News Senate Republicans filibuster Hagel nomination Senate Republicans delivered a sharp rebuke to President Obama Feb. 14 when they began a filibuster of Chuck Hagel’s nomination as secretary of defense.   Business Rolls-Royce profits soar on fuel-saving engine demand Britain’s Rolls-Royce reported a 24 percent rise in full-year profit, led by strong growth at its…

U.S. military deaths in Afghanistan at 2,045 As of Feb. 12, 2013, at least 2,045 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan as a result of the U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count. At least 1,706 military service members have died in Afghanistan as a result…

U.S. military weighs cutbacks in drone programs The Pentagon for the first time is considering scaling back the massive buildup of drones it has overseen in the past few years. It would be both to save money and to adapt to changing security threats and new areas of operation – such as east Asia –…

A U.N. agency that sets global aviation safety standards is moving to prevent aircraft batteries like the one that caught fire on a Boeing 787 last month from being shipped as cargo on passenger planes, people familiar with the effort said. Over the past few days, the members of the International Civil Aviation Organization’s dangerous…

Business EADS unit could face FBI probe over Saudi deal The FBI is investigating allegations of corruption involving a British unit of aerospace group EADS over a contract in Saudi Arabia for the U.K.’s Ministry of Defence, the Financial Times said Feb. 11.   Veterans ‘I would have destroyed Dresden again’: Bomber Harris was unrepentant…

Boeing sends 787 on test flight from Seattle Boeing sent a 787 up on a test flight Feb. 9, the first since the new airliner was grounded three weeks ago because of a battery fire. The aircraft took off from Boeing Field in Seattle and spent nearly two and a half hours flying back and…

News Looming U.S. defense budget cuts lead to uncertainty for deploying members of military With family members waving from a pier, sailors aboard a Navy destroyer left for an overseas mission with more uncertainty than ever about their homecoming as potentially massive budget cuts reshape military plans.   Business Airbus studies dropping Li-Ion battery for…

787 battery approval should be reconsidered A top federal safety official says the U.S. government should reconsider its approval of the kind of batteries used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner because they can explode into fires, a specter that manufacturer testing did not pick up. National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Deborah Hersman said Feb. 7…

Business Dreamliner probe results “weeks away,” NTSB chief says The National Transportation Safety Board is “probably weeks away” from completing its probe into battery problems on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but will share its latest information on the jet Feb. 7, agency head Deborah Hersman said. Boeing asks for permission to start new Dreamliner flights…

United Technologies approves buyback of 60 million shares United Technologies may buy back up to 60 million of its shares, replacing an approximately $4.3 billion stock buyback program which began almost three years ago and is nearly spent. The industrial conglomerate said Feb. 4 that the new program’s value is $5.4 billion at today’s stock…