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Progress edition: Startups not deterred by the pandemic - Post Register

Native American tribes have been especially vigilant in encouraging COVID-19 vaccines and enacting stringent safety protocols.

The next challenge for these communities that have been hit particularly hard during the pandemic: the omicron variant. Tribes and the federal Indian Health Service reported huge case spikes in the days after Christmas, reflecting the situation across much of the country.

The Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma and the Menominee Nation in Wisconsin since Monday have reported daily case increases at least five times higher than before Christmas. The federal Indian Health Service reported positivity rates going from 9.1% before Christmas to 13.7% after the holiday, according to data from 356 medical facilities.

"We feel like we're back in crisis mode again," said Dr. Amy Slagle, clinical director of the Menominee Tribal Clinic, which postponed an early New Year's closing to remain open Thursday. "It looks like omicron may have arrived."

The Cherokee Nation, which experienced about 30 new infections per day leading up to Christmas, counted 174 new cases Monday and 148 Tuesday. The Menominee Nation, which had been averaging three to five new cases per week, recorded 36 cases Wednesday and 31 Thursday.

"It's very concerning that the numbers are increasing," Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said.

A nurse takes a swab sample from a Navajo Indian woman complaining of virus symptoms at a coronavirus testing center at the Navajo Nation town of Monument Valley in Arizona in May 2020.

Tribal leaders said high vaccination rates, mask mandates and social distancing rules helped limit the delta variant and put them in a better position to deal with this latest COVID-19 variant, but new protective measures also are being pursued.

Thursday, Cherokee leaders announced a twice-a-week testing program for the tribe's 4,000-employee governmental workforce to go along with vaccination and mitigation initiatives, citing "observations and projections (of) a new surge occurring in Cherokee Nation as it is across the country."

Although the new Menominee cases weren't specifically categorized as omicron, Slagle said the difference in post-holiday cases after Thanksgiving and Christmas suggests the highly transmissible new variant is responsible.

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"We didn't even have a blip after Thanksgiving," she said. "Something's drastically different."

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Menominee County, the tribal home of the Menominee Nation and about 4,500 members in northeastern Wisconsin, has had the highest vaccination rate in the state among adults, Slagle said. Many testing positive have had two shots, reflecting omicron's potent transmissibility, but few new cases involve people who received the booster shot, which the tribe encourages, she said.

Dr. Loretta Christensen, IHS chief medical officer, said the spike probably resulted from omicron, delta and holiday gatherings.

"Unfortunately, omicron, in the way it's so easily transmitted, even if we (ask) our population to stay home, they still have to get groceries, pick up their kids, get gas, all the normal things that we used to do and, just in those exposures, they can get omicron transmitted to them," Christensen said. "Add the holidays and COVID fatigue, as we call it, and even if they're careful, a lot of people will still get omicron."

A health care worker administers a COVID-19 vaccine shot at the Anadarko Indian Health Center in Oklahoma in early November at an event featuring vaccines for children from 5 to 11.

The IHS has planned for weeks for a case surge, one that could continue well past the holidays, Christensen said. That included making sure a substantial number of coronavirus tests, both lab and at-home kits, are available. Christensen said the IHS ordered tests in advance and is in "good shape." Tribal leaders said that for now, they have enough tests, which have been scarce in many parts of the country.

Native Americans and Alaska Natives have the highest vaccination rate of any racial or ethnic demographic, said Christensen, who praised tribal leaders for encouraging vaccination and maintaining health protocols.

Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez said a high tribal vaccination rate (72% receiving two shots and 85% of elders over 65 inoculated), along with consistent protocols related to masking, social distancing and indoor crowd limits, puts the community in a better position to deal with COVID-19 than in the early days of the pandemic.

Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation Chuck Hoskin Jr. speaks at the Cherokee Immersion School in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, during a visit by first lady Jill Biden in early December.

What's different this time around is that we have a higher rate of vaccinations and we know what to do now. So I think that's really been a key factor in keeping the COVID-19 numbers manageable up to now, he said.

