Hipkins was sworn in by Governor-General Cindy Kiro during a ceremony in the capital Wellington, saying he was "energised and excited by the challenges ahead".
Residents of Pyongyang have been ordered to stay in their homes from Wednesday to Sunday and must submit to multiple temperature checks each day, Seoul-based specialist site NK News reported, citing a government notice.
Akhtar said he has terminated the contract with the makers of the movie and that he was warned them of continuing with the project without his consent.
Biden nominated for the position Julie Turner, a Korean-speaking career diplomat who now heads the Asia section of the State Department's human rights bureau.
The continuing war in Ukraine is also another risk factor for increased human trafficking, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said in a report.
The cricketer did not post pictures and videos of his Nikkah ceremony on social media. News of his engagement with the daughter of Saqlain Mushtaq was already rife in the media.
