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Opinion: In Germany, the Green New Deal actually works

Opponents of the U.S. congressional Democrats’ Green New Deal point to Germany as an example of a country where similar policies have backfired. They should take a closer look; the U.S. could do well to imitate Europe’s largest economy.





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Lower than average wind speeds are hurting US wind power producers

Unusually still weather in the upper Midwest and Great Plains in late 2018 has already taken a bite out of earnings at NextEra Energy Inc. and Avangrid Inc., which both operate large wind farms. Other wind generators have yet to report fourth-quarter results, including Pattern Energy Group Inc., TerraForm Power Inc. and Clearway Energy Inc.




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Trump said to again seek deep cuts in renewable energy funding

The Trump administration is again seeking severe cuts to the U.S. Energy Department division charged with renewable energy and energy efficiency research, according to a department official familiar with the plan.




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UK in deal to unlock offshore wind boom and green jobs

Offshore wind is set to provide more than 30 per cent of UK electricity by 2030 after the government today launched a landmark deal with the renewables industry.




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Wind generated more than one-third of electricity last week in the UK

RenewableUK highlighted last week that Great Britain’s onshore and offshore wind farms generated more electricity than any other source of power last week.




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Wind sector needs to take initiative on off-taker risks to drive European PPA surge

In order for wind energy power purchase agreements (PPAs) to see sustained uptake in central Europe, sellers need to take a lead in managing long-term risks including power price forecasting, covenant strength and buyer inexperience.




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NEC helps develop three energy storage sites in China

Through its exclusive distributor in China, Puxing Energy, NEC developed two 9-MW battery facilities providing frequency regulation for the Hang-Jin and Feng-Run power plants located in Ordos City, Neimongol Province and Tanshan City.




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A 'Green New Deal' for Central America would present business opportunities for renewable power generators

Recently there has been a great deal of interest in a ‘Green New Deal’ for the United States. It is seen as a way to solve pressing environmental, employment and economic problems with a single comprehensive plan. Modeled on Roosevelt’s New Deal, which created jobs, invested in large infrastructure projects, and pulled the US out of the Great Depression, the Green New Deal is a modern version of that program, but with green energy investments, 21st century job training, and deficit reduction as the key components.




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Three ways utilities can partner with smart renewable cities to deliver on their objectives

Cities and renewable electricity have, respectively, become the habitat and energy of choice globally. The two are increasingly inseparable. Urbanization and electrification trends have turned cities and the grid into leading platforms for human activity, presenting unique opportunities for today’s utilities to partner with municipalities to achieve their smart city goals.




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Get ‘renewable therapy’ during next week’s Solar Education Week

The Redford Center, a California-based non-profit co-founded in 2005 by Robert Redford and his son, James, announced that every morning, from April 15-22, 2019, the organization will post an episode a day of "Renewable Therapy for Climate Anxiety," a conversational mini-series featuring Filmmaker, James Redford, and Matthew Nordan, clean energy investor and managing partner at MNL Partners. In each two-minute installment, the pair explores questions that nag environmentalists when it comes to renewable energy. Watch the first episode below.




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In Northeast, more research needed on offshore wind’s impact on fishing

As plans for wind farms across New England’s waters progress, fishermen continue to express concerns about the impact of the burgeoning offshore wind industry on their livelihoods.




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Three strategies for building solar and wind energy systems on potentially contaminated lands

Building solar and wind energy projects on potentially contaminated lands can be a golden opportunity, both effective and cost-effective, for developers. The 120-acre Reilly Tar & Chemical Corporation Superfund site was recently redeveloped with a utility-scale solar farm and is a prime example of the reuse potential inherent in thousands of Superfund sites, brownfields, retired power plants, and landfills.




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The world’s longest wind turbine blade rolled off the assembly line last week

Last week, LM Wind Power said it had successfully manufactured the world’s first wind turbine blade to surpass 100 meters in length.




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The biggest US market for tiny wind farms isn't the breeziest

Turns out the best place to install a small turbine in the U.S. isn’t the Plains, where winds blow the strongest, but the Northeast where the incentives are better.