Prevention is particularly important for Indigenous communities, which have been hard-hit by COVID-19. According to November data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Indian and Alaska Native people experience higher COVID-19 case, hospitalization and death rates than any other demographic group. They are more than three times as likely to be hospitalized and twice as likely to die than non-Hispanic white people.

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A number of factors contribute to greater susceptibility, including poverty, inadequate nourishment, underlying health conditions, overcrowded housing and lack of access to medical care and even running water in some rural areas, medical experts and tribal leaders said.

However, a history of mistreatment that led to those vulnerabilities also built resilience, said Spero M. Manson, director of the Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health at the Colorado School of Public Health.

"This is not our first experience with pandemics and epidemics. We recognize that these kinds of chronic stresses and strains have been present in the lives of Native Americans for generations," he said. "For us, it's a matter of survival."

Jonathan Nez, president of the Navajo Nation, says more than 70% of the tribe is vaccinated.

High vaccination rates and prevention efforts have kept COVID-19 from causing even greater harm to Native American communities, said Dr. Laura Hammitt, director of infectious disease programs at the Center for American Indian Health at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

"With this most recent surge over the summer and fall, hospitalization and death rates have been much lower compared to earlier in the pandemic. I think this is really attributable to the vaccinations," Hammitt said.

As careful and diligent as Native American communities have been, they can't control conditions in surrounding communities where members work, attend school and live, tribal leaders said.

Hoskin said masks are required at Cherokee Nation government work sites and its tribal school, while educational messaging and financial incentives ($300 for vaccinations and also the follow-up booster) resulted in the Cherokee Nation's 4,000-employee workforce topping 80% in vaccinations. However, many of the 150,000 tribal members in northeastern Oklahoma live in communities outside the nation's authority where vaccine rates are lower and prevention efforts are weaker, he said.

A patient is taken from an ambulance to the emergency room of a hospital in the Navajo Nation town of Tuba City, Ariz., during a 57-hour curfew imposed to try to stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus May 24, 2020.

"We're doing very well, but were not in isolation. We dont live on an island," Hoskin said. "We're in a region of the country where the vaccination rate is low, the use of masks is not what I'd like to see. And, frankly, the most charitable thing I can say is that our governor (Kevin Stitt, a Republican) has been missing in action on COVID."

Nez shared a similar account from the Navajo Nation, where many tribal members go into surrounding Arizona communities with looser COVID-19 rules.

"It's really difficult when other jurisdictions don't mandate masks or politicize wearing masks or getting their shots, he said.

Although many cite personal freedom to oppose masks or vaccines, "Indian tribes throughout the country have a different perspective of how to fight this virus. It's not like, You're taking away my freedoms. Here in Indian Country, it's about keeping our family safe, keeping our communities safe. ... Theres a sense of a nation to protect our people, Nez said.

For the Cherokee Nation, the death of many elders, a population that includes the majority of fluent speakers who help connect the tribe to its history, is a particularly difficult loss, Hoskin said. He's heartened that tribal elders set a great example in getting vaccinated when the shots were first available.

"Our elders, our fluent speakers have led the way. What we've tried to appeal to is the reason the Cherokee people are still here in a literal, concrete sense, because our ancestors put their community ahead of themselves," he said. "We would not have survived our removal in the 19th century, our forced removal along the Trail of Tears, had we not had some collective sense that we needed to take care of each other."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: COVID-19 omicron variant poses new threat to Native American tribes

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Native American tribes have made progress against COVID. Omicron has them 'back in crisis mode.' - Yahoo News

The Detroit Lions are making progress down the home stretch and much of that can be attributed to their throwback head coach, Dan Campbell.

The NFL lost one of the greatest names in league history this week. John Madden, the Hall of Fame coach, broadcaster, and the man behind EA Sports Madden Football has passed away. The majority of people who work in or contribute to the league have been inspired by him.

Madden was a throwback who aged better than fine wine, and was never surpassed by the game. Unless youre of a certain age you cannot truly appreciate all three facets of his contributions.

Since Madden left the sidelines the game has changed. Offenses have become more and more innovative, and defenses have become increasingly more dynamic.

