The Albany Gazette - News from Albany, New York and the whole world

The African National Congress (ANC) is exploring a controversial arrangement with the South African Communist Party (SACP) to transfer provincial representation (PR) council seats. This strategic maneuver seeks to provide council access for ANC mayoral candidates in Johannesburg who failed to secure seats through the direct election system, following the party’s significant electoral decline in local government polls.

Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and Greta Gerwig sought $25 million apiece — plus bigger profit shares — for "Barbie 2," leaving Skydance CEO David Ellison to resolve a contract standoff as his Hollywood empire grapples with massive debt, according to a report.

Former "Below Deck" star João Franco posted a cryptic message about taking some time away from social media to "realign" his "moral compass" just three weeks before he was arrested in Turkey for his apparent involvement in a deadly brawl.

Bath & Body Works candles are the ultimate holiday gift.

The Government of Alberta has launched its inaugural "Closing the Gap" campaign, allocating $5 million to support sex-specific medical research with a primary focus on women’s neurological health. While local experts and researchers have welcomed the initiative as a critical step toward addressing historical disparities, they caution that lasting change requires sustained, multi-specialty investment beyond this initial round.

The Central Board of Film Certification has cleared director Mahesh Uppala’s Telugu romantic entertainer Itlu Arjuna for release with a U/A certificate.

RAWALIPADI: Former captain Dhananjaya de Silva led a Sri Lanka comeback with a gritty unbeaten 87 as the visitors reached 221-4 at lunch on Day 3 of the first cricket test against Pakistan on Wednesday.

DOHA: India's Niraj Kumar secured a quota place for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after clinching bronze in the men's 50m rifle 3-positions event at the ISSF World Championships here on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: Gold prices fell for the second straight session, declining Rs 800 to Rs 1.

"" NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the continuation of the Credit Guarantee Fund for Micro Units (CGFMU) for five years up to March 2031, a move that will facilitate loans of Rs 12.

CHENNAI: JioHotstar is set to premiere its new Tamil workplace comedy series Mr & Mrs Office on November 18.

As artificial intelligence permeates every sector, its integration into professional and collegiate sports raises profound questions about the value of human intuition. While machine learning offers unprecedented data analysis, critics argue that removing the human element from coaching and decision-making strips athletics of its soul and erodes the unique experiences that define both players and fans.

Dr. Irma P. Hall, the distinguished actress celebrated for her iconic portrayal of Big Mama Jo in the 1997 film 'Soul Food,' has died at the age of 91. Her family announced that she passed away on Tuesday, November 10, surrounded by loved ones, concluding a career that spanned five decades in film, television, and theater.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin is holding a bilateral meeting with President Zelenskyy this evening Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has landed in Dublin and here he will meet US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff.

San Francisco District 4 Supervisor Alan Wong introduced legislation on Tuesday to restore the name of the city’s Veterans’ Affairs Commission and eliminate a provision that would dissolve the body in 2029. The move follows a citywide restructuring that renamed the group and imposed a sunset date, drawing opposition from veterans who argue the change diminishes their authority and public recognition.

She has been banned from all branches of the popular chain A serial shoplifter who stole more than £2,000 worth of goods has been barred from every branch of a popular bakery chain nationwide.

The now 17-year-old has pleaded not guilty to Ms Faulkner's murder but guilty to manslaughter A teenager accused of Scarlett Faulkner's murder was identified on a sun bed in a 'selfie' taken just over five hours after the fatal assault, the Central Criminal Court has heard.

Duff was arrested and taken to a garda station, where a doctor deemed him unfit for questioning for six hours due to intoxication A man who broke into a Dublin city centre restaurant was spotted by gardai shortly afterwards carrying two large packets of ketchup, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.

A passenger on board an American Airlines reportedly experienced a medical episode mid-flight A morning flight from Philadelphia to Miami was thrown into disarray after a passenger reportedly vomited over three other travellers.

Spain experienced its first nationwide general strike in 14 years as unions protested soaring housing costs and shrinking purchasing power. Transport and traffic were disrupted in several large cities, although unions and employer groups offered sharply different estimates of participation.

Euro-area annual inflation rose to an estimated 4% in October, with energy prices increasing 20.8% from a year earlier. Services inflation reached 3.3%, while food, alcohol and tobacco prices increased 1.6% and non-energy goods rose 1.2%.

China's producer prices rose 5.7% from a year earlier in October, the fastest increase since mid-2022, as expensive oil lifted costs in mining, chemicals and other energy-intensive industries. Consumer inflation slowed to 0.7%.

The US economy created 165,000 jobs in October, far above the 65,000 expected by economists, while unemployment edged down to 4.1%. Professional and business services led hiring, followed by healthcare, transport, warehousing and manufacturing.

The Bank of England increased Bank Rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4% in an 8-1 vote. UK inflation reached 3.5% in September and is projected to climb toward 5% by mid-2027 as higher global energy costs reach household and company bills.

Annual inflation across OECD economies rose to 4.5% in September from 4.3% in August, driven mainly by energy. Energy inflation reached 17.4%, while food inflation eased and underlying inflation remained broadly stable at 3.7%.

OPEC reported that oil production has moved close to levels seen before the Iran war, led by a sharp recovery in Saudi output even as regional shipping disruptions continue. The group left its broad demand and supply outlook largely unchanged.

China recorded a trade surplus above $1 trillion for a second consecutive year, supported by strong exports of electronics, vehicles and other advanced manufactured products. October imports also rose as crude-oil shipments from the Gulf recovered.

China's largest shopping festival again highlighted restrained household spending despite aggressive discounts. The economy grew 4.6% in January through September, but retail sales increased only 1.1% as the long property downturn continued to weigh on confidence.

US inflation accelerated to 4% in October from 3.7% in September, with price increases spreading beyond fuel and tariff-sensitive goods into services such as healthcare, childcare, restaurants and hotels.

Gardaí are preparing for further hoax bomb threats after at least 300 schools across the Republic of Ireland received a mass email on Wednesday.

Officials from Korea, Singapore, and New Zealand reviewed progress on the plurilateral Green Economy Partnership Agreement ahead of APEC meetings.

The Reserve Bank of Australia’s decision to raise interest rates amid rising inflation has renewed scrutiny on its monetary policy framework, particularly the origins and rationale behind its specific 2 to 3 per cent target range.