Author: MIL-OSI Publisher

Australia’s beloved dolphin populations face growing pressures from environmental changes and human activity, increasing the need for reliable, accessible and non-invasive tools to monitor their health and support conservation and management.

In a new study published in the Journal of Thermal Biology, marine mammal experts from Flinders University analysed more than 40,000 drone-based thermal images to test how accurately drones fitted with thermal cameras can measure dolphin surface temperature and respiration rates without the need for capture or invasive probes.

The research tested whether drones equipped with thermal cameras could reliably measure dolphin surface temperature and breathing rates

“Monitoring the health of dolphins is important for assessing environmental impacts and supporting conservation, but because they spend most of their lives underwater traditional health checks often require capture, restraint or invasive probes, which can be logistically challenging and potentially stressful for the animals,” says PhD candidate Charlie White, from the Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL) at Flinders University.

“At the optimal flight conditions – 10m to 15m directly overhead of a dolphin – we confirmed that the drone measurements were precise enough to detect biologically meaningful changes in surface temperature and respiration rate – two important indicators of physiological state and health.”

Working with 14 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care at Queensland’s Sea World, the researchers flew a drone at different heights and compared the drone’s thermal readings with close-range temperature measurements to validate accuracy.

“We found that the drone could reliably measure the heat coming from the dolphins’ blowholes, body surfaces and dorsal fins, as well as accurately count their respiration rate,” says Ms White, from the College of Science and Engineering at Flinders University.

Senior author Associate Professor Guido Parra says the study demonstrates that drone-based infrared thermography is a promising tool for wildlife health assessment, opening the door to safer and less invasive health monitoring of marine mammals in both managed care and wild settings.

“Our findings show that drone-based infrared thermography can accurately and reliably estimate dolphin vital signs under controlled conditions,” says Associate Professor Parra.

“With continued refinement and testing under a wider range of wild conditions, the approach has the potential to support safer and less intrusive health monitoring of marine mammals in both managed care and the wild.”

The article, 'Using drone-based infrared thermography for monitoring vital signs in dolphins' (2026), by Charlie White, Andrew P Colefax (Sci-Eye and Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation) and Guido J Parra has been published in the Journal of Thermal Biology DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2025.104353

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtherbio.2025.104353

Acknowledgements:  The project was supported by the CEBEL research group at Flinders University. All research was carried out under an animal ethics permit from Flinders University (BIOL5505), Australia. We thank the Dolphin Beach and Dolphin Bay teams at Sea World, Gold Coast, for their essential support in data collection, and the Sea World Foundation for their in-kind contributions.

The Law Council of Australia exists to uphold the rule of law and to promote confidence in Australia’s legal system. 

January 5 2026 – Investors will now be eyeing Venezuela as a once-sealed economy looks likely to reopen to global capital, creating a “rare convergence of political change, asset repricing, and reconstruction demand that is already reshaping emerging-market strategies”.

This is the assessment of the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations following Washington's strike over the weekend which removed the President in Caracas.

Nigel Green of deVere Group says Venezuela is going to move “abruptly from the periphery of investment thinking to the centre of it”, following the removal of Nicolás Maduro and clear signals from Washington that the country's economic reintegration is no longer theoretical.

“Markets respond when isolation gives way to access,” says Nigel Green. “Venezuela has spent years cut off from capital, expertise, and trade. The moment investors believe that wall is coming down, valuations start to reset.”

The scale of what is at stake explains the urgency. Venezuela holds the world's largest proven oil reserves, estimated at more than 300 billion barrels, alongside substantial deposits of gold, iron ore, bauxite, and strategic minerals.

Yet years of sanctions, chronic underinvestment, and operational collapse have left infrastructure across energy, power, transport, and industry in severe disrepair.

Oil production, which peaked at more than 3.4 million barrels a day in the late 1990s, remains well under one million barrels a day today.

Power generation is unreliable, ports are degraded, and pipelines, refineries, and housing stock require extensive rebuilding.

For investors accustomed to crowded trades in developed markets, the contrast is stark.

“This is an economy priced for failure but endowed for recovery,” Nigel Green says. “When assets have been excluded for this long, even modest improvements in governance and access can produce outsized market reactions.”

That repricing has already begun. Venezuelan sovereign and state-linked debt, long written off by global investors, has rallied sharply over the past year as expectations shift from permanent default toward restructuring and normalization.

Distressed bonds that once traded deep in the teens have moved materially higher, reflecting a reassessment of long-term recovery prospects.

“Debt markets tend to move first,” says Nigel Green. “They're signalling that the probability of Venezuela re-entering the financial system has risen.”

