Category: 3. Business

Six people have died as snow, ice and freezing temperatures continue to wreak havoc across parts of Europe.

Authorities in the Landes region of south-west France said three people died and 15 were injured in road accidents on Tuesday, while two more were killed in accidents in the Paris area. One driver died in hospital on Monday night after veering into the Marne River and another was killed after a collision with a heavy goods vehicle in the east of the French capital.

In the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo, a woman died on Monday after a snow-covered tree branch fell on her head.

Many flights will be cancelled from Paris’s two main airports, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly, early on Wednesday to allow ground crews to clear snow from runways and de-ice planes. About 40% of flights at Charles de Gaulle were expected to be scrapped and 25% at Orly.

Paris awoke on Tuesday to a blanket of snow on rooftops and monuments.

In the Netherlands, hundreds of flights were cancelled at Amsterdam’s Schiphol airport as staff worked to clear runways and de-ice planes. Rail travellers in the country faced chaos after domestic services were suspended early on Tuesday due to an IT outage, compounding the disruption caused by the weather.

Eurostar services to Paris from Amsterdam were either cancelled or running late.

Freezing temperatures have gripped much of Europe, with the thermometer plunging well below -10C (14F) in south and east Germany early on Tuesday. German meteorologists have forecast a storm in the country on Friday, with heavy snowfall expected in the north and east.

In Britain, temperatures fell to -12.5C overnight, with snow disrupting rail, road and air travel and forcing the closure of hundreds of schools across northern regions.

Temperatures in lowland areas of northern Italy have fallen below freezing, with snow expected in the medium- to low-altitude areas of Emilia-Romagna, Marche and Tuscany on Tuesday.

Central and southern regions in Italy are experiencing mild winds that are bringing heavy rain. Incessant rain in Rome has swollen the banks of the Tiber River, putting a dampener on Pope Leo’s Epiphany blessing in St Peter’s Square, which was only partly full as a few thousand people crowded under umbrellas.

Roberto Gualtieri, the mayor of Rome, issued an ordinance for Tuesday limiting public access to parks and other areas at risk of falling trees and flooding. Two huge pine trees have fallen in recent days due to the severe weather in the Italian capital – one on Via dei Fori Imperiali, close to the Colosseum, the other on Via Appia Nuova.

Heavy snow and heavy rain have swept through Balkan countries, swelling rivers and causing traffic problems and disrupting power and water supplies.

In Serbia, some local authorities in the country’s west introduced emergency measures due to the severe weather while warning drivers to take care as many set off toward skiing resorts or elsewhere for Orthodox Christmas on Wednesday and the upcoming weekend.

Heavy wind and stormy seas have battered the Adriatic coastline in Croatia and Montenegro.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | January 6, 2026

Media Contact
Cynthia Martinez, Chief Strategy Officer
Travis Central Appraisal District
[email protected] 

AUSTIN, Texas – The Travis Central Appraisal District (TCAD) is reminding property owners who own and live on a property to save money on their property tax bill by filing for their homestead exemptions.

“In 2025, having a homestead exemption saved the average Travis County property owner $3,663 on their property tax bill,” said Chief Appraiser Leana Mann. “If you’re not claiming your exemptions, you’re paying too much in property taxes.”

A homestead exemption can provide significant property tax savings for homeowners by reducing the taxable value of their primary residence. Homeowners who purchased a home in 2025 or who have not previously applied for a homestead exemption are encouraged to apply as soon as they qualify. The application form must be accompanied by a copy of a Texas driver’s license or identification card reflecting the property’s address. Filing for an exemption is free.

Several types of homestead exemptions are available, including a general residence homestead exemption and exemptions for people over the age of 65, people and veterans with disabilities, and the surviving spouses of service members or first responders killed in the line of duty. To be eligible for a homestead exemption, a property owner must own and occupy a property.

