All you need to know today curated by 95bFM and VICE NZ.**Ardern Formally Welcomed on Waitangi Treaty Grounds
**Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being formally welcomed at Te Whare Rūnanga Marae on treaty grounds this morning. Ardern's five day visit is the longest a Prime Minister has made to Waitangi. The Prime Minister said that she wants to meet the expectations of Te Ao Māori and ensure a strong, open and transparent relationship with Māori. Ardern will also speak from the porch of Whare Rūnanga during the powhiri this morning, which is a first for a female prime minister. Ngāpuhi elder, Pita Paraone, said that having the ceremonies return to treaty grounds will ensure that everyone will be "singing from the same song sheet".**Mumps in Auckland Threatens Fertility
**The mumps outbreak in Auckland could be a threat to the fertility of men. Some teenage boys and men with mumps have developed orchitis, which is a condition causing painful swelling of the testicles that can have a long term impact on fertility. Urologist and paediatric surgeon, Neil Price, says he has rarely seen orchitis in adolescents until the last few months. Price says that up to 30 percent of men or boys over 12 with mumps will get orchitis, and about 40 percent of those who develop the condition will develop a shrunken testicle. The Ministry of Health says it will have an Auckland wide catch up vaccination campaign for mumps running before June to tackle the spread of the disease as schools go back for the year.**Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace
**New Zealand will establish a register of sexual misconduct within the workplace in July 2018. This move has been encouraged by growing global awareness towards sexual harassment. Women's Minister Julie Anne Genter says The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will record claims and complaints against an employer. Currently employers are able to mediate allegations through discussion, if further reporting is needed complaints can be lodged with the Ministry and the Human Rights Commission.**Conservation Minister Pledges Support for Disappearing Wetlands
**Areas of New Zealand are still losing wetlands, according to a report released by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage. Freshwater wetlands are useful, as they store carbon and filter sediments that would otherwise contaminate waterways. The country has already lost 90 percent of its natural wetland areas, and Sage is warning that it is vital to protect the remaining 10 percent. She has promised a better use of the Resource Management Act to protect these areas when intensive developments and agricultural expansions are being considered.**Auckland Art Gallery to Get $20 million in 10-Year Plan
**Struggling Auckland Art Gallery has received a funding boost in Auckland Council's draft budget. The 10-year plan, which has allocated $2 million each year for the gallery, will be confirmed in May. This follows the gallery's budget having been gradually cut from $12 to $6.9 million since 2012. Councillor Richard Hills said money new funding will go solely towards keeping the gallery's hours open. “It’s just making sure the core business is paid for. Making sure the gallery stays open, is serviced well and that staff get paid.”, Hills told 95bFM. Hills also said Mayor Phil Goff is pleased to have found a way to include the gallery in the budget.**New Zealanders Encouraged to Plant Rata
**New Zealanders are being urged to plant northern rata seeds to save the native species. Years of intensive pest control have allowed the tree to flower again, but conservation advocacy group Forest and Bird says it is still facing an uncertain future. Northland's conservation advocate Dean Baigent-Mercer says the forests could be hit by a new danger, the fungal disease myrtle rust. Right now the rata is flowering, but it could be the last time before the rust hits. Forest and Bird is encouraging Kiwis to gather rata seeds and plant them, as it could be the last opportunity.**200 Migrants Found in a Truck in Mexico
**Approximately 200 undocumented migrants have been found hidden in a lorry near north-eastern Mexico. The truck that was bound for the United States, was stopped at a checkpoint in the state of Tamaulipas, just south of the Texas border. The men, women and children from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were crammed into the truck with no food, water or proper ventilation. Three people have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. This follows a similar finding on Friday afternoon in the state of Vera Cruz, where a truck was found to be carrying 102 Central Americans suffering from dehydration and suffocation.**Nauru Considers Lifting Journalist Restrictions
**Nauru is considering lifting a four year restriction on journalists attending the Pacific Islands Forum summit. The island is hosting the 49th edition in September this year. The ban was enforced following global criticism the island had over its treatment of Australian refugees. Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Aupito William Sio says he is confident journalists will not face barriers to reporting when they visit Nauru.**Syrian Rebels Take Down Russian Plane with Man-Portable Missiles
**A Syrian rebel group formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for taking down a Russian warplane in northern Syria. The rebel alliance called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it used a man-portable anti aircraft missile to take down the fighter jet. Syria's rebels have been pleading for the use of such devices, but international allies and particularly the United States have been strongly opposed. The incident could create new tensions between Russia and Turkey, which is monitoring the zone, supposed to be a ''de-escalation area''.**Protests in Macedonia Continues
**More than 100,000 Greeks took to the streets in Athens to protest the decade-long dispute over the name Macedonia. Macedonia is the name of a bordering country, but it is also the name of a Greek region, and many Greeks believe the use of the name by their neighbour implies a territorial claim over the region. The protesters reject Greece's government proposal to agree on a composite name for the country. The dispute has simmered since Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and it has held up its attempts to join Nato and the EU.Additional reporting by Jemima Huston, Lisa Boudet, Sae Strang
LOCAL NEWS
**Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is being formally welcomed at Te Whare Rūnanga Marae on treaty grounds this morning. Ardern's five day visit is the longest a Prime Minister has made to Waitangi. The Prime Minister said that she wants to meet the expectations of Te Ao Māori and ensure a strong, open and transparent relationship with Māori. Ardern will also speak from the porch of Whare Rūnanga during the powhiri this morning, which is a first for a female prime minister. Ngāpuhi elder, Pita Paraone, said that having the ceremonies return to treaty grounds will ensure that everyone will be "singing from the same song sheet".**Mumps in Auckland Threatens Fertility
**The mumps outbreak in Auckland could be a threat to the fertility of men. Some teenage boys and men with mumps have developed orchitis, which is a condition causing painful swelling of the testicles that can have a long term impact on fertility. Urologist and paediatric surgeon, Neil Price, says he has rarely seen orchitis in adolescents until the last few months. Price says that up to 30 percent of men or boys over 12 with mumps will get orchitis, and about 40 percent of those who develop the condition will develop a shrunken testicle. The Ministry of Health says it will have an Auckland wide catch up vaccination campaign for mumps running before June to tackle the spread of the disease as schools go back for the year.
