Latest news with #Lonsdale
STV News
18-07-2025
- Business
- STV News
Retail growth ‘fizzled out' last month, analysts find
Three months of growth in the Scottish retail sector 'fizzled out' in June, analysts have found. Total sales in Scotland decreased by 0.4% compared to June 2024, where they had also decreased by 3.4%, according to the Scottish Retail Sales Monitor. The Scottish Retail Consortium-KPMG analysis found the figure was well below the three-month average increase of 1.2%, and below the 12-month average rise of 0.1%. Adjusted for inflation, there was a year-on-year decrease of 0.8%. Food sales fell by 2.3% last month compared to the same time last year, when they had also decreased by 1.7%. Total non-food sales rose by 1.1% compared to June last year, when they decreased 4.8%. Adjusted for the effect of online sales, non-food sales rose by 2.1% in June. David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: 'Three consecutive months of growth in Scottish retail sales unfortunately fizzled out in June. 'Retail sales contracted by 0.4% during the month when compared with the same trading period the year before. 'This was perhaps less than surprising after the slump in shopper footfall in June, and with households continuing to prioritise experiences, such as holidays and concert-going rather than purchases of products.' Mr Lonsdale said the sale of gaming consoles and electric fans performed well amid new releases and sunny weather, while grocery sales declined and the sale of outdoor furniture and DIY equipment slowed, after a strong month in May. He added: 'Households are having to contend with a multitude of pressures which is seeing them spend selectively. 'Council tax and water bills have soared, inflation is increasing, and shop prices have started to rise. 'All this is putting a dampener on disposable spending. 'Hopefully this downturn in sales will prove temporary as retailers themselves grapple with a hotchpotch of cost pressures of their own, ranging from higher statutory costs for employing people to higher business rates and new levies on packaging.' Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, said: 'Non-food purchases saw modest growth in Scotland in June as consumers took advantage of summer promotions to buy home appliances and homeware goods, while the weather aided clothing sales. 'But a fall in food and drink spending saw monthly Scottish retail sales slightly down overall. 'Retailers will be hoping that the summer buying is not yet complete and that the pace picks up further in July and August as suitcases get packed and the sun hopefully keeps shining.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
Hamilton Spectator
16-07-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Private yachts can still travel through the Northwest Passage undetected
Inuit guardians are on the front lines of maintaining sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, but small yachts are still allowed to travel through Nunavut's waters undetected, experts told a conference in Iqaluit on June 26. Because Inuit monitoring teams don't have enforcement capabilities, any ships entering restricted waters in environmentally sensitive areas are simply referred to federal authorities, the Arctic Sovereignty and Security Summit heard. 'We observe and report because we don't have the power to observe a vessel unless Transport Canada comes in to do that kind of work, so we still have a gap there,' said Daniel Taukie, the Inuit Marine Monitoring Program coordinator at Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated. The summit heard several accounts of Inuit spotting vessels they didn't recognize, and asked experts where these ships were coming from. Unidentified vessels being spotted by local residents are likely private yachts that have turned off their tracking beacon, called an automated identification system (AIS). 'It's not mandatory for the smaller vessels to have AIS, but many have it due to safety reasons,' Steven Lonsdale, senior program manager at the Qikiqtani Inuit Association, told the audience. 'If we want to change that, we need to change the regulations.' Lonsdale said he's advocated for mandatory AIS on all ships in the Northwest Passage in the past, but that's still not a reality. However, the federal government will require all vessels to have permits before entering some marine conservation areas in the near future, Lonsdale said. Most of the pleasure craft are going to Eastern Baffin Island, and the High Arctic generally, to observe the mountains and lakes, according to Taukie. Both Taukie and Lonsdale praised Transport Canada and Parks Canada as productive partners in monitoring the Northwest Passage. Lonsdale explained how Inuit guardians, or Nauttiqsuqtiit, are using traditional knowledge and modern science to facilitate enhanced maritime situational awareness for Transport Canada. Nauttiqsuqtiit have learned the skills to survive in the wilderness, where they can use digital mapping software. 'They can create a digital fence anywhere, and if a ship is to cross that digital fence, they receive an alert on their cellphone as a text or an email,' Lonsdale said. Nunavummiut communities and Transport Canada then receive updates from the Nauttiqsuqtiit on where vessels are heading. The software only works, however, if the ships have their AIS system turned on. That remains a legal requirement for all maritime transport, apart from small pleasure craft, Taukie and Lonsdale explained. The cooperation between the federal government and Inuit peoples on monitoring the Northwest Passage and remaining stewards of the land is vital, said Suzanne Lalonde, professor of international law at the University of Montreal. Canada's claim over the Northwest Passage as internal waters — as opposed to an international shipping route — remains an open debate on the global stage. 'I'm worried that Canada's legal position, which is based on, founded on Inuit use and stewardship, might be tested,' Lalonde said. The most likely challenge against Canadian and Inuit sovereignty over the Northwest Passage is likely to come from the U.S., according to Lalonde. Sightings of unknown vessels in open or restricted waters cause concern among Nunavummiut communities, Jeannie Ehaloak, a former mayor of Cambridge Bay, told the summit. 'There was one summer where there was a big silver yacht or a ship that came into Cambridge Bay, and it just sat there, nobody came off, nobody got on,' Ehaloak said. 'Why were they there? Do we know who they are? Do we know what they're doing here?' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Politico