Additionally, property owners who began claiming a homestead exemption on their property from 2010 to 2019 will be included in the District’s exemption verification program for 2026. The verification process ensures exemptions are applied only to eligible properties, as required by state law. If a homeowner needs to provide any information to the District as part of the verification process, they will be notified directly. No action is required unless a taxpayer receives a notice from TCAD.

Added Mann, “Property owners who need help with their forms should never pay someone to assist them. Our staff is always available to help.”

TCAD’s homestead exemption hotline is available to provide property owners with assistance in completing their applications and verifications. By calling 512-873-1560, Travis County residents can speak with a customer service representative who can answer their questions and help with submitting completed forms. The helpline is staffed Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Travis County property owners can view the current exemptions on their property, review a list of available homestead exemptions, and download or complete exemption application forms online at traviscad.org/homesteadexemptions. More information on the exemption verification process is available at traviscad.org/verify.

About the Travis Central Appraisal District

The mission of Travis Central Appraisal District, in accordance with the Texas Constitution and the laws of the state, is to provide accurate appraisal of all property in Travis County at one hundred percent market value, equally and uniformly, in a professional, ethical, economical and courteous manner, working to ensure that each taxpayer pays only their fair share of the property tax burden. For more information, please visit traviscad.org.

###

An innovative collaboration between St. Joseph’s Health Centre and St. Michael’s Hospital has streamlined care and shortened lengths of stay for emergency department patients in Toronto’s west end.

Launched last year, the overnight CT reporting project speeds up access to CT scan results for emergency patients at St. Joseph’s. The project supports clinicians requiring overnight access to CT scans to diagnose and address everything from head injuries to bleeding and fractures.

At St. Joseph’s, emergency patients used to have to wait until daytime hours to have a CT scan and get the results. Noticing that this was causing long stays for patients in the department, the St. Joseph’s team partnered with the St. Michael’s Radiologist practice, Toronto Radiology, at the Department of Medical Imaging to speed up the imaging process.

Enjoying this story? Sign up for the Unity Health Toronto newsletter, a monthly update on the latest news, stories, patient voices and research emailed directly to subscribers. 

St. Michael’s, a Level 1 trauma centre, has had an Emergency Radiology division as part of its Radiologist practice for the past 6 years. Radiologists are available day and night to interpret scans for critical cases.

“We identified this collaborative opportunity for our St. Michael’s emergency radiologists, who were already here in the hospital overnight. Now they’re able to help patients across Unity Health and decrease the emergency department length of stay at St. Joseph’s Heath Centre,” says Dr. Anish Kirpalani, Chief of the Department of Medical Imaging at St. Michael’s.

St. Joseph’s now has a technologist on site to run CTs for patients overnight, and the scans are then securely sent to the emergency radiologists, led by Dr. Robert Moreland, at St. Michael’s to interpret. Rather than waiting for hours, or even coming back the next day, St. Joseph’s providers and patients now have access to timely scans.

Dr. Tara Williams, Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at St. Joseph’s, says the program is an example of cross-site collaboration “working for the greater good.”

“It has been a highly successful collaboration between the two hospital groups and has improved patient care,” says Williams.

Because of the success of the program right from launch, the two hospitals have continued to work together to sustain overnight reporting. Emergency physicians and staff at St. Joseph’s are excited by the partnership and the efficiency it has created for patients, who now have their scans interpreted in as little as an hour depending on capacity and demand.

Dr. Joan Cheng, Chief of the Emergency Department at St. Joseph’s, says that the program has allowed her team to make diagnoses while improving safety and outcomes for patients. It has been a game changer in terms of speed and efficiency for the department.

“Emergency care doesn’t stop when the sun goes down,” says Cheng. “And now neither does access to advanced imaging.”

By Olivia Lavery

Photo by Katie Cooper

Acquisition Adds Differentiated Investigational Molecule Designed to Treat Acute Myeloid Leukemia

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., Jan. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced its acquisition of Dark Blue Therapeutics Ltd., a privately held biotechnology company based in the United Kingdom advancing first-in-class, small molecule-targeted protein degraders for oncology, in a transaction valued at up to $840 million.  

