12 May 2026

Archived edition

Lithuania

Summary

Vilnius Regional Court on Sunday kept Vilius Karalius in custody after the convicted cigarette-smuggling and corruption figure sought early release. Lithuania’s Supreme Court has left his 13-year prison sentence in force, and the ruling keeps him behind bars until the next procedural stage.

Northern European military chiefs met in Vilnius on Tuesday to discuss European security, NATO defence planning, regional exercises and air defence. Army chief Raimundas Vaiksnoras said Lithuania could easily host more than 1,000 additional U.S. troops because it already has the infrastructure and logistics in place. Presidential adviser Asta Skaisgiryte said Vilnius is focused on preventing any reduction in the U.S. military footprint in Europe, while Lithuania is also preparing 750 million euros of military infrastructure investment and hoping to launch joint defence production with Ukraine soon.

In domestic politics, three Ignalina district councillors — Justas Rasikas, Juozas Rokas and Jonas Baltakis — have been sent to court on fraud and document falsification charges. Investigators say they may have unlawfully taken nearly 17,800 euros from the municipal budget through council expense claims, and a final conviction would cost them their seats. MEP Dainius Zalimas has kept up his attack on the draft LRT law, saying it would lower the threshold for dismissing the public broadcaster’s director, introduce a secret ballot and remove the duty to justify dismissal in the public interest.

Lithuanian Railways reported record revenue of 517 million euros. In Panevezys, a woman was admitted to hospital after being beaten and, police said, drugged. Thousands of residents also faced disruptions to electricity, communications and water supplies over the past day.

Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said Lithuania’s proposal to send troops to the international mission in the Strait of Hormuz is not symbolic and that the military is ready. Late in the evening, reports also confirmed the death of opera soloist Dalia Kuzmarskyte after she remained in a coma.

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

In a massive corruption case, the king of contraband sought to flee to freedom—court made a ruling

On 11 May 2026, the Vilnius Regional Court kept Vilius Karalius in custody as he sought early release from a high-profile graft and cigarette-smuggling case. Karalius has already been sentenced to 13 years in prison, and Lithuania's top court has left that conviction in force. The ruling means he stays behind bars until the case reaches its next procedural milestone.

Why it matters

The ruling matters to customs and law-enforcement officials because the case is tied to one of Lithuania’s biggest cigarette-smuggling networks. It also signals how far courts are willing to go in granting early release to defendants convicted in large corruption cases.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Three Ignalina district council members to lose posts for fraud and falsifying documents

Panevezys prosecutors have sent to court a case against three Ignalina district councillors: Justas Rasikas, Juozas Rokas and Jonas Baltakis. Investigators say they may have unlawfully taken almost 17,800 euros from the municipal budget through councillor expense claims. The case now goes to the Utena district court, and an enforceable conviction could strip them of their seats.

Why it matters

The municipal budget may face recovery of funds if the alleged spending is found unlawful. For local residents, the ruling will decide whether three councillors accused of criminal conduct can remain in office.

sources:delfi.lt tv3.lt

Crime

Woman beaten and drugged admitted to Panevėžys hospital

A woman was treated at Panevėžys hospital after being beaten and poisoned by drugs, police said within the past two days. The notice shows officers are dealing with both an assault and a suspected intoxication, but no age or injury details were made public. The case is likely to be examined as a possible domestic-violence or narcotics incident, depending on what doctors and investigators establish.

Why it matters

Cases like this hit emergency departments and police patrols first. If domestic violence is confirmed, the key next steps are protection measures and a criminal inquiry.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Raimundas Vaikšnoras: we could easily take more than 1,000 additional US troops

On May 12, 2026, Lithuanian army chief Raimundas Vaikšnoras said Lithuania could easily host more than 1,000 additional U.S. troops, saying the country already has the infrastructure and logistics to absorb them. Presidential foreign policy adviser Asta Skaisgirytė said the key point for Vilnius is keeping the U.S. military footprint in Europe from shrinking, rather than focusing on which country hosts the troops. The comments came as Lithuania keeps upgrading host-nation support and calibrating its own force posture around allied deployments in the region.

