Environment & Health: Bankwatch says Western Balkans coal plants—including in North Macedonia—breached 2025 pollution limits badly, with sulphur dioxide at 6.6 times permitted levels and dust at 2.9 times, despite Energy Community deadlines and legal cases. EU Politics & Identity: Bulgaria’s SEECP parliamentary chair Mihaela Dotsova told North Macedonia’s assembly president Afrim Gashi that anti-Bulgarian incidents and the arson on Bulgarian diplomatic cars in Skopje must face “fair punishment,” while stressing EU accession conditions aren’t up for renegotiation. Regional Diplomacy: Dotsova is set to open the SEECP Parliamentary Assembly plenary in Sofia, with cooperation and good-neighbourliness on the agenda, and a bilateral meeting with Gashi expected to focus on parliament-to-parliament communication. Public Safety: A BIRN report highlights gaps in Skopje’s “Safe City” traffic cameras, with residents in Butel saying enforcement is weaker where cameras aren’t installed—after a child was hit and protests demanded more police presence. Housing Costs: Eurostat data show Skopje among the cheapest European capitals for renting a two-room flat (around €470), as Europe’s housing squeeze continues alongside a wider “spare rooms” problem across the EU. Culture & Rights: Skopje Pride returned for its eighth year, with organisers calling for visibility and against forced silence. Heritage Under Pressure: New reporting warns uncontrolled construction and tourism pressure around Ohrid could push Lake Ohrid toward UNESCO’s “World Heritage in Danger” list.