Pope Francis has begun his visit to Panama with a call on political leaders to reject all forms of corruption.

Pope Francis who is in Panama for a global gathering of young Catholics, said those in positions of authority should lead a life that demonstrates that public service is a synonym of honesty and
justice, and opposed to all forms of corruption.

In a speech delivered to government Ministers and diplomats at the foreign Ministry, the Catholic Pontiff said young people demanded a greater commitment from politicians.

Meanwhile, Greece and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia are due to put to rest a twenty-seven-year dispute over the latter country’s name.

Following months of heated debate, the Greek parliament is scheduled to ratify the Agreement reached last June.

Greek parliament was due to vote on the name deal yesterday but the speaker’s office said it has been postponed till today in order to extend debate time.

Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia agreed to abandon the Republic of Macedonia- the name it chose for itself when it declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991and called itself North Macedonia.

Greece agreed to lift its veto to North Macedonia’s membership in NATO and the European Union.

In Athens, the agreement has triggered two votes of confidence in the government over seven months and costs Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras his junior coalition partner, the Independent Greeks party.