Why it matters

A larger U.S. presence would strengthen deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank and give Lithuania a clearer security cushion against Russian pressure. It would also put more load on training grounds, housing and transport links, because those are the bottlenecks that determine how fast allied forces can be received and moved.

sources:tv3.lt 15min.lt

Politics

Dainius Žalimas. The draft LRT law is a mess and a lie

On May 12, MEP Dainius Žalimas publicly blasted the draft LRT law as flawed and said it would weaken safeguards around the broadcaster’s director. He said the proposal would lower the vote threshold for dismissal, introduce a secret ballot and remove the duty to justify removal in the public interest. Last week, parliament’s culture committee chose to wait for Venice Commission conclusions before pressing ahead.

Why it matters

The rules on removing the LRT chief shape how insulated the public broadcaster is from political pressure. If the threshold is lowered, the board could replace the director more easily and with less accountability.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

In Vilnius, leaders of Northern European armed forces meet to discuss European security and NATO defense

Northern European military chiefs met in Vilnius on May 12 to discuss European security and NATO defence planning. The talks come as European capitals debate how much more responsibility the continent should carry for its own security, alongside the US role in Europe. The meeting is expected to feed into follow-up work on regional military co-operation, exercises and air defence.

Why it matters

For the Nordic and Baltic states, faster allied reinforcement is a core part of deterrence, so joint planning directly affects how quickly forces could move in a crisis. It also matters for air defence and joint exercises, because the procedures agreed now shape how the region would respond under pressure.

sources:15min.lt tv3.lt

Europe

Summary

Kyiv came under another overnight Russian missile and drone attack, and President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Moscow launched more than 200 long-range attack drones. Ukraine’s air defences said they shot down 192 Russian drones, as attacks resumed across the south and east after Moscow’s May 8-9 truce expired. At least one person was killed in eastern Ukraine over the past day, and strikes in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions on May 10 wounded at least six people.

Kyiv says Russia has now effectively ended the partial ceasefire, while broader ceasefire talks have barely moved since February. The Institute for the Study of War said Russia is increasingly worried about Ukraine’s expanding drone capabilities near occupied Mariupol, and reports linked to Azov units there triggered visible alarm in Russia’s information space. The Kremlin also acknowledged that combat operations in Ukraine had resumed after the truce.

In Moscow, the finance ministry cut its 2025 GDP growth forecast today to 1.5% from 2.5%. Russian officials are also weighing a rise in VAT to 22% next year as the wartime economy loses momentum and the budget gap widens. US special operations exercises began today across the Baltics and other parts of Europe, with US Army Europe and Africa saying the drills would test rapid deployment and allied coordination. Between May 4 and 10, NATO jets in the Baltics were scrambled three times from Latvia and twice intercepted aircraft that had breached flight rules.

Russia tested a long-range missile after a nuclear arms treaty with the US expired. Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko announced a targeted mobilization. The EU is preparing talks in Brussels with Taliban representatives on deportations from Afghanistan.

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

War in Ukraine. After the truce – alarm in Kyiv: Russia launches a large-scale attack

On May 12, 2026, Russia hit Kyiv again overnight with missiles and drones, forcing air defences to stay active over the capital and nearby districts. The truce Moscow had declared for May 8-9 ended on May 10, and Ukrainian officials already reported strikes that day in the Kherson and Mykolaiv regions, leaving at least six people wounded. Kyiv is now pressing for more air defence and tougher pressure on Moscow, as ceasefire talks have barely moved since February.

Why it matters

For Kyiv residents, it means another night in shelters, broken sleep and the risk of strikes hitting homes or energy infrastructure. For Ukraine’s air defences, each wave adds to the burden on interceptors, and it increases pressure on allies to deliver more systems and ammunition faster.

sources:lrytas.lt

Politics

Zelenskiy: Russia launched more than 200 drones overnight

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on May 12 that Russia launched more than 200 long-range attack drones overnight. The statement came a day after a three-day truce ended under U.S. mediation, and strikes were still being reported later on May 12 in southern and eastern Ukraine. Kyiv and its allies are watching to see whether Moscow widens the assault again after the pause, which did not amount to a broader halt in the war.