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Clean energy engineering experts share blueprints for zero-emission buildings

Buildings account for nearly four-tenths of U.S. energy consumption through heating, cooling and other electricity use, according to the Energy Information Administration. And if that energy comes from fossil fuels, it releases more greenhouse gases that drive human-caused climate change.




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Enel joins Boston’s Greentown Labs to scout for clean energy startups

This week, Enel S.p.A. announced the opening of its newest Innovation Hub in Boston at Greentown Labs, the largest cleantech startup incubator in the United States. The Hub will provide Enel, one of the world’s leading power companies, access to Greentown Labs’ startup community and innovation expertise.




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Offshore wind will need bigger boats. Much bigger boats

How do you install a wind turbine almost the size of the Chrysler building in the open ocean? Just get a boat with deck space larger than a football field and a crane that can lift the weight of 1,100 Chevy Suburban SUVs.




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Xcel Energy sets course for coal-free, renewable-heavy future

This week, Xcel Energy announced plans to retire its last two coal plants in the Upper Midwest a decade earlier than scheduled. The acceleration of the coal closures is part of the company’s clean energy transition that includes expanding wind and solar, using natural gas and operating its Monticello nuclear plant until at least 2040.




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India's largest coal-fired power producer appoints renewables head to speed transition

State-run NTPC Ltd., India’s largest coal-fired power producer, is appointing a new head of its renewables team to speed up its expansion into clean energy, according to a company official with knowledge of the plan.




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FERC revises three-year forecast to reflect rapid growth of renewable energy

According to a review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data just released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), within the past month, the agency has dramatically revised its three-year forecast for changes in the U.S. electrical generating capacity mix. Sharp declines are foreseen for fossil fuels and nuclear power while accompanied by even stronger growth in renewable energy (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) than earlier projected.




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Envisioning the future of hydropower: What do you see?

On Tuesday, July 23 at the HydroVision International keynote, Vice President Marla Barnes asked the audience to close their eyes and envision their next vacation. “Are you sitting on a beach? Are you packing your family into the car for a wild adventure? What do you see,” she asked.




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Virginia looks to New York green bank for possible clean energy financing

Virginia’s energy office is exploring whether to align the state with a billion-dollar New York clean energy financing program.




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Bernie Sanders’ ‘Green New Deal’ aims to have renewables power homes by 2030

Bernie Sanders wants renewable energy to power U.S. homes and vehicles by 2030 -- and he wants to do it by enlisting the federal government in building and running new solar, wind and geothermal electricity projects.




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BNEF finds that hydrogen’s plunging price could boost its role in a carbon-free future

The cost of producing hydrogen gas with renewables is likely to plummet in the coming decades, making one of the most radical technologies for reducing greenhouse gases economical.




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Renewable energy takes center stage at POWERGEN ASIA and Asian Utility Week

In a region of the world where coal is still king, there is room for renewables. This was a takeaway from the Ministerial Address and Joint Opening Keynote at POWERGEN Asia and Asian Utility Week. The two annual events kicked off Tuesday, Sept. 3, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.




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New POWERGEN award program seeks inspirational women of excellent character

In recognition of the widely acknowledged studies that show that organizations with gender equality perform better financially, this year POWERGEN International, along with partner UL, is launching a new awards program that seeks out women of good character.




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The best blenders for smoothies, soups, and everything in between

BEST DEALS ON BLENDERS:


Today's lesson in Cooking as a Grown-Ass adult: Blenders are used for more than frozen margs in summer and collecting dust in winter.

Hot soup without a stove, coffee without a coffee maker, and whipped cream without a hand mixer are just a few of the tasks these multitasking appliances can tackle. Similar to the way the mystical Instant Pot replaces a sauté pan or slow cooker, blenders can expand your meal possibilities tenfold without the clutter of multiple machines. Read more...

More about Tech, Food, Kitchen, Mashable Shopping, and Blenders
IMAGE: Amazon

BEST OVERALL

Vitamix Professional Series 750

This classic Vitamix annihilates fruits and nuts and has presets to make just about anything.

  • Power: 1,560 watts
  • Container size: 64-ounce
  • Automated settings: smoothies, hot soups, frozen desserts, purées, self-cleaning
  • App-connected: No
$598.95 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR MIXING DOUGH

Ninja Mega Kitchen System (BL770)

Expand to pizza or cookie dough with this food processing bowl — just ignore the noise.

