providing technical support; at the same time, administrative reform is promoted to simplify procedures, improve management effectiveness and promote digital transformation nationwide.

The tasks of the People's Committee at the commune level include: Checking and measuring, supervising product quality, managing information technology applications and providing information on the network environment. The People's Committee at the provincial level is responsible for guiding, checking and supervising the management of science and technology at the commune level.

The Decree takes effect from July 1, 2025 to March 1, 2027, helping local authorities operate more effectively, avoid overlapping responsibilities, and promote innovation and digital transformation.

Whole Foods suffers shortages due to cyberattack

A cyberattack on major organic food distributor United Natural Foods Inc. (UNFI) has left Whole Foods stores across the U.S. short of supplies. The incident, which occurred on June 5, forced UNFI to shut down some of its systems, disrupting food distribution.

Whole Foods employees reported empty shelves and some counters were even closed due to lack of ingredients. UNFI has not announced a full recovery timeframe, but has begun restoring some systems. The cyberattack is part of a recent wave of ransomware attacks targeting major retailers.

A Whole Foods booth. (Illustration photo)

Marks & Spencer, Co-op, and Harrods in the UK were all hit by hackers, causing business disruption, customer data leaks, and internet access restrictions.

According to Google, the attacks were linked to a group called Scattered Spider, a group of young English-speaking men who spoof their identities to gain access to internal systems. The group broke into Las Vegas casinos in 2023 and is now targeting US retailers.

Victoria's Secret was also the victim of a cyberattack in May, but it's unclear whether it was caused by the same group of hackers.

Europeans concerned about digital privacy

A new survey by Samsung Electronics found that nearly 90% of Europeans are concerned about privacy when using technology. They would be more open to artificial intelligence (AI) if they were assured that their personal data was protected. Additionally, 62% of respondents said they would use AI more if they understood the benefits it would bring to their lives.

The survey also highlighted the fact that many people are concerned about privacy on their phones but less concerned about other smart devices in their homes, such as robot vacuums or smart refrigerators. 18% of users refuse to share data between devices due to security concerns, limiting the potential use of the technology.

Tech companies are racing to integrate AI into their products, but the controversy over collecting data from the internet to train AI remains a hot issue, leading to many lawsuits over copyright and privacy.

The survey, conducted in April with more than 8,000 people from the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Croatia and Greece, reflects a growing trend among consumers to be cautious with personal data in the AI era.

Anker recalls more than 1.1 million power banks

Anker is recalling the PowerCore 10000 (model A1263) after receiving 19 reports of fires, minor burns, and property damage totaling more than $60,700. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, approximately 1,158,000 of the products were sold between June 2016 and December 2022 on Amazon, Newegg, and eBay.

Users can check to see if their product is affected by visiting Anker’s website. The company is offering a $30 gift card or a replacement battery (model A1388) to customers with recalled devices.

Anker recommends that users do not throw rechargeable batteries in the trash but bring them to lithium-ion battery processing facilities to ensure safety.

Minh Hoan

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/cong-nghe-13-6-chinh-phu-phan-dinh-tham-quyen-linh-vuc-kh-cn-ar948622.html