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☆ Palestinians Face Israeli Deadline to Leave Northern Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - More than 1 million Palestinians in northern Gaza faced an Israeli deadline on Saturday to flee south, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had only just begun to retaliate for last week's Hamas rampage across southern Israel. Israel has since put the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, home to 2.3 million Palestinians, under a total siege and bombarded it with unprecedented air strikes. More than one million residents of northern Gaza on Friday received 24 hours notice from Israel to flee south before an expected ground offensive. While several thousand residents headed south on Friday from northern Gaza, many others said they would stay. There have also been fears of hostilities spreading, including to Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where clashes this week have already been the deadliest since 2006.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Joe Biden, Daniel Hagari, Netanyahu, Mohammad, General Antonio Guterres, Biden, U.N, Stephane Dujarric, Martin Griffiths, Mahmoud Abbas, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Yoav Gallant, Austin, Gallant, Blinken, King Abdullah, Abbas, videographer Issam Abdallah, Gilad Erdan, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, James Mackenzie, Michelle Nichols, Emma Farge, Jeff Mason, Eric Beech, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Gorman, Dan Whitcomb, Jonathan Landay, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Hamas, U.S, United Nations, Palestinian Authority, Gaza . U.S . Defence, Friday, Israeli, Bank, West Bank, Reuters Locations: JERUSALEM, Gaza, Israel, Philadelphia, Egypt, Jordan, Gaza . U.S, Qatar, U.S, Lebanon, Jerusalem, New York, Geneva, Washington, Amman, Los Angeles

Israel's military chief, Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi, said lessons would be drawn from the security failures around Gaza that enabled the attack. The U.S. military is placing no conditions on its security assistance to Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said, adding Washington expected Israel's military to "do the right things" in prosecuting its war against Hamas. Scores of Israeli and foreign hostages were taken back to Gaza; Israel said it had identified 97 of them. [1/4]Israeli soldiers hold an Israeli flag while in a tank near Israel's border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, October 12, 2023. "This war is harsh beyond imagining," said Hamdan, who has worked through repeated wars since becoming a rescuer in 2007.

Persons: Antony Blinken, Blinken, King Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, America's, General Herzi Halevi, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Benjamin Netanyahu, East Jerusalem's, Kan, Ronen, Israel, Cross, Fabrizio Carboni, Los Angeles, Kathy Hochul, Mount Herzl, Khan Younis, Ibrahim Hamdan, Hamdan, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, Nidal, Emma Farge, Jeff Mason, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Gorman, Dan Whitcomb, Michael Martina, Howard Goller, Diane Craft Organizations: Israel U.S, West Bank Security, Hamas, U.S, NATO, Palestinian, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, United Arab, U.S . Defense, Washington, Public, REUTERS, International Committee, United Nations, Food Programme, ICRC, New, FBI, Mount, Thomson Locations: East Jerusalem, Europe JERUSALEM, GAZA, TEL AVIV, Gaza, Israel, Jordan, U.S, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iran, East, East Jerusalem's Al, Aqsa, Washington, Europe, Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, Los, Jerusalem, Geneva, Tel Aviv, Los Angeles

Summary LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:"Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety...and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields," Israeli military says. The Israeli military said it would operate "significantly" in Gaza City in coming days and civilians should only return when advised. "Civilians of Gaza City, evacuate south for your own safety and the safety of your families and distance yourself from Hamas terrorists who are using you as human shields," the military said. "Hamas terrorists are hiding in Gaza City inside tunnels underneath houses and inside buildings populated with innocent Gazan civilians." [1/16]Palestinians flee their homes amid Israeli strikes, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Gaza City, October 13, 2023.

