Foreign Policy: North Macedonia’s FM Timco Mucunski visited Jerusalem for 24 hours, signing cooperation deals with Israel and pushing ties in defense industry cooperation, agriculture, water management, security, innovation, tourism, health and education. Energy & Infrastructure: Skopje and Belgrade signed a gas pipeline agreement in Skopje for a 67-kilometre link, aiming for connectivity by 2028, alongside a North Macedonia–Greece interconnector expected in 2027 to boost “vertical energy connectivity.” Government & Health: Bulgaria’s government approved a 2026–2028 healthcare cooperation plan with North Macedonia covering primary and hospital care, disease prevention, epidemiological surveillance, emergency management, health legislation, statistics and eHealth. Politics & Courts: The Skopje Court of Appeal confirmed Nikola Gruevski’s acquittal in the “Talir 2” case over the VMRO-DPMNE “White Palace,” blocking confiscation efforts tied to the headquarters and other properties. Domestic Demographics: Education Minister Vesna Janevska warned first-grade enrolment is down sharply for 2026–27, with rural school closures expected as cohorts keep shrinking. Regional Security: EUFOR continued Exercise Quick Response 2026 across Bosnia and Herzegovina, including patrol and infrastructure-security training with North Macedonian troops. Public Debate: A new report highlights rising fuel prices across the Western Balkans, with Albania’s diesel far above North Macedonia’s—fuel taxation remains a key political pressure point.