Burma shuns aid workers

Last Modified: 09 May 2008
By: Newsroom blogger

Inside the morning news meeting...

Burma is top of the news agenda today. Concern for the victims of the devastating cyclone is mounting as Burma's military junta says the country is not ready to accept foreign aid workers.

Burma's foreign ministry wants to control the distribution of aid and has even turned back a relief flight from Qatar which had an aid team and a media crew on board.

Actions which have attracted a lot of criticism. The UN has put on pressure to speed up the issuing of visas to foreign relief experts - delays which the World Food Programme has called "unprecedented in modern humanitarian relief efforts".

So what will this mean for the people of Burma? If aid but not its recognised forms of distribution can get through, will it be as successful? We'll be talking to the experts today to find out where aid organisations and Burma can go from here.

Also high on the running order is a "film out of Afghanistan".

"Do we have a peg for it?" the prog ed asks, "it's either this or Somalia."

There are a few mumbles around the room.

"From what I thought I heard on the World Service this morning, it, er, does," says one of the team, scouring his memory.

"Well the pictures are strong, and the story is strong, so..." someone else adds.

Picture is definitely important, and so the prog ed leaves it on the running order for the time being, its shape will be firmed up as the day progresses.

So some pretty heavy stories to kick-start the meeting, then. "Well that's some of the four horsemen, where are the others?" one of the eds asks.

"Repossessions?" someone adds helpfully.

Indeed, after some confusion over energy prices - EDF being confused with UDF to a fair degree of hilarity amongst the morning congregation - repossession rears its ugly head.

According to the economists in the team, the first stage of repossession is up by around 15 per cent. There are a few stages to the process, and this first stage is by no means the final curtain, but it is still a notable increase.

Our economic correspondent points out, however, that the figure could be read either way in terms of economic forecasts: 15 per cent might not sound that much, but from a small base of reposessions over recent years, it is significant.

Alternatively 15 per cent could be read as the inevitable by-product of an unprecedented housing boom, and not a huge alarm bell given the number of homeowners out there today.

Whichever way you look at it, it's not just economic, but political too. Is it right to get free legal advice paid for by the government if you're fighting repossession in the courts? Should people who have got in too deep during the boom period be bailed out or given financial advisors during a bust? Will there even be a bust. Too many questions to explore right now, but they'll be in the melting pot for tonight.

And finally former Turner Prize winner Grayson Perry is in Bexhill on Sea and will be promoting "Unpopular Culture" at the De La Warr Pavilion through a a personal selection of photography, sculpture and painting from the Arts Council Collection.

While the arts team are preparing to cover the story, it falls to the rest of the news team to discuss its merits. A curious conversation ensues - discussing all the important things like how will he get there, what will he be wearing. ("He'll be arriving on a bus, in full dress," comes the answer).

And then even a brief discussion of the arts.

"It's an exhibition of artists who are sort of forgotten, artists that came before the YBAs."

"Forgotton because they were rubbish?" a cynic proffers.

"Let me see, [ed starts reading from the running order] Barbara Hepworth, Moore, Lowry..."

"Ah, Moore!" A few people pipe up.

Not so forgotten after all then. The others a pretty good too. Check them out at 7pm.