The acquisition adds to Amgen‘s portfolio an investigational small molecule that targets and degrades two proteins (MLLT1/3) that drive specific types of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), a fast-growing blood cancer. Preclinical data in leukemia models demonstrate promising anti-cancer activity and mechanistic differentiation from currently available therapies, establishing the rationale for single-agent and combination use to overcome treatment resistance and enhance durability of remission.

“Acute myeloid leukemia remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat, and we see an urgent need for new mechanisms capable of changing the trajectory of this disease,” said Jay Bradner, M.D., executive vice president of Research and Development at Amgen. “This acquisition complements and extends our research in targeted protein degradation and leukemia therapeutics, advancing our strategy to invest early in rising medicines for novel therapeutic targets. The adjacency of this program to our considered expertise in cancer biology will propel MLLT1/3-targeting medicines to clinical investigation for patients facing the challenging diagnosis of AML.”

Amgen expects to integrate Dark Blue Therapeutics into its existing research organization, further strengthening the company’s early oncology discovery efforts.

About Amgen   
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative medicines to help millions of patients in their fight against some of the world’s toughest diseases. More than 40 years ago, Amgen helped to establish the biotechnology industry and remains on the cutting-edge of innovation, using technology and human genetic data to push beyond what’s known today. Amgen is advancing a broad and deep pipeline that builds on its existing portfolio of medicines to treat cancer, heart disease, osteoporosis, inflammatory diseases and rare diseases.  

In 2024, Amgen was named one of the “World’s Most Innovative Companies” by Fast Company and one of “America’s Best Large Employers” by Forbes, among other external recognitions. Amgen is one of the 30 companies that comprise the Dow Jones Industrial Average^®, and it is also part of the Nasdaq-100 Index^®, which includes the largest and most innovative non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market based on market capitalization. 

For more information, visit Amgen.com and follow Amgen on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube and Threads.  

