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☆ US car sales climb despite strike and rising interest rates
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-03 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —US new car sales soared in the third quarter, despite the combination of a strike at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis, high prices and rising interest rates. “New-vehicle sales have remained somewhat consistent as pent-up demand keeps sales afloat despite economic challenges,” said Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds’ head of insights. “However, the landscape can change dramatically, and quickly, if the strike continues.”Rising ratesAnother factor that could slow sales at all automakers is rising interest rates, which is raising the average car payment to record levels. It’s the highest average interest rates for both types of loans since the start of the Great Recession and financial crisis of 2007. “Spiked interest rates remain the biggest impediment to affordability in both the new and used car markets today,” said Caldwell.

Persons: that’s, ”, Ivan Drury, Edmunds, “, ” Ford, Jessica Caldwell, Ford Bronco, Caldwell Organizations: New, New York CNN, General Motors, Ford, GM, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, Edmunds ., Toyota, Lexus, United Auto Workers, UAW, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick Enclave, Federal Reserve Locations: New York, Edmunds, Ford Chicago

New York CNN —General Motors and Ford are laying off 500 additional workers between them, blaming the expansion of the strike announced by the United Auto Workers union at those companies on Friday. General Motors said it was laying off 164 workers at stamping plants in Parma, Ohio, and Marion, Indiana. Ford said it laid off 330 workers at its Chicago Stamping Plant and Lima Engine Plant following the union’s decision Friday to strike its Chicago Assembly plant, which made the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs. It had previously laid off 600 hourly workers at the Michigan Assembly plant in Wayne, Michigan who were not on strike. Those benefits for both strikers and laid-off UAW members will cost the union about $14.3 million a week, but it went into the strike with $825 million in its strike fund.

Persons: General Motors, Marion, ”, Ford, “ Organizations: New, New York CNN —, Motors, Ford, United Auto Workers, General, Lansing Delta, GMC, Traverse, Buick, Chicago Assembly, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Michigan Assembly, Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, UAW, Anderson Economics Group, CNN Locations: New York, Parma , Ohio, Marion , Indiana, Wentzville , Ohio, Lansing, Lansing , Michigan, Colorado, Parma, Fairfax, Kansas City , Kansas, Toledo, Lockport, Chicago, Michigan, Wayne , Michigan, Kokomo , Indiana

☆ US expands, upgrades probe into 708,000 Ford SUVs, trucks over engine failures
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-02 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Slideshow ( 2 images )WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Monday it was upgrading and expanding its investigation into 708,000 Ford Motor sport utility vehicles and trucks over catastrophic engine failures tied to a faulty valve. The investigation covers 2021 and 2022 model year Ford Bronco, Edge, Explorer, and F-150 and Lincoln Aviator and Nautilus vehicles. A Ford spokeswoman said the automaker was working with NHTSA to support their investigation. NHTSA said it had reports of 328 customer complaints and 487 warranty claims relating to the vehicles under investigation. Ford added it believed “defective intake valves commonly fail early in a vehicle’s life and has suggested that the majority of failures have already occurred.”

Persons: Ford, Ford “, ” Ford, ” Organizations: Traffic Safety Administration, Ford Motor, Ford Bronco, Lincoln Aviator, Nautilus, NHTSA, Ford Locations: WASHINGTON

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A California man who says he was harassed after Elon Musk amplified posts on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, that falsely placed the man at a confrontation involving far-right protesters sued the billionaire for defamation in a lawsuit filed Monday. Brody is seeking a jury trial in Austin, Texas, and unspecified damages of at least $1 million. Political Cartoons View All 1193 ImagesThe posts by Musk were still on X as of Monday. It is not the first time Musk has been sued for defamation. In August, X sued a group of researchers over accusations that their work highlighting an increase in hate speech on the platform cost the company millions of dollars of advertising revenue.

