On today's podcast:
1) US air-safety officials retrieved the fuselage panel that blew off during an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5, as authorities begin piecing together evidence to learn what led to the sudden decompression on the almost-new Boeing Co. 737 Max 9 aircraft.
2) US congressional leaders announced a deal on a top-line spending level for the current fiscal year, lessening the chances of a partial government shutdown on Jan. 20.
3) The Pentagon’s failure to notify President Joe Biden that his defense secretary had been hospitalized for four days was the result of a series of errors, including confusion over Lloyd Austin’s wishes and his chief of staff falling ill, people familiar with the matter said.
4) United Launch Alliance’s long-awaited Vulcan rocket lifted off on Monday, heralding a new era for the longtime Pentagon contractor fighting to expand market share against Elon Musk’s SpaceX.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.