Amgen Forward-Looking Statements 
This news release contains forward-looking statements that are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Amgen. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including any statements on the outcome, benefits and synergies of collaborations, or potential collaborations, with any other company (including BeOne Medicines Ltd. or Kyowa Kirin Co., Ltd.), the performance of Otezla® (apremilast), our acquisitions of ChemoCentryx, Inc. or Horizon Therapeutics plc (including the prospective performance and outlook of Horizon’s business, performance and opportunities, and any potential strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities expected as a result of such acquisition), as well as estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial metrics, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, reimbursement activities and outcomes, effects of pandemics or other widespread health problems on our business, outcomes, progress, and other such estimates and results. Forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties, including those discussed below and more fully described in the Securities and Exchange Commission reports filed by Amgen, including our most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequent periodic reports on Form 10-Q and current reports on Form 8-K. Unless otherwise noted, Amgen is providing this information as of the date of this news release and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this document as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed and actual results may differ materially from those we project. Our results may be affected by our ability to successfully market both new and existing products domestically and internationally, clinical and regulatory developments involving current and future products, sales growth of recently launched products, competition from other products including biosimilars, difficulties or delays in manufacturing our products and global economic conditions, including those resulting from geopolitical relations and government actions. In addition, sales of our products are affected by pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny and reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers, including governments, private insurance plans and managed care providers and may be affected by regulatory, clinical and guideline developments and domestic and international trends toward managed care and healthcare cost containment. Furthermore, our research, testing, pricing, marketing and other operations are subject to extensive regulation by domestic and foreign government regulatory authorities. We or others could identify safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with our products, including our devices, after they are on the market. Our business may be impacted by government investigations, litigation and product liability claims. In addition, our business may be impacted by the adoption of new tax legislation or exposure to additional tax liabilities. Further, while we routinely obtain patents for our products and technology, the protection offered by our patents and patent applications may be challenged, invalidated or circumvented by our competitors, or we may fail to prevail in present and future intellectual property litigation. We perform a substantial amount of our commercial manufacturing activities at a few key facilities, including in Puerto Rico, and also depend on third parties for a portion of our manufacturing activities, and limits on supply may constrain sales of certain of our current products and product candidate development. An outbreak of disease or similar public health threat, and the public and governmental effort to mitigate against the spread of such disease, could have a significant adverse effect on the supply of materials for our manufacturing activities, the distribution of our products, the commercialization of our product candidates, and our clinical trial operations, and any such events may have a material adverse effect on our product development, product sales, business and results of operations. We rely on collaborations with third parties for the development of some of our product candidates and for the commercialization and sales of some of our commercial products. In addition, we compete with other companies with respect to many of our marketed products as well as for the discovery and development of new products. Discovery or identification of new product candidates or development of new indications for existing products cannot be guaranteed and movement from concept to product is uncertain; consequently, there can be no guarantee that any particular product candidate or development of a new indication for an existing product will be successful and become a commercial product. Further, some raw materials, medical devices and component parts for our products are supplied by sole third-party suppliers. Certain of our distributors, customers and payers have substantial purchasing leverage in their dealings with us. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of our products that implicate an entire class of products could have a material adverse effect on sales of the affected products and on our business and results of operations. Our efforts to collaborate with or acquire other companies, products or technology, and to integrate the operations of companies or to support the products or technology we have acquired, may not be successful. There can be no guarantee that we will be able to realize any of the strategic benefits, synergies or opportunities arising from the Horizon acquisition, and such benefits, synergies or opportunities may take longer to realize than expected. We may not be able to successfully integrate Horizon, and such integration may take longer, be more difficult or cost more than expected. A breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach of our information technology systems could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of our systems and our data. Our stock price is volatile and may be affected by a number of events. Our business and operations may be negatively affected by the failure, or perceived failure, of achieving our sustainability objectives. The effects of global climate change and related natural disasters could negatively affect our business and operations. Global economic conditions may magnify certain risks that affect our business. Our business performance could affect or limit the ability of our Board of Directors to declare a dividend or our ability to pay a dividend or repurchase our common stock. We may not be able to access the capital and credit markets on terms that are favorable to us, or at all.

CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand OaksElissa Snook, 609-251-1407 (media) Casey Capparelli, 805-447-1746 (investors)  

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/amgen-acquires-dark-blue-therapeutics-bolstering-oncology-pipeline-302652998.html

SOURCE Amgen

All Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) households will soon benefit from weekly food waste collections as the council prepares to launch a new service from the 6 April 2026.

This means that all Poole homes and flats in Bournemouth which don’t yet have food waste collection, will soon get weekly pick-ups – joining all the other householders across Bournemouth and Christchurch who are already able to recycle their food waste.

The new service will be rolled out to more than 100,000 households.

The update comes as part of the UK Government’s Simpler Recycling reforms, designed to make recycling easier and more consistent across England For BCP residents, these changes mean a consistent food waste recycling service for everyone, so no matter where you live the rules will be the same and recycling will be simpler.

From January to March 2026, all households in Poole and flats in Bournemouth will be delivered everything they need to get started. Individual households will receive a kitchen caddy and an external food waste bin, and flats will receive a kitchen caddy and communal external food waste bin.

The new food waste collection service will start from 6 April 2026. Food waste will be collected every week on the same day as your rubbish and recycling by a separate lorry. This makes it easy for everyone to recycle as part of their daily routine.

What happens to your food waste after it’s collected?

This ensures that every food scrap collected becomes a beneficial resource for the region.

Councillor Andy Hadley, Cabinet Member for Sustainability and Environment said: 

“Most people in BCP already recycle, and these changes will make it even simpler. By having one clear system for everyone, we’re removing confusion and making recycling part of everyday life.

“Our aim is to help everyone to recycle more and every effort you make – big or small – makes a difference. Being mindful of the food you throw away, and finding ways to cut back on this waste, will also save you money. On average, households in the UK discard £700 worth of edible food every year!”

