7 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Vilnius new-build prices in the economy segment have climbed to about EUR 3,200 per square metre, and listings near EUR 1,800 have almost disappeared. Developers say tighter planning rules, heavier infrastructure requirements and higher construction costs have pushed the market floor sharply higher.

President Gitanas Nauseda is putting Constitutional Court judge Tomas Davulis before parliament to become court chair after three new judges took office on March 19 and Gintaras Goda’s term ended. The coalition council is set to discuss a vote on the Kapciamiestis training ground, while debate is widening over possible budget losses caused by poor coordination between institutions. Border guards prevented 22 irregular migrants from entering Lithuania in a day, and officers at the Purvenai border post in Varena district shot down a drone from Belarus on April 6 carrying contraband cigarettes. A new Portuguese troop rotation is also beginning service at the Kaisiadorys training ground.

Lithuania’s general government deficit stood at 1.8% of GDP in 2024, while debt reached 39.5% of GDP. Insolvencies are rising, and retail companies account for a large share of bankruptcies recorded in 2025. Municipalities are weighing plans to expand municipal housing with business partners, and electricity prices in Lithuania rose 13% over the past week.

Strong winds on April 7 brought down trees across Lithuania, sending firefighters to dozens of callouts to clear roads and remove broken branches. Vilnius police searched for Probation Service director Romas Ostanavicius after he left home following a family dispute, but he later appeared at a police station and the case was not linked to criminal activity. Police in Kaunas are still searching for a 13-year-old boy who disappeared over Easter and was last seen in green clothes on a scooter with two friends. In Kaunas, a detained man smashed the doors at a police station, while in Sakiai investigators are examining suspected arson at store premises.

President Gitanas Nausėda urged the ruling coalition to rethink its lineup if Nemuno aušra does not back the Kapčiamiestis training ground project. He said the first warning bell over the coalition’s future has already sounded.

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

Officials shot down a drone that crossed from Belarus in Varėna district.

Border guards from the Purvėnai post in the Varėna district spotted a drone crossing from Belarus on April 6, 2026 and brought it down with anti-drone equipment. The State Border Guard Service said the aircraft was carrying contraband cigarettes, which were seized after the interception. It is another case this year of small drones being used to move illegal goods across Lithuania’s eastern frontier.

Why it matters

Airborne smuggling lets traffickers bypass roadside checks and move goods quickly into border areas. Each interception keeps illicit cigarettes out of the shadow market and forces border police to commit more manpower and equipment to the frontier.

sources:15min.lt

Environment

Wind damage recorded across Lithuania as firefighters respond to dozens of calls

Strong winds swept across Lithuania on April 7, sending firefighters on dozens of callouts to clear fallen trees and broken branches from roads and other locations. In a similar storm last year, responders made 66 trips in a day, and the main damage then hit the power grid as trees brought down overhead lines. This time, the immediate focus was keeping roads open and restoring access to blocked areas.

Why it matters

Residents and drivers are the first to feel the hit when roads are blocked and access is cut off, so emergency crews have to clear the main routes first. When overhead lines are damaged, households can lose power and local authorities and grid operators have to move fast to restore supply.

sources:tv3.lt

Crime

Police on high alert searched the Probation Service director – mysterious details emerge

Vilnius police searched for Probation Service director Romas Ostanavičius after he left home following a family dispute, and he turned up at police on April 7. The service said he had been in post since December 20, 2021, and that the disappearance was not linked to criminal activity. The episode has put a spotlight on the personal strain and public exposure faced by senior justice officials who oversee offenders in the community.

Why it matters

The director’s disappearance briefly disrupted an agency that directly supervises offenders and enforces court-imposed restrictions in the community. In Vilnius, that matters because probation decisions and rapid risk checks are handled every day and affect public safety on the ground.

sources:tv3.lt

Crime

13-year-old missing in Kaunas over Easter; green outfit, scooter and two friends

Police in Kaunas are searching for a 13-year-old boy who vanished over Easter and was last seen wearing green clothes, riding a scooter and with two friends. Investigators are checking his last known route and nearby locations where the group may have split up, a step that often determines how fast a missing-child case can move. Kaunas police are asking the public for any tip that could pinpoint where he is now.

