Early this morning New Zealand time, Asteroid 2012 DA14 has made its closest approach to Earth, at about 17,200 miles above the planet’s surface.  That’s according the US space agency NASA.

Meanwhile, the number of injured continues to rise in Russia.

A meteor streaked through the skies above Russia’s Urals region Friday morning, before exploding with a flash and boom that shattered glass in buildings and left about 1,000 people hurt, state media said.

As of late afternoon local time, the Interior Ministry said about 1,000 people had been hurt, including more than 200 children, the state-run RIA Novosti news agency said.