  • Power: 1,500 watts
  • Pitcher size: 72-ounce
  • Automated settings: dough, blend, crush, single serve
  • App-connected: No
$149.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Calphalon Auto-Speed Blender

Novices and experts alike will appreciate the auto-adjusting speeds, screen, and long warranty.

  • Power: 1,100 watts
  • Container size: 67.6-ounce
  • Automated settings: smoothie, dip, milkshake, frozen drink
  • App-connected: No
$159.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: NutriBullet

BEST PERSONAL BLENDER

NutriBullet Balance

Track fitness goals and nutrition facts with the Bluetooth smart scale and Balance app.

  • Power: 1,200 Watts
  • Container size: 32-ounce
  • Automated settings: None
  • App-connected: Yes
$149.94 from NutriBullet

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST SMART BLENDER

Vitamix A3500

Walk-away convenience and the touchscreen are life-changing, but iPads can be bought for cheaper.

  • Power: 1,500 watts
  • Container size: 64-ounce
  • Automated settings: smoothies, hot soups, dips and spreads, frozen desserts, self-cleaning
  • App-connected: Yes
$565 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST HAND BLENDER

Breville Control Grip Immersion Blender

Dressing, soup, merengue, and whipped cream can achieve the perfect texture with 15 trigger speeds and an ergonomic handle.

  • Power: 280 watts
  • Pitcher size: 42-ounce
  • Automated settings: None
  • App-connected: No
$83.95 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR WORKOUTS

Oster Blend-N-Go

A pre-gym smoothie always feels rushed, but this blending pitcher doubles as a sport bottle.

  • Power: 400 watts
  • Pitcher size: 20-ounce
  • Automated settings: None
  • App-connected: No
$19.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BUDGET PICK

Hamilton Beach Wave Crusher (58163)

This classic blender is great for newbies and triples as a personal blender and food processor — but you get what you pay for.

  • Power: 700 watts
  • Container size: 40-ounce
  • Automated settings: milkshake/easy clean, purée/smoothie, dice/salsa, crush ice/grate
  • App-connected: No
$59.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR TRAVELING

PopBabies Personal Blender

USB charging makes this great for going off the grid or for work.

  • Power: 175 watts
  • Container size: 14-ounce
  • Automated settings: None
  • App-connected: No
$36.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: NutriBullet

BEST FOR SWITCHING UP RECIPES

NutriBullet

Though it only has one speed, you'll get two different blade options included with the set.

  • Power: 600 watts
  • Cup size(s): Two 18-ounce, one 24-ounce
$59.99 from NutriBullet

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR EXTRACTING NUTRIENTS

Nutri Ninja with FreshVac Technology

Get the most nutrients and best flavors from your produce with this blender's FreshVac pump.

  • Power: 1,100 watts
  • Cup size(s): Two 24-ounce
$56.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: NutriBullet

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Magic Bullet

A cheap, reliable blender that isn't too feature-heavy.

  • Power: 250 watts
  • Cup size(s): One 12-ounce, two 18-ounce
$39.99 from NutriBullet

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR TAKING IN THE CAR

Homgeek Personal Mini Blender

With two slim sports bottles, this compact blender is a solid choice.

  • Power: 300 watts
  • Cup size(s): Two 20-ounce
$23.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR CAMPING

Cozibot Travel Blender

Just because you're far from an outlet doesn't mean you need to skip your smoothie.

  • Power: 65 watts
  • Cup size(s): One 13-ounce
$34.96 from Amazon




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11 of the best pillows for a good night's sleep

BEST PILLOW DEALS:


Achieving a good night’s sleep isn’t always easy. Busy schedules, frequent stress, and bad rest environments can be culprits for sleep troubles. And it’s more common than you think. 

According to the American Sleep Association, 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have a sleep disorder. If your sleepless nights are taking a toll on your health, it might be time for you to buy a new pillow. 

More about Sleep, Pillows, Mashable Shopping, Culture, and Work Life
IMAGE: Coop Home Goods

BEST OVERALL

Coop Home Goods Eden Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

Breathability, comfort, and design make the Coop Home Goods’ Eden Shredded Memory Foam Pillow a top pick if you need to improve your quality of sleep.

