US jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney said on Thursday that it had booked orders for more than 1,000 engines at the Paris Air Show and remained the leading supplier for the European Airbus A320neo jet. The company, a division of United Technologies Corp., said that the figure, which included options, comprised sales of its Pure Power, IAE V2500 and PW4000 engines. The PW1100G-JM engine being developed to power the Airbus A320neo, a more fuel-efficient version of the Airbus company's best-selling airliner, made its first test flight in May, a statement noted.

By Ivan Castro and Lomi Kriel MANAGUA/PANAMA CITY (Reuters) - For centuries since the colonization of the New World, entrepreneurs have dreamed of building a canal spanning Nicaragua to make it easier to tap Asia's riches. Sixteenth century Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes yearned to cleave the isthmus, and ever since, French, American and Dutch financiers have all made abortive, Quixotic attempts to bisect the Central American country's volcano-studded terrain.

PARIS (Reuters) - Boeing <BA.N> launched the 787-10 version of its flagship Dreamliner aircraft at the Paris Airshow on Tuesday with 102 provisional orders worth nearly $30 billion at list prices. The news came after rival Airbus <EAD.PA> clinched an $11.5 billion order from UK budget airline easyJet <EZJ.L> for 135 A320neos, including 35 current-generation planes and 100 next-generation versions, with options for a further 100 aircraft.

By Ethan Bilby BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission has given France and Britain two months to respond to a request to lower charges for passenger and freight trains to use the Channel Tunnel, or face possible court action, it said on Thursday. The Commission said the illegally high track access charges result in higher ticket prices for passengers of the high-speed Eurostar service linking London with Paris and Brussels.