Student death toll from Chinese quake announced

China has said 5,335 students died or remain missing from last year’s Sichuan earthquake, the first official tally for students in what became a politically charged issue because of allegations of shoddy school construction.

No reason was given for the release of the number now, just days before the one-year anniversary of the disaster that launched an outpouring of grief around China and united the country in a massive rescue effort.