Here in Detroit, the Lions dont have a legend. But they do have head coach Dan Campbell, who is a throwback in his own right.

As a player, Campbell was influenced by Bill Parcells. It formulated his philosophy of physicality and running the ball. After his playing days and a short stint in Miami where he did gain some experience as their interim head coach, Campbell landed in New Orleans.

It was there that Saints head coach Sean Payton taught Campbell about offenses taking flight. About how important the diversity of slicing up opposing secondaries is to the ground game and creating uncertainty in opposing defenses.

Campbell and the Lions have spent the better part of this season losing games and looking lost. Yet, Campbell has not swayed in his beliefs or philosophy.

The irony is that the change for the better which has occurred over the last six weeks started with Campbell taking over the play-calling duties from offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn. It was a rough transition, as Campbell has never called plays before, however, the entire team started to raise its level of play.

The Lions are 2-4-1 with Campbell calling the plays. One of the biggest changes that has occurred has been with Jared Goff. Over his last four games, before sitting out Week 16 on the COVID list, he was among the leagues highest-rated passers.

Is Goff the long-term answer? Most fans dont believe so. But if he can continue to play at the level he has lately, then he should at least not be a liability until the Lions acquire their passer of the future.

The turnaround hasnt been all about Campbell. Aaron Glenn has done wonders with a defense that has resembled a M.A.S.H unit. The special teams guided by Dave Fipp have been good all year. But how hard the Lions play reflects back to Campbell.

The one comparison we can make between Campbell and Madden is that the players love Campbell, just like the Raiders of yore loved Madden.

Even when the Lions have made costly mistakes and shot themselves in the foot repeatedly, they have never quit. Campbell is changing the sour culture Matt Patricia left behind, and quite frankly has been commonplace for this franchise for 60 years.

Madden had only three rules and one would suppose that Campbells rule book is similar: be on time, pay attention, and play like hell when told to.

The Detroit Lions will need to find much more talent and a new offensive coordinator to take over the reins of calling plays before this team has a chance to be legitimately good. Campbells greatest strength is being a leader and motivating his players. He needs to be completely free to do just that.

When the dust finally settles on the Campbell era, whether it be in two years or 10, only then will we truly know if he was able to succeed in turning the Lions into champions. But hell do the old school way in many respects, for better or worse.

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Dan Campbell is a throwback who is making progress as Lions head coach - SideLion Report

Mac Jones and the New England Patriots will face off against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 17. Before the game, Patriots GM Bill Belichick was evaluating the abilities of Jaguars rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He was giving an insight into the progress that Lawrence has made this season. The No.1 draft pick of the year 2021 has come a long way.

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While talking about Trevor, Belichick couldnt help but talk about the progress his own rookie quarterback had made. Bill also shed some light on Mac Jones hard work and dedication towards his team.

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Mac Jones has been very impressive in his first season. However, the New England Patriots have been on a stint lately. They have lost their last two games against Buffalo Bills and Indiana Colts.

Just like Trevor Lawrence, Mac Jones is also a first-round draft pick. In recent games, Jones has stumbled a bit. In the Week 16 loss against the Bills, Jones only got a QB rating of 31.4. He threw two interceptions back to back.

Read More: Hell be a Solid NFL Player: Bill Belichick Envisions Bright Future for this Rookie QB

Other than that, Mac has had a fantastic run. He is a top-class rookie. Jones stands 18th in the entire NFL with a season rating of 90.2. Jones is just one win away from becoming the first QB since Dak Prescott to get double-digit victories. With the help of Mac Jones, the New England Patriots can still get into the playoffs.

Bill Belichick is known to have an eye for young talent. He knows a good quarterback when he sees one. Bill praises the work ethic of Mac Jones. He appreciates the hard work Jones puts in every day of the week.

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Belichick says that Mac is one of New Englands most consistent players.He works hard. He continues to improve. There are new things every week from a game plan scheme, matchups standpoint,Belichick then proceeds to talk about Jones ability to adapt to any situation.He continues to gain experience processing those and doesnt repeat many errors.