He says early interest is focused on several fronts. Public market exposure to companies positioned to benefit from rising resource output is drawing attention. Private credit is emerging as a critical channel, offering financing to local firms starved of capital.

Infrastructure investment, particularly in energy, power generation, ports, and logistics, is viewed as unavoidable if production is to recover.

“The rebuilding effort will require vast sums of capital. Energy alone demands sustained investment measured in the tens and hundreds of billions over time,” notes the deVere CEO.

He cautions that risk remains elevated.

“Political stability is still being tested, legal frameworks need restoration, and security concerns cannot be dismissed.

“Investor protection, contract enforceability, and asset control will be decisive factors in determining which capital participates and at what scale

“This is not an indiscriminate opportunity. Returns will depend on structure, jurisdiction, and local insight. Investors who treat Venezuela as a headline trade will be disappointed.”

Those constraints help explain why larger institutions such as pension funds and sovereign wealth vehicles may move more slowly. Their mandates and risk thresholds require clarity that may take time to emerge.

“By contrast, hedge funds, family offices, and specialist investors are expected to already be positioning, seeking exposure before broader participation lifts prices further.

“Timing matters,” says Nigel Green. “History shows that the largest gains tend to accrue before full consensus forms.”

Beyond Venezuela itself, he says the implications extend across global energy and emerging markets. Any sustained recovery in Venezuelan output would alter crude supply dynamics, influence regional trade balances, and shift capital flows across Latin America.

“Markets price the future, not the past,” Nigel Green says. “If Venezuela succeeds in restoring production and attracting capital, the effects will be felt far beyond its borders.”

He concludes. “Venezuela's return to investor focus underscores a wider reality that's going to shape markets in 2026: geopolitics is once again going to be a dominant driver of capital allocation.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Next-generation AI-powered devices and experiences to be showcased at the company’s exclusive exhibition through January 7

LAS VEGAS – Jan. 4, 2026 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today unveiled its “Companion to AI Living” vision at The First Look, its CES® 2026 event held in the Latour Ballroom at the Wynn Las Vegas. The focus of the event was on AI as Samsung’s philosophy, a foundation that connects the company’s R&D product development, operations, and user experience.

TM Roh, CEO and Head of Samsung’s Device eXperience (DX) Division, opened The First Look by describing the company’s AI leadership and how due to its vast, AI-enabled, connected ecosystem, Samsung can provide users with a true AI companion experience in their daily life. This approach gives users a chance to access more than just the basics from their technology and instead, provides opportunities to find more meaningful moments everywhere.

“Samsung is building a more unified, more personal experience across mobile, visual display, home appliances and services,” said CEO TM Roh. “With our global connected ecosystem, and by embedding AI across categories, Samsung is leading the way to offer more meaningful everyday AI experiences.”

Entertainment Companion: Extending the Experience Beyond Simple Viewing

SW Yong, President and Head of the Visual Display (VD) Business at Samsung Electronics, and Sukhmani Mohta, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer, VD Business at Samsung Electronics America took the stage to describe how Samsung’s displays are combining hardware excellence and visual intelligence to provide a true entertainment companion. Drawing from twenty years of leading the TV industry, Samsung has built a full AI TV line-up that provides an entirely new way for users to interact with their TV.

The centre of the display line-up is the 130-inch Micro RGB, which represents a monumental leap in scale and picture quality. The 130-inch Micro RGB marks a new era of colour, featuring the widest and most detailed spectrum ever seen in Samsung TVs while its Timeless Frame design minimises distractions and allows the picture to take centre stage with understated elegance. A micro-sized RGB light source drives the unprecedented picture quality, with each microscopic red, green, and blue diode shining independently to produce colour in its purest, most natural form. Micro RGBAI Engine Pro enables precise control of RGB colours and creates overwhelmingly vivid picture quality in every scene.

Elevating this next-level viewing experience, Vision AI Companion (VAC)[1] uses AI technology to work alongside users as a full entertainment companion to enhance viewing, dining, and mood, anywhere in the home. With it, users can receive guidance on what to watch, what to eat, and what music to listen to, enhancing the overall TV experience in a way that extends far beyond simple viewing.

Samsung also offers intuitive modes to personalise the viewing experience. For soccer fans, AI Soccer Mode Pro delivers a more exciting gameday experience through AI-driven picture and sound tuning to stadium-level quality. AI Sound Controller Pro lets you raise or lower the volume of the crowd, commentary, or background music, providing a personalised listening experience for TV shows and movies. Users can simply make verbal requests, and any TV equipped with VAC – which includes Micro LED, Micro RGB, OLED, Neo QLED, Mini LED and UHD TV – contextually carries out those requests.

