HBO has officially started production on the highly anticipated Harry Potter TV series adaptation, the network announced Tuesday, also revealing a first look at the titular character.The photo released by HBO shows Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, donning the signature Hogwarts uniform paired with round-rim glasses and a lightning bolt…

Martin Cruz Smith, the best-selling mystery novelist who engaged readers for decades with Gorky Park and other thrillers featuring Moscow investigator Arkady Renko, has died at age 82.Smith died Friday at a senior living community in San Rafael, California, “surrounded by those he loved,” according to his publisher, Simon &…

There will be no top New Zealand Government representation at the Cook Islands Constitution celebrations in three weeks’ time, showing a continuation of the serious rift between the two countries. The Cook Islands is marking 60 years in free association with New Zealand on August 4 but 1News understands neither…

Vital Ltd shareholders weighing up a takeover offer by Christchurch communications company Tait International have until August 8 to opt into a share buy-out at the “low end” of an independent valuation. Tait intends to buy all Vital’s shares for a premium of 45 cents in cash per share and…

The inquest into the death of a five-year-old who was killed by his carer has begun with hearing evidence about the injuries he suffered.Warning: This story contains details which may be distressing to some readersMalachi Subecz died at Starship Hospital in 2021.He was being looked after by Michaela Barriball near…

Two unions have accused Nelson Hospital of booking patients for appointments that didn’t exist to make their numbers look better.But Health New Zealand said it was an administrative measure due to a limitation of their booking system, and they should have communicated better with staff. The Association of Salaried Medical…

Mount Ruapehu experienced no significant changes following a two-day-long swarm of “small, relatively deep” earthquakes east of the volcano last week, volcanologists say.More than 90 earthquakes, measuring less than magnitude 1, had been detected between 15-30km beneath the 2797m volcano’s northeastern flank early last week.GNS Science duty volcanologist Geoff Kilgour…

A landslip in Auckland’s west coast settlement of Muriwai has residents reliving the devastating landslides of two years ago.Muriwai was hit badly during the 2023 Auckland Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle, with large slips making some areas unliveable.The community was struck by another slip at the weekend on Motutara Rd.Fire…

The New Zealand Defence Force has deployed 700 personnel across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace for Exercise Talisman Sabre, a massive multinational training operation now underway across eastern and northern Australia.This year’s iteration, the largest in its history, sees 19 nations represented including the US, UK, Japan and New…

Wellington mayoral candidate Ray Chung says he regrets writing an email with third-hand claims about incumbent Mayor Tory Whanau, but believes the email’s release was an attempt to discredit him and his campaign.Chung sent an email, seen by RNZ, to three fellow councillors in early 2023 recounting a story he’d…