6 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Česlovas Juršėnas said the Social Democrats are keeping Remigijus Žemaitaitis in the ruling coalition because losing him would cost them their fragile parliamentary majority. He said tensions around Nemuno Aušra are already complicating preparations for the budget and other key votes.

Lithuanian border guards turned back 33 irregular migrants at the Belarus border in the past 24 hours, bringing this year’s total to 285. Police in the Panevėžys district are searching for a 37-year-old man who allegedly threatened a 43-year-old woman with a weapon during a drinking session at a rural homestead and was due to begin serving a prison sentence. In Mažeikiai district, investigators opened a case over violence against a teenager, with suspicions falling on his peers. In Tauragė, a 34-year-old man died in hospital on March 5 after being admitted with a head injury whose origin police have not yet established.

Reports are increasing in Lithuania of home intrusions in which criminals pose as officials, couriers or investigators and demand cash. Stroke patient Adomas underwent surgery only after a day’s delay because the hospital lacked the necessary equipment.

Storm cyclone Rapuncel reached Lithuania on April 6, bringing rain, winds of 9-14 metres per second and gusts of up to 23 m/s on the coast. Forecasters said western Lithuania saw the heaviest rainfall and conditions should ease from April 8. As fuel prices rise, some residents are cutting back on car travel even as the car market remains active. State road company Via Lietuva has launched a road safety campaign urging drivers to choose safe speed over haste.

sources: tv3.lt, delfi.lt, 15min.lt, lrt.lt, vz.lt, lrytas.lt

Armed manhunt for man who threatened with a weapon in Panevėžys region

Police are searching for a 37-year-old man in the Panevėžys district after he allegedly threatened a 43-year-old woman with a weapon during a drinking session at a rural homestead. Officers were called to the scene after the woman raised the alarm. Police say the man had been due to serve a prison sentence, and investigators are still trying to establish whether the weapon was a firearm or an air gun.

Why it matters

The key issue is how quickly police can locate the suspect, because weapon threats can escalate into fresh violence against the same victim or bystanders. A prolonged search also ties up officers and may force investigators to assess whether the woman needs extra protection.

sources:15min.lt

Environment

A storm battering Lithuania on Easter Monday

A storm cyclone named Rapuncel reached Lithuania on April 6, bringing wind of 9-14 m/s and gusts of up to 23 m/s on the coast. The system followed a brief break in unsettled weather and was expected to keep conditions wet and windy through the day. Forecasters said the weather should calm later in the week.

Why it matters

Strong coastal winds raise the risk for small craft, ferry services and shoreline infrastructure. Gusts also create hazards for construction sites, cyclists and drivers on exposed roads.

sources:lrytas.lt

Health

In Tauragė district, man with head injury died in hospital under unclear circumstances

A 34-year-old man from Tauragė district died in Tauragė hospital on March 5 after being admitted with a head injury. Police were still trying to establish where and how he was hurt, with the initial account leaving the location and mechanism unclear. The post-mortem inquiry was meant to determine whether the injury came from violence, a fall or a traffic accident.

Why it matters

The outcome determines whether the case is treated as an accident or a possible crime. It also decides whether police need to widen the investigation and whether the family gets a clear explanation of how he died.

sources:lrytas.lt delfi.lt

Politics

33 illegal migrants turned away at the Belarus border

Lithuanian border guards turned back 33 irregular migrants at the Belarus frontier over the past 24 hours, the State Border Guard Service said on Monday. Latvia turned back 65 migrants on Sunday, while Polish border guards recorded no such attempts on Saturday. Lithuania has blocked 285 irregular migrants from Belarus so far this year, after more than 1,600 attempted crossings last year.

Why it matters

The figures show the pressure on border forces along the EU’s eastern edge. Each attempt pulls in extra surveillance and response resources, and shifts in flows between Lithuania, Latvia and Poland change the workload across the region.

sources:15min.lt delfi.lt lrt.lt

Politics

Juršėnas explains why the Social Democrats can't shake off Žemaitaitis: 'I tell everyone'

Česlovas Juršėnas told LRT the Social Democrats are keeping Remigijus Žemaitaitis in the coalition because they do not want to lose a slim majority in parliament. He pointed to the constant strain around Žemaitaitis and his Nemuno Aušra party, which has already been at the centre of coalition tension over trust and public statements. The immediate question is whether the governing bloc can hold together long enough to pass key votes, including budget and other major decisions.

Why it matters

Coalition stability decides whether the Seimas can pass the budget, tax changes and other key government bills on time. If the majority weakens, legislation can stall or hinge on vote-by-vote bargaining.

sources:tv3.lt

Environment

A cyclone will bring real hell at the start of the week: when the weather will improve was named

A new cyclone reached Lithuania on April 6 and brought rain, stronger wind and low temperatures across much of the country. Forecasters say the wettest conditions will hit the west, with the strongest gusts along the Baltic coast. The weather is expected to improve from April 8 as the system weakens and the rain eases.