Persons: Yoav Gallant, Gilad Erdan, Israel, Cross, Fabrizio Carboni, Antony Blinken, Mohammed Salem, Blinken, Jordan's King Abdullah, Mahmoud Abbas, Hassan Nassrallah, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mount Herzl, Khan Younis, Ibrahim Hamdan, Henriette Chacar, Dedi, Maayan Lubell, Emily Rose, Michelle Nichols, Emma Farge, Jeff Mason, Humeyra Pamuk, Steve Gorman, Dan Whitcomb, Michael Martina, Michael Perry, Michael Georgy, Philippa Fletcher, Howard Goller, Diane Craft, Nick Macfie Organizations: Hamas, United Nations, Shifa, International Committee, Food Programme, ICRC, U.S, NATO, REUTERS, Palestinian Authority, West Bank, United Arab, U.S . Defense, Washington, United, Police, FBI, Mount, Thomson Locations: Gaza City, Gaza, JERUSALEM, TEL AVIV, Israel, Japan, United States, Palestinian, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Iran, Lebanon, Turkey, UAE, Turkish, U.S, Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, Los Angeles, Jerusalem, Gazans, Geneva, Washington, Tel Aviv

☆ NASA to unveil first newly returned near-Earth asteroid sample
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-11 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The material collected by the OSRIS-REx spacecraft three years ago from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu was to be unveiled at NASA's Johnston Space Center in Houston, a little more than two weeks after it was parachuted into the Utah desert. The landing of the return capsule capped a six-year joint mission of the U.S. space agency and the University of Arizona. It was only the third asteroid sample, and by far the biggest, ever returned to Earth for analysis, following two similar missions by Japan's space agency ending in 2010 and 2020. At the time it landed, the Bennu sample was estimated to weigh about 100 to 250 grams (3.5 to 8.8 ounces). Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Will DunhamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Keegan, REx, NASA's, Johnson, Samples, Steve Gorman, Will Dunham Organizations: NASA, Department of Defense's Utah, Space Center, University of Arizona, Utah Test, Empire, Thomson Locations: Dugway , Utah, U.S, Houston, Utah, Ryugu, Los Angeles

☆ San Francisco police fatally shoot driver of car that crashed into Chinese consulate
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Nathan Frandino | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Law enforcement officers fatally shot the driver of a vehicle that plowed through the Chinese consulate in San Francisco and into the lobby of the building's visa office on Monday, city police said. "I don't know how many people were inside the visa office at the time of the collision," San Francisco Police Department spokesperson Sergeant Kathryn Winters told reporters at a news briefing hours later. "When officers arrived here on scene, they found the vehicle had come to rest inside the lobby of the Chinese Consulate. [1/3]Law enforcement members stand on the street near the Chinese consulate, where local media has reported a vehicle may have crashed into the building, in San Francisco, California, U.S. October 9, 2023. An ABC television affiliate station in San Francisco reported its news crews observed a man covered in blood being carried away from the scene on a stretcher and rushed into an ambulance.

Persons: Kathryn Winters, " Winters, Nathan Frandino, Steve Gorman, Bernard Orr, Daniel Trotta, Michelle Nichols, Sam Holmes Organizations: FRANCISCO, San Francisco Police, Consulate, Officers, Police, U.S . State Department, REUTERS, State Department, ABC, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, San Francisco , California, U.S, Los Angeles, Beijing, Carlsbad , California, New York

☆ Kaiser healthcare unions say weeklong strike possible early next month
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said on Monday it has served the company notice that a weeklong "follow-up strike is possible" starting Nov. 1 unless the two sides come to a settlement beforehand. The company did not have an immediate response to the unions' latest strike deadline. The strike, which ran for three days, marked the largest work stoppage to date in the healthcare sector. Kaiser said it kept its hospitals and emergency departments open during the walkout, staffed by doctors, managers and "contingency workers."