Things are still relatively new for Jones in the NFL. Lot of which he hasnt faced before. But according to Belichick, Jones handles everything pretty well. He is quick and consistent on his feet. Let us find out who comes out on top in the battle of rookie quarterbacks in Week 17.

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Will Mac Jones and the New England Patriots triumph over Trevor Lawrence and his Jacksonville Jaguars?

Watch Stories: Five Things That Took Place When Aaron Rodgers Threw His First TD Pass for Green Bay Packers

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Bill Belichick Sheds Light on Mac Jones Progress and Development as a Rookie QB - EssentiallySports

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and her administration are lifting up key accomplishments on behalf of the residents of Chicago over the course of 2021, a year of recovery and investments. With equity as its North Star, the Lightfoot administration passed the most transformative budget in the citys history, ensured that all communities had access to the life-saving vaccine, and focused unprecedented resources on public safety.These investments, along with major reforms and initiatives made over the year, set Chicago on a path to continue to empower residents, transform neighborhoods, create jobs, and bring new businesses to the city.

The year of 2021 continued our fight against the pandemic and the surge in gun violence.Despite these challenges, we rose to meet them and made some remarkable progress on behalf of our residents. More hard work lies ahead in 2022, but it is important to reflect not just on the challenges but also on the opportunities. I want to thank all of our city and sister agency leadership as well as the front-line workers who delivered for Chicagoans. I also want to acknowledge and thank the vast number of community partners whose partnership is essential to the work that we do day in and day out for our residents. We made enormous progress this year in our work to improve the lives of Chicagoans, said Mayor Lightfoot. From ensuring residents access to vaccines, to working hard to make our neighborhoods safer, to the passage of a historic budget and everything in between, we have been laser-focused on investing in our communities. Our work isnt done. Were aiming higher to do even greater things for Chicagoans in 2022 with the once-in-a-lifetime resources that we now have at our disposal. We are ready and excited about the opportunities that the new year will bring.

Keeping Communities Safe

Equitable Economic Recovery

Improving City Services

Keeping Up the Fight Against COVID-19

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Mayor Lightfoot reflects on City of Chicago's progress in 2021 - The - The Chicago Cusader

This morning, we have good news in the form of an Alex Caruso sighting at the Advocate Center! Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago shared a short clip of Caruso putting up some shots after the morning shootaround, which is a great sign.

Of course, Caruso is still listed as out for tonights game with the Atlanta Hawks, but just seeing him out on the floor putting shots up is a positive sign for his return from a sprained foot that has sidelined him since December 20. Caruso started the Bulls December 20 matchup with the Houston Rockets after missing time with a sore hamstring and played just six minutes in the victory over Houston before injuring his foot and leaving the contest.

The Bulls have done an excellent job of navigating their way through a wild month of injuries, COVID-19 cases, and stoppages in play as a result. Currently, they hold a 21-10 record and are the second-seed in the Eastern Conference despite the decimated roster that has seen a whopping 17 players hit the NBAs Health and Safety Protocols thus far.

Seeing Caruso get healthy brings the Bulls one step closer to finally having the complete roster back together, hopefully, sometime in January.

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Good News on the Progress of Alex Caruso - bleachernation.com

From the largest single-year education funding increase in Pennsylvania history to helping 6,000 restaurants and hospitality businesses survive the pandemic and continuing to improve quality and access to health care and combat gun violence, Pennsylvania continues to improve schools, create jobs and expand health care in the third year of Governor Tom Wolfs second term.

In 2022, Gov. Wolf will continue to fight to invest in education, prevent gun violence, raise the minimum wage, improve health care quality while reducing costs and more, to improve the lives of all Pennsylvanians.

Highlights from 2021 include:

INVESTING IN STUDENTS AND EDUCATION

Historic School Funding Increase: Gov. Wolf invested an additional $416 million to provide the largest single-year public education funding increase in state history. Under Gov. Wolf, annual public education funding has increased by more than $1.8 billion.

$100 Million for Level Up: This new initiative provides $100 million to the states 100 poorest school districts and starts to close the funding gap between the states wealthiest and poorest school districts.