Why it matters

People along the coast and drivers in western and southwestern Lithuania will feel the biggest impact, with rain and stronger wind raising the risk of slippery roads. The weather may also slow outdoor work and delay the start of spring field operations.

sources:delfi.lt

Europe

Summary

Lampedusa is back at the centre of Europe’s migration crisis after a boat capsized in the central Mediterranean. The vessel had left Libya with about 105 people on board, two died, 32 were rescued and more than 70 are missing, while UN migration data show at least 683 people have died or disappeared on sea crossings since the start of 2026.

Ukraine’s General Staff said on April 6 that Russian forces lost 940 troops in the previous 24 hours, taking Moscow’s total losses since the full-scale invasion to about 1.107 million. A Russian strike on a residential area in southern Ukraine killed three people, including a child. Casualties also rose after another Russian strike on Odesa, while more than 10,000 customers lost power in the Chernihiv region. A Ukrainian strike hit a major Russian oil terminal, raising the prospect of a halt to fuel shipments from the site. The New York Times reported that Russia plans to use hard spring ground and sparse foliage to improve vehicle movement and drone reconnaissance in its offensive.

Poland said attempts to cross its border illegally from Belarus had fallen by 96%, with Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak crediting reinforced barriers and tighter controls. Hungary reported explosives near a pipeline, and experts examining the case noted numerous calls from Russia. Inside Russia, the authorities are moving to give the FSB direct power to order telecom companies to cut mobile and internet access in specific areas or across the country.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine had offered Russia a ceasefire through U.S. intermediaries. At the same time, Moscow and Ukrainian representatives confirmed a Ukrainian strike on a major oil terminal in southern Russia. Donald Trump said the current ceasefire proposal on Iran was not good enough and that all of Iran could be destroyed in one night, possibly as early as Tuesday.

sources: lrt.lt, delfi.lt, tv3.lt, 15min.lt, vz.lt, lrytas.lt

Russian forces lose 940 troops in latest Ukraine war

Ukraine’s General Staff said on April 6, 2026 that Russian forces lost 940 troops in the previous 24 hours, lifting Moscow’s total losses since the start of the full-scale invasion to about 1.107 million. Kyiv published the figure in its daily losses update, which also tracks tanks, artillery systems and drones. The tally suggests Russia is still feeding large numbers of troops into the war despite sustaining heavy daily casualties.

Why it matters

Daily losses at this scale shape Ukraine’s manpower needs and the pace at which it can hold its lines. For Western capitals, the figures reinforce the case for steady ammunition and air-defence deliveries rather than one-off packages.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

War in Ukraine. Three people, including a child, killed in a Russian strike in southern Ukraine

A Russian strike in southern Ukraine on April 6, 2026 killed three people, including a child, Ukrainian officials said. The hit landed in a residential area, and rescue crews searched through damaged buildings for more possible victims. It followed several weeks of heavier Russian attacks on Ukraine’s southern regions, where strikes are increasingly hitting civilian neighborhoods rather than military targets.

Why it matters

For civilians in southern Ukraine, it raises the risk in the places where they live and sleep, not just near the front. It also forces local authorities to divert resources into rescue work, shelter readiness and emergency evacuations.

sources:delfi.lt tv3.lt 15min.lt

Politics

Poland reports 96% decrease in illegal migration at border with Belarus

Poland said on April 4 that attempts to cross its border with Belarus illegally had fallen by 96%, according to Interior Minister Tomasz Siemoniak. Warsaw credits tighter border controls, reinforced barriers and restricted access to the border zone. The government still treats the frontier as a security flashpoint, saying Belarus has used migration pressure as leverage against Poland and the EU since 2021.

Why it matters

Border guards and local communities may see fewer direct incursions, but the security regime remains heavy. The lower flow does not remove pressure on Poland’s asylum, border and transport policies, which stay shaped by the standoff with Minsk.

sources:15min.lt lrt.lt

Politics

Russia targets the internet and expands security services' reach

Russia moved within the past 48 hours to give the FSB direct power to order telecoms firms to cut mobile and internet access in specific areas or across the country. The state already runs a whitelist system that keeps only selected websites and services alive during outages, and officials frame the move as a security measure against sabotage and other threats. The shift would put the security service at the centre of network control and make shutdowns easier to trigger without a fresh political decision every time.

