Better news from Myanmar

Finally, some positive news from Myanmar. The U.N. announced today that the reclusive military junta that rules the country, formerly Burma, had agreed to allow international aid workers to travel to the Irrawaddy Delta region to help millions of survivors of Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the region three weeks ago. More than 80,000 people died and 50,000 are still unaccounted for in the aftermath of the cyclone, which caused a 12-foot sea surge that destroyed homes and flooded miles of rice fields. Some estimates say 90 percent of homes in the Myanmar's southern region were destroyed. The international community has responded with food and material aid, but the ruling junta has only permitted a small amount to enter the country. Navy ships loaded with food and medical supplies from the United States and France have been kept out of port by the military government, which has bristled at criticism of its human rights record. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Ban reached the agreement after days of negotiations with the junta leader, Than Shwe.