Sydney /AFP Flight MH370 was likely out of control when it plunged into the ocean with its wing flaps not prepared for landing, a new report said on Wednesday, casting doubt on theories a pilot was still in charge. Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 disappeared en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on March 8, 2014 carrying 239 passengers and …

  Pretoria / AFP South African President Jacob Zuma on Wednesday abandoned a court bid to block a watchdog’s report into corruption allegations against him, as calls grew for him to stand down. Zuma’s surprise move came as thousands of people took to the streets of the administrative capital Pretoria to demand that he leaves office. It paves the way …

  As the presidential campaigns sink to the challenge of demonstrating that there is no such thing as rock bottom, remember this: When the Clintons decamped from Washington in January 2001, they took some White House furnishings that were public property. They also finished accepting more than $190,000 in gifts, including two coffee tables and two chairs, a $7,375 gratuity …

  Like other big contractors, American space companies have long expected some friendly support from their government. And Uncle Sam has usually been more than happy to help. Sometimes, though, government help causes more harm than good. Since 2005, U.S. satellite manufacturers have been prohibited from hiring India’s space agency to launch their equipment. Private American launch companies, such as …

  After years of talks and a week or two of comic opera, Canada and the European Union stifled resistance from Wallonia — the French-speaking part of Belgium — and signed their Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement. It was a good result, though with disturbing implications. CETA is a new kind of free-trade agreement. Going far beyond the elimination of …

  The business case for wildlife conservation continues to get stronger, although the economic benefits are yet to be tapped fully. The latest study points out that if Africa stops the killing of pachyderms for their tusks, it could increase the continent’s annual tourism income by $25 million. Tourists prefer visiting national parks which have more elephants and each extra …

  AT&T’s proposed merger with the media giant Time Warner has prompted an outcry across the political spectrum, raising worry that a corporate behemoth could control a huge chunk of the U.S. telecommunications infrastructure, along with the content that flows through it. The complaints should be familiar: Almost a century ago, in the age of radio, the phone company tried …

  Have a look around the web — even when it isn’t Halloween — and you will see headlines that seem to be designed to frighten investors: ‘These Are the Scariest Charts…’ ‘3 Reasons Everyone Is Spooked…’ ‘Fright Night at the Stock Market’ ‘Inflation Fear Fuels Bond Rout’ ‘Fear and Uncertainty in Cattle Markets’ These clickbait headlines should be little …

  Modern economics has little room for parasites. In the vast majority of models, there are only buyers and sellers —there’s no one who just comes up and steals your money. In the real world, of course, there are parasites galore — thieves, con artists, fraudsters, extortionists and more. In the long term, the amount of parasitism in any system …

  Berlin / AFP German airline Lufthansa said on Wednesday that its net profits had almost doubled in the third quarter, boosted by a pensions deal with cabin staff. Net profits soared to 1.42 billion euros ($1.5 billion) between July and September. Last month, Lufthansa raised its profit forecast for the year, after recording better than expected demand from business …