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From the CNN Center in Atlanta, I'm Nicole Lapin. Thanks much for checking in with us today. Here's a look at what's happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

California Supreme¹ Court has just struck down the state's ban on same-sex marriage. In a 4 to 3 ruling, the court ruling that the ban was unconstitutional. Now several gay rights groups in the city of San Francisco had challenged a law that restricts marriage to a man and a woman. The decision really paves the way for California to become the second state after Massachusetts, of course, to allow gay and lesbian residents to marry.

Meanwhile, the death toll² from this week's devastating³ earthquake in China could soar to 50,000 people. All time is running out, rescuers are still finding survivors⁴ collapsed⁵ underneath⁶ these buildings. One woman was pulled to safety after being trapped in the concrete and steel for 72 hours. But there are also big heartbreak and tragedy. In one town where a middle school collapsed, rescuers found mostly dead children.

And in Myanmar, heavy rain is really hampering⁷ relief operations there. But a warning of a second cyclone⁸ heading for the country has been cancelled. The Red Cross said that the cyclone two weeks ago killed as many as 128,000 people. Meantime, there are reports that humanitarian⁹ aid is being sold and the military is now accused of stealing supplies for its own use. The country's military government is warning of legal action against people who trade or halt aid.

Congress meanwhile is making some attempts to ease the price of gasoline. It voted to temporarily stop putting oil into the strategic petroleum¹⁰ reserve. The government's emergency stockpile contains 701 million barrels of oil and 70,000 barrels are added daily. President Bush really believes in now that putting those barrels back on the market will have little or no impact on gasoline or crude oil prices.

Hey, guess what you can get - a free chicken sandwich! Share this gift from McDonald's today. This is what they look like, if you are hungry. They are promoting a new line of Southern Style items on the menu. There's a catch though, you need to buy a medium drink. McDonald's expects to give away eight million sandwiches across the country today.

Those are the headlines at this hour. For more on these stories and other news of the day, CNN is always your source, online, on TV, or on your cell phone. Take care.