Across different types of programming, VAC also boosts the overall lifestyle experience. It allows users to find recipes for meals they see on TV by simply asking and uses the most up-to-date information to make recommendations that align with health and fitness goals. VAC offers multi-device functionality, as well, sending recommended recipes directly to other devices like the newly-unveiled The Movingstyle, designed to move easily throughout the home and kitchen appliances, for a multi-device experience achieved through complete ecosystem integration.

Samsung has led the global soundbar market for 11 consecutive years. This year, it is introducing two new WiFi speakers, the Music Studio 5 and 7, to further expand its integrated ecosystem. These models support a wider range of sound system combinations, enhance audiovisual quality, and improve the aesthetics of any space. Each model shares a timeless, dot design concept by renowned designer Erwan Bouroullec, inspired by a universal symbol in music and art and grounded in Samsung’s signature design language.

Samsung also unveiled a host of new products that blend beautifully with users’ homes and aesthetics.  The new, ultra-thin OLED S95H features a refined bezel that gives it art gallery elegance, and Samsung’s new portable projector, The Freestyle+, is powered by VAC and allows users to view content on walls and ceilings, as well as uneven surfaces like corners and curtains.

The 2026 TV line-up[2] supports HDR10+ ADVANCED, delivering enhanced brightness, genre-based optimisation, intelligent motion smoothing, advanced local tone mapping, and improved gaming experience.

As HDR10+ adoption grows among major OTT providers, Samsung will be the first to launch HDR10+ ADVANCED in its 2026 TV line-up. Samsung also features Eclipsa Audio, the company’s new spatial sound system, introduced across all 2026 TVs.

Samsung also unveiled its most advanced Odyssey gaming monitor line-up yet, introducing five new models that push the boundaries of resolution, refresh rate, and immersive visual performance. Led by Samsung’s first 6K 3D Odyssey G9, the 2026 line-up debuts world-first display technologies for gamers and creators, including the next-generation Odyssey G6 and three new Odyssey G8 models.

At the centre of all these display innovations is the most powerful Tizen OS yet. Users can now enjoy seven years of Tizen OS upgrades, ensuring that TVs continue to evolve long after they have entered the home.

Home Companion: Connected Smart Appliances That Guide You Through Your Day

Cheolgi Kim, Executive Vice President and Head of Digital Appliances (DA) Division at Samsung Electronics, and Elizabeth Anderson, Head of Integrated Marketing, DA at Samsung Electronics America (SEA) outlined Samsung’s vision to evolve from providing home appliances to true home companions that work to eliminate the stress of daily chores. Cheolgi Kim also announced that as of December 2025, SmartThings now serves more than 430 million users, empowering Samsung with a significant scale and depth of insight that sets it apart from other brands.

This insight comes to life with the Family Hub. The AI-enabled refrigerator is the centrepiece of the home and now, with an upgrade to AI Vision built with Google Gemini[3], it redefines living for an AI future. With this update, AI Vision unlocks existing limitations in recognising food items, seamlessly tracking what is placed into and taken out of the refrigerator, making meal planning and food management simpler than ever[4]. The Family Hub has won 10 CES Innovation Awards so far, and Samsung’s AI-enabled fridges have received the award for the past three years.

Through a gamified feature called “What’s for Today?”[5], select refrigerators provide recipe recommendations based on what is in the refrigerator or also random recommendations, reducing the stress caused by choosing what to cook. When selected, recipes show up through SmartThings Food, where users receive a step-by-step guide to help them get started instantly. The selected recipe can also be sent to connected cooking appliances to begin the process seamlessly. Video to Recipe4 adds even more simplicity, providing users with recommended cooking videos and converting those videos into easy-to-follow steps, allowing users to follow along while they cook without pausing the video or backtracking.

Samsung also unveiled FoodNote4, a new, weekly report that recaps users’ food intake patterns, from most-used ingredients and recipe recommendations, and which items it’s time to restock. Additionally, Now Brief[6] includes more widgets on the Family Hub screen and with Voice ID[7], can distinguish between family members and display content relevant to each individual. Ultimately, these features come together to provide various helpful insights and information throughout the week.

In the laundry room, the Bespoke AI Laundry Combo removes the need to transfer loads of laundry, solving a major pain point for households. This year’s model comes with enhanced features, like a faster super speed cycle and enhanced drying performance. Moreover, Samsung’s new Bespoke AI AirDresser is here to solve another common problem with your clothes. It features Auto Wrinkle Care, which blasts strong air and steam jets to smooth out shirts. All users have to do is hang their shirt and wait, reducing the burden in busy mornings.