  • Dimensions: Standard (17.9 x 6.8 x 6.1 inches), Queen (18 x 6 x 6 inches), and King (17.9 x 6.5 x 6.3 inches)
  • Materials: Bamboo-derived viscose rayon and polyester
  • Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$80.99 from Coop Home Goods

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR SIDE SLEEPERS

Brookstone BioSense 2-in-1 Shoulder Pillow

  • Dimensions: 28 x 20 x 6 inches
  • Materials: Better Than Down microfill and BioSense memory foam core
  • Sleep factor: Good for side sleepers
$119.95 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR BACK SLEEPERS

Nature's Guest Cervical Support Pillow

  • Dimensions: 18.5 x 9.5 x 7.2 inches
  • Materials: Cotton fabric cover, microfiber filling, and silk gusset trim
  • Sleep factor: Good for back sleepers
$79.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR STOMACH SLEEPERS

TruContour Super Thin Memory Foam Pillow

  • Dimensions: 24 x 16 x 2.5 inches
  • Materials: Medical-grade memory foam and certified organic cotton
  • Sleep factor: Good for stomach sleepers
$39.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

Triple Cloud Shredded Memory Foam Pillow

The Triple Cloud Shredded Memory Foam Pillow offers comfort perks and adjustable firmness at a fraction of the price.

  • Dimensions: Standard/Queen (15.9 x 5.6 x 5.2 inches), Queen (17 x 6 x 6 inches), and King ( 17.3 x 7.7 x 6.4 inches)
  • Material: Bamboo-shredded memory foam
  • Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$39.95 from Amazon

IMAGE: Avocado Green

BEST FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Avocado Green Pillow

  • Dimensions: Standard (19 x 24 inches), Queen (19 x 28 inches), and King (19 x 35 inches)
  • Materials: Certified organic cotton, kapok fiber, and natural latex
  • Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$79 from Avocado Green

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR HEAD, NECK, AND SHOULDER SUPPORT

UTTU Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow

Keep head, neck, and shoulder pain at bay with UTTU’s Adjustable Memory Foam Pillow.

  • Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.9 x 14.2 inches
  • Materials: Bamboo fiber, polyester, and memory foam
  • Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$69.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST FOR ALLERGY SUFFERERS

Pacific Coast AllerRest Double DownAround Pillow

Reduce congestion, coughing, sneezing, and other pesky allergy symptoms while you sleep.

  • Dimensions: Standard (20 x 26 inches), Queen (20 x 30 inches), and King (20 x 36 inches)
  • Materials: AllerRest fabric, Barrier Weave down and feather proof fabric, cotton
  • Sleep factor: Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$62.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Leesa

BEST HYBRID OPTION

Leesa Hybrid Pillow

Switch back and forth between a soft pillow top and a cooling, memory foam underside for multiple ways to catch some sleep.

  • Dimensions : Standard (16 x 24 inches), Queen (16 x 28 inches)
  • Materials : Polyester microfiber, ventilated gel, Leesa's Tencel fabric, and nylon.
  • Sleep factor: Best for back and side sleepers
$98 from Leesa

IMAGE: Amazon

BEST 2-FOR-1 DEAL

Beckham Hotel Collection Gel Pillow

You'll be getting two pillows with somewhere-in-the-middle support for the price of one.

  • Dimensions : Queen (20 x 28 inches)
  • Materials: Cotton cover and poly-gel fiber filling
  • Sleep factor : Good for back, side, and stomach sleepers
$33.99 from Amazon

IMAGE: Tuft & Needle

BEST FOR DURABILITY

Tuft & Needle Pillow

If you're looking for a durable pillow and tend to sleep on your back or side, the Tuft & Needle Pillow will have you catching z's in no time.

  • Dimensions : 25 x 16 x 5 inches
  • Materials : Micro polyamide, polyester, and Tuft & Needle's proprietary Adaptive Foam
  • Sleep factor: Best for back and side sleepers
$68 from Tuft & Needle





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Google Duo now lets you make group video calls on the web, just like Google Meet

Google's video chat app got new features this week. No, the other one. No, the other other one.

