Death toll from Myanmar cyclone nearly doubles

In an interview with the Democratic Voice of Burma, the abbot of Mandalay's Maha Gandaryon monastery said monks were stockpiling relief supplies and getting trucks to take in aid.

"We are still in the preparation stages," he told the radio, which is critical of the junta. "We have contacted some private organizations and services, and found out that they were told by the authorities not to work with us in aid distribution. They said we can't go with them."