Nokia announced the technology that is supporting UK-based sailing team Alex Thomson Racing on its round-the-world race. British sailor Alex Thomson is onboard his HUGO BOSS boat from Les Sables-D’Olonne on France’s west coast for the Vendée Globe – a 24,000-mile, solo, non-stop, unassisted race around the world.

The technology partnership, which began in September 2018, has Nokia Bell Labs working alongside Alex Thomson Racing and its IMOCA (International Monohull Open Class Association) 60-foot boat to adapt existing and develop new connectivity and sensory technologies in extreme, mission-critical environments that will optimize and improve the performance of the skipper and the boat.

Utilizing technologies, ranging from augmented intelligence and wearable devices to sensors, machine learning, analytics and advanced communications networks, the partnership seeks to optimize the human performance of Alex Thomson while discovering and creating technologies for the 5G era that can enhance industrial IoT and mission-critical networks, so that they can operate in harsh physical environments.

Thierry Klein, Head of Enterprise & Industrial Automation Research Lab, Nokia Bell Labs, said: “Nokia Bell Labs is able to apply its expertise and innovations in industrial automation and the industrial internet of things (IoT) to solve some of the biggest challenges Alex will face in the race. These challenges are not that different from the situations faced by workers in remote mines trying to operate cranes or engineers in wind farms in desolate and rural settings. By optimizing Alex and his racing boat, we are creating the ideal symbiosis between man and machine that will help give Alex the edge he needs to win.”

Advanced sensors collect a large amount of data that is linked to data analytics and machine learning algorithms. Alex is wearing a custom-built sensing device to continuously monitor his physiological well-being. An array of hardened sensors are augmented with a network of nine cameras to deliver live video streams for a full 360-degree view of the boat and the sails. To guide Alex towards effective decision-making, Nokia Bell Labs built custom mobile applications for onboard data visualization.

The new state-of-the-art IMOCA 60 boat, HUGO BOSS, is equipped with advanced technology and communication solutions based on Nokia Bell Labs innovations. Seamless and reliable connectivity provides timely weather information for navigational and routing systems, and allows Alex to remain connected with his family and fans onshore in harsh conditions in the most remote parts of the world. An onboard edge intelligence and compute server collects, stores and analyzes data from all sensors and interfaces with the critical boat systems. Designed for rugged environments and optimized for size, weight and power consumption, it serves as the central brain of the onboard intelligence and data analytics modules that power the real-time awareness and optimization of the boat.

An augmented intelligent auto-pilot uses sophisticated machine learning models and algorithms to enhance the performance, robustness and stability of the onboard auto-pilot system through automated sensor-driven adjustments and performance prediction. An easy-to-use human interface allows Alex to configure and fine-tune the auto-pilot settings and parameters.

Nokia president and CEO, Pekka Lundmark has signed a joint UN Statement, UNITED IN THE BUSINESS OF A BETTER WORLD which will be presented to the UN Secretary General as part of celebration of the 75th anniversary of the United Nations.

The Statement, signed by more than 1,000 global CEOs, says that at time of unprecedented disruption and global transformation, international cooperation must be mobilized across borders, sectors and generations.

CEOs signing the statement commit to ethical leadership and good governance, to invest in addressing inequalities and injustice, and to partner with the UN, Government and civil society to promote equality and respect human rights.

Pekka Lundmark, Nokia CEO said: “The world faces big challenges, such as COVID-19 and climate change, that cannot be solved without global co-operation. Nokia believes in a multilateral system where businesses, governments, organizations, and individuals all work together inclusively and transparently to find solutions and to build a more sustainable future for people and our planet.

“I am proud to be a signatory of this UN Global Compact statement. Nokia will play its part by ensuring our technology is designed to solve real societal issues and enable greater opportunity for all.”

Nokia has been actively working towards supporting a more equal and sustainable future by building technology that improves lives and enables a healthier planet. 

• Radio networks provided by Nokia supported 6.4 billion subscriptions worldwide in 2019
• In September 2019, at the United Nations climate summit, Nokia joined a group of 87 companies in committing to recalibrate its existing science-based climate targets in line with the latest science.
• Nokia improved connectivity and coverage in emerging markets with new cooperation in Algeria, Aruba, Brazil, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sudan, the Marianas, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, and Vietnam.
• Nokia was named for the third consecutive year (2018-2020), and the fourth time overall as one of 2020 World’s Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere.

Nokia create the technology to connect the world. Only Nokia offers a comprehensive portfolio of network equipment, software, services and licensing opportunities across the globe. With our commitment to innovation, driven by the award-winning Nokia Bell Labs, they are a leader in the development and deployment of 5G networks.  

Their communications service provider customers support more than 6.4 billion subscriptions with our radio networks, and our enterprise customers have deployed over 1,300 industrial networks worldwide. Adhering to the highest ethical standards, we transform how people live, work and communicate.

