Pope aide pulls out of trip after UK 'third world' jibe

One of the Pope's senior advisers has pulled out of the papal visit to Britain, after saying the UK is a "third world country" marked by "a new and aggressive atheism".

Cardinal Walter Kasper, 77, made the remarks in a German magazine interview.

The Vatican said the cardinal had not intended "any kind of slight", and was referring to the UK's multicultural society.

It added that he had simply pulled out of the Pope's visit due to illness.

Duncan Kennedy reports.