Bilateral Diplomacy in the Balkans: Serbian PM Djuro Macut met North Macedonia’s PM Hristijan Mickoski in Ohrid, stressing growing cooperation in transport, infrastructure, energy connectivity, agriculture and tourism, with a focus on joint border crossings and major rail upgrades linking Serbia to Greece. Regional Infrastructure: Bulgaria and North Macedonia advanced the Corridor 8 cross-border railway tunnel via a joint committee meeting in Sofia, adopting working rules and a timetable while discussing financing options with EU and international institutions. Energy Sanctions Watch: Serbia’s Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said there are indications NIS may receive a new OFAC operating licence, expected to be formalized by a US letter, crucial for planning crude purchases and refinery operations. Political Representation Debate: A new North Macedonia law on fair and adequate representation is sparking opposition claims it lacks enforceable quotas and relies on later “political measures,” while universities warn rankings still leave students exposed. International Security Diplomacy: Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy accepted credentials from North Macedonia’s newly appointed ambassador and reiterated that air defense remains the priority after Russia’s missile strike. Sports-Politics Spillover: UEFA confirmed it will boycott FIFA competitions if FIFA pushes ahead with plans to sell World Cup stakes to private investors, a move that could reshape participation for European teams. Media/Legal Noise (Not Local): Paramount and US state AGs continue fighting over the timing of an antitrust trial tied to the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, with settlement pressure and trial-date disputes in court.