Why it matters

A missing child case pulls police, volunteers and family into a time-critical search across parks, transit links and housing estates. The faster eyewitness accounts come in, the quicker investigators can narrow the route and reduce the period of uncertainty.

sources:15min.lt

Economy

In Vilnius the last homes at 1800 EUR per m²: why the government made sure they would disappear

Vilnius has reached a point where new-build apartments in the city’s economy segment are already priced around 3,200 euros per square metre, leaving only a handful of cheaper listings. Developers say tighter planning rules, tougher land and infrastructure requirements, and higher construction costs have pushed the floor price up so far that selling at 1,800 euros per square metre is no longer viable. The market is shifting toward pricier homes, and the supply of low-cost flats in the capital keeps shrinking.

Why it matters

First-time buyers face a narrower choice and a bigger down payment, because even the cheapest new apartments in Vilnius are now beyond the reach of many households. Tighter supply also feeds the rental market, as some would-be buyers stay renters for longer or drop out altogether.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Parliament to be presented with Tomo Davulis' candidacy for Constitutional Court chair

President Gitanas Nausėda will put Tomas Davulis forward to lead Lithuania’s Constitutional Court after three new judges took office on March 19 and incumbent chair Gintaras Goda’s term ended. Davulis already sits on the court, and the president can nominate only from among serving judges. Parliament will now examine the nomination; if approved, Davulis will take over a court that rules on whether laws comply with the constitution.

Why it matters

The Constitutional Court can block or strike down laws passed by parliament, so its chair has a direct bearing on pensions, taxes, elections and other high-stakes policy choices. A new chair will also set the court’s agenda as the freshly composed bench begins work.

sources:delfi.lt 15min.lt

Europe

Summary

Russia launched 110 drones at Ukraine overnight on April 7, and Ukraine said it shot down 77, though strikes still hit at least six locations. The latest wave of attacks killed at least eight people and injured 52 across several Ukrainian regions. In the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian strikes on April 6 killed a child and wounded five people, including another minor. In Odesa, the same barrage killed two adults and a 2-year-old child.

Ukraine has also kept up pressure on Russia’s oil sector, damaging the Primorsk export terminal near St Petersburg and a Lukoil refinery in the Nizhny Novgorod region. Earlier Ukrainian strikes had already cut Russian refining capacity by 20%. Kyiv has proposed a mutual ceasefire on energy facilities, but Kremlin loyalists are publicly rejecting compromise, while Moscow is accusing the Baltic states of allowing their airspace to be used for Ukrainian strikes. The Washington Post reported that Russia began passing Iran target intelligence on March 6 for possible strikes on US forces in the Middle East.

NATO’s central European agenda remains active, with J. D. Vance due in Budapest for talks with Viktor Orban. In Lithuania, a new Portuguese troop rotation has started joint exercises with allied forces. In the Baltic economy, Compensa Vienna Insurance Group raised revenue 14% last year to €269.2mn, moving into the region’s top three insurers by revenue. Rail Baltica has started design work on the Kaunas hub, one of the most complex sections of the future line.

In northern France on April 7, a high-speed train travelling at 160 kph hit a military truck at a level crossing. The crash killed the driver and injured 27 people, and prosecutors opened a manslaughter investigation.

War analysts say Russia is trying to create conditions for a new assault on a city in Ukraine. At the same time, Moscow said Ukraine had begun strikes with a new type of weapon, while German media reported that the crew of a US fighter jet shot down in Iran is being treated in Germany.

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

In Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian strikes kill a child, five others injured.

On April 6, Russian strikes in Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region killed a child and wounded five others, including one minor, regional officials said. The attack came amid a wider overnight barrage that also killed two adults and a 2-year-old in Odesa, underlining how Russian strikes hit multiple regions at once. Local services in Dnipropetrovsk were assessing damage in residential areas and arranging medical care for the wounded.

