30 May 2026

Vilnius is hosting the NATO Parliamentary Assembly’s spring session, which opened in the Seimas yesterday and runs until June 1. Lithuania is using the gathering to keep allied attention on NATO’s eastern flank, air defence and support for Ukraine.

Parliament also saw a sharper domestic clash today over partnership registration, with Tom Vytautas Raskevičius saying Justice Minister Rita Tamašunienė is unfit for the post. Tamašunienė has said in recent days that the ministry is still deciding which institution should handle partnership registration, while Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė has publicly backed her. The government is also facing pressure over stolen Registry Centre data and over who should own the response. Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius said today he had no objections to Deputy Minister Alicija Ščerbaitė, although she is a distant relative of one of the border guards detained in a cigarette smuggling case. The probe, centred on cigarettes sent from Belarus by meteorological balloons, led to 27 detentions across Lithuania last week, including 10 Vilnius police officers and three border guards.

Lithuania’s border guard said on Saturday that no illegal migrant crossings were recorded on the Belarus border in the past 24 hours. Lithuania has turned back 769 illegal migrants this year and more than 25,000 since the Belarus-driven migration crisis began in 2021. In Marijampolė, a fire at a sports centre forced the evacuation of 300 people.

A Lithuanian climbing team on Saturday launched a new attempt to guide a deafblind Lithuanian woman to the summit of Everest in what would be a national first. The push follows Saulius Damulevičius’ turnaround this week at 8,450 metres, about 400 metres below the summit, after climbing from Camp 4 without supplementary oxygen. In health news, Lithuanian doctors warned today that parents still wait too long before seeking help for children whose symptoms are worsening, even though early checks can separate routine infections from more serious illness. Lithuania also reported the death of an honoured captain.

Lithuania’s women’s volleyball team secured a place in the European League after a favorable result elsewhere and a win over Luxembourg. The National Land Service said sales of state land have brought in more than €1.7 million so far this year.

Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday that Ukrainian intelligence had detected preparations for a new large-scale Russian strike and urged civilians to react immediately to air-raid alerts. The warning followed Russia’s May 24 assault on Kyiv, when Ukraine said Moscow launched 600 strike drones and 90 missiles.

Over the past day, Russia attacked Ukraine again with drones and missiles, while strikes in the Kherson region wounded 21 people. The attacks hit residential areas and civilian infrastructure, and Zelenskiy renewed calls for allies to supply and fund Patriot systems to intercept Russian ballistic missiles. Overnight, Ukraine also struck oil infrastructure in western Russia and in occupied Crimea, extending a May campaign that has already hit terminals in Tuapse, Primorsk and elsewhere. In Kyiv on Thursday, officials published debris analysis from a Russian Oreshnik missile showing the weapon was assembled in 2017 from components made in 2016 or earlier.

Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday publicly criticised Russia and asked what kind of alliance remained if Moscow was treating Belarus unfairly. European security officials also warned that Russia has intensified hybrid operations and threats against Latvia, Lithuania and other countries backing Ukraine in recent weeks.

In Budapest, police said they would not raid this year’s LGBTQ+ parade after earlier political clashes over the event. In Europe’s car market, electric-vehicle sales reached a new record despite a weaker overall market. In Spain, Gran Canaria were relegated from the top basketball division after a dramatic end to the season.

Ukrainian forces struck and destroyed a base used by a Russian unit that Kyiv links to the Bucha killings. The UK is preparing tougher penalties for suspected undersea cable breaches, including in the Baltic Sea. Switzerland thrashed Norway to reach the Ice Hockey World Championship final.

Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that Israeli forces had pushed deeper into southern Lebanon, with troops entering Dibbine near Marjayoun. Civilians fled toward Tyre’s old city after fresh Israeli evacuation warnings, while Lebanese and Israeli military officials held direct talks at the Pentagon that the United States called productive. Gaza also saw a new Israeli advance that Hamas called an apparent violation of the ceasefire.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus arrived on Friday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the epicentre of the new Ebola outbreak. The WHO has already deployed experts and released $500,000, but the outbreak involves the Bundibugyo strain, which has no approved vaccine or treatment. In Laos, five gold miners were rescued over the past day from a flooded cave.

Argentina on Friday named its 26-man World Cup squad, with Lionel Messi included for a record sixth finals appearance, matching Cristiano Ronaldo. Coach Lionel Scaloni kept much of the core that won the 2022 title in Qatar, while teenage prospect Franco Mastantuono missed out. U.S. stocks closed at fresh records on Thursday, with the Nasdaq up 8% for May and Dell Technologies surging 32.8% after stronger-than-expected earnings.

In Palmyra, archaeologists and heritage specialists said after a new assessment that parts of the stone ruins now need heavy restoration work. A more detailed conservation plan is being prepared in Syria to determine which sections of the ancient site can be stabilised first. Among the month’s biggest corporate deals, McCormick’s agreed $66 billion merger with most of Unilever’s food business still awaits regulatory approval and a shareholder vote.

Vladimir Putin said Russia has the means to “level everything to the ground.” Lebanon’s prime minister warned of a dangerous Israeli escalation, while efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are being hindered by conflict and reduced aid.