Why it matters

Ukrainian civilians remain the main target of these attacks, with drones often used against city infrastructure, power systems and residential areas. More overnight raids raise the risk of fresh blackouts and add pressure on Ukraine’s air defences.

sources:delfi.lt 15min.lt

Economy

Russian government trims growth forecast to nearly zero

Russia's finance ministry cut its 2025 GDP growth forecast to 1.5% on May 12 in Moscow, down from an earlier 2.5% view, as the wartime economy loses momentum. The downgrade comes after President Vladimir Putin said recently that growth was no longer meeting expectations and after the central bank began easing rates from a punishing 21%. Officials are also weighing a VAT increase to 22% next year to help plug a widening budget gap.

Why it matters

Slower growth leaves Moscow with less room for wages, investment and spending just as it is considering higher taxes and facing tighter financing conditions. It also raises the risk of weaker demand for imports and more strain on the Kremlin's war budget.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

US special operations forces exercises begin, including Baltic states

US special operations exercises began on May 12 across the Baltics and other parts of Europe, bringing in allied troops from the region. US Army Europe and Africa said on April 3 the drills would test rapid deployment, language training and tactical cooperation in several European training areas. The exercise lands as NATO activity picks up across the eastern flank, with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda on May 11 pressing the case for a stronger US role and better air defence in the region.

Why it matters

For Baltic militaries, the drills are a live test of how well they can operate to US special forces standards. That matters because interoperability and command links shape how fast allies could respond in a crisis.

sources:lrt.lt

Politics

NATO fighters scrambled: three interceptions of Russian aircraft

Between May 4 and 10, NATO jets in the Baltics were scrambled three times from Latvia and twice intercepted aircraft that had breached flight rules, Lithuania's defence ministry said. In the same week, they were also sent up three times on patrol in Latvia, while the Baltic air policing mission is coordinated from Šiauliai in Lithuania. The pattern shows the airspace over the region remains busy with military traffic, and NATO crews keep checking whether aircraft are flying on plan and staying in contact with controllers.

Why it matters

NATO's Baltic air-policing posture is a frontline security layer for Lithuania and its neighbours. Each scramble signals that allied jets can respond within minutes if an aircraft turns up without proper identification or safe communications.

sources:tv3.lt

Crime

Tunisian held in France suspected of planning jihadist-inspired attack

French anti-terror judges on May 11 charged a Tunisian man and ordered him held in custody over suspicion he was plotting a jihadist-inspired attack. Investigators said the case was built on digital contacts and signs of preparation that pointed to imminent violence. Prosecutors are now pursuing possible accomplices and weapons links, while judges weigh whether to widen the case into formal terror charges.

Why it matters

The case shows French security services are still trying to stop lone actors before a strike is launched. That matters for cities and event organisers, because it usually triggers tighter protection and faster threat assessments.

sources:15min.lt

World

Summary

Washington is weighing renewed military action against Iran today after ceasefire talks stalled. Donald Trump met his national security team yesterday, Iran warned today that any new strikes would trigger a long response, and the Strait of Hormuz remains closed to commercial shipping.

The United States imposed sanctions over the past day on 12 entities tied to Iranian oil sales to China. Oil prices jumped after Trump’s latest warnings about possible new military operations. The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that the United Arab Emirates is considering covert involvement in operations against Iran, including possible use of Emirati territory. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House panel today that the Pentagon has plans to escalate, pull back or shift forces if needed in the U.S. conflict with Iran.

Seven people were killed yesterday in a suicide bombing near a security post in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Investigators linked the attack to Taliban militants active in the area, and security forces are searching for possible accomplices. China recorded 6.1 million marriage registrations in 2025, down 20.5% from 2024, even after Beijing expanded matchmaking drives and tightened online content controls.

In the NBA Eastern Conference semi-finals, Cleveland beat Detroit 116-109 at home on May 9 to cut the series deficit to 2-1. Donovan Mitchell scored 35 points and became the third-fastest active player to reach 2,000 career playoff points, doing it in his 73rd game.