Around the house, the Bespoke AI Jet Bot Steam Ultra, powered by a Qualcomm Dragonwing™ processor, features an Active Stereo 3D Sensor to recognise liquids[8] like coffee, juice, or even transparent liquids like water. While its camera helps with navigation, it also allows the robot vacuum to serve as a monitoring device for when users are away from home, notifying them about their pets and whether there is any suspicious activity[9]. Plus, with a smarter Bixby[10], users can speak conversationally to their robot vacuum to carry out tasks with ease. For the deep level of connectivity and integration that forms the backbone of a holistic, AI-powered experience, Samsung’s Bespoke AI appliances have received a CES Innovation Award.

Additional benefits include a first-of-its-kind partnership with Hartford Steam Boiler (HSB) to help unlock real, meaningful savings to the smart home experience. HSB President and CEO Greg M. Barats joined the presentation to discuss the partnership, explaining the potential benefits of having smart appliances connected to SmartThings to reduce insurance premiums. This is the best of the AI era – increased protections and reduced costs for users. After a successful pilot run in the U.S. in 2025, the collaboration is expanding to more states across the U.S., as well as to leading home insurance carriers in other global regions.

Care Companion: Shifting From Reactive to Proactive Care

Finally, Praveen Raja, Vice President and Head of Digital Health at Samsung Research America (SRA), introduced Samsung’s long-term vision for intelligent care enabled by Samsung’s integrated device ecosystem, redefining care as a reactive need to a proactive opportunity. With AI, phones, appliances, wearables, and other connected devices will help users prevent potential health concerns before they occur.

For example, Samsung aims to provide personalised health coaching, offering effective exercise and sleep coaching to help decrease risk for major chronic diseases and also suggesting appropriate recipes based on ingredients available in connected refrigerators. Additionally, if any abnormal signs or patterns are detected, it will alert users while allowing their health metrics to be shared with providers via the Xealth platform and to facilitating virtual professional consultations.

Recognising the importance of preventative health, Samsung is also expanding its capabilities in dementia detection through research partnerships, with wearable devices registering subtle changes to mobility, speech and engagement that can be indicative of long-term cognitive changes.

Samsung Knox and Knox Matrix serve as the foundation of this hyper-personalised ecosystem, safeguarding user data at every turn. As AI is constantly evolving, so are Knox and Knox Matrix. To maintain security despite constant changes, Samsung’s security systems are consistently identifying AI risks by advancing to protect data in AI training processes and approving models through red team analysis.

The Samsung Exhibition Zone at CES is available to the public Jan. 4-7. For more information, visit the Samsung Newsroom.

About Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. 

Samsung inspires the world and shapes the future with transformative ideas and technologies. The company is redefining the worlds of TVs, digital signage, smartphones, wearables, tablets, home appliances and network systems, as well as memory, system LSI and foundry. Samsung is also advancing medical imaging technologies, HVAC solutions and robotics, while creating innovative automotive and audio products through Harman. With its SmartThings ecosystem, open collaboration with partners, and integration of AI across its portfolio, Samsung delivers a seamless and intelligent connected experience. For the latest news, please visit the Samsung Newsroom at news.samsung.com.

[1] Feature available in certain regions and models. Availability and supported features may vary by region and watching conditions. Voice commands recognise English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, and Korean, but not all accents, dialects, and expressions are recognised. This feature provides AI-created content, with accuracy not guaranteed, so results should be confirmed. Requires a specific Bluetooth remote (TM2660H/TM2661H) (sold separately on some models). In-box remote for some models (M70H/U800H) does not support voice recognition. Requires either a Mobile Quick Remote or separately purchased Bluetooth remote. Feature accessible with the AI button or the Home button (via long press) on remote controls without an AI button.

2 HDR10+ ADVANCED will be available on the following models: QN990H, R95H, S95H, S90H, R90H, S85H, LS03HW, LS03H, and QN80H.

3 Google Gemini is provided by Google LLC. Service availability, supported functions, and accuracy may vary by country, language, device model, and OS/One UI version. Users must be 18 or older. Some functions may require additional app settings, and features or results may vary by subscription.

4 AI Vision refers to the refrigerator’s internal camera and AI-based processing that helps recognise food items. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. If a food item is not recognisable, it may be listed as an unknown item. AI Vision cannot identify or list any food items in the freezer. Recognition uses AI models that may be updated periodically to help improve performance. The user may need to manually check and adjust the list to ensure its accuracy.

A red light turns on when the camera is operating. The user’s appearance may be captured, but areas other than the food item are automatically blurred.

5 A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required

6 A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung, Google, or Microsoft account may be required. You must use the same log-in account on each of the devices. Availability of certain apps may vary by country, region, service provider, network environment, or device, and may change without notice.

