QUICK HITS

Panthers killed:

Two endangered Florida panther deaths have been reported. That makes five deaths this year, three of which were from vehicle strikes. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the remains of a 2-year-old male were collected Tuesday off Golden Gate Boulevard in Collier County. A 12-year-old female’s remains were found in Big Cypress National Preserve.

Pay hike:

Low-wage workers across Illinois will ring in 2020 with a $1-per-hour raise after Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that sets the state’s minimum wage on a path to reach $15 per hour by 2025. Illinois last increased its minimum wage, to $8.25 per hour, in 2010.

Moon landing:

Israel is heading to the moon. And if it’s successful, the small nation of about 9 million will only be the fourth to successfully deliver a robotic lander to the lunar surface — after the heavyweights of China, Russia and the United States. The launch is scheduled tonight from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

Fighting terrorism:

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday offered intelligence sharing and other cooperation with India in fighting extremism and terrorism, as New Delhi tackled rising tensions with Pakistan following a suicide bombing last week on Indian paramilitary soldiers in disputed Kashmir.

Airport death:

A worker at Southern California’s John Wayne Airport was killed when a tire on a jet bridge used to connect terminals to aircraft doors exploded during maintenance. Thompson says two airport employee contractors were working on the tire. The explosion’s force set off a fire alarm that summoned airfield rescue crews.