Persons: Elon Musk, Benjamin Brody, Mark Bankston, Alex Jones, Sandy, Brody, Musk, ” Brody, X Organizations: Twitter Locations: AUSTIN, Texas, California, Austin , Texas, Oregon, British

☆ The Best Astronomer-Recommended Gear to Safely Enjoy the Solar Eclipse
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-30 | by ( Bellamy Richardson | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +7 min

With an annular solar eclipse coming up on Oct. 14, 2023 and a total solar eclipse gracing the sky on April 8, 2024, there are opportunities to see some awesome astronomical beauty. If you’re planning on capturing the moment in a photo or want an even better view, check out the best cameras, solar filters, binoculars and telescopes recommended by seasoned eclipse-goers. Eclipse glassesRainbow Symphony Solar Eclipse Glasses, 5 Pack $7 at AmazonThe Eclipser American Paper Optics Eclipse Glasses, 5 Pack $11 at AmazonThousand Oaks Optical Solar Eclipse Glasses, 10 Pack $15 at AmazonNathaniel Paust, a former professor at Whitman College whose research focuses on the evolution of stars in globular clusters, says there’s really only one thing you need to view a solar eclipse: a pair of glasses with solar eclipse filters. Espenak recommends eclipse glasses from American Paper Optics, Rainbow Symphony and Thousand Oaks Optical. Get more specific information based on where you are when you input your location to the Time and Date Annular Solar Eclipse Countdown.

Persons: Bellamy Richardson, Fred Espenak, ”, you’re, Amazon Nathaniel Paust, there’s, ” Paust, Espenak, it’s, Paust, “, Donald W, Olson, Nicole Montillaro, Emily Levesque’s “, Donald Olson, Stephen Hawking Organizations: Goddard Space Flight, Amazon, Whitman College, Symphony, “, Sony, Canon, Nikon, American Astronomical Society, Daystar, NASA Locations: Celestron, North, Central, South America, Oregon, Texas, U.S, Dallas , Texas, Caribou , Maine

[1/2]Striking United Auto Workers (UAW) union workers picket outside the Ford Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, Michigan, U.S., September 23, 2023. Workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. The union escalated on Sept. 22, when workers walked off the job at GM and Stellantis distribution facilities in 20 states nationwide. UAW workers also are threatening to walk off the job at heavy truck maker Mack Trucks on Sunday, and at three Detroit casinos. A UAW strike has shut down a plant that builds axles for Mercedes-Benz's Alabama vehicle factory.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Stellantis, Mary Barra, Jim Farley, Farley, Joe Biden, Barra, Sam Fiorani, Ford, Nalio Chery, Arthur Wheaton, Mack Trucks, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Bianca Flowers, Shivansh, Abhijith G, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski, David Gregorio, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: UAW, Lansing , Michigan Ford, GM, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Chrysler, Mack Trucks, AutoForecast Solutions, Ford Michigan Assembly Plant, REUTERS, Workers, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Marshall, Cornell University, Mercedes, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Lansing , Michigan, DETROIT, Barra, Detroit, Wayne , Michigan, U.S, Dieu, Lansing, Michigan, Marshall , Michigan, Alabama

“I don’t know why Jim Farley is lying about the state of negotiations," Fain said in a statement responding to the Ford CEO. The UAW wants those workers represented by the union and paid the highest-tier wages. Workers went on strike on Sept. 15 at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. UAW workers are threatening to walk off the job at heavy truck maker Mack Trucks on Sunday, and at three Detroit casinos. A UAW strike has shut down a plant that builds axles for Mercedes-Benz's Alabama vehicle factory.

Persons: Jim Farley, Shawn Fain, Stellantis, Fain, Sam Fiorani, Joe Biden, Ford, Farley, Arthur Wheaton, Mack Trucks, Silverados, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Bianca Flowers, Shivansh, Abhijith G, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski, David Gregorio, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: UAW, Lansing , Michigan Ford, Ford, United Auto Workers, Detroit, Chrysler, Mack Trucks, AutoForecast Solutions, Workers, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Marshall, General Motors, GM, Cornell University, Mercedes, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, Lansing , Michigan, DETROIT, U.S, Detroit, Lansing, Michigan, Marshall , Michigan, Alabama

"Despite our willingness to bargain Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress," Fain said in a video address Friday morning. It began on Sept. 15, when workers struck at one plant each from GM, Ford and Stellantis. The UAW did not strike at Ford distribution facilities last week, citing progress in talks with that company. Analysts estimate GM, Ford and Stellantis earn as much as $15,000 per vehicle on each of their respective large pickup truck models. The Ford assembly plant in Chicago builds the Ford Explorer and Lincoln Aviator SUVs, while the GM plant in Lansing makes the Chevy Traverse and Buick Enclave SUVs.

