Film & Culture: North Macedonia has selected the teen drama “17” as its candidate for the 99th Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. The coproduction with Serbia and Slovenia is inspired by a real event and follows a 17-year-old grappling with identity, sexuality, and societal pressure; it was acquired by Totem Films ahead of Berlinale Perspectives 2026 and has already picked up awards including Best International Debut at Jerusalem. Digital Safety: UNICEF says nearly 20 million children aged 12–17 across 21 countries faced technology-facilitated sexual abuse or exploitation in a year, with almost 60% of cases happening on mainstream social media and fewer than 1% reported to authorities. Tech & Media Governance: UNESCO-backed recommendations for rights-based digital platform governance have been adopted for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, aiming to strengthen journalism as a public good and tackle disinformation. Regional Energy & Connectivity: North Macedonia is in the orbit of a wider Starlink Mobile rollout planned for the Western Balkans, with 4iG and SpaceX agreements covering Hungary and later services including North Macedonia. EU Path: As North Macedonia marks 35 years of independence, reporting highlights the stalled constitutional amendments tied to EU integration and the ongoing political dispute with Bulgaria.