Persons: Julie Su, Su, Kaiser, Steve Gorman, Sriparna Roy, Caroline Humer, Shinjini Ganguli, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Kaiser Permanente, Coalition, Kaiser Permanente Unions, Union, Kaiser, District of Columbia, Thomson Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Kaiser, California, California , Oregon, Washington, , Colorado, Virginia, Seattle, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, suspect of the King Soopers grocery store shooting, appears in a Boulder County District courtroom at the Boulder County Justice Center in Boulder, Colorado, U.S. May 25, 2021. Still, the judge asked that Alissa remain in the custody of the state hospital where he has been confined for the past two years. Bakke agreed with prosecutors that Alissa, 24, stands a better chance of avoiding regression if he stays hospitalized than if he were returned to jail to await trial. That testimony marked the first indication of a motive for the shooting offered in the case in open court. Authorities said the murder weapon in the Boulder attack, a Ruger AR-556 pistol that resembles a semi-automatic rifle, was purchased by Alissa six days before the grocery store shooting spree.

Persons: Ahmad Al Aliwi Alissa, King, Matthew Jonas, Ingrid Bakke, Alissa, Bakke, Kathryn Herold, Loandra Torres, fidgety, Keith Coffman, Steve Gorman, Matthew Lewis, Chris Reese Organizations: Boulder County Justice Center, REUTERS, Colorado Mental Health, The Colorado Department of Human Services, Authorities, Ruger, Thomson Locations: Boulder County, Boulder, Boulder , Colorado, U.S, Colorado, Denver, Atlanta

☆ Strike by 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers enters third day
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-06 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. Kaiser has said its hospitals and emergency departments have remained open despite the walkout, staffed by doctors, managers and "contingency workers." In any case, Lucas said the striking workers will all return to their jobs by 6 a.m. on Saturday, 72 hours after the strike began, because healthcare workers by law must give advance notice of 10 days of any intent to go on strike. However, the union on Friday warned of another strike if "Kaiser executives continue to commit unfair labor practices and bargain in bad faith." The Kaiser strike has idled more than 75,000 employees, union officials said.

Persons: Kaiser, Julie Su, Caroline Lucas, Lucas, Steve Gorman, Ahmed Aboulenein, Bhanvi, Bill Berkrot, Robert Birsel, Anil D'Silva Organizations: Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Kaiser Permanente, District of Columbia, Labor, Coalition, Kaiser Permanente Unions, Kaiser, Union, Unions, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington D.C, Thomson Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Kaiser, California , Oregon, Washington, , Colorado, Virginia, California, Las Vegas, California , Colorado , Oregon, Hawaii , Georgia, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

[1/7] Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. Kaiser said its hospitals and emergency departments remained open, staffed by doctors, managers and "contingency workers." They are represented by the SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. The Kaiser labor coalition, made up of eight unions representing medical professionals and support staff, insists the company needs to hire 10,000 new healthcare workers to fill current vacancies. Kaiser nationwide employs 68,000 nurses and 213,000 technicians, clerical workers, and administrative staff, alongside its 24,000 doctors.

Persons: Kaiser, Christina Andersen, Michael LeRoy, Ahmed Aboulenein, Bhanvi Satija, Bill Berkrot Organizations: Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Rights, Kaiser Permanente, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, District Columbia, Kaiser, Labor, Tenet Healthcare, SEIU United Healthcare Workers, SEIU, University of Illinois, D.C, Thomson Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Kaiser, California , Oregon, Washington , Colorado, Virginia, Claremont , California, California, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign, Washington, California , Colorado , Oregon

[1/7] Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. "After six months of bargaining with the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, including a marathon effort that went through last night and into today, our bargaining sessions unfortunately ended without a settlement," Kaiser said. They are represented by the SEIU United Healthcare Workers West. The Kaiser labor coalition, made up of eight unions representing medical professionals and support staff, insists the company needs to hire 10,000 new healthcare workers to fill current vacancies. Kaiser nationwide employs 68,000 nurses and 213,000 technicians, clerical workers, and administrative staff, alongside its 24,000 doctors.

