Death toll passes 50,000 in China quake

Hi, it's Thursday, May 22, 2008 and I'm Melisse Hinkle in for Kristin Volk with a UPI Headline Update. Chinese officials now report more than 50,000 people perished in the earthquake that hit the southwestern region of the country on May 12. The death toll rises as the official three-day mourning period comes to a close. Nearly 30,000 people are still missing. Domestic and international donations now total $3 billion. The Chinese government plans to cut spending by five percent in order to set aside an additional $10 billion for reconstruction efforts. Senator Hillary Clinton continues to fight for the votes she received in the invalid Florida and Michigan primaries. The former First Lady was in the Sunshine State on Wednesday. She says she pledges to keep going until officials come to a resolution about the two states. Clinton recalled the voting recount from the 2000 election and said discounting any votes will undercut the nation's democracy. Meanwhile, Clinton's rival, Senator Barack Obama was also in Florida on Wednesday. Obama is shifting his focus to the general election now that he has the majority of pledged delegates from his party. Senator John McCain is hosting three guests at his Arizona home this weekend. Florida Governor Charlie Crist, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and former Massachusetts Governor, Mitt Romney, will be spending a few days alongside McCain. All three are rumored to be potential vice presidential candidates, but McCain's senior advisers say the weekend is just a social event to thank supporters. Gas prices continue to rise, amid disagreements about the cause of the steady climb. The average cost of one gallon of regular gasoline hit $3.81 in the U.S. on Wednesday. Analysts are searching for answers as crude oil prices settled at $133 a barrel. Most agree China's increasing demand for fuel is playing a major role. Thanks for watching today's headline update. Check out upi.com for more webcasts and videos.

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YouTube | May 22, 2008

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