World News: Quake damage to leave Christchurch 'abandoned'

New Zealand's prime minister said today around 10,000 houses in Christchurch would have to be demolished because of earthquake damage and some parts of the city abandoned altogether.

The magnitude-6.3 temblor that struck on February 22 shattered homes, heritage buildings and office blocks.

Officials say the confirmed death toll is 166 and is expected to rise to more than 200 as rescuers continue to search for bodies trapped in the rubble.

Prime minister John Key said: "There are some parts of Christchurch that can't be rebuilt on. The liquefaction damage from the earthquake is so great and the land damage is so significant we can't remediate it."

Liquefaction occurs when an earthquake causes sections of earth to liquefy and push up to the surface as watery silt. Around 260,000 tons of silt have already been scraped away in Christchurch.

As well, several hundred central city commercial buildings will have to be bulldozed, Key said.

"Potentially there are some . . . areas of Christchurch which will need to be abandoned and we will have to provide other alternatives for people to live."

Chirac in dock over 'fake jobs'

Jacques Chirac, 78, today became France's first former president to go on trial as he appeared in the dock on corruption charges. He faces up to ten years in prison and a fine of 128,000 if convicted of creating fictional jobs for his political cronies while Paris mayor in the 1980s and 90s.

UN team on way to Libya

THE United Nations is to send a humanitarian team into Libya as the battle between rebels and forces loyal to Colonel Gaddafi intensifies.

Pro-Gaddafi troops, some in helicopter gunships, pounded opposition fighters with artillery, rockets and gunfire in a bid to halt the rebels' advance towards Tripoli.

Gaddafi forces attacked the city of Misrata, 120 miles east of the capital, with mortars and tanks but were pushed out five hours later by the rebels.

Prime Minister names cabinet

Egypt's prime minister-designate has named a caretaker cabinet to help lead the country through reforms and toward free elections after the uprising that ousted President Hosni Mubarak.

The changes include new faces in the key ministries, a move likely to be welcomed by pro-reform groups.

Minister quits over donation

Japan's foreign minister has suddenly quit after breaking the law by accepting a political donation from a foreigner.

The departure of Seiji Maehara, 48, is another blow to the embattled administration of prime minister Naoto Kan.

Mr Maehara had been tipped to succeed Mr Kan.

Lawyer swaps prison cell for house arrest

Vietnam: Human rights lawyer Nguyen Van Dai, 42, has been freed from prison after serving a four-year sentence for advocating a multi-party system. He still has to serve four years of house arrest.

Afghanistan: US Defence Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan today for a two-day visit to gauge war progress as the Obama administration moves toward crucial decisions on reducing troop levels.