Investments in Early Childhood Education: Gov. Wolf continues to make critical investments in early childhood education by increasing state funding by $30 million to help 3,200 more children and families access high-quality pre-k programs. Since taking office, Gov. Wolf has increased funding for Pre-K Counts by 149% and for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program by 77%.

More Substitute Teachers: To address the shortage of substitute teachers, thegovernor signed a bill that temporarily expands who is eligible to be a substitute, such as retired teachers, and eligible college students and recent graduates, and more.

Its On Us PA: The governor awarded nearly $2 million in Its On Us PA grants to combat sexual assault and make students safer on campuses. Since 2016, nearly $6 million has been invested to shift campus culture and promote healthy relationships. The governor also unveiled a four-bill package to further protect students.

Protecting Taxpayers and Charter School Students: More than 80% of school districts are joining Gov. Wolfs call to improve charter school quality and address sky-rocketing charter school costs that force school property tax hikes.

IMPROVING HEALTH CARE QUALITY AND ACCESSIBILITY

Ensuring Access to Quality Care: The Wolf Administration has proposed updated skilled nursing home regulations to ensure the commonwealths quality of care requirements are aligned with the federal government. These proposed updates are the first changes to the nursing home regulations in nearly two decades, including an increase in the number of direct care hours a nursing home resident would receive in a day.

Protecting Vulnerable Citizens: Substance use disorder recovery homes are now licensed by the commonwealth in order to receive state or federal funding. This critical change now allows individuals newly in recovery an opportunity to have safe, supportive housing.

Increased Consumer Protections: With the federal No Surprises Act state implementation beginning January 1, 2022, Governor Wolf signed an Executive Order naming the Pennsylvania Insurance Department lead implementation agency. Pennsylvanians who receive surprise medical bills or have questions related to the federal law can direct all questions to the Insurance Department.

Expanded Eligibility in Critical Programs for Older Adults: Gov. Wolf signed Acts 92 and 94 of 2021 renewing the Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly (PACE) program and expanded eligibility to Pharmaceutical Assistance Contract for the Elderly Needs Enhancement Tier (PACENET). Both programs serve as a lifeline for Pennsylvanias older adult populations and provide critical savings to this vulnerable population.

CREATING JOBS AND SUPPORTING WORKERS

Fighting for Workers: Workers deserve dignity and respect. Gov. Wolf signed an executive order that ensures businesses getting financial assistance offers from the Governors Action Team provide paid sick leave and pay at least the minimum wage for state employees. The administration will also study the option to apply Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards to offices under the governors jurisdiction.

Free Online Job Training: LaunchedSkillUp PA with more than 2,200 courses and 2,600 training hours, including accounting/finance, information technology, project management, clerical and much more.

PROTECTING AND CREATING GOOD JOBS

Helping Nearly 6,000 Hospitality Businesses: Created theCOVID-19 Hospitality Industry Relief Program (CHIRP) which provided $145 million to nearly 6,000 restaurants and hospitality industry businesses during the pandemic. Helping this vital industry is a priority for the governor.

Protecting 25,000 Jobs: Helped create 7,000 jobs and retain 18,000 jobs through Governors Action Team offers of $49 million in state assistance to 48 businesses that are investing $2 billion into projects.

Generational Investment in Broadband: Worked closely with the legislature to create the Pennsylvania Broadband Development Authority that will manage at least $100 million in federal aid to expand broadband. The generational investment will help close the digital divide in many rural communities, allowing more people to work, access health care and education and stay connected.

Expanding Broadband in Unserved Areas: Some counties are at a disadvantage due to limitations on access to broadband. The Wolf Administration offered $5 million through the Unserved High-Speed Broadband Funding Program (UHSB) for projects that expand high-speed broadband service infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas.

ADDRESSING GUN VIOLENCE

Commitment to Share Gun Violence Data: Gov. Wolf joined New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, and Connecticut Governor Ned Lamond in a Memorandum of Understanding to share gun data in an effort to prevent gun violence and enhance public safety.