Persons: Shawn Fain, GM's, Fain, Stellantis, Friday Fain, Arthur Wheaton, Silverados, Sam Fiorani, Joe Biden, David Shepardson, Joseph White, Ben Klayman, Abhirup Roy, Peter Henderson, Nick Zieminski Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, Detroit Three, GM, UAW, Detroit, Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations, U.S, Workers, Stellantis, Strikers, AutoForecast Solutions, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Traverse, Buick, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chicago, GM's Lansing , Michigan, Stellantis, Marshall , Michigan, Milan, Detroit, Lansing

☆ UAW announces new strikes at GM and Ford plants, spares Stellantis citing 'momentum' in talks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Michael Wayland | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DETROIT – The United Auto Workers union will expand strikes against General Motors and Ford Motor to two U.S. assembly plants at noon ET, UAW President Shawn Fain said Friday. Fain said Chrysler-parent Stellantis was spared from additional strikes because of recent progress in negotiations with that company. "To restore the balance of power, we have to restore the strike," Fain said Friday, citing several other UAW strikes aside from the Detroit automakers. The UAW originally initiated work stoppages on Sept. 15 at three assembly plants — one each for the Detroit automakers. At that time, the UAW spared Ford from expanded strikes, citing progress in those negotiations.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Fain, Stellantis, Gerald Johnson, GM's Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, General Motors, Ford Motor, UAW, Chicago Assembly, Ford Explorer, Lincoln Aviator, Buick Enclave, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Detroit, GM, Ford, Detroit automakers Locations: Illinois, Lansing Delta, Michigan

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union says its two-week strike against Detroit automakers will spread to 7,000 more workers at a Ford plant in Chicago and a General Motors assembly factory near Lansing, Michigan. Union President Shawn Fain told workers on a video appearance Friday that negotiations haven’t broken down but Ford and GM have refused to make meaningful progress. The GM plant in Delta Township, near Lansing, makes large crossover SUVs such as the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. The Chicago Ford plant makes the Ford Explorer and Explorer Police Interceptors, as well as the Lincoln Aviator SUV. The union went on strike Sept. 15 when it couldn’t reach agreements on new contracts with the companies.

Persons: Shawn Fain, Stellantis, Fain, ” Fain, “ I’m, ”, Gerald Johnson, “, doesn’t, ” Johnson, Ford, ____ Koenig Organizations: DETROIT, United Auto Workers, Detroit, General Motors, Union, Ford, GM, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick, Chicago Ford, Ford Explorer, Explorer Police, Lincoln Aviator, Facebook, UAW Locations: Chicago, Lansing , Michigan, Delta Township, Lansing, Missouri , Ohio, Michigan, Dallas

☆ UAW to expand strike at Ford and GM, Fain says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-29 | by ( Chris Isidore | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —The United Auto Workers union is expanding its strike to additional facilities of automakers Ford and GM, the UAW head said on Friday, adding that additional Stellantis members will not be called to go on strike. “We knew it was unlikely this was going to be quick,” Fain said on a livestreamed update. But, he said, “We’re excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues.”UAW President Shawn Fain said that Ford and GM have not made enough progress in meeting union demands, despite a strike that has gone on for 15 days. A week ago it added a series of 38 parts and distribution centers operated in 20 states by GM and Stellantis but did not expand the strike at Ford, saying that automaker had made significant progress in negotiations. As of noon Friday, there will be more than 25,000 UAW workers on strike, as Fain has called on an additional 7,000 members across Ford and GM to go on strike.

Persons: “, ” Fain, Shawn Fain, Ford, “ We’re, I’m, Fain, Joe Biden Organizations: New, New York CNN, United Auto Workers, Ford, GM, UAW, Chicago Assembly, Lincoln Aviator, Chevrolet Traverse, Buick Enclave, Chevy Silverado, Chrysler Locations: New York, Chicago, Lansing Delta, Michigan

☆ Indian shares struggle on weak global cues, higher crude prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Sethuraman N R | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsBENGALURU, Sept 28 (Reuters) - Indian shares struggled to add to initial gains on Thursday as weakness in global equities markets over fears of higher interest rates and surging crude prices weighed. "Despite the correction, India has still outperformed the global markets.. But, we are also seeing many emerging risks like higher crude prices and depreciation in rupee," said Samrat Dasgupta, chief executive at Esquire Capital Investment Advisors. Crude prices, which rose 3% overnight will hurt India, the world's third-largest importer, which is also reeling under lower-than-expected monsoon rains, triggering inflation risks. Among sectoral indexes, information technology stocks (.NIFTYIT) fell 0.8%, metals (.NIFTYMET) gained 0.6%, while the public sector banks (.NIFTYPSU) climbed 0.9%.