10-07-2025
- Business
- Politico
Palantir founder's plans for the FDA
FOLLOW THE MONEY Joe Lonsdale, co-founder of the large government contractor Palantir, wants to embed a team of 15 to 20 'elite engineers' inside the Food and Drug Administration who would 'accelerate the FDA's latest AI initiatives,' according to a post he wrote on Substack. The FDA recently announced that it has deployed an AI chatbot that will help staff speed up medical device and drug reviews. Lonsdale is working with two organizations, the Abundance Institute, a year-old Utah-based nonprofit that hopes to accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence, and Stand Together, a philanthropic organization founded by billionaire Charles Koch, to raise $4 million and train fellows who would be deployed at federal agencies. 'I'm sponsoring one of these AI-native engineers to help push this forward,' Lonsdale said on social media platform But, but, but … How can billionaires just drop a team of engineers and product managers into a government agency? Through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act, a 1970 law that allows the government to forgo typical hiring practices to bring on experts from academia and nonprofits; those fellows 'can sit desk‑to‑desk with reviewers,' according to Lonsdale. There's just one problem: 'This is not true,' said Andrew Nixon, spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services. The agency has no plans to take on fellows from Abundance Institute and Stand Together, he said. Christopher Koopman, CEO of the Abundance Institute, told Future Pulse his organization has had discussions about bringing on its fellows with the FDA. And he said that in speaking with former FDA officials, he's under the impression that slow review times are a technical problem. 'They're problems of capability, not authority. That's what sparked the idea: What if we could forward-deploy high-impact, AI-native engineers into the agency, not as outside critics but as inside contributors, to help build modern systems and workflows that empower the FDA to do what it's already allowed to do, only better and faster?' he said. Even so: The FDA has been hiring AI talent and rolled out an AI chatbot agencywide that Commissioner Marty Makary says will speed up review times. But agency staff have previously told POLITICO that the FDA's chatbot likely doesn't have the ability to do that. The challenges at the agency, they said, are more complicated than simply hiring more tech talent. WELCOME TO FUTURE PULSE This is where we explore the ideas and innovators shaping health care. Swedish security service members who shared details of their running and cycling routes on fitness app Strava revealed details of the prime minister's location, including his private address. Whoops! Share any thoughts, news, tips and feedback with Danny Nguyen at dnguyen@ Carmen Paun at cpaun@ Ruth Reader at rreader@ or Erin Schumaker at eschumaker@ Want to share a tip securely? Message us on Signal: Dannyn516.70, CarmenP.82, RuthReader.02 or ErinSchumaker.01. EXAM ROOM The National Institutes of Health will cap the amount that publishers of scientific journals can charge government-backed researchers to make their work publicly available starting in fiscal 2026, the agency said Tuesday. 'I am gravely concerned about the overall financial burden placed on the public — who may fund the original research, then pay again to access the resulting data, publications, or commercial products,' NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya said in a statement. 'In effect, taxpayers may bear multiple costs for innovations their contributions helped enable.' By the numbers: According to the NIH, some major publishers charge upward of $13,000 per article for immediate open access. The charges are in addition to subscription fees that the government pays. High publishing costs are a double hit to taxpayers who already fund underlying NIH research, the statement said. The NIH said one publisher receives $2 million in subscription fees from the agency and tens of millions in processing charges. The move is the latest in a series of changes related to the distribution of NIH research under Bhattacharya, who's criticized the scientific publishing ecosystem for a lack of transparency and for favoring risk-averse studies. In April, the agency moved up the timeline for making peer-reviewed NIH-funded research publicly available immediately without an embargo. The policy went into effect on July 1. Big picture: Bhattacharya's boss, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is not a fan of major scientific journals. During a conversation on the 'Ultimate Human' podcast in May, Kennedy accused The New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA and The Lancet of being 'corrupt' and publishing studies funded and approved by pharmaceutical companies. 'Unless those journals change dramatically, we are going to stop NIH scientists from publishing in them, and we're going to create our own journals in-house,' Kennedy said. At the time, a JAMA spokesperson said the journal had nothing to add when asked about Kennedy's remarks, while NEJM and The Lancet did not respond to requests for comment. HHS also did not respond to requests for comment. Earlier this year, Bhattacharya and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary helped launch a publication, the Journal of the Academy of Public Health, to help promote open conversation among scientists. Both officials are on leave from the journal's editorial board.