7 Each user must register for a Samsung Account on screen appliances in advance. Up to six accounts can be registered on a single device. To use Voice ID, users must have agreed to the Bixby terms and conditions. Voice ID registration is available on select appliances, TVs and mobiles, and only one voice can be registered per account.

8 A liquid spill is defined as a coloured or transparent liquid, such as water or juice, having a size of 7cm x 7cm (15 ml in volume) or larger. Identification may be affected by the size of the liquid or the environmental conditions of the floor, such as the floor pattern, colour of the floor, direct or reflected light, or shape of the liquid. Excessive amount of liquid on the floor may cause secondary contamination

9 Must download the SmartThings app available on Android and iOS devices. A Wi-Fi connection and a Samsung account are required. Only cats and dogs can be recognised. The recognition capabilities may be limited by the posture or position of a pet. The ability to recognise your pet may vary depending on the type of animal and the living environment. It only recognises a pet presence based on generic visual indicators, and cannot identify individual pets. Each appliance needs to be set to be optimised for pets by the SmartThings App.

10 Bixby is Samsung’s brand of Internet of Things (IoT) voice assistant. Bixby service availability may vary depending on the country. Bixby recognises selected languages and certain accents/dialects, including Korean, English (US/GB/IN), Spanish (MX/ES), German, French, Italian, and Portuguese (BR). The user interface may change and differ by device. The availability of Bixby features and content providers may vary depending on the country/carrier/language/device model/OS version. A Samsung account log-in and data network connection (Wi-Fi or data network) are required.

January 3 2026 – Oil prices are expected to face muted immediate impact after the US attack on Venezuela, but that assessment masks where the real market risk is building, warns the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations.

The dominant view across energy markets is that crude prices will absorb the shock.

Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group says: “Global supply remains ample, Venezuelan production represents a small share of worldwide output, and there's no clear evidence yet of sustained disruption to physical flows. On those terms, restraint in headline pricing looks rational.”

He notes that logic explains the short-term calm, but not the broader significance.

“Limited price impact reflects where the barrels go and how much spare capacity exists. It doesn't mean the risk is negligible.”

A central reason expectations remain contained lies in destination. The majority of Venezuelan crude exports flow to China, with limited exposure to US or European refiners.

“This concentration reduces the immediate sensitivity of Western benchmarks and dampens the likelihood of a sharp spike in Brent or WTI. It contains the headline reaction, but it doesn't remove systemic risk.”

In the short term, oil pricing reflects arithmetic. Oversupply cushions disruption. Alternative barrels remain available and inventory levels provide cover. From a volume perspective, the system copes.

“This is why prices may hold in the immediate aftermath of today's strike,” Nigel Green says. “It isn't proof that the market is comfortable, it's proof that the market is liquid.”

The pressure point sits elsewhere. Venezuelan crude is heavy, specialized, and harder to substitute quickly.

Exports rely on ageing infrastructure, exposed ports, and politically sensitive shipping routes. Even without a sharp fall in production, friction can emerge through insurance, freight, financing, and compliance channels.

“Oil markets tighten through logistics before they tighten through shortages,” Nigel Green says. “Those costs show up unevenly and often away from the headline contract.”

Medium-term expectations depend on duration. If tension proves short-lived, the episode fades into background noise. If pressure persists, operational strain compounds.

“Venezuela's energy system has limited resilience after years of underinvestment, leaving little tolerance for prolonged uncertainty.

“Time is the multiplier. Short events test sentiment. Extended pressure tests capacity.”

The distinction matters because today's oversupply is conditional. It assumes steady flows elsewhere, disciplined producers, and no overlap with other geopolitical strains. History shows those assumptions can unwind faster than expected.

Over the longer term, oil prices respond less to individual headlines and more to confidence in energy security. When confidence holds, premiums stay suppressed. When it weakens, protection costs rise, even without visible shortages.

Why oil prices matter extends far beyond crude itself. Oil feeds directly into transport costs, food production, manufacturing inputs, and household budgets. It anchors inflation expectations and influences policy constraints across economies.

“Energy risk shapes behaviour before it shapes data,” Nigel Green says.

Governments feel the effect through trade balances, currencies, and fiscal planning. Energy-importing nations face higher cost exposure when stability weakens. Exporters confront revenue uncertainty that complicates budgeting and investment.

“Oil connects geopolitics to public finance,” the CEO comments.

Corporates feel the impact through margins, logistics, and delayed capital decisions. Energy uncertainty raises operating risk and weakens earnings visibility across supply chains.

“When energy confidence weakens, business caution follows.

“Investors watch oil because it signals more than price. It reshapes correlations, shifts sector leadership, and influences defensive positioning. Energy shocks rarely remain confined to a single market.”

He concludes: “The focus on a limited immediate impact risks missing the broader signal.