In a Friday blog post, Google announced some snazzy new features for Duo, one of its three video chat services. Let's get this out of the way early: Duo is the one that's mobile-friendly and resembles FaceTime more than Hangouts and Meet.

The new features make more sense with that in mind. Google added something called "Family Mode" to Duo, in which you can draw silly little doodles on the video feed, presumably to amuse the little ones on the call. There are also AR effects you can use on one-on-one calls on Android and iOS, similar to those available on Facebook's video calls. Read more...

More about Google, Video Chat, Google Hangouts, Google Duo, and Google Meet




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Artists donate free, uplifting images to the UN in pandemic response

The internet is a scary enough place as it is, and now with the added misinformation and panic surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, it's even scarier. Thanks to the United Nations and dozens of artists, however, the internet just got a little more beautiful. 

In late March, the UN put a call out to artists to help combat the spread of COVID-19. They sought creatives to create content around six areas of WHO and UN priority actions: personal hygiene, social distancing, knowing the symptoms, spreading kindness, myth-busting, and doing more/donating. Tens of thousands of artists answered the call in two weeks, and now the COVID-19 Response Creative Content Hub is available for browsing.  Read more...

More about Art, United Nations, Activism, Coronavirus, and Covid 19




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Insight – Japanese defence market seeks international collaborators

Like many countries, Japan is undertaking a significant renewal and upgrade of its defence and security capabilities. The Japanese Government is spending just under A$370 billion on defence up until early 2024. With the industry gradually opening to collaborations with overseas partners, this presents many opportunities for Australian businesses.




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Insight - Strong partnership ensures beef supply to China during COVID-19

A strong and trusted partnership between a Wuhan based distributor of Australian beef and their Australian supplier ensured shipments continued during the worst of the pandemic crisis.




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Insight - Strong partnership ensures beef supply to China during COVID-19

A strong and trusted partnership between a Wuhan based distributor of Australian beef and their Australian supplier ensured shipments continued during the worst of the pandemic crisis.




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Leading talent recruitment company seeks online internship program partner

A leading overseas talent recruitment platform in China is seeking to partner with Australian universities for its online internship system. Successful partners will work with established companies in China to provide online internship opportunities to graduates.




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Russian university seeks Australian partners for fellowship and professorship program

A university in St Petersburg seeks partners in Australia for the university’s fellowship and professorship program. Researchers and lecturers interested in establishing research collaboration in IT, mechanics, optics, robotics, chemistry, lasers, arts, science, science communication and food biotechnologies are invited to send expressions of interest.




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US not-for-profit seeks academia partners for COVID-19 health response

A not-for-profit in the US is seeking expressions of interests from organisations, including academia, for their COVID-19 Health Coalition, to help preserve the healthcare delivery system and protect US populations.




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Indian university seeks academic and research collaboration partners for clinical, preclinical and health sciences

An Indian university in Mysuru, Karnataka seeks research collaborations across pharmacy, medicine, dental and life sciences. Opportunities also exist for short term training programs and fellowships abroad.




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Free trade deal with Indonesia set to kick-off on 5 July (Ministerial)

Australian exporters will soon start reaping the benefits of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), with Australia receiving formal notification that Indonesia has completed its domestic ratification processes.



  • 2020 Media releases

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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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NIST FIPS PUB 201-2: Personal Identity Verification of Federal Employees and Contractors DRAFT

Specifying architecture and technical requirements for a common identification standard for federal employees and contractors.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Webcast: Keeping Remote Workers Safe and Your Work Secure

This webcast gives 6 tips for keeping employees safe and mitigating security threats as your workforce goes remote.
Learn how to protect employees from malicious web content.




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Verisign Will Waive Wholesale Restore Fee to Help Registrants Keep Their Domain Names During COVID-19 Crisis

Last week, we announced a number of actions we are taking to support our people and community during the global COVID-19 crisis. Today, we’re pleased to provide more detail about one of those actions, which, with the help of registrars, will make it easier for domain name registrants worldwide to keep their domain names in […]

The post Verisign Will Waive Wholesale Restore Fee to Help Registrants Keep Their Domain Names During COVID-19 Crisis appeared first on Verisign Blog.