11 April 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Saquarema kept both Lithuanian women’s beach volleyball pairs alive in the Elite16 knockout stage. Monika Paulikienė and Ainė Raupelytė beat Brazil’s Carolina Horta and Elize Maia 2-0, while Ieva Dumbauskaitė and Gerda Grudzinskaitė next face Dutch pair Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon in the last 16.

The Seimas gave first-reading backing to Vytautas Sinica’s bill to expel foreigners convicted of intentional crimes from Lithuania. The proposal passed 48-3 with 33 abstentions, and would make employers cover deportation costs if the person had worked in Lithuania.

A roughly 100kg Second World War aerial bomb was found in a forest in Vilkaviškis district today. Explosive ordnance teams typically secure devices of that type first and then decide whether to defuse them on site or remove them for controlled destruction.

Domestic politics also turned to an anti-corruption warning over Ligita Girskienė’s plan to let municipal-housing tenants buy their flats in instalments. Parliament backed that bill at first reading by 44 votes to five, with 33 abstentions, and it now goes to committees and the government for further review.

Vilnius also saw large-scale fraud losses over the past day. A pensioner lost nearly €70,000, and three other residents were swindled out of about €97,000.

Lithuania’s women’s tennis team beat Germany in a historic result, one of the standout late sports developments. In Kaunas, a woman was killed after a man allegedly attacked his partner; she died at the scene.

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

Large WWII bomb found in Vilkaviškis district forest weighs 100 kilograms

A roughly 100-kilogram WWII-era aerial bomb was found in a forest in Lithuania’s Vilkaviškis district on April 11, 2026. Bombs of this type can still be highly unstable because the fuze may remain sensitive after decades underground. EOD specialists typically secure the area first, then decide whether to defuse the device on site or remove it for controlled destruction.

Why it matters

Nearby residents and forest users are the first to be affected, because access to the area can be restricted until the bomb is dealt with. Forestry work or other activity in the zone may also be paused while specialists clear the site.

sources:lrytas.lt

Sports

Two Lithuanian beach volleyball pairs in Brazil in knockout rounds

Lithuania put two women’s beach volleyball pairs into the knockout rounds at the Elite16 event in Saquarema, Brazil. Monika Paulikienė and Ainė Raupelytė beat Brazil’s Carolina Horta and Elize Maia 2-0 to advance via third place in their group. Ieva Dumbauskaitė and Gerda Grudzinskaitė finished second in their pool and will meet Dutch duo Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon in the last 16.

Why it matters

Results at this level feed directly into world ranking points and seedings for the next events. Wins against higher-ranked opponents improve the chances of entering stronger tournaments without going through qualifying.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Parliamentarians consider deporting criminals among foreigners from Lithuania

The Seimas has backed, at first reading, a bill by MP Vytautas Sinica to expel foreigners convicted of intentional crimes from Lithuania. If the person worked in the country, the employer would be asked to cover deportation costs. The proposal won 48 votes in favour, with three against and 33 abstentions, and now moves to committee scrutiny.

Why it matters

The change would affect foreign residents and workers who receive a conviction for an intentional offence in Lithuania. It would also create a direct cost for employers if one of their staff is removed from the country.

sources:tv3.lt 15min.lt

Politics

STT: Ligita Girskienė's proposals for municipal housing are corrupt

On April 9, parliament gave first-reading backing to Ligita Girskienė’s bill that would let municipal-housing tenants buy the flats they rent and pay in instalments. The proposal passed 44-5 with 33 abstentions, and now goes to two committees and the government for further review. Girskienė says the current system traps low-income tenants in rented municipal housing, but lawmakers still have to test whether the draft leaves room for abuse.

Why it matters

The proposal affects low-income households renting municipal flats, who often cannot raise a full lump sum. If it becomes law, municipalities will have to change how they manage and sell housing stock, while tenants gain a path to ownership instead of long-term renting.

sources:tv3.lt lrt.lt

Europe

Summary

Ukraine said 12 people, including two children, were killed in one of Russia’s biggest overnight attacks of the war. Kyiv said Russia launched 480 strike drones and 29 missiles overnight, and rescue crews were still searching rubble on Saturday.

Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour Easter ceasefire on Friday, but at least two people were killed in Odesa hours later by drone strikes. Ukraine said Russia launched 160 drones in that wave and that 133 were shot down or intercepted. Russia’s defence ministry also said Moscow and Kyiv exchanged 175 prisoners of war each.

Kyiv has also signalled a new step on Western military support, which one analyst cast as an open slap at the Kremlin. Volodymyr Zelensky’s recent public comments highlighted long-range drones that can reach Moscow and pressure on Russia’s war machine.

In the EuroLeague, another club was eliminated from play-in contention after Thursday’s results. With one regular-season round left, the final playoff and play-in places will be settled in the last week.

Ukraine struck oil storage sites and ammunition depots in Russia and occupied territories. In the Kherson region, three people were killed and eight wounded in Russian attacks. In Belarus, more than 50 employees of an architecture firm were detained in a new wave of repression.

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

Several people died during Russian attacks in Ukraine

Twelve people were killed, including two children, in one of Russia’s biggest overnight missile and drone attacks on Ukraine, Ukrainian officials said. Kyiv said Russia launched 480 strike drones and 29 missiles in the assault on the night of April 10-11, 2026, including ballistic missiles. Rescue crews kept searching rubble later on April 11 as authorities in several regions assessed the damage and updated casualty figures.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians keep paying the heaviest price, as mass attacks hit several regions at once and stretch rescue teams and hospitals. The scale of the drone and missile barrage will also feed into urgent debates over air defence stocks and civilian protection capacity in the coming days.

sources:delfi.lt

Politics

Russia and Ukraine prepare to start Easter ceasefire

Vladimir Putin announced a 32-hour Easter ceasefire in Ukraine on April 10, 2026, and Kyiv said it would only mirror the move if the guns really fell silent. Hours later on April 11, Russian drone strikes killed at least two people in Odesa, with Ukraine saying 160 drones were launched and 133 were shot down or intercepted. The Kremlin told its military to halt combat operations on all fronts, but the offer is already being tested by fresh attacks and mutual mistrust.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians are caught between brief pauses and fresh strikes, so even a 32-hour truce affects air-raid warnings, evacuations and rescue work on the ground. If the ceasefire stalls, it will shape the next round of talks on a broader halt in fighting, because both sides will judge deeds rather than statements.

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

Politics

Expert: from Zelensky – an evident slap at the Kremlin

Kyiv has signalled a new step on Western military support, which one analyst cast as an open slap at the Kremlin and a sign Ukraine is not preparing to accept Russian terms for talks. That reading is reinforced by Zelensky's recent public comments about long-range drones that can reach Moscow and about pressure on Russia's war machine. Moscow will likely use the message for domestic propaganda, while Kyiv may press allies for more weapons and political guarantees in the days ahead.

Why it matters

For Ukrainian civilians, it means any переговоры remain tied to battlefield pressure rather than a quick compromise. For European capitals, it raises fresh pressure to speed up air defences, ammunition and funding.

sources:delfi.lt

Sports

Another club eliminated from the Euroleague playoffs

On April 10, another EuroLeague team lost its chance to reach the play-in after the night’s results left it unable to climb into the top 10. The blow came with only one regular-season round left, as the league still sorts out the final playoff and play-in spots. The club now has only the final game week to play for, with its finishing position to be decided in the last round.

Why it matters

It raises the stakes of the final EuroLeague round. One result can decide not just seeding, but whether a club is done by mid-April or still fighting for the title.

sources:lrytas.lt

World

Summary

Tehran is facing deeper uncertainty over Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei after U.S. media reported today that he was seriously wounded in recent strikes. He has not appeared in public since taking the post, and Iranian state media has given no update on his condition.