“Oil doesn't need to surge to matter. It only needs to unsettle confidence, and that process is likely already underway.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Israel’s threat to withhold registration from Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and other international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) is a cynical and calculated attempt to prevent organisations from providing services in Gaza and the West Bank, in breach of Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law.

Denying medical assistance to civilians is unacceptable under any circumstances and it is appalling to use humanitarian aid as a tool of policy or collective punishment. Now is the time for action. Israel is escalating its grave attack on humanitarian response, directly threatening medical care and humanitarian aid to civilians.

MSF unequivocally refutes the allegations made by the Israeli authorities in recent days. MSF would never knowingly employ anyone involved in military activities, which contradicts our core values and ethics.

Founding of the first “Luft Hansa” on January 6, 1926 – Lufthansa celebrates a significant anniversary with customers, fans, and employees under the motto “We are the Journey.”
A look at the history of one of the most renowned aviation brands and the future of Europe's largest airline.
First Lufthansa aircraft with special livery enters scheduled service.

In 2026, Lufthansa marks a major milestone: on January 6, 1926, 100 years ago, the first “Luft Hansa” was founded, and by April 6 of the same year, it had its maiden flight. This anniversary is not only a reflection on the history of one of aviation's most iconic brands but also a significant step into the future. It honors the pioneering spirit, innovation, and connection of people, cultures, and economies that Lufthansa has shaped for a century.

The story begins with the founding of the first Lufthansa, formed through the merger of Junkers Luftverkehr and Deutsche Aero Lloyd. This fusion laid the foundation for a success story in international aviation that continues to this day. However, the journey was not always smooth. Lufthansa's history is marked by challenges, interruptions, and new beginnings, showcasing the company's resilience and relentless spirit of innovation.

The darkest chapter in Lufthansa's history was during the Nazi era, when the airline became part of the regime and played an active role within it. Lufthansa is using its 100th anniversary as an opportunity to critically examine its involvement during this time and further address it based on historical research. In reflecting on its history, Lufthansa does not limit itself to the post-war chapters. The years from its founding to the downfall of the first Lufthansa are equally part of the company's story.

With the re-establishment of the “second Lufthansa” in 1953, the legal foundation of today's Lufthansa was created. Once again, great pioneering spirit was required to embark on a fresh start after the war. In 1955, flight operations resumed, and the journey of the newly founded Deutsche Lufthansa AG began.

The 100th anniversary of Lufthansa is a moment of pride and reflection. At the same time, it represents a bold look into the future and the beginning of the company's second century.

Anniversary Motto: “We are the Journey”

The anniversary will be celebrated under the motto “We are the Journey” – a message that highlights the shared journey of employees, passengers, and fans of the brand. Since its first flight 100 years ago, Lufthansa has not only written its own history but has also significantly shaped the future of aviation.

The anniversary is a tribute to the guests who have accompanied Lufthansa through a century of challenges, changes, and progress. Without their loyalty and trust, Lufthansa's success story would not have been possible. The anniversary is therefore an expression of gratitude to the people who have shaped this journey.

This especially includes the employees: Lufthansa staff members. Since the company's founding, they have been united by a unique spirit characterized by pioneering ambition, a passion for flying, and a commitment to excellence. Today, 40,000 people from 122 nations work for the Lufthansa brand, and 100,000 people from over 160 nations are part of the Group.

A Year of Experiences for Customers, Fans, and Employees

In the anniversary year 2026, Lufthansa will organize a variety of activities and events to honor the history and future of the aviation group. These include a permanent exhibition at the Lufthansa Group Hangar One, special events, a history book, film and video productions, employee celebrations, customer events, as well as marketing and product campaigns.

The anniversary year will be visible and tangible for Lufthansa customers starting in January. The special “100 Years of Lufthansa” emblem will appear on boarding passes, at airports, and onboard Lufthansa flights in many places. Outside of airports – for example, in many city centers – a poster campaign will tell Lufthansa's story through iconic images and messages.

Flying Ambassadors: The Lufthansa Anniversary Fleet

A highlight of the celebrations will be the special aircraft liveries: the key sub-fleets of Lufthansa's core brand will feature one aircraft with the new 100-year special livery. The Lufthansa anniversary fleet consists of six aircraft: an Airbus A380, an Airbus A350-1000, an Airbus A350-900, an Airbus A320, and a Boeing 747-8. Leading the anniversary fleet is the Boeing 787-9 named “Berlin,” which was delivered from Boeing's factory in Washington State, USA, to Germany shortly before Christmas and landed at its new home airport in Frankfurt. Soon, this state-of-the-art aircraft, registered as D-ABPU, will enter scheduled service.

