Pope Leo: Feed the hungry not war

Independent -   Pope Leo on Monday accused world leaders of "feeding" wars instead of the hungry, declaring global priorities "badly skewed".   The pontiff, who has been outspoken on political issues in recent months, said governments should increase spending on combating hunger and avoid subjecting food aid to geopolitical limits.

"Conflicts are 'fed' more readily than people are nourished," the first US pope said during his visit to the World Food Programme (WFP) headquarters.

He said this "reflects not only operational shortcomings but also a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities." Leo, who drew President Donald Trump's ire earlier this year after criticising the Iran war, did not mention any specific leaders.

The WFP is the largest provider of food aid worldwide. Its biggest donor is the ?US, which announced a new $800 million contribution last week, following earlier cuts by President Donald Trump that more than halved planned US funding.