Latest update: 12/03/2010

- Boeing - EADS - USA

Plane clash: EADS pulls out of bidding war with Boeing

The United States has been accused of protectionism after EADS pulled out of the bidding for a $35bn contract to build air tankers for the US Air Force. EADS and its partner Northrop Grumman had already won the tender in February 2008, but that was cancelled after an appeal by American rival Boeing. EADS says the Air Force's requirements are now unfairly geared towards Boeing's aircraft. Their withdrawal leaves Boeing as the only competitor left in the running.

FOCUS

23/05/2012 - CANADA

Students in Quebec march against tuition fee hike

Student protests in the Canadian province of Quebec are now into their fourth month. Hundreds were arrested at marches to mark 100 days since the protests began. Students are demonstrating against an 80% rise in tuition fees in Quebec, the Canadian province that has until now enjoyed the country's lowest rates for higher education.

23/05/2012 - EGYPT

Egyptians head to the polls

Egyptians go to the polls in the country's first truly contested presidential election on Wednesday. With an array of candidates to choose from, voters will decide who's the best man to lead them through the last phase of the country's troubled democratic transition that began with Egypt's revolution in January last year. Cairo correspondents Kathryn Stapley and Sonia Dridi talked to some of the activists whose protests in Tahrir Square changed the course of Egypt's history.

22/05/2012 - EGYPT

A troubling time for Egypt's Coptic Christians

Egyptians go to the polls tomorrow to vote for a new president for the first time since Hosni Mubarak was ousted during the revolution last year. Two of the front-runners in the presidential race with a realistic chance of winning are devout Islamists, which is troubling for Egypt's Coptic Christians. They are Egypt's largest religious minority and many of them don't think any of the candidates are capable of protecting them from the religious violence that has been steadily increasing.

22/05/2012 - WEST BANK

'The Battle of the Empty Stomachs'

Palestinians nicknamed it "the battle of the empty stomachs". For weeks, 1,600 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails refused food and drink in what became the longest ever mass hunger strike. Israel finally capitulated and a deal was reached, allowing those in isolation back onto the general wards, and visas for those family members wishing to visit from Gaza. In exchange, prisoners agreed not to carry out "security activities" such as recruiting for terrorist missions.

21/05/2012 - SERBIA

Serbia's new president - nationalist or not?

Serbia has elected a new president - and it's not the one that most people were expecting. Tomislav Nikolic has unseated Boris Tadic, the man in power since 2004. Observers are worried about the new head of state, who used to be part of the ultra-nationalist Radical Party. He once said he would prefer to be allied with Russia than join the EU, but he has since toned down the rhetoric, saying he will take Serbia to Europe after all.

Comments (2)

EADS

by Anonyme - 15/03/2010 - 19:44

dear Europe, cry me a river!

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I find your lack of accurate

by Anonyme - 15/03/2010 - 15:02

I find your lack of accurate information on this story very troubling. You have allowed a story to be printed that inflames the controversy on this matter without properly identifying the facts.

The Air Force has three types of tankers they want to replace. As a result there will be three competitions to replace them, the KC-X competition, KC-Y competition, and the KC-Z competition. The KC-X is the first of these competitions to be run. The KC-X competition is designed to replace the KC-135, a tanker based on the Boeing 707 airframe and in most cases over 35 years old. This is the smallest of the three tankers in the air force inventory. Proposals by Boeing and Northrup/EADS are supposed to reflect this. Unfortunately Northrup/EADS proposed and aircraft that is much bigger than the KC-135 it was supposed to replace while the 767 is the same size and has the same capabilities. Critics worldwide have failed to recognize this small, and in your opinion irrelevant, detail. If Northrup/EADS is so keen on staying in the competition why don't they use a smaller aircraft similar to the 767? Could it be EADS doesn't have an offering that size? The Northrop/EADS offering using the A330 is more suitable to the KC-Y competition, which is supposed to replace the KC-10.

It's time accurate reporting became the norm, not the current state of reporting where only some parts of the facts are offered and twisted to create a problem where none exists. I hope you will do some research into this a print a more accurate story on this subject in the near future.

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