Why it matters

For Russian users, the practical effect is fewer guarantees that mobile data or broadband will stay on during protests, security operations or regional incidents. For telecom operators, the new rules would turn FSB orders into a direct operational command, making outages a political tool rather than a purely technical response.

sources:vz.lt

Society

Dozens missing after migrant boat capsizes in the Mediterranean, NGO says

Two people died and 32 were rescued after a migrant boat capsized in the central Mediterranean on April 5, rights groups said. More than 70 others were missing, and the vessel was carrying about 105 people after leaving Libya, according to Mediterranea Saving Humans. Two merchant ships picked up the survivors and took them to Lampedusa, while UN migration figures show at least 683 people have died or vanished on sea crossings since the start of 2026.

Why it matters

Lampedusa is once again the closest landfall for people risking the central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Europe. When survivors are already ashore in Italy and dozens remain missing at sea, the burden falls on merchant ships, rescue teams and Italy’s reception system at the same time.

sources:lrt.lt

World

Summary

Iran fired missiles and drones at Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on April 5, with shrapnel wounding a Ghanaian man in Abu Dhabi after one missile was intercepted. Kuwait said energy and water sites were hit, and the UAE suspended operations at the Habshan gas-processing complex. On April 6, an Israeli strike in Tehran killed Majid Khademi, the intelligence chief of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and more than 25 people were killed in attacks across other Iranian cities. Israel’s military also said it killed the head of a covert special operations unit in the Quds Force and struck other IRGC-linked infrastructure inside Iran.

Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal and demanded a permanent end to the war, although mediators from Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey had tied the plan to reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Washington and Tehran are meanwhile continuing secret intermediary talks on passage through Hormuz using pre-arranged routes and identification codes. Benjamin Netanyahu commented on a successful U.S. pilot rescue operation in Iran, adding another public sign of direct American involvement. Iran’s armed forces said the war with the United States and Israel would continue as long as necessary, while Israel’s defence minister reported a strike on Iran’s largest oil chemical facility.

NASA’s Artemis II mission reached the Moon’s gravitational sphere of influence, marking a fresh milestone in the crewed programme’s return toward lunar orbit. The crew later lost contact with Earth for a short period, and NASA said communications were subsequently restored.

After Iran rejected a ceasefire proposal, Donald Trump said the US could destroy all of Iran in one night. At the same time, Israel came under coordinated strikes from Iran, Yemen and Lebanon, while the IAEA called for attacks near Iran’s nuclear power plant to stop immediately.

sources: vz.lt, delfi.lt, lrt.lt, 15min.lt, lrytas.lt, tv3.lt

Iran strikes Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates again

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard fired missiles and drones at Israel, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates on April 5. In Abu Dhabi, shrapnel wounded a Ghanaian man after air defences intercepted one missile, while Kuwait reported hits on energy and water sites and the UAE suspended operations at the Habshan gas-processing complex. The strikes landed as Washington and Tehran weighed a new ceasefire proposal and argued over reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Why it matters

Airspace restrictions and shutdowns at energy sites are now hitting flights, fuel supply and water production across the Gulf. Any fresh strike on Kuwaiti or Emirati infrastructure could quickly feed into higher oil and gas costs in Europe.

sources:vz.lt

Politics

Iran's Revolutionary Guard intelligence chief killed in US and Israel strikes

Iranian state media said on April 6 that Majid Khademi, head of intelligence for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in a strike in Tehran. Israel’s military later confirmed it carried out the attack, and AP said more than 25 people were killed in strikes across Iran that also hit other cities. The Guard’s intelligence arm reports only to Iran’s supreme leader, giving Khademi’s death immediate security and political weight.

Why it matters

Iran’s security establishment has lost one of its top figures at a moment when the state is already absorbing repeated blows to its military and political hierarchy. That raises the risk of tighter internal crackdowns and makes any ceasefire or de-escalation talks harder to sustain.

sources:delfi.lt lrt.lt 15min.lt

Politics

Israeli army reports it has killed the head of Iran's Quds Force special operations unit

The Israeli military said on April 6 it killed the head of a covert operations unit within Iran's Quds Force, describing him as a key coordinator of external missions. On the same day, it said it also struck infrastructure linked to the IRGC inside Iran, after weeks of escalating direct attacks between the two countries. Iran backs armed groups across Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Gaza, so the strike targets more than one commander: it hits a wider operational network.

Why it matters

The unit helps link Tehran to Hezbollah, the Houthis and other regional proxies, so knocking out a senior figure can briefly disrupt planning and logistics. It also raises the odds that any retaliation will be aimed at Israeli, U.S. or allied assets in the region.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

War in the Middle East: latest developments

Iran on April 6 rejected the latest ceasefire proposal and said it wants a permanent end to the war, not a short pause. Mediators from Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey had pushed a 45-day truce and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Middle East officials. The proposal now looks stalled as Washington keeps up pressure and Trump threatens retaliation over attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure.

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz handles a huge share of global energy flows, so a stalled deal keeps oil and gas markets on edge. That means higher insurance, shipping and fuel costs for airlines, shippers and consumers well beyond the region.

sources:lrt.lt tv3.lt 15min.lt