Persons: Kaiser, Christina Andersen, Michael LeRoy, Ahmed Aboulenein, Bhanvi Satija, Bill Berkrot, Navaratnam 私 Organizations: Healthcare, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Rights, Kaiser Permanente, Reuters, Coalition, Kaiser Permanente Unions, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, District Columbia, Kaiser, Labor, Tenet Healthcare, SEIU United Healthcare Workers, SEIU, University of Illinois, D.C Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, California , Oregon, Washington , Colorado, Virginia, Claremont , California, California, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, University of Illinois Urbana, Champaign, Washington, California , Colorado , Oregon

Healthcare workers strike in front of Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers go on strike from October 4 to 7 across the United States, in Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 4, 2023. WHAT ARE KAISER WORKERS' DEMANDS AND WHAT IS THE COMPANY OFFERING? Some of the key demands by the workers include higher pay to keep up with the cost of living, a $25-per-hour minimum wage for all healthcare workers, and a reformed bonus structure. The union insists Kaiser needs to hire 10,000 new healthcare workers to fill current vacancies, as well as "fix broken hiring processes" that are preventing full staffing. The unions are asking Kaiser Permanente to make massive investment in the education and training of future healthcare workers, and for a diminished role for vendors and third-party contractors that the healthcare network relies on.

Persons: Julie Su, Kaiser, Kaiser Permanente, John August, Russ Richmond, Leroy Leo, Bhanvi, Ahmed Aboulenein, Steve Gorman, Shinjini Ganguli, Diane Craft Organizations: Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles Medical Center, Permanente, REUTERS, Kaiser Permanente, Labor, AMN Healthcare, District of Columbia, Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Tenet Healthcare, Satellite Healthcare, Fresenius, Thomson Locations: United States, Los Angeles , California, U.S, Kaiser, California, Bengaluru, Washington, Los Angeles

[1/2] A Kaiser Permanente health care center is pictured in Anaheim, California, U.S., October 3, 2023 as more than 75,000 Kaiser Permanente healthcare workers could go on strike from Oct. 4 to Oct. 7 across the United States. REUTERS/Mike Blake Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Kaiser Permanente FollowWASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Kaiser Permanente appeared headed for a labor clash with 75,000 of its healthcare workers as union leaders said contract talks had stalled on Tuesday, leaving the two sides hours away from a threatened three-day strike in several states. Kaiser said its hospitals and emergency departments would remain open in the event of a strike, staffed by doctors, managers and other non-union "contingency workers." As of Tuesday, the Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions said the healthcare giant had yet to offer acceptable terms to address severe staffing shortages, or to embrace adequate improvements in pay and benefits sought by the workers. Staffing levels have been a major sticking point, with the union insisting Kaiser needs to hire 10,000 new healthcare workers to fill current vacancies.

Persons: Mike Blake, Kaiser Permanente, Kaiser, Caroline Lucas, Hilary Costa, Ahmed Aboulenein, Steve Gorman, Bill Berkrot, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Kaiser Permanente, Permanente, REUTERS, D.C, Union, Coalition, Kaiser Permanente Unions, Kaiser, U.S . Bureau of Labor Statistics, Thomson Locations: Anaheim , California, U.S, United States, California , Oregon, Washington, , Colorado, Virginia, Georgia, Hawaii, California , Colorado , Oregon, Los Angeles

Actors, writers and other union members gather around a speaker as SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikers demonstrate in Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S., August 22, 2023. REUTERS/Mike Segar/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLOS ANGELES, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Negotiators for striking Hollywood actors resumed contract talks on Monday with representatives of major studios, television networks and streaming services, marking the first time the two sides have returned to the bargaining table since mid-July. Renewed talks between the SAG-AFTRA actors union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) came eight days after the producers clinched a separate contract deal with Hollywood writers, who launched their own strike on May 2, about 10 weeks before the actors. In the area of artificial intelligence, actors want to protect their images and work from being replaced by computer-generated "digital replicas." The resumption of contract talks between the actors and studios also coincided with network television's late-night hosts - Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers and Jimmy Kimmel - bringing their shows back to television on Monday.

