L'Aquila - Dozens of wooden caskets containing some of the victims of Monday's earthquake in Italy were being lined up Friday at a parade ground of a police training school in the city of l'Aquila, a few hours ahead of a planned state funeral. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was scheduled to attend the solemn ceremony over which the Vatican's second highest official, Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone was set to preside.

By Friday morning the death toll from the earthquake stood at 287, including at least 20 children.

Rome - AC Milan star Kaka has ruled out a possible transfer to Real Madrid, which this week had been rumoured by Spanish media but dismissed by the Italian club.

"I didn't have contacts with Real Madrid," the 26-year-old Brazilian told La Gazzetta dello Sport Thursday. "No one looked for me. I think I have declared my pleasure and my will to remain at Milan.

Vatican City - Pope Benedict XVI in a Holy Thursday Chrism Mass celebrated the first of a series of traditional rituals leading to Easter - a feast tinged with sorrow in Italy this year for the victims of an devastating earthquake.

During the ceremony in St Peter's Basilica, Benedict blessed holy oils which will be used in Catholic sacraments, including baptisms, confirmations and last rites for the dying.

Some of the oils consecrated this year are destined for parishes in Italy's central Abruzzo region where by Thursday morning the death toll from Monday's earthquake stood at 278.

Rome  - Three days after an earthquake struck central Italy the death toll on Thursday rose to 278 as preparations got under way for a state funeral planned for Friday.

Among the dead pulled from rubble overnight was a 20-year-old student trapped when a university dormitory building collapsed in the city of L'Aquila.

The body of the student, who was also the father of a 7-month-old baby girl, was taken to a police training school barracks situated in the city which is serving as an impromptu morgue.

Rome  - Efforts to find survivors of the earthquake that struck central Italy on Monday will continue through Sunday - three days beyond a previous limit announced by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said Wednesday.

"The search to find survivors under the rubble will continue incessantly until Easter (Sunday)," Maroni said during a visit to an operating centre in Rome that is coordinating the rescue work.

Rome - The death toll after the Italian earthquake rose with the recovery of another 22 bodies, to 272, by late Wednesday, according to Italian rescue officials.

The new figure was released after the Italian government announced it would extend rescue efforts through Sunday, three days beyond a previous limit set by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Monday's temblor destroyed scores of buildings in the city of L'Aquila and other nearby towns in the country's central Abruzzo region and left an estimated 20,000 people homeless.