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Row brewing as Jeremy Hunt shakes up pensions to keep doctors in work

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

LONDON — Contentious new pension measures in Jeremy Hunt’s budget — aimed at keeping senior doctors in work — have been described as a “huge giveaway” to the rich by the opposition Labour Party.In his spring budget announcement Wednesday, the U.K. chancellor said he was scrapping the pension “lifetime allowance” — the maximum amount it is possible to save in a pension pot before paying additional tax.Hunt framed the measure as a way keeping of keeping people in the U.K. workforce, particularly long-serving doctors who have warned they are paring back hours or retiring early to avoid being clobbered by the tax.But critics say Hunt’s move will be costly and are already questioning the difference it will make in keeping people in the labor market.“The announcement today is a huge giveaway to some of the very wealthiest,” Labour leader Keir Starmer told the House of Commons.The soon-to-be-abolished lifetime allowan...

Germany pitches e-fuel fix in car engine standoff with Brussels

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

BERLIN — The German government tried to defuse a growing conflict with the EU by proposing changes to green transport legislation in a letter sent Wednesday to the European Commission, according to an official who has seen the letter.The idea is to create a loophole for the continued sale of combustion engine cars after 2035 despite EU plans for a ban from that year.Berlin, along with allies, has dug in its heels over the 2035 measure, threatening to blow up already agreed EU car emissions legislation at the last minute.In a bid to defuse the standoff ahead of next week’s EU leaders’ summit, the German government sent a letter to the Commission spelling out what it wants in return for lifting its blockade. Environment ministers meet on Thursday for talks on heavy vehicle pollutant emission standards.The proposal includes carving out criteria for vehicles running only on e-fuels — synthetic alternatives to fossil fuels made from hydrogen and CO2 that can be used in t...

The lobbying effort to save the EU’s fossil boiler industry

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

There’s a boiler-sized loophole in proposed rules for renovating buildings to make them more efficient — and NGOs say that’s the result of industry lobbying.When the European Parliament voted Tuesday on a proposed a revision of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), MEPs agreed to phase out fossil fuel-fired boilers from households by 2040 at the latest — but with a catch. They added an amendment that will allow boilers in new buildings as long as they’re certified to run on renewable fuels like biofuels or hydrogen.Ahead of the vote, there was an intensive lobbying effort by boiler companies keen to ensure their industry isn’t wiped out in the effort to slash greenhouse gas emissions from buildings, according to a new report by NGOs European Environmental Bureau, the Environmental Coalition on Standards and Green Transition Denmark.The NGO report says that Liquid Gas Europe, a lobby group for EU liquid petroleum gas firms, created Rural Future...

The US has a new favorite dog breed — and it’s not the Labrador Retriever

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

(CNN) — Move over, Labrador Retrievers. There’s a new top dog in town.For the first time in 31 years, the Labrador Retriever has been unseated as the most popular dog breed in the US, according to the American Kennel Club’s 2022 registration statistics. In its place sits the cute and compact French Bulldog.The French Bulldog has been steadily climbing the AKC’s rankings over the last decades, hitting No. 14 in 2012. In 2021, the breed held the No. 2 spot, behind the popular labs but ahead of Golden Retrievers.Who, after all, can resist their adorable bat-like ears and wrinkly nose? The breed has become a favorite among celebrities, beloved by everyone from Reese Witherspoon to Megan Thee Stallion.Part of what makes this breed so easy to love is its small size and quiet demeanor, according to the AKC. French Bulldogs aren’t typically prone to barking and don’t need as much exercise as larger dogs, making them a good fit for those living i...

Welterweights Callum Walsh, Wesley Tucker ready to rumble

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

Tom Loeffler got the phone call no boxing promoter wants to receive after all the pieces of his Hollywood Fight Night Boston promotion were in place.The president of Los Angeles-based 360 Promotions was bringing boxing back to Boston headlined by an ambitious and charismatic young fighter from Ireland under the tutelage of a Hall of Fame trainer from Dedham.Loeffler put together a main event with a European accent when he matched Callum “King” Walsh (5-0, 4 KO’s) from Cork, Ireland, against Spaniard Leonardo Di Stefano Ruiz (10-1, 9KO’s) set for Thursday night at BU’s Agganis Arena.Walsh is trained by legendary cornerman Freddie Roach, the force behind a litany of world champions across all weight classes. The two operate out of the Wild Card Boxing gym in Hollywood, Calif.“With Ruiz, he broke his finger,” said Loeffler during a media gathering on Tuesday at West Side Johnnie’s in the North End. “He broke his finger sparring unfortunately and that is one of the hazards of the job wi...

Dolphins re-sign veteran offensive tackle Kendall Lamm

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

The Miami Dolphins are bringing back veteran reserve tackle Kendall Lamm in 2023 as the team announced his re-signing Wednesday afternoon.Lamm, who has 87 games of NFL experience, was a midseason practice squad signing last year that was eventually called up to the active roster as Miami dealt with multiple injuries at tackle. He started the Jan. 1 game at the New England Patriots but left with an ankle injury.Before landing with the Dolphins, Lamm had played his previous seven NFL seasons for three different franchises — the Houston Texans (2015-18), Cleveland Browns (2019-20) and Tennessee Titans (2021), plus 2022 training camp with the Lions.He appeared to move ahead of fellow reserve tackle Greg Little when he started over him against the Patriots. The Dolphins have Little, Brandon Shell and Eric Fisher as depth tackles who are free agents.Miami also announced the re-signing of running back Raheem Mostert after news he and Jeff Wilson were returning as the backfield tandem...

Taking lessons learned during COVID-19 pandemic, new program will perform more double lung transplants for terminal patients

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

Lisa Schencker | (TNS) Chicago TribuneWhen traditional treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation fail, lung cancer can be a death sentence for many patients.That, however, may be changing, with Northwestern Medicine leading the way.Northwestern plans to begin regularly performing double lung transplants on patients with terminal lung cancer, after successfully transplanting lungs into two patients who would have otherwise died of the disease, the health system announced Wednesday.Northwestern surgeons successfully performed a double lung transplant on Albert Khoury, then 54 of Chicago, in 2021, after he was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. Northwestern then performed a second similar transplant on Tannaz Ameli, 64, of Minneapolis, last July. Moving forward, Northwestern hopes to do at least 10 to 15 such transplants a year. The outcomes of the first 75 patients to participate will be tracked in a new research registry available on ClinicalTrials.gov.“We are really excited abo...

Murder warrant issued for Boston suspect in stabbing murder of Malden 79-year-old man

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

Authorities have issued a murder warrant against a suspect who they earlier only hinted at being the perpetrator of a “suspicious” stabbing death of a 79-year-old Malden man.Malden Police on Feb. 22 at around 2 p.m. were dispatched to an apartment building on Kennedy Drive for a strange odor coming from a second-floor apartment, according to the Middlesex DA’s office. In that apartment, they found resident Ronald Gilbert, 79, dead on the floor.During this investigation, investigators say that Gilbert’s car was stolen, but that they were able to find it and issued a warrant for larceny against Dion Smith, 33 of Boston. On Wednesday, they upgraded that warrant to a charge of murder.“The investigation has also revealed that Smith was not a resident of the building and the two did not appear to be known to each other,” according to the Wednesday statement.The Middlesex DA’s office noted in their earlier March 2 statement that it looked like Gilbert had been dead “for some time” and earl...

Guregian: Aaron Rodgers ‘intention’ to be a Jet heightens Patriots’ plight

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

Aaron Rodgers said he intends to be a New York Jet. As in, a twice-a-year problem for the Patriots.As in, kiss those automatic two wins a year goodbye.Since that cat has been out of the bag for quite some time, the news Rodgers provided on “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday wasn’t necessarily a surprise.But technically, it’s not done. There are still details to be worked out. There’s no official trade just yet.But the Packers want him gone, he wants out of Green Bay, and the Jets are desperate to get him. So barring another team swooping in at the last second, it’s basically done.Cutting to the chase, this would be — on paper at least — a game-changing move for the Jets. And by extension, a not-so-great development for the Patriots.The perennial AFC East cellar-dwelling Jets, who are convinced they are a quarterback away from being a legitimate contender, are on the precipice of landing one of the best.In theory, Rodgers, a Super Bowl winner and one of the...

Wellesley College students call for admission of trans men

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:24 GMT

A fierce debate at Wellesley College over who should be admitted to the women’s school has intensified with students approving a referendum to allow the admission of transgender men and nonbinary people who do not identify and live as women.While Tuesday’s vote is nonbinding and the administration has already said it has no plans to change its current admissions policy, the issue has roiled the campus just west of Boston.College president Paula Johnson, senior leadership and trustees acknowledged the vote in a statement and said, “the college will continue to engage all students, including transgender male and nonbinary students, in the important work of building an inclusive academic community where everyone feels they belong.”Wellesley’s current policy allows for the admission of students who live and identify as women, and since 2017 the school has admitted transgender women.Johnson in a March 6 email to the campus community expressed support for the...