Author: Press Room

Viewers may gasp, cringe or cry out watching characters die on Netflix’s Squid Game, but those simulated deaths have a different effect on its creator, writer and director. Instead, Hwang Dong-hyuk feels happiness seeing them go.The show has a huge cast and Hwang says it was “really difficult” to manage everyone on set.As characters would die, Hwang recalls saying to the actors on their last day, “‘Oh no! How sad! I won’t see you tomorrow,’ but I was always smiling inside.”Squid Game season two premieres today. It once again stars Lee Jung-jae and centers around a secret competition in South…

Five fire trucks descended on the west Auckland coastal settlement of Piha on Thursday night, after a blaze at the local RSA.In a post on social media, RSA Piha said its building had suffered “a devastating fire” that gutted the outside area next to it. The RSA building – a social hub for the local community and visitors alike – was itself saved, however.”A huge thank you to the Piha crew and other appliances that arrived so quickly and managed to contain the blaze.”The building would be closed “for the immediate future”, it said.A Fire and Emergency spokesperson said it…

Teenage actor Hudson Meek has died after he fell out of a moving vehicle in Alabama, authorities said.Meek, 16, was hurt on December 19 while on a street in Vestavia Hills, a suburb of Birmingham. He died two days later, according to the Jefferson County Coroner’s Office.The Vestavia Hills Police Department, which is investigating Meek’s death, has not issued any public statements.Meek made his on-screen debut in 2014’s “The Santa Con,” and had roles in various TV series, including “MacGyver.” He was perhaps best known for his role in the 2017 film “Baby Driver,” in which he played a younger…

The holiday road toll has risen to four after a person died in a serious crash on State Highway 25 this morning.Four others sustained minor injuries in the crash between Thames and Coromandel.Emergency services were called to the scene, between Te Puru Creek Road and Valder Place, just before 9am. Two cars were involved in the crash, according to police.Drivers travelling between Thames and Coromandel have been urged to delay travel or take an alternative route, as the road is expected to be closed for some time.Police said: “The road is expected to remain closed for several hours.”

Motorists in North Auckland are being asked to drive cautiously after a “significant number” of geese were spotted waddling along State Highway 18. The gaggle of Canadian Geese were spotted near the Constellation Drive on-ramp on the Upper Harbour Motorway, police said.Officers have been deployed to try to clear the birds off the road. “For now, motorists should drive with caution in the area.”

A lingering low-pressure system is bringing rain or showers to many parts of New Zealand, with thunderstorms, large swells and strong winds affecting the centre of the country.A heavy rain warning remains in place for Wairoa District until noon Saturday.MetService said people could expect 150-200mm of rain there, on top of what had already fallen, especially about the Wairoa ranges. Peak rates would be 10-20mm/h.Strong wind watches remain in force for the following areas:Kapiti Coast, Wellington and coastal Marlborough including the Sounds; to 4pm FridayTaranaki and western parts of Whanganui; to 4pm FridayCoastal areas of Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne/Tairawhiti; to…

A Dunedin man with a learning disability spent Christmas Day cooped up inside a motel, as the date to move back into his flood-damaged house keeps being pushed back.In October, unprecedented rainfall battered the Otago region, causing flooding, slips, and a state of emergency to be declared in Dunedin and the Clutha District.Nearly 50 properties across Dunedin were either red- or yellow-stickered: a red sticker indicates a house is unsafe to occupy, while a yellow sticker limits entry.A week later, RNZ reported some Dunedin residents forced to evacuate were struggling to secure accommodation, while others were moving from motel to…

This article was originally published in Russian Authorities in Azerbaijan, Russia and Kazakhstan have been cautious in their initial assessments of Azerbaijan Airlines plane crash near Aktau, which has killed at least 38 people. Local media, however, have been less hesitant. ADVERTISEMENTExclusive information obtained by Euronews from Azerbaijani government sources has shed new light on the tragic crash of the Azerbaijan Airlines flight on Christmas Day, stirring considerable debate.The sources confirmed that an initial investigation has shown that the crash may have been caused by a Russian surface-to-air missile, which was reportedly fired during a drone activity incident above Grozny, the…

Starting today, Auckland’s railway lines will be empty with no trains operating for the next 32 days.Boxing Day was the last day passenger trains ran this month.It is the first extended period of rail closures in the city – in total, 96 days of empty tracks are planned, through to the end of January 2026.That means no passenger trains, freight trains, Northern Explorer or Te Huia trains.The shutdown is to allow for KiwiRail to complete rail rebuild works that are crucial to the successful opening of City Rail Link in 2026.When will trains be down?KiwiRail and Auckland Transport have tried…

The year has produced some distinctly Kiwi stories — both serious and more humorous — which struck a chord with those overseas. Among the events to capture the world’s attention included Kīngi Tuheitia’s death and the rise of the new Queen and the hīkoi to Parliament that had many googling, “why are New Zealanders marching in the street?” A time limit on hugs at an airport drop-off zone also created a stir. Here’s a selection of Aotearoa’s appearances in international media this year:Tens of thousands of people took part in the Hīkoi mō te Tiriti to Parliament this year. (Source:…