Persons: Mike Segar, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, Dawn Chmielewski, Steve Gorman, Gerry Doyle Organizations: WGA, REUTERS, Hollywood, SAG, Alliance, Television Producers, Guild of America, Thomson Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S, Hollywood's, Los Angeles

☆ Elon Musk wades into US immigration debate at Texas-Mexico border
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Brian Snyder | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Daniel Becerril Acquire Licensing RightsEAGLE PASS, Texas, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Billionaire Elon Musk waded into the U.S. immigration debate on Thursday, paying a visit to the Texas border with Mexico to meet with local politicians and law enforcement and obtain what he called an "unfiltered" view of the situation. The sharp increase, notably around San Diego, California, and the Texas border towns of El Paso and Eagle Pass, follows an earlier lull in unauthorized border crossings following a new asylum policy imposed by Democratic President Joe Biden's administration to discourage such activity. Musk, a native of South Africa, noted his own status as an "immigrant to the United States" and called himself "extremely pro-immigrant." In the 4-minute video clip, he introduced U.S. Representative Tony Gonzales, a Republican from Texas whose district spans more than 800 miles of the border, who welcomed Musk and said people along the Texas border "really feel abandoned." Reporting by Brian Synder in Eagle Pass, Texas; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Scott Malone and Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Elon Musk, Daniel Becerril, Billionaire Elon, Musk's, Joe Biden's, Musk, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's, Benjamin Netanyahu, Tony Gonzales, Brian Synder, Steve Gorman, Scott Malone, Michael Perry Organizations: Elon, SpaceX, Tesla, REUTERS, PASS, Billionaire, Democratic, Texas National Guard, Florida Governor, Republican, Twitter, Russia, Space X, Texas Gulf, Thomson Locations: Rio, Eagle, , Texas, U.S, Piedras Negras, Mexico, Texas, Texas , Arizona, California, United States, San Diego , California, El Paso, Rio Grande, South Africa, Gigafactory Texas, Austin, Texas Gulf Coast, Boca Chica, Brownsville, Eagle Pass , Texas, Los Angeles

☆ U.S. astronaut Rubio and two Russian cosmonauts land in Kazakhstan
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] A view shows the Soyuz MS-23 spacecraft (L) carrying Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin and NASA astronaut Frank Rubio, who get prepared to leave the International Space Station and head for a parachute-assisted landing on the steppe of Kazakhstan, September 27, 2023. "The crew have returned to earth after a year on the ISS," Russia's Roscosmos, Russia's space corporation, said after the landing on time at 1117 GMT. Rubio, who is 47 and on his first space voyage, travelled back to Earth with Russian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev, 48, and Dmitry Petelin, 40. That gave the two Russians and Rubio an unexpectedly extended mission of 371 days in orbit. On Sept. 11, Rubio surpassed the previous NASA record of 355 consecutive days in space set by now-retired U.S. astronaut Mark Vande Hei.

Persons: Sergey Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin, Frank Rubio, Konstantin, Rubio, he's, Prokopyev, Mark Vande Hei, Russia's Valeri Polyakov, Polyakov, Roscosmos, Guy Faulconbridge, Steve Gorman, Mark Trevelyan, Gareth Jones Organizations: NASA, Space Station, U.S, Space, Soyuz, Army, Blackhawk, Thomson Locations: Kazakhstan, ALMATY, Zhezqazghan, Moscow, Los Angeles, Miami, U.S, Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq

☆ California enacts first state tax on guns, ammunition in US
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] A sign forbidding customers to bring guns inside is seen at the entry of a Whole Foods supermarket in Los Angeles, California, U.S., June 13, 2022. The California excise tax, due to go into effect in July 2024, will essentially add an 11% levy on top of the existing federal excise gun and ammo tax, a rate of 10 or 11%, depending on the type of weapon. Newsom's office said his action on gun safety also came in "the wake of shootings across the country that have left at least 104 people dead over the past 74 hours." "While radical judges continue to strip away our ability to keep people safe, California will keep fighting - because gun safety laws work," Newsom, a Democrat, said in a statement. The California excise tax would be collected on the gross receipts of manufacturers, retailers and dealers derived from gun and bullet sales in the state.