Funding Grassroots Gun Violence Prevention Projects: In continuation of his commitment to combat gun violence in Pennsylvania, Gov. Wolf increased funding for the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquencys Gun Violence Prevention Program to $24 million. In November, 40 local gun violence prevention projects across the commonwealth were funded for a total of $15.7 million.

ENSURING FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

Fair and Transparent Congressional Redistricting: Created the Pennsylvania Redistricting Advisory Council of six redistricting experts who held a series of in-person and virtual public listening sessions, and reviewed public feedback and maps submitted through a portal to develop redistricting principles that will help the governor to evaluate a Congressional redistricting map that will be passed by the General Assembly.

PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT

Addressing Environmental Justice: Gov. Wolf issued an Executive Order strengthening the administrations efforts to address environmental justice and support low-income communities and communities of color that are adversely impacted by environmental issues with accompanying adverse health impacts.

Commitment to Solar Energy: Gov. Wolf committed to a clean energy initiative that will produce nearly 50 percent of state governments electricity through seven new solar energy arrays around the state. The project is the largest solar commitment by any government in the U.S. announced to date.

ESTABLISHING GOVERNMENT REFORM

Historic Rainy Day Fund Balance: Gov. Wolf has restored stability to Pennsylvanias finances, and this year the administration deposited more than $2.6 billion into our Rainy Day Fund to prepare for any future challenges. Thanks to responsible financial planning, there is more than $2.8 billion in the states Rainy Day Fund, the most in Pennsylvania history.

Protecting LGBTQ Commonwealth Employees: Sexual harassment based on sexual orientation or gender identity is wrong and unacceptable. Gov. Wolf updated workplace policies for commonwealth employees to further protect members of the LGBTQ community from harassment in the workplace based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression.

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2021 Year-In-Review: Progress on Education, Health Care, Good Jobs & More - pa.gov

VIENNA (AFP) The United States said Tuesday it had seen possible progress in talks with Iran, but joined European negotiators in pressing for urgency in rolling back Tehrans nuclear program.

Negotiations resumed Monday in Vienna in a fresh push to make headway on reviving a landmark 2015 agreement that curtailed Irans nuclear activities in return for sanctions relief.

There may have been some modest progress, US State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters in Washington.

But it is in some ways too soon to say how substantive that progress may have been. At a minimum, any progress, we believe, is falling short of Irans accelerating nuclear steps and is far too slow.

Former US president Donald Trump in 2018 withdrew from the nuclear accord and imposed a slew of punishing sanctions, including a unilateral US ban on Iran selling its key export of oil.

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US President Joe Biden supports a return to the agreement, but Iran has kept taking steps away from compliance as it presses for sanctions relief.

People walk past Palais Coburg, where closed-door nuclear talks are taking place in Vienna, Austria, on December 17, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Gruber)

The Vienna talks began after Bidens election, but stopped in June as Iran elected a new ultraconservative government. They resumed in late November with Iran agreeing to keep talking after a brief break.

This negotiation is urgent, negotiators from Britain, France and Germany said in a statement.

We are clear that we are nearing the point where Irans escalation of its nuclear program will have completely hollowed out the JCPOA, the so-called E3 powers said, referring to the deals official name by its acronym.

That means we have weeks, not months, to conclude a deal before the JCPOAs core non-proliferation benefits are lost.

Israel has warned of military options if the Islamic Republics program advances and is suspected in a shadowy campaign that has included the assassination of Tehrans top nuclear scientist.

The Biden administration has also warned of a return to pressure if talks fail and Iran pursues its nuclear work.

Iran was in compliance with the 2015 deal before Trumps withdrawal but has since taken key steps including stepping up its enrichment of uranium, although it denies that it wants to acquire a nuclear arsenal.

On Saturday, Atomic Energy Organization of Iran director Mohammad Eslami said Tehran had no plans to enrich uranium beyond 60 percent, even if the Vienna talks fail.

Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service Enrique Mora speaks to journalists after a meeting of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in Vienna, on December 17, 2021. (Alex Halada/AFP)

Eslami said the enrichment levels were related to the needs of the country, in remarks published by the Russian news agency RIA Novosti.

