Top European Union officials expressed shock on Tuesday after Serbia held a hero's funeral with military honors in Belgrade for Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general who died while serving a life sentence for war crimes, according to the Associated Press. The ceremony, led by Serbian Orthodox Church head Patriarch Porfirije, prompted EU leaders to question Serbia's fitness to join the bloc, casting doubt over the country's long-standing membership bid.

The funeral of Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military commander convicted of genocide and war crimes by a United Nations tribunal, has been held in Serbia's capital, Belgrade, with state honours, according to Al Jazeera. Mladic was convicted over atrocities committed during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war, including the Srebrenica massacre. The decision to grant state honours to a convicted war criminal is likely to draw international criticism and renewed scrutiny of Serbia's approach to its wartime past.

Al Jazeera examines the funeral of Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb commander convicted of genocide and war crimes, questioning whether political leaders have absorbed the lessons of three decades of international justice. The piece suggests that despite years of war crimes tribunals and accountability efforts, divisions and denial persist in the region, raising concerns about reconciliation and the enduring legacy of the 1990s Balkan conflicts.

The European Union hosted Taliban officials in Brussels for discussions focused on deportations, marking the first such meeting. Despite this engagement, the Taliban government remains unrecognized by any European country, highlighting the complexities of international relations in the region.

The Uganda Human Rights Commission says the government is justified in restricting mourners travelling from eastern Democratic Republic of Congo for the burial of King Oyo in Kabarole, given that Ebola remains active across the border. According to NTV Uganda, Commissioner Crispin Kaheru argued that protecting lives must remain the priority at a gathering of such magnitude, supporting precautions against potential spread of the disease.

The European Union is set to hold a meeting in Brussels with Taliban officials, primarily to discuss the deportation of Afghan nationals lacking the right to remain in Europe. This meeting reflects ongoing concerns regarding migration and the status of Afghan refugees following the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan.