Jan Sokol of the Synergy Baku Cycling Project Team won stage three of the An Post Rás into Charleville, Co. Cork yesterday on a day where two of the strongest domestic Irish riders lit up the race and Kiwi Patrick Bevin retained the race leader’s yellow jersey.

An increasingly frail Pope John Paul II celebrated Mass for 200,000 faithful today, completing a gruelling four-day pilgrimage that raised fresh doubts about his ability to keep travelling.

SECURITY Services are investigating a death threat made against Pope John Paul ahead of his visit to Slovakia later this week.