Persons: Lucy Nicholson, Gavin Newsom, Newsom, Steve Gorman, Michael Perry Organizations: Foods, REUTERS, Democratic, California, Association, Thomson Locations: Los Angeles , California, U.S, California, Los Angeles

☆ NASA's first asteroid sample parachutes into Utah desert
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Sept 24 (Reuters) - A NASA space capsule carrying the largest soil sample ever scooped up from the surface of an asteroid streaked through Earth's atmosphere on Sunday and parachuted into the Utah desert, delivering the celestial specimen to scientists. It marked only the third asteroid sample, and by far the biggest, ever returned to Earth for analysis, following two similar missions by Japan's space agency ending in 2010 and 2020. OSIRIS-REx collected its specimen three years ago from Bennu, a small, carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999. Parachutes deployed near the very end of the descent, slowing the capsule to about 11 mph before it fell gently onto the desert floor of northwestern Utah. The Bennu sample has been estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010.

Persons: REx, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: NASA, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Bennu, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ Capsule with NASA's first asteroid sample heads for Utah touchdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The robotic spacecraft OSIRIS-REx is scheduled to release the gumdrop-shaped capsule, transporting about a cup of gravelly asteroid material, at 6:42 a.m. EDT (1042 GMT) for a final descent to Earth, climaxing a seven-year voyage. The spacecraft departed Bennu in May 2021 for a 1.2-billion-mile (1.9-billion-km) cruise back to Earth, including two orbits around the sun. The Bennu sample is estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the 5 grams of material carried back from Ryugu in 2020 or the tiny specimen delivered from asteroid Itokawa in 2010. Scientists hope the integrity of the capsule and inner cannister bearing the asteroid material will be maintained through re-entry and landing, keeping the sample pristine and free of any terrestrial contamination. The main portion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, meanwhile, is expected to sail on to explore yet another near-Earth asteroid, named Apophis.

Persons: Joel Kowsky, REx, climaxing, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: United Launch Alliance, V, Cape Canaveral Air Force, NASA, Handout, Reuters, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Florida, U.S, Utah, Salt Lake City, military's, Ryugu, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ NASA's first asteroid sample on track for Sunday parachute landing in Utah
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-23 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreLOS ANGELES, Sept 23 (Reuters) - A NASA space capsule carrying a sample of rocky material plucked from the surface of an asteroid three years ago hurtled toward Earth this weekend headed for a fiery plunge through the atmosphere and a parachute landing in the Utah desert on Sunday. OSIRIS-REx collected its specimen from Bennu, a carbon-rich asteroid discovered in 1999 and classified as a "near-Earth object" because it passes relatively close to our planet every six years. The Bennu sample is estimated at 250 grams (8.8 ounces), far surpassing the amount of material carried back from asteroid Ryugu in 2020 and asteroid Itokawa in 2010. The main portion of the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft, meanwhile, is expected to sail on to explore yet another near-Earth asteroid. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles, Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: REx, Sandra Freund, Lockheed Martin, Dante Lauretta, NASA's, Steve Gorman, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: United Launch Alliance, V, Cape Canaveral Air Force, NASA, Lockheed, University of Arizona, Empire, NASA's Johnson Space Center, Thomson Locations: Florida, U.S, ANGELES, Utah, military's, Salt Lake City, Tucson, Houston, Los Angeles

