As well as representing poverty and peace, he said St Francis "loved and looked after" creation - and he noted that humanity was "not having a good relationship with nature at the moment".

BBC: Pope Francis wants 'poor Church for the poor'

In Nepal the party representing former Maoist insurgents withdrew from the coalition interim government, throwing the peace process into jeopardy and potentially scuttling assembly elections due in November.

ECONOMIST: Politics this week

Standing with 15, 000 delegates representing green activism groups and politically correct scientists the world over are international celebrity leaders like Nobel Peace Prize laureates Barack Obama, Al Gore and Desmond Tutu and their fellow celebrities and Oscar and Grammy winners Al Gore, Leonardo Dicaprio, Sting, Cate Blanchett and Daryl Hannah.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: Narcissists and madmen