Additionally, there will be two retro liveries. These designs combine tradition and progress, making each aircraft a unique flying ambassador of the brand. The iconic crane, designed by Otto Firle in 1918, remains Lufthansa's global symbol.

Notes:

03 JANUARY 2026 – Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) filed a civil suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia today 2 January 2026 challenging the U.S. Department of the Interior’s order directing a suspension to the Empire Wind project. As part of that case, Empire plans to seek a preliminary injunction and allow construction to continue while the litigation proceeds.

While Empire continues to work closely with Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the other relevant authorities to find a prompt resolution to the matter, the order is in Equinor’s view unlawful and threatens the progress of ongoing work with significant implications for the project. The preliminary injunction filing is necessary to allow the project to continue as planned during this critical period of execution and avoid additional commercial and financing impacts that are likely to occur should the order remain effective.

Empire has coordinated closely with numerous federal officials on national security reviews since it executed its lease for the project in 2017, including with the Department of War, and has complied with relevant national security related requirements identified as part of the regulatory process. In addition, Empire meets regularly with officials charged with oversight of security issues for the project, including weekly meetings with the U.S. Coast Guard and other marine first responders.

Empire Wind is being developed under contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to deliver a critical new, near-term source of electricity for New York, bolstering grid reliability at a time of rapidly growing demand. Once completed, the project is expected to provide enough power to electrify approximately 500,000 homes in New York.

Empire Wind is more than 60 percent complete and represents a significant investment in U.S. energy infrastructure, jobs, and supply chains. Equinor has invested over USD 4 billion of which USD 2.7 billion has been drawn under the project financing. Empire Wind has per 30 September 2025 a gross book value of around USD 3.1 billion, including South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. The project’s construction phase alone has put nearly 4,000 people to work, both within the lease area and through the revitalization of the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal.

Empire and its contractors are complying with the order, while continuing activities required in order to prevent impacts to health, safety, and the environment.

December 30 2025 – Investors are likely to face a more demanding but opportunity-rich market in 2026, affirms the CEO of one of the world's largest independent financial advisory organizations as they look to the year ahead to build and safeguard wealth.

Nigel Green of deVere Group says the year ahead rewards discipline, selectivity, and execution rather than broad momentum.

Markets have adjusted to a world of higher rates, geopolitical friction, and rapid technological change.

This adjustment, he comments, has created clearer pricing signals and sharper differentiation between companies that deliver and those that rely on expectation.

“Opportunity isn't disappearing, it's becoming more precise.”

Nigel Green identifies three global forces that will shape investor outcomes in 2026: the transition of AI from promise to performance, the dominance of a narrow group of market leaders, and volatility driven by policy decisions.

He argues that each creates openings for investors prepared to engage actively rather than retreat.

AI moves from ambition to accountability

Artificial intelligence remains one of the most powerful drivers of corporate investment globally. Spending over the past two years has been substantial, flowing into infrastructure, computing power, research, and deployment at exceptional speed.

The emphasis now is on results.

“Markets are no longer paying for potential alone,” says Nigel Green. “They're paying for delivery and performance.”

Revenue growth across AI remains uneven and costs remain elevated. Some companies are already converting investment into cash flow and margin improvement, while others are still struggling with scale, pricing, and timing.

The deVere CEO expects 2026 to sharpen this divide.

“Execution separates leaders from laggards,” he notes. “This creates clearer opportunity for investors who focus on fundamentals rather than hype.”

He stresses that this phase strengthens, rather than weakens, the long-term case for AI by placing value on efficiency, discipline, and realistic expectations.

Market concentration sharpens selection

Global equity performance continues to rely heavily on a relatively small group of dominant companies. While this concentration increases sensitivity to earnings and guidance, it also removes ambiguity about where leadership sits.

“When leadership is narrow, analysis matters more,” says Nigel Green. “Strength is visible, and weakness is exposed quickly.”

This dynamic accelerates price discovery. Companies that deliver are rewarded decisively, while those that disappoint are repriced without delay. The gap between market leaders and the rest continues to widen.

For investors, this environment favors selective positioning over broad exposure.

“Dispersion creates opportunity,” he adds. “It rewards those willing to back quality and move away from comfort.”

Policy volatility creates entry points

Policy decisions remain a powerful driver of market movement. Expectations around interest rates continue to influence risk appetite, while confidence around timing remains fluid as inflation trends diverge across regions and economic data sends mixed signals.

Rather than undermining opportunity, Nigel Green says this creates movement.

“Volatility driven by policy creates entry points. Repricing is where opportunity emerges.”

Trade policy remains a key influence. Sudden tariff decisions earlier this year triggered sharp market reactions, underlining how sensitive sentiment remains to abrupt change. Supply chains continue to adjust, particularly for companies with international exposure.