Persons: Francis Mascarenhas, Samrat Dasgupta, Esquire's Dasgupta, Sohini Goswami, Dhanya Ann Thoppil Organizations: Bombay Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Rights, BSE, Esquire Capital Investment Advisors, Treasury, Federal Reserve, Oil India, ICICI Lombard, Sethuraman NR, Thomson Locations: Mumbai, India, Bengaluru

☆ The top superyachts at Monaco Yacht Show 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Tamara Hardingham-Gill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

“It shows the evolution of yacht design and the use of a yacht,” says Pizzardini. The Monaco Yacht Show’s Sustainability Hub, which showcases what are touted as sustainable solutions and eco-friendly projects, is returning to the show for its second year. RossinaviThere were 5,695 superyachts over 30 meters in operation in mid-August, according to the Monaco Yacht Show Market Report 2023 published by SuperYacht Times. The report goes on to state that new yacht sales were behind by 34% at the start of September, while used yacht sales were down by around 25%. There are lots of expectations for this year.”Monaco Yacht Show 2023 begins on September 27, and ends on September 30.

Persons: Julien Hubert, Marcela Royer, ” Johan Pizzardini, Royer, ”, they’re, Guillaume Plisson, Tecnomar –, “, – it’s, Vitruvius, Francesco Paszkowski, Maurizio Paradisi, Amels, Amare, Aurelia, Lara, Pizzardini, superyachts, it’s Organizations: CNN, Monaco, Tankoa Yachts, CNN Travel, Monaco’s, Amels, Italian, Group Yachts, “, Rossinavi, SuperYacht Times Locations: Monaco, Netherlands, London, Carinthia

☆ Webb spots a building block of life on Jupiter’s moon Europa
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-27 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A building block of life may exist inside the global ocean on Europa, one of Jupiter’s icy moons. Scientists have long questioned whether Europa’s ocean contained carbon and other chemicals necessary for life. Astronomers used the Webb telescope to observe Jupiter's icy moon Europa. Carbon dioxide appears to be concentrated in a region of “chaos terrain” on Europa called Tara Regio. Future observations of Europa with the Webb Telescope could help astronomers determine whether there are other concentrated regions of carbon dioxide on the surface, Trumbo said.

Persons: James Webb, ”, Geronimo Villanueva, Tara Regio, Samantha Trumbo, ” Trumbo, ” Villanueva, Webb, Heidi Hammel, Trumbo, “ Organizations: CNN, Goddard Space Flight, NASA, ESA, CSA, Webb, Cornell University, Hubble, Webb's, Association of Universities for Research, Astronomy, NASA’s, Clipper, Europa Clipper Locations: Europa, Greenbelt , Maryland

☆ OSIRIS-APEX mission sets off for new asteroid target
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —After successfully delivering NASA’s first asteroid sample collected in space, the OSIRIS-REx mission, now renamed OSIRIS-APEX, is embarking on a new journey — this time to study an asteroid that will closely approach Earth in just a few years. The asteroid was named for the Egyptian god of chaos and darkness and is believed to be shaped like a peanut. An artist's rendering shows OSIRIS-APEX kicking up dust so it can study Apophis. What Apophis could revealApophis is of interest because it’s an S-type, or stony, asteroid, in contrast to Bennu, which is a C-type, or carbonaceous, asteroid. The spacecraft’s ability to closely orbit the asteroid can reveal the surface strength of stony asteroids and how much weathering the asteroid endures in the space environment.

