Pope leaves Rome for Australia trip

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Benedict left Rome on Saturday for a trip to Australia to preside at the Roman Catholic Church's World Day of Youth events.

The chartered Alitalia B777 plane carrying the pope, his entourage and journalists left Rome's Fiumicino airport for the 15 hour, 45 minute non-stop flight to Darwin, where it will make a re-fuelling stop before continuing to Sydney.

He returns to Rome on July 21 at the end of his ninth trip outside Italy since his election in 2005.