☆ Bus carrying high school band rolls over in New York state, killing at least one
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 21 (Reuters) - A bus carrying members of a high school band rolled over and crashed on a highway in New York state on Thursday, killing at least one person and injuring numerous others. The person killed was an adult, according to NBC's New York affiliate, citing an unnamed source familiar with the situation. The New York State Police said in a posting on social media that the highway was closed at that point. The bus was carrying members of a high school band from Farmingdale, New York, in Nassau County on a trip to a band camp in Greeley, Pennsylvania, according to a statement from the Farmingdale School District posted by local media. Footage from the scene showed the bus had a logo for Regency Buses, a regional bus line that serves New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

Persons: Kathy Hochul, Brendan O'Brien, Doina Chiacu, Kanishka Singh, Rami Ayyub, Steve Gorman, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: NBC's New, The New York State Police, Farmingdale School, Police, NBC, New, Regency, Thomson Locations: New York, NBC's New York, Wawayanda, New York City, New Jersey, The, Farmingdale , New York, Nassau County, Greeley , Pennsylvania, Farmingdale, Orange County, Orange County , New York, New York , New Jersey, Connecticut, Chicago, Washington

☆ Acting president of Temple University in Philadelphia dies unexpectedly at 72
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Sept 19 (Reuters) - The acting president of Temple University in Philadelphia, JoAnne Epps, fell ill on Tuesday while attending a memorial service on campus and died a short time later, the school said in a statement. Epps appeared to have "suffered a sudden episode" and was "promptly attended to by emergency medical" personnel at the scene, Dr. Daniel del Portal, chief clinical officer for the Temple University Health System, told an afternoon news conference. She was then taken to Temple Hospital, "where resuscitation efforts continued but were unfortunately unsuccessful," del Portal said. "Temple has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember," Epps said in a statement when she was appointed acting president in April. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by Michael PerryOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: JoAnne Epps, Epps, Charles Blockson, Daniel del, Jason Wingard, Steve Gorman, Kanishka Singh, Michael Perry Organizations: Temple University, Local, Temple University Health System, Temple Hospital, university's, Thomson Locations: Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Washington

☆ Los Angeles City Council acts to spare Marilyn Monroe house from demolition
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Steve Gorman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] The new US postage stamp commerating actress Marilyn Monroe, was unveiled in New York January 5, 1995. Monroe purchased the single-story, 2,900-square-foot (270-sq-meter) house in the early 1960s for $75,000 after the end of her third marriage, to playwright Arthur Miller, according to the Los Angeles Times. It was sold to the Glory of the Snow Trust for $8.35 million earlier this year. Park, whose council district includes Brentwood, said her office had received hundreds of calls urging her to take action to spare the house. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Sandra MalerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Marilyn Monroe, Mike Segar, Marilyn Monroe's, Councilwoman Traci, Jamie Paige, Paige, Monroe, Arthur Miller, Steve Gorman, Sandra Maler Organizations: REUTERS, Los Angeles City, city's, Safety, Council, Los Angeles Times, Times, Snow LLC, Snow Trust, The Times, Thomson Locations: New York, Spanish, L.A, Brentwood, Los Angeles

☆ Bruce Springsteen scrubs eight September tour dates, citing peptic ulcers
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Veteran rocker Bruce Springsteen said on Wednesday he was indefinitely postponing eight tour dates this month with his E Street Band, citing medical treatment he is undergoing for peptic ulcers. Ticketholders for the postponed concerts were told they would receive information regarding rescheduled dates. The other postponed dates were Sept. 9 in Baltimore, Sept. 12 and 14 in Pittsburgh, Sept. 16 in Uncasville, Connecticut, and Sept. 19 in Albany, New York. Peptic ulcers are open sores that develop on the inside stomach lining and the upper portion of the small intestine, with the most common symptom being stomach pain, according to the Mayo Clinic. Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, California; Editing by Jamie FreedOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Bruce Springsteen, Springsteen, We'll, Steve Gorman, Daniel Trotta, Jamie Freed Organizations: JMA, Springsteen's North, Mayo Clinic, Hall of Fame, Thomson Locations: Syracuse , New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Uncasville , Connecticut, Albany , New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Carlsbad , California

