The Front Page

The first signs of a thaw in the relationship between New Zealand and China, with China-New Zealand Year of Tourism back on. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has just announced at her post-Cabinet press conference that the new opening ceremony be held on the 29 of March.When the delay to the launch of the New Zealand/China year of tourism was revealed by The Herald last month, Ardern said it was because of "scheduling issues".It was meant to be launched in mid-February but was postponed by the Chinese.The delay raised eyebrows considering it was at the same time as New Zealand security officials raised questions about Huawei providing 5G services in New Zealand. And a restructure of Vodafone could see hundreds of jobs going offshore.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's International Women's Day - but as many of us know, there's still a lot of work to be done. And that sentiment's been echoed today by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Speaking at an event in Parliament this morning, she says the work will be done, when gender doesn't feature in the minds of girls and young women. She says as long as we have a country where women are over-represented in intimate partner violence, over-represented in low-paid work, as long as there is a gender pay gap, then all of us will only celebrate to a certain degree, knowing there is plenty more work to be done. Ardern says New Zealand's a trail blazer in giving women the vote, but we need to keep progressing. Also today: a horror crash near tourist hotspot Tekapo has claimed three lives, and the heartbreaking sudden death of an Auckland photographer who was nine months pregnant.Hosted by Juliette Sivertsen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

District health boards have anti-vaxxers in their sights, saying diseases almost eradicated in New Zealand are being seen again.DHB members went to Parliament to answer health select committee questions, including why increasing numbers of parents are refusing to have their children immunised.Bay of Plenty DHB chief executive Helen Mason says they have achieved five of the six health targets set by the previous government, but "immunisation hasn't moved and has actually deteriorated. [she says] It really, really worries us."The DHB has tried things including reconfiguring its immunisation service and adopting methods used by successful DHBs but it was at the point where it needed to do something completely different, she said.Board chairwoman Sally Webb says the issue of anti-vaxxers and their negative effects is something that needs to be looked at nationally. The warning comes amidst a measles outbreak in Canterbury.There's been an outbreak of influenza-like symptoms among the Otago student population.Also in today's Front Page, shots fired at a New Zealand school, Queenstown wants a visitor levy, and a viral video shows we've all been eating pineapple wrong.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Medical Association is the latest to join the chorus of voices pleading for more affordable dental care.The association represents doctors including GPs and specialists.On Monday the Herald revealed Waitematā DHB wants a "comprehensive dental service for all New Zealanders", after concern about desperate Kiwis queuing at hospital pain clinics, showing up at ED, or even performing gruesome "DIY dentistry".Medical Association chairwoman Dr Kate Baddock says dental decay is "the most prevalent chronic, yet irreversible, disease in New Zealand".And New Zealand's demand for hard drugs has been laid bare in a new report from the United Nations.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Kiwi jihadi Mark Taylor has sparked a political backlash, with Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters particularly going on the offensive.Taylor, a former New Zealand soldier who only has New Zealand citizenship, is being held in a Syrian prison.He surrendered to Kurdish forces because life under Isis had become unbearable.Taylor previously earned notoriety and was dubbed the 'bumbling jihadi', after accidentally giving away the location of Isis fighters on Twitter.Now politicians across the spectrum are making it clear he won't get much help from New Zealand. And a teenager admits bludgeoning a sleeping friend to death, after earlier suggested to others, "shall we kill Oliver?"See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A Kiwi who joined Islamic State has surrendered to Kurdish forces and is being held in a Syrian prison.Mark Taylor, a former New Zealand soldier, says he was a border guard for Isis after joining the terror group in 2014.The former Hamilton resident was infamously dubbed the "bumbling jihadi", after mistakenly revealing his location in the Middle East on social media.Now there are questions over whether he will return to NZ, and how our government will handle his case. Auckland houses have hit a ten year low, with realtor Barfoot & Thompson having its quietest month in the last 10 years to February, and sales down 28 per cent from a year earlier.It comes as a OneRoof Property Report shows just a third of NZ homes are mortgage-free, despite the current low interest rates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A police officer has been charged with indecently assaulting a fellow cop.The 28-year-old accused appeared this afternoon in the Auckland District Court before Judge David Burns.The policeman was arrested this morning and charged with indecent assault and sexual violation by unlawful sexual connection.He pleaded not guilty to both charges.The alleged offences occurred on February 5 in Northland, according to court documents viewed by the Herald.The man's lawyer, Paul Borich QC, sought interim name suppression for his client.Further details about the case were also suppressed.Also today, dramatic scenes unfolded on the Auckland waterfront as a seaplane crashed into the harbour, and the city's Lime scooters are set to return this weekend. Hosted by Juliette SivertsenSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Police have charged almost five people a day with strangling or suffocating their partners since a new family violence law came into force criminalising such acts in December.New Zealand has the worst rate of family and intimate-partner violence in the developed world and police are called to an incident every four minutes.The new legislation criminalising strangulation and suffocation was brought in in a bid to curb the problem. Previously there was no separate offence for strangulation as it was treated as assault.The first person was charged the day it came into force on December 3.Since then 416 people in total have been charged, around 33 per week and almost five each day.And major Kiwi building company Arrow Construction has gone into voluntary administration.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Residents have been told to evacuate immediately as a new fire spreads rapidly in the Tasman region.The new fire near the Moutere Highway is north of Pigeon Valley where huge wildfires began three weeks ago.Earlier today, Mayor Richard Kempthorne confirmed a decision has been made to allow the state of emergency to expire.Pictures posted on social media show a section of forest engulfed in large flames right next to the highway.Also today, a new funding package for gifted children, details of a police shootout in Christchurch, and the whanau of three workers killed in a horror truck accident in Matata prepare for the tangi.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley has been found liable for millions in damages by the High Court, along with other Mainzeal directorsThe failed building giant had been trading while insolvent despite its high profile - and creditors would have been better off if the company had been put into liquidation earlier, according to the High Court.The four directors have been found liable for a combined $36 million in damages.And Labour goes on the defensive over capital gains tax.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.