Around 30% of our household rubbish bin contents are food waste and separating this out cuts down on the amount of waste that ends up in landfill or other disposal sites – reducing greenhouse gas emissions which have a harmful impact on the environment.

Every bit of food waste recycled helps cut council spending – meaning more money can go towards services that benefit everyone in the community.

Residents who are already composting at home do not need to change this. Home composting is the best way to deal with uncooked food waste such as fruit and vegetable peelings. The new food waste recycling service will collect anything you don’t compost at home such as meat, fish, bones, cooked food, dairy products.

For more details about the new food waste recycling service, please visit bcpcouncil.gov.uk/new-food-waste-collections

Together, we can create positive change—one peel at a time.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said Elon Musk’s X must urgently deal with its artificial intelligence Grok being used to create sexualised deepfake images.

She backed regulator Ofcom, which is looking into X and xAI, the firm founded by Mr Musk which created Grok, to take “any enforcement action” deemed necessary.

Users of social media platform X appear to have prompted Grok to generate images of children “in minimal clothing”.

A post on the Grok X account said that there have been “isolated cases where users prompted for and received AI images depicting minors in minimal clothing”, and added: “xAI has safeguards, but improvements are ongoing to block such requests entirely.”

Ms Kendall said: “What we have been seeing online in recent days has been absolutely appalling, and unacceptable in decent society.

“No one should have to go through the ordeal of seeing intimate deepfakes of themselves online.

“We cannot and will not allow the proliferation of these demeaning and degrading images, which are disproportionately aimed at women and girls.

“X needs to deal with this urgently.

“It is absolutely right that Ofcom is looking into this as a matter of urgency and it has my full backing to take any enforcement action it deems necessary.”

Ms Kendall said efforts to curb the spread of fake nude images were not about restricting freedom of expression.

Donald Trump’s US administration has hit out at European regulators and online safety campaigners for attempts to regulate what appears online on American platforms.

But Ms Kendall said: “Services and operators have a clear obligation to act appropriately. This is not about restricting freedom of speech but upholding the law.

“We have made intimate image abuse and cyberflashing priority offences under the Online Safety Act – including where images are AI-generated. This means platforms must prevent such content from appearing online and act swiftly to remove it if it does.

“Violence against women and girls stains our society – and that is why we have also legislated to ban the creation of explicit deepfakes without consent, which are both degrading and harmful.

“Make no mistake – the UK will not tolerate the endless proliferation of disgusting and abusive material online. We must all come together to stamp it out.”

In response to a Press Association request for a comment on Ms Kendall’s statement, an automated response from xAI said: “Legacy media lies.”

But Grok’s account on X responded by saying: “We appreciate the feedback and take concerns about deepfakes seriously. xAI is actively enhancing Grok’s safeguards to prevent harmful content, including better blocking of inappropriate prompts.

“We’re committed to complying with regulations and supporting a safer online environment.”

Tech tycoon Mr Musk has previously insisted that “anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they uploaded illegal content”.

X has said it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material “by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary”.

The Centre of Expertise on child sexual abuse (CSA Centre), which is funded by the Home Office and hosted by Barnardo’s, said the “use of artificial intelligence tools to produce child sexual abuse material is deeply concerning”.

Its director, Ian Dean, added: “It is essential that policy makers and the companies responsible for these platforms work together to ensure they are safe places for children and young people to participate while free from harm.”

CHERRY BROOK, Nova Scotia – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages, will be in Cherry Brook on Wednesday to announce the theme for this year’s Black History Month. Minister Miller will be available afterward to take questions from the media.

Please note that all details are subject to change. All times are local.

The details are as follows:

DATE:
Wednesday, January 7, 2026

TIME:
10:30 a.m.

Media representatives wishing to attend this event must confirm their participation by sending their full name and the name of their organization to media@pch.gc.ca by 9 a.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2026. Details on how to attend will be provided afterward.