Phoenix Point: Year one edition moves to December 3rd
on Steam and the Epic Games Store

Phoenix Point, the turn-based strategy game from X-COM creator Julian Gollop and Snapshot Games, announced that the upcoming “Year One Edition”, which collects the game with all previously released DLC and digital extras, will now release for Windows PC and Mac on December 3rd, 2020. This is one week earlier from its previously announced date of December 10th. Phoenix Point: Year One Edition will be available from most PC digital retailers, including Steam and the Epic Game Store.

Snapshot Games Head of Marketing, Eric Neigher said: “We know a lot of fans have been eagerly waiting for Year One Edition since we announced it earlier this year, and that’s why we are extremely pleased to be able to bring it to them a week earlier than we had planned.”  

Phoenix Point: Year One Edition includes all previously released content: 3 DLC Packs (“Blood & Titanium”, “Legacy of the Ancients”, and the “Living Weapons Pack”) and a slew of updates, upgrades, fixes, and new content suggested by the community.

“Year One Edition is the best, most complete version of Phoenix Point yet released, and we’re excited for players to dive into new campaigns with new challenges.” said Julian Gollop, CEO of Snapshot Games and Lead Designer for Phoenix Point. “The team has worked extremely hard to get Year One Edition ready to go, and we know players are going to appreciate that hard work when they play the game.”

Phoenix Point delivers a new breed of turn-based strategy and action against an alien invasion. Build global alliances, manage your base, and command your forces in battles with dynamic objectives and destructible environments. Procedurally generated maps, branching storylines with multiple endings, and enemies that mutate to counter your tactics ensure no two playthroughs are ever the same. Since launch, Snapshot Games has continued to build on the core Phoenix Point experience with free and premium DLC, as well as a variety of gameplay improvements driven by community feedback.

West Midlands 5G (WM5G) Limited has appointed Suvo Datta as Finance Director to lead the financial management of the UK’s first region-wide 5G testbed. The organisation, set-up to deliver the UK’s first region-wide 5G testbed, is backed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to accelerate the deployment of 5G networks and  scale new 5G services across the West Midlands.

Datta joins the business as it enters full delivery to build the UK’s most connected 5G region as well as testing, proving and starting to scale major new 5G services to accelerate economic and social recovery in the region. This includes the launches of the UK’s first 5G Accelerators in Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry, the UK’s first 5G Transport testbed and the continued success of WM5G’s 5G network acceleration programme – working in partnership with local authorities and mobile network operators.

The new appointment brings more than 15 years of experience spanning across senior leadership roles in finance, sales and general management in large multinationals, including Telefónica UK (O2), Vodafone and Deloitte. Most recently he was the General Manager of Smart Insurance at Telefónica UK (O2) and previously held multiple senior leadership roles in finance, marketing and digital functions within the organisation.

In his new role as Financial Director, Datta will assume responsibility for leading and developing WM5G’s strategic business plan, annual budget and liaising with public and private funders. He succeeds Laurence Goldberg, who has acted as Interim Finance Director since December 2019.

On his appointment, Datta said: “I’m thrilled to be taking on this role at such an exciting time for WM5G. This is a truly innovative organisation, driving digital transformation across the West Midlands.

“Having developed and delivered financial and strategic plans, long-term investment strategies and key partnerships at both Telefónica and Vodafone, I hope I can bring a wealth of expertise to WM5G and help to enhance its operations, strengthened by efficient financial management.”

Robert Franks, Managing Director at WM5G, added: “I’m delighted to welcome Suvo to WM5G’s leadership team as our new Finance Director. Suvo brings extensive financial, telecoms and leadership experience and will support our strategic plan as we look to ramp up our delivery and collaborate with more organisations of all sizes at a regional and national level.”

Nokia has announced today that it has deployed its G.fast solution to extend the Fiber to the Home (FTTH) network of NetCologne, the largest regional telecommunications provider in Germany with over 28,000 kilometers of laid fiber-optic cables.

Nokia’s G.fast technology allows NetCologne to extend fiber service into buildings to give end users the option of accessing up to five times faster access speeds, reaching up to 1Gbps. Powered by Nokia software-defined access networks, NetCologne innovates with flexible cloud operations and brings new digital services to market fast in the greater Cologne/Bonn/Aachen area.

As a provider of network infrastructure to NetCologne for the last 25 years, Nokia is now set to support extensive upgrades to 30,000 Fiber to the Building (FTTB) installations, upgrading the last drop from VDSL2 to G.fast technology. Nokia G.fast 212 MHz technology will not only bring ultra-broadband speeds to NetCologne’s customers, the technology upgrade will also increase operational efficiency as zero touch provisioning cuts rollout costs and configuration time in half. Once NetCologne’s FTTB footprint is transitioned to G.fast, the Nokia Altiplano cloud platform will allow the operator to get better insights in increasing volumes of operational data and automate operations across the entire access network.