In a world first, a man’s fertility was restored using testicular tissue that had been removed and frozen in childhood. Vladimir Putin said Russia would deploy a new Sarmat intercontinental nuclear missile this year.

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

Attack in Pakistan: seven killed in suicide bombing

Seven people were killed in a suicide bombing in Pakistan’s Punjab province on May 11, 2026, local officials said. The blast hit near a security post, and investigators linked the attack to Taliban militants active in the area. Security forces sealed off the site and began a search for possible accomplices.

Why it matters

Security forces in Punjab will likely tighten protection around posts and patrol routes after an attack that struck a guarded area. For residents, that usually means more checkpoints and a heavier security presence around administrative and transport hubs.

sources:lrytas.lt delfi.lt

Politics

War in Iran. The Wall Street Journal: UAE secretly planning attacks against Iran

On May 11, The Wall Street Journal reported that the United Arab Emirates is weighing covert military involvement in operations against Iran, including possible use of Emirati territory. The move is tied to rising friction over the Strait of Hormuz and earlier Iranian strikes on the UAE, where nearly 2,500 missiles and drones were reportedly launched in February. If Abu Dhabi goes ahead, it would mark a far more open Arab role in the campaign against Tehran, and the next step now hinges on Washington and its regional partners.

Why it matters

For shipping through the Gulf, the risk is immediate: the Strait of Hormuz remains a key export route for oil and gas. Any broader Emirati role could feed into higher insurance, freight and crude prices in Europe and Asia as markets price in attacks on infrastructure and possible disruptions to tanker traffic.

sources:lrytas.lt

Sports

Mitchell's record and historic burst restore parity in a tense series

On May 9, 2026, Cleveland beat Detroit 116-109 at home to pull back to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinals. Donovan Mitchell scored 35 and became the third-fastest active player to reach 2,000 career playoff points, doing it in his 73rd game. Game 4 is set for May 12 in Cleveland, with the Cavaliers trying to level the series before it shifts back to Detroit.

Why it matters

For Detroit, one away loss can quickly flip the balance before the series returns home. Cleveland now has a clear chance to square the matchup on May 12 and take pressure off the next road games.

sources:tv3.lt

Politics

Hegseth: we have prepared an escalation plan

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told a House panel on May 12 that the Pentagon has plans to escalate, pull back or shift forces if needed in the U.S. conflict with Iran. He declined to spell out the next steps, even as Washington keeps talking ceasefire and runs military operations in the Gulf. The remarks sharpen congressional pressure for a clearer war plan and for a justification of the spending tied to the conflict.

Why it matters

The war with Iran directly affects U.S. troop deployments, shipping security in the Strait of Hormuz and global energy prices. When the Pentagon will not say when it would escalate or pull back, that uncertainty flows into oil markets and allied defence planning.

sources:15min.lt

Politics

War in Iran. Sources: Trump seriously weighs resuming military operations in Iran

Donald Trump met his national security team on May 11 to weigh resuming military action against Iran after ceasefire talks stalled, Axios reported, with AP separately saying the truce was effectively on life support. Tehran had floated a revised proposal with nuclear concessions, but Trump rejected it and kept pressure on Iran’s ports and shipping routes. On May 12, Iran warned that any renewed strikes would draw a long and painful response, while the Strait of Hormuz remained closed to commercial traffic.

Why it matters

The Hormuz closure and the threat of renewed strikes directly hit oil and LNG flows into Europe. Another round of U.S. attacks would raise insurance, freight and fuel costs, and make shipping through the Gulf even more expensive.

sources:15min.lt

Society

Marriage numbers decline in China

China recorded 6.1 million marriage registrations in 2025, down 20.5% from 2024, according to official data reported by LRT. The slide comes as Beijing tries to arrest falling births and a shrinking population. Authorities have stepped up online content controls and backed matchmaking efforts, but the marriage rate is still drifting lower.

Why it matters

Fewer marriages in China point to even weaker births and more strain on pensions and the labour market. Over time, that can reshape housing demand, consumption and the state’s social spending bill.

sources:lrt.lt