The Starting Point: Death in Pamplona and on a Mich. train track

The Starting Point is a snapshot of the news stories that occurred overnight. Look for updates throughout the day on Yahoo! News and in the news box on Yahoo.com.

Top story overnight: A strong earthquake rocked southwestern China and injured more than 300 people on Thursday, The Associated Press reported. The magnitude-6.0 trembler collapsed 18,000 homes and damaged 75,000 more, state media said. Due to the extent of the damage, more than 400,000 people are going to need to be relocated. Click here to view images from the scene.

In other news: World leaders launched a $15 billion initiative to tackle hunger in the poorest countries today. According to a draft statement obtained by The AP, the goal of the initiative is to help poor farmers produce more of their own food by improving productivity. The money will be distributed over the course of three years.

The two American journalists sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean labor prison have asked for a pardon, The AP reports. Lisa Ling, sister to one of the journalists, said the pair had not yet been sent to the prison camp due to the fact that Laura Ling suffers from an ulcer and Euna Lee has lost 15 pounds since being detained. Do you think the North Korean government will pardon these reporters? Click here to share your thoughts.

Finally, the Senate approved a $42.9 billion homeland security bill yesterday, Reuters reported. The annual spending bill, which passed 84 to 6, is aimed at improving border security, clamping down on illegal immigration and boosting cyber security. Several amendments veered away from the main goal of funding the Department of Homeland Security. One allowed Americans to import prescription drugs from Canada. Another banned the release of photographs showing detainee abuse by U.S. personnel; the ACLU has sued to make those images public.

Most-read stories overnight: A 27-year-old Spaniard was gored to death during the Pamplona bull run today, Agence France-Presse reported. The bull's horn hit Daniel Jimeno Romero, 27, in the neck then slipped into his aorta and lungs. Romero was the 15th person to die at the festival since 1911, and the first since 1995.

Readers were also interested in this AP story about a deadly train collision in Michigan. An Amtrak train carrying 170 passengers smashed into a car at a railroad crossing yesterday. The crossing had a gate and flashing lights that were working, but the car drove around the arm, authorities said. No one on the train was injured; however, all five passengers in the sedan were killed. Click here to view AP video coverage of the accident scene.

Looking ahead: General Motors is expected to move out of bankruptcy protection today. The struggling automaker is also planning to announce 4,000 layoffs. President Barack Obama plans to meet with Pope Benedict XVI shortly before leaving Italy. And the trial of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has resumed.

Yesterday's poll: What do you think should be done to prevent/end homelessness in the U.S.? Readers were torn about the best measures to take in tackling this problem. Sixteen percent wanted to offer more job training and educational opportunities, 11 percent said to build more transitional housing/shelters, and 10 percent thought the homeless should be allowed to live in foreclosed homes and/or receive free health care. Sixteen percent wanted "other" unlisted solutions.

Today in history: In 1985, Coca-Cola bowed to pressure from customers who were dissatisfied with New Coke, and agreed to resume selling the old formula.

Birthdays: Singer/actress Jessica Simpson, 29. Thomas Ian Nicholas, 29. Actor Adrian Grenier, 33. Singer Gary LeVox (Rascal Flatts), 39. Musician Peter DiStefano (Porno for Pyros), 44. Banjo player Bela Fleck, 51. Singer Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), 55. Musician Dave Smalley (The Raspberries), 60. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie, 62. Tennis Hall of Famer Virginia Wade, 64. Actor Ron Glass, 64. Actor Lawrence Pressman, 70. Composer Jerry Herman, 78. Former New York City Mayor David N. Dinkins, 82. Boxing Hall of Famer Jake LaMotta, 88.

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--Jade Walker is the overnight editor of Yahoo! News. News doesn't stop when the lights go out, and neither does Jade.

**Yahoo! News bloggers compile the best news content from our providers and scour the Web for the most interesting news stories so you don't have to.