Why it matters

For civilians in Dnipropetrovsk, the strikes deepen the strain on homes, ambulances and local hospitals, because the damage is landing in residential areas rather than only near the front. The killing of a child, and injury to another minor, shows the threat to families remains immediate and routine.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Ukraine shoots down 77 of 110 Russian drones

In the night of April 7, 2026, Ukraine said it shot down 77 of the 110 Russian drones launched at the country, with some others intercepted over several regions. The same strike still hit at least six locations, keeping energy and transport networks under pressure. Kyiv is bracing for more overnight attacks, so air defences and emergency crews remain on heightened alert.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians and critical infrastructure remain the main target, with at least six sites hit in the latest strike. Even when most drones are intercepted, night raids still disrupt power, transport and emergency services, forcing people to live through repeated air alerts.

sources:delfi.lt

Society

Fatal train crash in France: the train driver killed, 27 people injured

A high-speed train hit a military truck at a level crossing in northern France on April 7, killing the driver and injuring 27 people, local officials said. The train was travelling at 160 kph and the truck was carrying military equipment, while prosecutors opened a manslaughter investigation. SNCF said the crossing barriers were working and more than 200 passengers were evacuated as emergency crews closed the line and nearby roads.

Why it matters

The line between Dunkirk and Paris was disrupted, forcing the evacuation of more than 200 passengers and knocking on travel plans across the corridor. The investigation could lead to tighter controls on military vehicle routing at level crossings and fresh scrutiny of rail-crossing safety procedures.

sources:15min.lt lrt.lt

Politics

Russia, allied with Iran, helps strike US bases

Russia began passing Iran target intelligence on March 6 for possible strikes against U.S. forces in the Middle East, according to three U.S. officials cited by the Washington Post. The help was linked to Iranian attacks on American bases and interests in the region, giving Moscow a more direct role in the conflict without deploying its own forces. For Washington, that broadens the threat picture and raises the pressure on U.S. assets that already face drone, missile and proxy attacks across the region.

Why it matters

U.S. bases and personnel in the Middle East face a more precise threat when target intelligence is shared with Iran, because it can narrow the warning window for air and missile defence. The broader Russia-Iran alignment also adds to pressure on NATO planners and can feed through into energy markets if the conflict widens.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

War in Ukraine: Kremlin loyalists tighten grip after Ukrainian strikes

Ukrainian drones hit Russian oil infrastructure again over the past two days, with LRT reporting on April 5 that the Primorsk export terminal near St Petersburg and the Lukoil refinery in Nizhny Novgorod region were damaged. Kremlin-friendly voices are also stepping up public pressure against any talk of compromise, even as earlier Ukrainian strikes were said to have cut Russian refining capacity by 20 per cent. If the damage is confirmed, Moscow will have to divert money into emergency repairs and protection, while Kyiv keeps targeting the revenue stream that funds the war.

Why it matters

Russia’s fuel market faces more strain on supply and pricing because the strikes are hitting not just plants but the wider refining and export chain. For Ukraine, the payoff is pressure on the oil revenues that finance Moscow’s war, while Russian regions hosting those facilities face more logistics disruptions and longer repair cycles.

sources:lrytas.lt

Economy

Compensa growth result – among Baltic states' top three

Compensa Vienna Insurance Group lifted Baltic revenue 14% last year to 269.2 million euros, the biggest result in its history. The non-life insurer said motor and property cover drove the gain, and the business has now moved into the Baltic top three by revenue. The company is continuing to expand across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia as demand for car and home-related insurance stays firm.

Why it matters

Drivers and homeowners stand to benefit first, because a larger insurer can broaden cover and sharpen price competition. In the wider market, the move raises the bar for smaller rivals trying to keep up with the Baltic leaders.

sources:vz.lt

World

Summary

Iran sent Washington a 10-point proposal on April 6 through intermediaries to end the war with the United States and Israel, but it rejected a separate 45-day ceasefire draft. On April 7, Iranian state media reported blasts in southern Tehran, the Parchin military area and at Khorramabad International Airport, while Donald Trump threatened strikes on Iran’s energy infrastructure, power plants and bridges unless Tehran accepted U.S. terms.

The same day, Israeli strikes hit a petrochemical plant in the South Pars gas field, and more than 25 people were killed in U.S. and Israeli attacks. The Philippine foreign ministry said a second Filipino national was killed when a rocket hit a residential building in northern Israel. In Washington, Trump again questioned NATO’s value and said Vladimir Putin is not afraid of the alliance ahead of the June summit. In Ukraine, a Russian strike on a city bus killed 3 people and injured 12.

Taiwan’s opposition leader made a rare visit to China as political tensions deepen in Taipei over ties with Beijing. In Australia, a soldier was arrested over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. In Panama, an explosion at the Panama Canal killed one person, with authorities still assessing the impact on shipping. The World Health Organization halted the evacuation of patients from Gaza.