Persons: CNN —, NASA’s, REx, OSIRIS, ”, Dani DellaGiustina, APEX's, Heather Roper, Dante Lauretta, ” Lauretta, “ Organizations: CNN, APEX, University of Arizona, Space Center, NASA, “, NASA’s Center Locations: NASA’s, Houston, Europe, Africa

☆ 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

☆ Geologist Marie Tharp mapped the ocean floor and helped solve one of science's biggest controversies
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Jenny Mcgrath | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Back then, no one knew what the ocean floor looked like — until one woman used her many talents to find out. When she reflected on her life, geologist Marie Tharp recollected being able to fill in the blanks of the ocean floor, which she saw as a fascinating jigsaw puzzle. Their final project together was the World Ocean Floor Map. The Heezen-Tharp “World Ocean Floor” map painted by Heinrich Berann. Marie Tharp Maps, LLCAfter Heezen's death, organizations that had hired him and Tharp to work on projects reassigned them.

Persons: didn't, Marie Tharp, Marie Tharp recollected, Tharp, Columbia University's, Lamont, Alfred Wegener's, Wegener, he'd, Bailey Willis, Willis, Bettie Higgs, Maurice Ewing, Roberta Eike, Tharp didn't, they'd, Bruce Heezen, Frank Albert Charles Burke, Heezen, Howard Foster, she'd, Ewing, Jacques Cousteau, Cousteau, Marie Tharp's, Heinrich Berann, you'd, It's, Hali Felt, Higgs, Society's Hubbard, Mary, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison, George Washington Organizations: Service, Columbia, Columbia University's Lamont Geological Laboratory, University of Michigan, Columbia University, Lamont, Fairfax Media, Getty, US Navy, Oceanographic Conference, ABC, Disney, Entertainment, National Geographic, Mary Sears Woman, Oceanography Locations: Wall, Silicon, German, American, Lamont, Massachusetts, Nova Scotia , Massachusetts, France, Gibraltar, United States

☆ How to Watch NASA Bring Asteroid Samples Home From Space
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Katrina Miller | More About Katrina Miller | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Sunday morning, a brown-and-white capsule will shoot through Earth’s atmosphere to drop off a cache of pristine space rock to a team of eagerly waiting scientists and engineers. If successful, the sample return will be the end of a seven-year mission by NASA called OSIRIS-REX — which stands for Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resources Identification and Security-Regolith Explorer — that launched in 2016. When will OSIRIS-REX drop off the sample and how can I watch? NASA will livestream the arrival on its YouTube channel starting around 10 a.m. Earlier on Sunday, the OSIRIS-REX command team conducted what they call a go-or-no-go poll to determine whether the spacecraft would release the capsule.

Organizations: NASA, YouTube Locations: Utah, Salt Lake City

☆ OSIRIS-REx: A long-awaited asteroid sample has landed in the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-24 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Seven years after launching to space, the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft flew by Earth Sunday to deliver the pristine sample from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. The sample capsule, about the size of a large truck tire, and its main parachute can be seen after landing in the Utah desert. What the sample may revealDetails about the sample will be revealed through a NASA broadcast from Johnson Space Center on October 11. If a government shutdown occurs, “it will not endanger the curation and safe handling of the asteroid sample,” said Lori Glaze, director for NASA’s Planetary Sciences Division. “Scientists believe that the asteroid Bennu is representative of the solar system’s own oldest materials forged in large dying stars and supernova explosions,” Glaze said.

Persons: REx, Rich Burns, OSIRIS, Sandra Freund, Burns, ”, Dante Lauretta, Nicole Lunning, REx curation, NASA’s, Lauretta, Lori Glaze, ” Glaze Organizations: CNN, NASA, Earth Sunday, Goddard, University of Arizona, Defense Department’s Utah, Goddard Space Flight, Lockheed, Space Center, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Monday, Johnson Space Center, Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency, NASA’s Planetary Sciences Locations: Bennu, Greenbelt , Maryland, Tucson, Utah, Houston

☆ 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

☆ US opens probe into about 240,000 Ford EcoSport vehicles
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The 2018 Ford Ecosport is displayed during the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Mark Blinch Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Ford Motor Co FollowSept 22 (Reuters) - U.S. auto safety regulators said on Friday they are investigating about 240,000 of 2018-2021 Ford (F.N) EcoSport vehicles after consumer complaints alleging oil pump failure. The investigation was opened on September 20 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office of Defects Investigation, the NHTSA said. It said it had received 95 complaints alleging that the oil pump may fail, resulting in a loss of motive power while the vehicle is in motion. 2 U.S. automaker's previous recall of 710,000 Explorer SUVs over power loss reports to determine if a fix implemented by Ford was adequate.

