Obama praises pope for helping poor, fighting climate change

U.S. President Barack Obama welcomed Pope Francis to the White House on Wednesday with warm praise for the popular pontiff's work to lift up the poor and his commitment to fight climate change. Obama thanked the pope for his help in thawing relations between the United States and Cuba and called his message of "mercy" one that highlights the need to take in war refugees and immigrants. The president singled out the pope's push for action on global warming, an issue that divides Democrats and Rep