Popemobile takes pontiff back to work

Fully recovered, it is claimed, from the illness that put him in hospital nine days ago, Pope John Paul hit the road in his brightly illuminated Popemobile last night, waving to well-wishers along the route home to the Vatican. In the past few days the 84-year-old pontiff's possible retirement has been publicly discussed by high Vatican officials for the first time. Going home by Popemobile rather than ambulance or limousine appeared to be his way of telling the world that he's having none of it.

He was taken to hospital on 1 February suffering from an acute laryngo-plasm which complicated a dose of influenza.