NASA’s Artemis II mission completed a lunar flyby and reached the greatest distance from Earth by a crewed mission since the Apollo era.

Lebanon’s health minister said the death toll from fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has surpassed 1,500. The White House moved to calm concerns over possible US action against Iran’s nuclear sites, while Russia and China vetoed a UN resolution on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

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

Iranian media reports blasts in Tehran and surrounding areas

On April 7, 2026, Iranian state media reported blasts in Tehran and its outskirts, with state television saying strikes hit the southern part of the capital and the Parchin military area. AP said Khorramabad International Airport was also attacked, while Iranian authorities had not yet published a full casualty count. The strikes come as Israel and Iran keep trading blows after earlier hits on Iranian military infrastructure. The key question now is whether Tehran will disclose the scale of the damage and order a fresh response.

Why it matters

Residents of Tehran and nearby areas now face the risk of another strike cycle, with blasts hitting both military and civilian infrastructure. Any Iranian response could widen the conflict further and disrupt air links and security across the Gulf.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

Trump attacks NATO: a paper tiger Putin does not fear

In Washington, Donald Trump again cast doubt on NATO’s value and said Vladimir Putin is not afraid of the alliance. His remarks followed fresh pressure on European allies to spend more on defence and shoulder a larger share of security costs. The comments raise the stakes for the NATO summit in June, where allies are expected to haggle over new commitments.

Why it matters

For NATO allies, the message is more pressure to lift defence budgets before the summer summit. For Ukraine, any doubt over alliance unity feeds directly into expectations on weapons deliveries, air defence and longer-term security guarantees.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Iran-US exchange 10-point plan to end the war, per NYT

Iran sent Washington a 10-point proposal on April 6, 2026, through intermediaries, seeking to end the war with the United States and Israel that began on Feb. 28. The offer calls for a halt to military operations, an end to U.S. strikes and security guarantees, diverging from the 15-point American plan previously reported by U.S. media. President Donald Trump has kept up public pressure on Tehran, and no timetable for a U.S. reply has been disclosed.

Why it matters

Oil traders and airlines are watching whether talks can stop strikes around the Strait of Hormuz and reopen regional airspace. A delayed response would keep pressure on crude prices and force more route changes across the Gulf.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Iran War. Iran rejects US-proposed ceasefires: ignores Trump threats and dictates its terms

Iran's state media said on April 6 that Tehran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal relayed through intermediaries in the war with the U.S. and Israel. The draft, passed on by Pakistani officials, also tied a truce to reopening the Strait of Hormuz and then moving into talks on a final settlement. After the rejection, Trump raised the stakes again, warning of strikes on Iran's energy infrastructure unless Tehran accepted Washington's terms.

Why it matters

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important oil chokepoints, so any delay in reopening it can move fuel prices and freight costs fast. A deeper U.S.-Iran confrontation also keeps pressure on shipping and energy markets across Europe and Asia.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

Iran rejects truce proposal with the United States and Israel

Iran rejected a 45-day ceasefire proposal on April 6 and instead sent back its own 10-point plan through Pakistani intermediaries. Donald Trump dismissed the offer as insufficient and widened his threats to include Iran’s power plants and bridges. On the same day, Israeli strikes hit a petrochemical plant in the South Pars gas field, and more than 25 people were killed in US and Israeli attacks, AP reported.

Why it matters

A longer war raises the risk to Iran’s energy infrastructure and to civilians living near facilities already hit in the South Pars gas field. For neighboring states and European markets, the key issue is oil and gas pricing if strikes spread to more energy sites.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Middle East conflict: latest developments

The Philippine foreign ministry said on April 7 that a second Filipino national was killed when a rocket hit a residential building in northern Israel. The report comes as the US and Iran, with regional intermediaries, are weighing terms for a 45-day ceasefire. The next phase now hinges on whether the truce talks can hold while cross-border attacks remain active.

Why it matters

Filipino migrant workers in Israel and across the region face direct danger when strikes hit homes rather than military targets. If talks on a 45-day ceasefire fail, pressure is likely to spread to Gulf transport routes and energy markets that are already sensitive to the war.

sources:lrt.lt