Todd Barclay
Everything you need to know about the world this morning, curated by 95bfm and VICE NZ.Barclay in Damage Control For Statements About Secret Recordings
National MP Todd Barclay apologised for statements he made to the media yesterday morning, which were contradicted shortly after by Prime Minister Bill English.
This comes after a Newsroom investigation revealed yesterday the young Clutha-Southland MP secretly recorded a long-standing member of staff during an employment dispute.
Barclay initially denied recording his staff members and speaking to Bill English about it after the story broke.
However, shortly afterwards, English released a statement he'd made to police about how Barclay had in fact told him about the recordings.
In a brief press conference yesterday evening, Barclay told media he had read and accepted English's statement, and that he should have handled the situation better.
He refused to answer any further questions from journalists.Residents Upset At Ministry's Actions Over Killing Oysters
The Ministry of Primary Industries has come under fire from locals on Stewart Island since their decision to cull vast numbers of oysters.
Cranes began pulling farmed oysters from the water on Monday in an effort to stop the spread of a fatal seaborne parasite to the wild fisheries nearby.
Residents have been questioning the ministry's testing regimes and expressed concern over boats traveling between farms and the wild fisheries.
Some even going so far as to call out other specific fishing operators as the cause of the parasites spread.Speedy Concorde Flights to Return to the Skies
Concorde flights are coming back to the skies after the Boom Supersonic unveiled their plane at the Paris air show.
Concorde fights were discontinued in 2003 after a fatal plane crash, rising costs, and a disruptive sonic 'boom' the planes would emit as they flew.
This is set to change with Boom Supersonic developing a quieter version of the passenger plane, looking to test by 2018.
If all goes to plan, flights will be open to the public by 2023, able to fly from London to New York in three hours.Iranian Drone Shot Down By US Military in Syria
An Iranian-made drone was shot down by a US jet in Syria earlier in the week as tensions rise between Washington and Tehran.
American officials say the drone was operated by forces backing the Syrian Government in the south of the country.
The US military believed the drone was armed and thought to be threatening US-coalition troops on the ground.
This is the latest Syrian incident with the US shooting down a fighter jet last week and a second drone in the past month.Man Shot After Explosion in Brussels Central Station
Brussels Central Station and the city's Grand Place have been evacuated following a small explosion.
A man wearing a bomb belt triggered a minor explosion, attracting the attention of soldiers in the station.
The man has been shot by officers and no one else is believed to have been injured.
Metro lines running through the station were briefly suspended and nearby businesses and restaurants shut down.
Police say the situation is under control.There Are More Refugees Today Than Ever Before
The number of refugees hit record levels in 2016, as the number of people internally displaced or seeking asylum reached 65.6 million.
12 million Syrians have fled their homes and 3.3 million South Sudanese were forced from their homes in the world's fastest growing displacement crisis.
There are 2.3 million refugees in Europe, but 84 percent are hosted by developing countries.
According to UN refugee agency, every three seconds someone is forced from their home by conflict or human rights abuses.Reporting by Jack Marshall, Tash Aull-Timbers and Alessandra Nixon.
LOCAL NEWS
National MP Todd Barclay apologised for statements he made to the media yesterday morning, which were contradicted shortly after by Prime Minister Bill English.
This comes after a Newsroom investigation revealed yesterday the young Clutha-Southland MP secretly recorded a long-standing member of staff during an employment dispute.
Barclay initially denied recording his staff members and speaking to Bill English about it after the story broke.
However, shortly afterwards, English released a statement he'd made to police about how Barclay had in fact told him about the recordings.
In a brief press conference yesterday evening, Barclay told media he had read and accepted English's statement, and that he should have handled the situation better.
He refused to answer any further questions from journalists.Residents Upset At Ministry's Actions Over Killing Oysters
The Ministry of Primary Industries has come under fire from locals on Stewart Island since their decision to cull vast numbers of oysters.
Cranes began pulling farmed oysters from the water on Monday in an effort to stop the spread of a fatal seaborne parasite to the wild fisheries nearby.
Residents have been questioning the ministry's testing regimes and expressed concern over boats traveling between farms and the wild fisheries.
Some even going so far as to call out other specific fishing operators as the cause of the parasites spread.
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INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Concorde flights are coming back to the skies after the Boom Supersonic unveiled their plane at the Paris air show.
Concorde fights were discontinued in 2003 after a fatal plane crash, rising costs, and a disruptive sonic 'boom' the planes would emit as they flew.
This is set to change with Boom Supersonic developing a quieter version of the passenger plane, looking to test by 2018.
If all goes to plan, flights will be open to the public by 2023, able to fly from London to New York in three hours.Iranian Drone Shot Down By US Military in Syria
An Iranian-made drone was shot down by a US jet in Syria earlier in the week as tensions rise between Washington and Tehran.
American officials say the drone was operated by forces backing the Syrian Government in the south of the country.
The US military believed the drone was armed and thought to be threatening US-coalition troops on the ground.
This is the latest Syrian incident with the US shooting down a fighter jet last week and a second drone in the past month.Man Shot After Explosion in Brussels Central Station
Brussels Central Station and the city's Grand Place have been evacuated following a small explosion.
A man wearing a bomb belt triggered a minor explosion, attracting the attention of soldiers in the station.
The man has been shot by officers and no one else is believed to have been injured.
Metro lines running through the station were briefly suspended and nearby businesses and restaurants shut down.
Police say the situation is under control.There Are More Refugees Today Than Ever Before
The number of refugees hit record levels in 2016, as the number of people internally displaced or seeking asylum reached 65.6 million.
12 million Syrians have fled their homes and 3.3 million South Sudanese were forced from their homes in the world's fastest growing displacement crisis.
There are 2.3 million refugees in Europe, but 84 percent are hosted by developing countries.
According to UN refugee agency, every three seconds someone is forced from their home by conflict or human rights abuses.Reporting by Jack Marshall, Tash Aull-Timbers and Alessandra Nixon.