An Iranian delegation that arrived over the past day has opened talks with the United States on a truce and the terms for de-escalation. Iranian state media said five disputes still block a deal: the nuclear file, missile limits, sanctions relief, regional influence and security guarantees. Indirect Iranian-U.S. contacts were also held yesterday in Doha and Oman, and the talks could be delayed or shifted into another format if those gaps are not narrowed within hours. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance arrived in Pakistan today for meetings tied to Iran and regional security, while Donald Trump said the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened “very soon.”

NASA’s four Artemis II astronauts splashed down in the Pacific yesterday after a roughly 10-day lunar flyby. The mission carried the crew more than 400,000 km from Earth and marked the first crewed trip around the Moon in more than 50 years.

In U.S. politics, Kamala Harris said yesterday in California that she is seriously considering another White House run in 2028. She ruled out a bid for California governor, and the remark has accelerated an unusually early Democratic contest over the party’s future leadership.

Iran said talks with the U.S. had moved to the expert level, while U.S. and Iranian officials held direct trilateral talks in Pakistan with Pakistani counterparts. CNN reported that U.S. intelligence assesses China is preparing weapons shipments to Iran as the truce begins.

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

Middle East: latest information on Iranian leader's condition reveals severity of injuries

U.S. media reported on April 11 that Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has been wounded in recent strikes and that his injuries are severe. He has not appeared in public since taking the post, and state media has said nothing about his condition. The silence adds to the uncertainty in Tehran as decisions on retaliation and talks with Washington are being handled behind closed doors.

Why it matters

Uncertainty at the top of Iran's system can slow any decision on retaliation, with direct consequences for shipping in the Gulf and for oil prices. The longer Khamenei's condition remains unclear, the harder it is to judge who controls Iran's security machine and how any talks with Washington may proceed.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

K. Harris considers running in U.S. presidential elections

Kamala Harris said on April 10, 2026 that she is actively considering another run for the White House in 2028, speaking at a gathering of African American women in California. She has not made a final decision on her political future since losing to Donald Trump in 2024, and she has ruled out a bid for California governor. The remark accelerates an unusually early scramble inside the Democratic Party, even though the next presidential primary season will not begin in earnest until after the 2026 midterms.

Why it matters

For Democrats, the remark opens an early contest for 2028 while the party is still focused on the November 2026 midterms. Harris’ choice will shape who gets donors, endorsements and organizational support over the next year.

sources:lrt.lt lrytas.lt delfi.lt

Technology

Historic milestone: Artemis II astronauts successfully return to Earth after lunar flyby

NASA’s four Artemis II astronauts splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on April 10, 2026, after a roughly 10-day lunar flyby that carried them more than 400,000 km from Earth. It was the first crewed trip around the Moon in more than 50 years, and the capsule’s re-entry went smoothly. NASA will now move on to the next Artemis steps, which are aimed at preparing landings near the lunar surface.

Why it matters

The flight is a key systems test before NASA tries to land astronauts on the Moon again. It also matters to Europe’s space sector because Artemis drives testing in communications, navigation and landing systems that can spill into wider use.

sources:tv3.lt lrytas.lt vz.lt 15min.lt

Politics

Five unresolved questions that could derail the Iran truce

Iranian state media said on April 10 that five disputed issues remain in truce talks, including the nuclear file, missile limits, sanctions relief, regional influence and security guarantees. Indirect contacts involving Iranian and US interlocutors also took place in Doha and Oman the same day, as negotiators tried to narrow the gap to a small set of final points. If those issues are not bridged within the next 24 hours, the talks could be delayed or shifted into a different format.

Why it matters

A collapse in the talks would add pressure to oil markets and raise risks for shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a key corridor for global energy flows. For Europe, that would mean more expensive imports and fresh uncertainty over sanctions policy in the Middle East.

sources:15min.lt