Author: Press Room

Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are reuniting for a new four-episode run of Malcolm in the Middle for Disney+ — 25 years after the beloved sitcom first launched.The show ran for seven seasons starting in 2000 and was hailed for looking at ordinary life through the eyes of an extraordinary youngster, now fully grown: Malcolm, played by Muniz, who has a genius IQ.“I have been waiting for this moment for 18 years. Let’s find out where Malcolm and his family are now,” Muniz said in a video message accompanying the announcement.The new four episodes will be crafted by…

Councils say legal action by insurers could discourage them from building more flood banks.Earlier this week, the Bay of Plenty Regional Council put aside $5 million to fight a lawsuit by insurance companies and residents over a 2017 flood.The umbrella group for regional and unitary councils, Te Uru Kahika, is concerned and calling for central government intervention.The chairperson of Greater Wellington Regional Council Daran Ponter said it raised the question of why councils bother building more flood management infrastructure.”It could well have that chilling effect for local authorities,” he said.”From time to time there will be failures and if we…

Napier residents have been warned to expect heavy traffic tomorrow as police monitor the funeral of a prominent gang member with “significant community links” which is set to take place tomorrow.A large number of mourners have travelled into Hawke’s Bay for the funeral on Saturday afternoon, police said.Hawke’s Bay Area Commander Inspector Lincoln Sycamore said police have continued engagement with the community, gang leaders and members, as well as the deceased’s whānau over the past few days.”Our role remains to give mourners the respect and space to grieve, while also enhancing public trust and confidence and upholding the law.”The deceased…

French opposition to the Mercosur agreement concluded by the European Commission on 6 December has been trenchant, but its domestic political situation is feeding the stance. ADVERTISEMENTFrench President Emmanuel Macron was recovering breath from a defiant late evening address to the nation following the early collapse of Michel Barnier’s government last Friday when Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the Mercosur deal, but the Elysee nevertheless reacted immediately declaring that the deal “remains unacceptable as it stands”.Despite demanding environmental standards being enshrined in the text and commitments by the Mercosur countries on deforestation – two key demands from France…

One person has died and another person has been seriously injured after a shooting on the Coromandel Peninsula this afternoon.Police were called to The 309 Road just after 2pm when two people were located with gunshot wounds.”Members of the public provided CPR to one person, but sadly they died at the scene a short time later.”St John said it responded with one ambulance, one first responders unit and two helicopters.”One patient in a serious condition is being airlifted to Auckland City Hospital,” a spokesperson said.Inspector Andrea McBeth said one person has been taken into custody and charges are being considered.Two…

The former US-House of Representatives Speaker had travelled to Luxembourg to attend commemorations on the 80th anniversary of WW II ‘Battle of the Bulge’. ADVERTISEMENTFormer House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been hospitalized after she “sustained an injury” during an official engagement in Luxembourg, according to a spokesman.Pelosi, 84, is in Europe to mark the 80th anniversary of theBattle of the Bulge in World War II. Her spokesman, Ian Krager, said in a statement that she is “currently receiving excellent treatment from doctors and medical professionals” and is unable to attend the remainder of events on her trip.He did not describe…

A Taranaki fisher is warning people to take care around stingrays this summer after being stung in his foot – through his workboot – by one of their venomous barbs.Faisal Syafii was surfcasting at Port Taranaki in New Plymouth and had just caught a 4kg snapper, so decided to recast.”I was still feeling lucky and then one rod was like getting a really great strike, but then I’m a little disappointed when I see it’s a stingray.”Syafii wanted to release the ray and pulled it on to rocks.”When I was undoing the hook I released my hand and the stingray…

Wellington City has lost more than 10% of its jobs in a year, data shows.As more Health New Zealand cuts are revealed, data indicates the depth of the impact of the economic downturn, and political cuts, on the centre of the capital.Economist Shamubeel Eaqub compiled data that showed that from a year ago, the number of jobs in Wellington City has dropped 19,430.That is equal to 11.6% of the jobs in that area.He said the impact on the region would be grim.Auckland as a region – a much larger area – had lost just over 10,000 jobs over the same…

Kaja Kallas, the EU’s new foreign policy chief, is set to ask member states for a mandate to move forward with sanctions on Georgian officials. ADVERTISEMENTSanctions on Georgia will be put on the table of foreign affairs ministers when they meet on Monday despite Hungary’s explicit threat to veto any such restriction, several European Union officials and diplomats said ahead of the gathering.Brussels has grown increasingly exasperated with the actions of the Georgian government ever since Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze unilaterally announced the suspension of membership talks until 2028, triggering nightly protests that have now entered their third week. The…

Germany replaced the United States to become the top place to invest in 2023 with foreign direct investment amounting to €410 billion, latest Eurostat figures show. ADVERTISEMENTSlow economic growth, high inflation, rising global geopolitical tensions and soaring energy prices have made it challenging for European countries to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) in recent years.In 2023, 11 EU countries received €3,263 billion in FDI – an increase since 2022, rising from €3,241 billion.According to the latest Eurostat figures, Germany overtook the United States as the top ultimate investing economy, essentially accumulating the most foreign direct investment, receiving €410 billion. This…