Labour & Jobs: Qatar’s labour minister met North Macedonia’s economy and labour leadership, parliament speaker and government secretary-general to review bilateral cooperation and labour-environment experience. Productivity Gap: An ILO snapshot shows North Macedonia at 34 international dollars per hour worked in 2025, behind Montenegro and Serbia, with Albania lowest in the region—highlighting a persistent productivity challenge. Energy Security: North Macedonia and Serbia formally joined Greece’s Vertical Gas Corridor, signing an MoU in Thessaloniki to expand cross-border gas flows and diversify supply. Gas Market Setup: The government asked MEMO to prepare a plan to create a natural gas market operator, covering legal, technical and IT steps, as interconnectors with Greece and Serbia move toward operation. Public Health: West Nile virus deaths rose to eight in North Macedonia, with 58 cases reported. Child Online Safety: UNICEF says about 20 million children aged 12–17 across 21 countries faced tech-facilitated sexual exploitation or abuse, with risk particularly high in North Macedonia. Regional Tensions: A Sofia–Skopje dispute over a Kočani crash involving Iva Mihaylova continues to fuel pressure tied to Bulgaria’s treatment of people with Bulgarian identification.