In response, E3 negotiators said Tuesday that 60% enrichment was still unprecedented for a state without nuclear weapons. Military-grade levels are around 90%.

Its increasing 60% stockpile is bringing Iran significantly closer to having fissile material, which could be used for nuclear weapons, they said.

The US did not specify areas of progress, but Russia which is participating along with China and the Europeans said a working group had a useful meeting on nuclear issues and informal discussions on lifting sanctions.

We observe indisputable progress, Moscows ambassador to the United Nations in Vienna, Mikhail Ulyanov, wrote on Twitter.

US negotiator Rob Malley is participating indirectly, with European diplomats shuttling between hotels, as Iran refuses direct contact with the US.

Irans Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian was quoted by state news agency IRNA on Tuesday as saying the negotiations were on a good track.

With the goodwill and seriousness from the other parties, we can consider [reaching] a quick agreement in the near future, he said.

European Union diplomat Enrique Mora, who is chairing the talks, said on Monday that all sides were showing a clear will to work toward the successful end, but that very difficult negotiations lay ahead.

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US sees possible modest progress in Iran nuclear talks - The Times of Israel

NASA's new $10 billion observatory is completing a nerve-wracking sequence of steps to reach its final configuration and location.

The James Webb Space Telescope's "29 days on the edge," as NASA has dubbed the lengthy and complex deployment process, began when the spacecraft launched on Saturday (Dec. 25). Since then, the observatory has reached key milestones like unfurling its solar array and adjusting its trajectory. Still to come are steps like opening its sunshield and arranging its mirrors.

You can track the observatory throughout the process at the NASA website dedicated to the mission. The website includes details about the spacecraft's location and speed.

Live updates: NASA's James Webb Space Telescope missionIn photos: The Christmas launch of NASA's James Webb Space Telescope

Even just a few days into its journey, Webb has already covered more than one-third of the distance to its final orbit, circling a point known as L2, or the Earth-sun Lagrange point 2. Here, nearly 1 million miles (1.5 million kilometers) away from Earth on the opposite side as the sun, the gravitational tugs of the sun and Earth balance out, creating a relatively stable environment for spacecraft.

Once Webb's temperature sensors deploy, the dashboard will also provide temperatures for both the hot side of the spacecraft, facing the sun, and the cold side, which will be protected by the massive sunshield.

The main dashboard also includes details about the most recent deployment stage Webb has completed, with information pulled from NASA's main deployment timeline.

If all goes according to plan, the telescope will be fully deployed 13 days after launch, around Jan. 7, and will reach its final orbit 29.5 days after launch. Next, the observatory will undergo five months of commissioning to prepare its instruments and mirror for science work, which is expected to begin in the summer of 2022.

Email Meghan Bartels at mbartels@space.com or follow her on Twitter @meghanbartels. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

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Where is NASA's James Webb Space Telescope? Here's how to follow its progress. - Space.com

WARSAW, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Poland hopes to make progress in negotiations with the new Czech government over the open-pit lignite Turow mine near the border, Poland's prime minister said on Tuesday, referring to the most serious spat between the two European Union members in decades.

The European Union's top court told Poland to halt operations at the Turow mine on the border with the Czech Republic after Prague complained of environmental damage in Czech villages, which would also mean closing a nearby power plant.

Poland has so far defied the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) order from May.

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"...we absolutely do not intend to stop the operations of the mine, the operations of the power plant. The mine and the power plant provide electricity, heat to hundreds of thousands of Polish households," Mateusz Morawiecki said.

"...it is possible to end this dispute amicably with the Czech side...I hope that in January these negotiations will move forward, maybe even earlier, but I would not like to anticipate the facts here," he added.

In November, the Czech environment ministry said a new proposal from Poland on the settlement of a dispute was unacceptable, adding it would have to be discussed with the incoming government formed earlier this month following October's election.

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Reporting by Anna Koper, Anna Wlodarczak-Semczuk and Pawel Florkiewicz; Editing by Barbara Lewis

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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Poland hopes for progress in talks with Czechs over Turow mine - Reuters