Fiscal policy adds another layer. Tax incentives have supported earnings but raised expectations. Investors are increasingly focused on the quality and durability of growth rather than results supported by temporary measures.

Taken together, these forces point to a market that is active, selective, and responsive rather than fragile.

“I believe in 2026 we'll see that strong returns don't require calm conditions,” the deVere Group CEO concludes.

“They require judgment, discipline, and the confidence to act when pricing adjusts.”

deVere Group is one of the world's largest independent advisors of specialist global financial solutions to international, local mass affluent, and high-net-worth clients.  It has a network of offices around the world, more than 80,000 clients, and $14bn under advisement.

Landmark corporate shift follows yearslong animal welfare campaign; advocates now push for federal ban on kangaroo imports

WASHINGTON – The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action today announced a landmark achievement in animal welfare advocacy: as of Jan. 1, 2026, Adidas, New Balance, and ASICS have officially ceased using kangaroo leather in shoes. They join Nike, Puma, Sokito, and Diadora, which have already ended production using kangaroo skin. With Umbro committed to ending use in 2026 and Mizuno committed to phasing out all kangaroo leather from its models, nine major athletic footwear companies in total have ended or pledged to end the practice—a corporate animal welfare victory unprecedented in scale and impact, accomplished through the Center's Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign.

“In a five-year period, the Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign convinced all of the world's major athletic shoe companies to stop sourcing kangaroo skins for their soccer shoes, including some of the biggest brand names in all the world,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of the Center for a Humane Economy. “This is a triumph of moral intention but also of human ingenuity at work to develop alternative products that perform for consumers. We can have it both ways – doing the right thing and delivering for consumers.”

Indeed, Adidas, Sokito, and Puma have all noted they have developed synthetic materials that are superior to kangaroo leather.

Campaign Background

The Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign launched in 2020 to expose the inhumane and unethical commercial kill of kangaroos in Australia with the aim of getting athletic wear shoemakers that used kangaroo leather for soccer cleats to stop using it, as the shoe production was driving the kill. Each year, approximately 2 million kangaroos are killed in Australia's commercial hunting industry – the largest land-based wildlife slaughter in the world. The kill includes nursing mothers, leaving joeys to die of starvation, predation, exposure, or blunt force trauma.

“The campaign employed a multi-faceted strategy combining direct corporate outreach, shareholder engagement, consumer education, and grassroots activism,” said Jennifer Skiff, director of the Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign at the Center. Activists staged protests in the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and New Zealand, and played a key role in the campaign. “We also engaged with corporate shareholders and directors, appealing to them to stop their participation in an inhumane, unethical commercial kill that, in many cases, conflicted with their own corporate policies,” said Skiff.

“The Kangaroos Are Not Shoes campaign is the most impactful wildlife campaign I’ve seen in my twenty years as an activist,” said animal rights campaigner Donny Moss. “What began as a bold moral stance, that wildlife should never be commodified for fashion, has grown into a global movement that permanently changed an industry.”

“Each company chose to stop using kangaroo skin based on the facts we provided,” Skiff said. “Working together as a global team, we created an epochal shift by exposing the truth behind the kill. These wins send a clear message to other companies: cruelty has no place in commerce.”

Looking Ahead

With these corporate victories secured, the Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action are now turning their attention to the larger set of kangaroo products in trade, including skins for uses other than athletic shoes and meat for pet food. The organizations are pushing forward with the Kangaroo Protection Act in the U.S. Congress, which would ban the import of kangaroo body parts or products made from kangaroo into the United States. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Penn., and Jan Schakowsky, D-Ill., introduced the Kangaroo Protection Act H.R. 1992 in March 2025. U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Cory Booker introduced a companion bill in the Senate in June 2025.

The Center for a Humane Economy and Animal Wellness Action are calling to the public to contact their members of Congress and urge them to co-sponsor the Kangaroo Protection Act to prohibit the importation of kangaroo parts and products into the United States.

ABOUT

Animal Wellness Action is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(4) whose mission is to help animals by promoting laws and regulations at federal, state and local levels that forbid cruelty to all animals. The group also works to enforce existing anti-cruelty and wildlife protection laws. Animal Wellness Action believes helping animals helps us all. X: @AWAction_News

The Center for a Humane Economy is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) whose mission is to help animals by helping forge a more humane economic order. The first organization of its kind in the animal protection movement, the Center encourages businesses to honor their social responsibilities in a culture where consumers, investors, and other key stakeholders abhor cruelty and the degradation of the environment and embrace innovation as a means of eliminating both. The Center believes helping animals helps us all. X: @TheHumaneCenter