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**New Zealand will establish a register of sexual misconduct within the workplace in July 2018. This move has been encouraged by growing global awareness towards sexual harassment. Women's Minister Julie Anne Genter says The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment will record claims and complaints against an employer. Currently employers are able to mediate allegations through discussion, if further reporting is needed complaints can be lodged with the Ministry and the Human Rights Commission.**Conservation Minister Pledges Support for Disappearing Wetlands
**Areas of New Zealand are still losing wetlands, according to a report released by Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage. Freshwater wetlands are useful, as they store carbon and filter sediments that would otherwise contaminate waterways. The country has already lost 90 percent of its natural wetland areas, and Sage is warning that it is vital to protect the remaining 10 percent. She has promised a better use of the Resource Management Act to protect these areas when intensive developments and agricultural expansions are being considered.**Auckland Art Gallery to Get $20 million in 10-Year Plan
**Struggling Auckland Art Gallery has received a funding boost in Auckland Council's draft budget. The 10-year plan, which has allocated $2 million each year for the gallery, will be confirmed in May. This follows the gallery's budget having been gradually cut from $12 to $6.9 million since 2012. Councillor Richard Hills said money new funding will go solely towards keeping the gallery's hours open. “It’s just making sure the core business is paid for. Making sure the gallery stays open, is serviced well and that staff get paid.”, Hills told 95bFM. Hills also said Mayor Phil Goff is pleased to have found a way to include the gallery in the budget.
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**New Zealanders are being urged to plant northern rata seeds to save the native species. Years of intensive pest control have allowed the tree to flower again, but conservation advocacy group Forest and Bird says it is still facing an uncertain future. Northland's conservation advocate Dean Baigent-Mercer says the forests could be hit by a new danger, the fungal disease myrtle rust. Right now the rata is flowering, but it could be the last time before the rust hits. Forest and Bird is encouraging Kiwis to gather rata seeds and plant them, as it could be the last opportunity.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
**Approximately 200 undocumented migrants have been found hidden in a lorry near north-eastern Mexico. The truck that was bound for the United States, was stopped at a checkpoint in the state of Tamaulipas, just south of the Texas border. The men, women and children from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador were crammed into the truck with no food, water or proper ventilation. Three people have been arrested on suspicion of human trafficking. This follows a similar finding on Friday afternoon in the state of Vera Cruz, where a truck was found to be carrying 102 Central Americans suffering from dehydration and suffocation.**Nauru Considers Lifting Journalist Restrictions
**Nauru is considering lifting a four year restriction on journalists attending the Pacific Islands Forum summit. The island is hosting the 49th edition in September this year. The ban was enforced following global criticism the island had over its treatment of Australian refugees. Minister for Pacific Peoples Hon Aupito William Sio says he is confident journalists will not face barriers to reporting when they visit Nauru.**Syrian Rebels Take Down Russian Plane with Man-Portable Missiles
**A Syrian rebel group formerly affiliated with Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for taking down a Russian warplane in northern Syria. The rebel alliance called Hayat Tahrir al-Sham says it used a man-portable anti aircraft missile to take down the fighter jet. Syria's rebels have been pleading for the use of such devices, but international allies and particularly the United States have been strongly opposed. The incident could create new tensions between Russia and Turkey, which is monitoring the zone, supposed to be a ''de-escalation area''.**Protests in Macedonia Continues
**More than 100,000 Greeks took to the streets in Athens to protest the decade-long dispute over the name Macedonia. Macedonia is the name of a bordering country, but it is also the name of a Greek region, and many Greeks believe the use of the name by their neighbour implies a territorial claim over the region. The protesters reject Greece's government proposal to agree on a composite name for the country. The dispute has simmered since Macedonia gained independence from Yugoslavia in 1991 and it has held up its attempts to join Nato and the EU.Additional reporting by Jemima Huston, Lisa Boudet, Sae Strang