Horst Schmitz, Head of Technology at NetCologne, said: “We provide the city of Cologne and associated regions with leading-edge telecom services. Nokia delivered a highly customisable solution that is ideal for the next step in our network plans: bringing gigabit connectivity cost-effectively into buildings. On top, the cloud platform improves our automation capabilities today and for any future devices added to the network over time.”

Sandra Motley, President of Fixed Networks at Nokia, said: “We are proud to work with NetCologne as it embarks on the next phase of fiber expansion. NetCologne becomes a first-mover in the market with SDN-enabled G.fast, which will strenghten its competitiveness. Nokia’s software-defined portfolio enables NetCologne to advance into the cloud era with more agile, manageable and programmable broadband networks.”

Through the deployment, NetCologne will benefit from the following Nokia solutions:

• Nokia Lightspan SX – industry-leading G.fast distribution point unit with advanced vectoring capability and highly efficient power circuitry, significantly reducing the power consumption per port.
• Nokia Altiplano Access Controller – SDN controller with open programmable interfaces and intent-based networking enables simplified provisioning, reduced cost of operations, automation and portability for future network evolution.
• Nokia GPON - (Gigabit Passive Optical Networks) OLTs (Optical Line Termination) – for greater speed and capacity for FTTH, enabling premium Gigabit services

DIY beauty trends popular on TikTok could be dangerous and harmful, healthcare groups have warned.

Examples include applying bleach to whiten teeth, removing moles at home, and using eyelash glue to make lips appear larger.

When these videos went viral, they encouraged others to copy the so-called "beauty hacks", which could cause permanent harm, the groups warned. TikTok saide videos did not violate its community guidelines.

However, the British Association of Dermatologists, the British Dental Association and the British Skin Foundation - who viewed the videos - have today issued warnings about copying these treatments on social media.

"It is important to remind people that social media should not be used as a primary source for dermatology issues," the British Association of Dermatologists said.

"When it comes to skin, it can lead to unnecessary fear or panic where it is not needed, wasting of resources such as money on products unable to treat medical problems, potential delay in treatment, as well as potentially worsening one's psychological health.

A government spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said it was "concerned by reports of dangerous and misleading cosmetic beauty 'hacks' circulating on social media."

Some videos were seen to promote using chemical or physical ways to remove moles. Experts advise all moles be checked by a professional before removal.

"There is no 'safe' way to remove a mole at home," Dr Ross Perry, NHS GP and medical director of Cosmedics skin clinics, said.

"This needs to be done by a qualified doctor or dermatologist who is trained and knows what they are doing. Using chemicals or attempting to 'scrape' off a mole could lead to infections, bleeding, scarring and deformity of the area."

One peculiar method recommends applying eyelash glue to skin.

British Skin Foundation spokesman consultant dermatologist Dr Adil Sheraz said doing so to create a plumping effect could lead to scarring or permanent disfigurement.

"Eyelash glue contains cyanoacrylate which is known to be a contact allergen," he said.
"Applying a potentially allergenic chemical to lips could result in a severe reaction."

Meanwhile, some cosmetic surgeons said they had also seen social-media videos of at-home Botox or lip-filler kits.

TikTok videos with the hashtag "teethwhitening" have amassed about 284 million views. Some recommend applying bleach to teeth, to avoid "expensive" over-the-counter treatments.

Under UK law, teeth-whitening products can be sold directly to the public only if they contain no more than 0.1% hydrogen peroxide. And anything above this level should supplied, or used, under the supervision of a dentist.
Household bleaches may also contain other bleaching compounds.

The British Dental Association said administering the wrong products at home could cause "permanent damage. The BDA is concerned about the DIY trend to whiten teeth with levels of hydrogen peroxide that are higher than that permitted in over-the-counter products," a representative said.

"Using higher concentrations unsupervised, as some videos advocate, raises the risk of damage to teeth and gums, including burns to the mouth, tooth and gum sensitivity, as well as irritated or inflamed gums."

One viral video copied throughout TikTok suggests a way of applying sun cream to create a contour affect.

"Skin cancers affect all areas of the face," Dr Vishal Madan, of Stratum Dermatology Clinics, said. "Using sunscreen on certain areas and missing others to create a pattern may be trendy - but the UV damage to the tanned area will invariably increase the risk of skin cancers in that site.

"Not only that, repeated exposure to UV light in these areas will make them age prematurely, so, in time, the skin will appear mottled and uneven."

Some cosmetic-mask treatments promoted in TikTok videos could also be harmful, Adonia Medical Clinic founder and medical director Dr Ifeoma Ejikeme said.

"It is dangerous to put citrus fruits on to the skin and then go into the sun," she said. "It can cause inflammation of the skin expressed in burning, redness and blisters."

The videos were shared with medical experts and TikTok, but the firm said these videos did not break their rules.

"Keeping people on TikTok safe is a top priority," a representative added.

"Our community guidelines make clear that we will remove content promoting dangerous behaviour or activities that might lead to serious injury or physical harm.

"We are continuously evaluating our policies and processes to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep our users safe."