Business Insider
03-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Anduril CEO Palmer Luckey's new digital banking startup set to be valued at $2 billion, sources say
Anduril cofounder and CEO Palmer Luckey is launching another startup with a "Lord of the Rings"-inspired name. It already has a hefty price tag. Erebor, a digital bank aimed at startups and cryptocurrency companies, which might sound a little like the infamous Silicon Valley Bank, is raising at least $225 million at a $2 billion valuation, according to people familiar with the deal. Founders Fund, the venture firm run by Palantir cofounder Peter Thiel, and 8VC, led by fellow Palantir cofounder Joe Lonsdale, are investing in the company, the people who weren't authorized to speak publicly on the matter said. The fundraise is ongoing, and details could still change. 8VC, Founders Fund and Palmer Luckey did not respond to requests for comment. Erebor — like Luckey's Anduril as well as Lonsdale and Thiel's Palantir — takes its name from JRR Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings." In the book, Erebor is the "Lonely Mountain," a kingdom known for its treasure. The startup recently applied for a US bank charter that would let it operate as a regulated bank. It plans to provide services such as crypto-collateralized lending to startups and crypto clients, according to documents viewed by Business Insider. Luckey founded Erebor. Jacob Hirshman, who previously worked at stablecoin issuer Circle, and Owen Rapaport, who cofounded now-acquired crypto-monitoring company Aer Compliance, will lead the bank as co-CEOs, the documents said. Mike Hagedorn, previously senior executive vice president and chief financial officer of Valley National Bank, will be the startup's president, according to his LinkedIn. Hirshman declined to comment. Rapaport and Hagedorn did not respond to requests for comment. Luckey is also the CEO of Anduril Industries, a defense tech giant he cofounded in 2017 that raised $2.5 billion at a $30.5 billion valuation in June. He also founded virtual reality company Oculus in 2012 at 19 years old and sold it to Facebook, now Meta Platforms, for $2 billion two years later. In 2016, Luckey was fired from Meta after donating $10,000 to a pro-Donald Trump meme group. (Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg have denied that Luckey left over his politics, and the two teamed up again in May, announcing an Anduril-Meta US military partnership.) Both Lonsdale and Thiel — who lead the venture firms backing Erebor — have supported President Trump. Thiel contributed over $1 million to pro-Trump super PACs and his 2016 campaign, according to the New York Times. Lonsdale has backed the America PAC, which supported Trump's 2024 reelection campaign, the Financial Times reported. In the first few months of his second term, Trump made moves to support the crypto industry, like creating a strategic bitcoin reserve and appointing venture capitalist David Sacks as Crypto Czar. And Wall Street interest in crypto is on the rise after Circle's IPO in June. Shares in Circle are up over 113% since its public market debut as of the Wednesday close.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Public warned 'do not approach' missing man last seen leaving Newham hospital
The public was been warned not to approach a missing man last seen leaving a hospital in Newham. Anyone who sees him is being asked to call 999 at the first instance. Kenneth, who uses a wheelchair, was last spotted leaving Newham University Hospital, in Plaistow, at 6.20pm yesterday (Monday, May 26). He was last seen wearing a grey Lonsdale hoodie, black jeans and jacket. Police have warned the public not to approach him and instead to call 999 if they spot him. READ MORE: Boy, 17, may have life-changing injuries after Rainham stabbing with attacker on the loose READ MORE: Victim broke spine in balcony jump after knifepoint torture and rape threat over £15k savings #MISSING | Kenneth was last seen leaving Newham University Hospital in Plaistow at 6.20pm on 26 May. He was wearing a grey Lonsdale hoodie, black jeans and jacket. He uses a you see him, please do not approach him, but call 999 quoting CAD 252/26May. — Newham MPS | North East BCU (@MPSNewham) May 27, 2025 A spokesperson for Newham MPS posted to X: "Kenneth was last seen leaving Newham University Hospital in Plaistow at 6.20pm on 26 May. He was wearing a grey Lonsdale hoodie, black jeans and jacket. "He uses a wheelchair. If you see him, please do not approach him, but call 999 quoting CAD 252/26May." Got a story? Please get in touch at Looking for more from MyLondon? Subscribe to our daily newsletters here for the latest and greatest updates from across London.
