Rome - Pope Benedict XVI planned to preside over Rome's traditional Good Friday evening Way of the Cross procession at which the Vatican has invited the faithful to reflect on the persecution of Christians in IndiaThe procession was to be accompanied by words penned by Archbishop Thomas Menamparampil of Guwahati, India.

As in many previous years, the event which commemorates the last hours leading to Jesus' crucifixion was set to be held at Rome's Colosseum.

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.

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.

Rome  - Italian lawmakers rejected a bid Wednesday to triple the amount of time illegal immigrants can be detained in holding centres, in a rare defeat for Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's ruling coalition.

In a narrow vote, opposition deputies - joined by some members of Berlusconi's own conservative coalition - voted against extending the period from two months to six months.