PERRY, Florida, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Cleanup and recovery from Hurricane Idalia began on Thursday along Florida's Gulf Coast, where property damage, loss of life and power disruptions paled in comparison to the last major hurricane that struck the state nearly a year ago. "The bad news type calls we were accustomed to during Ian, those were not happening during this storm," DeSantis said at a late-afternoon news conference on Wednesday. Florida Highway Patrol reported that two motorists had died in separate rain-related crashes early Wednesday before Idalia made landfall. Reuters Graphics[1/3]A vehicle is seen in a canal after the arrival of Hurricane Idalia in Horseshoe Beach, Florida, U.S., August 30, 2023. The same region, featuring a marshy coast and threaded with freshwater springs and rivers, was devastated by a major hurricane in 1896.

Persons: Hurricane Idalia, Idalia, Ron DeSantis, Perry, Ian, DeSantis, Cheney Orr, Jared Perdue, Casey DeSantis, Maria Alejandra Cardona, Marco Bello, Joey Roulette, Rich McKay, Brendan O'Brien, Brad Brooks, Kanishka Singh, Jeff Mason, Nandita Bose, Steve Gorman, Michael Perry Organizations: Hurricane, National Guard, UBS, Florida Highway Patrol, Reuters, REUTERS, HIT, state's Transportation Department, Reuters Graphics Reuters, National Hurricane Center, NHC, Thomson Locations: PERRY, Florida, Gulf Coast, Keaton, Florida's Big Bend, Taylor, Hernando counties, St . Petersburg, Georgia, Horseshoe Beach , Florida, U.S, Florida's, Big Bend, Gulf, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Bend, Hillsborough County, Tampa, Gulf of Mexico, Cuba, South Carolina, North Carolina, Steinhatchee , Florida, Cedar Key , Florida, Tampa , Florida, Atlanta, Chicago, Longmont , Colorado, Washington

STEINHATCHEE, Florida, Aug 30 (Reuters) - Florida's Gulf Coast braced on Wednesday for fierce winds, torrential rain and surging seawater from Idalia, forecast to become "an extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane, as it swirled toward a direct hit on the state's Big Bend region. Most of Florida's 21 million residents, and many in the adjacent states of Georgia and South Carolina, were under hurricane warnings and other storm-related advisories. Any storm reaching Category 3 or higher is considered a major hurricane. 1 killer in all of these storms is water," Deanne Criswell, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's administrator, said on CNN. Idalia-related disruptions extended to Florida's Atlantic coast at Cape Canaveral, where the Tuesday launch of a rocket carrying a U.S. Space Force intelligence satellite was delayed indefinitely.

Persons: Kevin Guthrie, Rene Hoffman, Idalia, Steve Pizzano, Adrees Latif, Biden, Ron DeSantis, Irma, Michael, Ian, DeSantis, Milton Bontrager, Maria Alejandra Cardona, Marco Bello, Joey Roulette, Rich McKay, Nelson Acosta, Dave Sherwood, Brad Brooks, Brendan O'Brien, Nandita Bose, Steve Gorman, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters Graphics Reuters, National Hurricane Center, NHC, REUTERS, Federal Emergency Management, CNN, White, Florida, Republican, U.S . Space Force, Tampa International Airport, National Guard, Thomson Locations: STEINHATCHEE, Florida, Idalia, Bend, Gulf of Mexico, Georgia, South Carolina, Steinhatchee , Florida, Miami, Cedar Key , Florida, Gulf Coast, North, Sarasota, Apalachicola Bay ., Clearwater Beach , Florida, U.S, Gulf, Gainesville, Tallahassee, Tampa, St, Petersburg, Cape Canaveral, Cuba, Tampa , Florida, Atlanta, Havana, Guanimar, Longmont , Colorado, Chicago, Washington

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