Pope Francis has declared that the climate crisis has the planet "almost at tipping point", laying part of the blame at the door of the United States and its people for "irresponsible lifestyles". change, made the chilling remark at the start of a three-day climate summit to be held in the Vatican between May 15 and 17.

Francis, a native of Argentina, said he was "sincerely concerned" about "our suffering planet." Because of society's reluctance to take adequate steps to protect against climate change, the Catholic figure ominously predicted that "the world we live in is a collapse." (John O'sullivan, more at irishstar.com)