Rare Gem Protection: A Skopje jeweller’s decades-long push helped secure protected status for North Macedonia’s rare pink ruby, with the stone now sold by roughly 10 local stores—an industry win for high-value mining-to-jewellery branding. Payments & Inclusion: A new World Bank look at fast payments links instant transfers to faster liquidity in merchant and supply chains, while global adoption keeps rising (62% of adults in low- and middle-income economies using digital payments). NATO Industrial Push: At the Ankara Summit, Canada’s PM Mark Carney highlighted defence investment and plans to build domestic and Allied defence industrial capacity—part of a broader shift from pledges to measurable delivery. Regional Logistics: Serbia and Italy move to reinstate the Belgrade–Trieste rail link, alongside faster Schengen access via D visas for professional drivers—aimed at easing cross-border supply bottlenecks that also hit North Macedonia. Defence Exports: Türkiye’s MKE BORAN 105mm howitzer reaches Albania as its second NATO European customer, reinforcing the region’s growing defence procurement and manufacturing footprint. Film Industry: KVIFF Promises unveiled winners including Eurimages support for “Selamlik” and “Reminiscence,” underlining co-production momentum across the Balkans. HSEQ Services: Technique Works opened an Albania office to serve Western Balkans clients in workplace risk, health and safety, environment and quality.