Persons: Ford Ecosport, Mark Blinch, Ford, Kanjyik Ghosh, Jason Neely Organizations: North American, REUTERS, Ford, National, NHTSA, Thomson Locations: Detroit , Michigan, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ NASA scientists calculated the exact date an asteroid could hit Earth with the force of at least 24 nuclear bombs. Thankfully, it's a long way off.
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Asteroid Bennu has a slim chance of hitting our planet on September 24, 2182, NASA said. It would release as much energy as about 24 nuclear bombs, so NASA is keeping a close eye on it. Dust grabbed from the asteroid by NASA's Osiris-Rex spacecraft is due to arrive on Earth on Sunday. NASA scientists are keeping a close eye on asteroid Bennu, a 1,610-foot-wide cosmic object that could smash into our planet. Bennu was photographed under all angles by NASA's Osiris-Rex mission.

Persons: NASA's Osiris, Tsar Bomba, NASA's, — it's, there's, Bennu, Rex Organizations: NASA, Service, Empire, Eiffel, NASA's Goddard Space Flight, University of Arizona NASA, NASA's Goddard Space Locations: Wall, Silicon, Bennu, Chelyabinsk, Russia, Utah

☆ An asteroid sample is about to land on Earth. Here’s what to expect
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —When the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft swings by Earth on Sunday, it is expected to deliver a rare cosmic gift: a pristine sample collected from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu. After releasing the capsule, OSIRIS-REx will continue on its tour of the solar system to capture a detailed look at a different asteroid named Apophis. Returning NASA’s first asteroid sample collected in space to Earth has been years in the making. An illustration depicts the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft as it descended toward the rocky surface of asteroid Bennu. If the spacecraft’s trajectory is on track, the sample capsule is expected to release from OSIRIS-REx 63,000 miles (102,000 kilometers) from Earth on early Sunday.

Persons: REx, Keegan Barber, Bennu, Lockheed Martin, Sandra Freund, OSIRIS, NASA’s, Johnson, ”, Dante Lauretta Organizations: CNN, NASA, Department of Defense's Utah, Goddard, University of Arizona, TAG, Apollo, Lockheed, Lockheed Martin Space, Defense Department’s Utah, NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Johnson Space Center, Canadian Space Agency, Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency Locations: Utah, Cape Canaveral, Bennu, Houston, Tucson

☆ Op-ed: FTC's crackdown against Amazon is necessary for long-term innovation, startup investor argues
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-19 | by ( Bradley Tusk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The howls will begin the minute the FTC's lawsuit against Amazon hits the clerk's desk. What you don't see on that list is anything that could attempt to compete with Amazon or Meta or Apple or Microsoft or Google . Whenever we look at a startup that would directly compete with a company like Amazon, the answer to the second question is always, "yes, definitely." I think Amazon is a great company. Luckily, as these earlier giants started to falter, companies like Apple and Microsoft took off, and companies like Google, Amazon and Meta came along.

Persons: Lina Khan, Khan, I'm, we're, Bernie Sanders, it's, there's, Bradley Tusk Organizations: Yale Law, Amazon, FTC, Tusk Venture Partners, Apple, Microsoft, IBM, GE, Google, Meta, Department of Justice Locations: Larchmont , New York, Alma, Manhattan

The logo of Oil and Natural Gas Corp's (ONGC) is pictured along a roadside in Ahmedabad, India, September 6, 2016. Russian President Vladimir Putin last year removed an Exxon Mobil subsidiary as operator of the Sakhalin-1 oil and gas project in Russia's Far East and transferred it to a new operator. Western governments have slapped sanctions on Russian oil over the war in Ukraine, which Russia calls a special military operation. It is difficult to secure insurance and shipping to transport Russian oil, Gupta said, and such shipments must abide by an international price cap. ONGC accounts for about two-thirds of India's oil production and about 58% of its gas output.

Persons: Amit Dave, ONGC Videsh, Vladimir Putin, Videsh, Rajarshi Gupta, ONGC, Gupta, Japan's, Rod Nickel, David Gregorio Our Organizations: Gas, REUTERS, Rights, Natural Gas Corp, Exxon Mobil, World Petroleum Congress, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, Rights CALGARY , Alberta, Sakhalin, Russia's Far, Calgary, Canada, Ukraine, Russia, Calgary , Alberta

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