DHAKA: Pope Francis has urged a large gathering of world leaders at the United Nations in New York to respect humanity’s ‘right to the environment’.

He also called on financial agencies not to subject countries to ‘oppressive lending systems’ that worsen poverty, reports the BBC.

In an allusion to the Church’s teachings on sexual minorities, he called for respect for the ‘natural difference between man and woman’.

He went on to visit the 11 September memorial for a multi-faith service.

After a silent prayer, the pontiff met relatives of some of the victims of the attack in 2001.

Pope Francis later visited a Catholic school in the heavily Hispanic New York neighborhood of East Harlem.

The crowd in the gym of Our Lady Queen of Angels School included more than 100 immigrants, who greeted Francis with songs.

One eyewitness wrote on Twitter: ‘He’s (Pope) having a blast in Harlem. Big smile. #PopeinNYC’.

BDST: 0848 HRS, SEPT 26, 2015
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