Term
Hexogen
Hexogen, also known as RDX, is a powerful military explosive. It is widely used in munitions and explosive charges because of its high explosive force and relative stability.
25 August 2026
Archived edition
Lithuania
Summary
Kestutis Mazeika said on Tuesday the agriculture ministry would consider declaring a state-level emergency after the storm that hit Lithuania at the weekend. The decision depends on hydrometeorological data on rainfall and water levels, while insurers have already logged more than 3,000 claims worth over 3 million euros. Farmers say western and northern Lithuania were hit hardest by flooding, while central and eastern farms suffered from power cuts. Emergency status has already been declared in Birzai and Telsiai districts, and about 93,000 electricity customers in Lithuania still do not have power.
VSAT said no illegal migrants were turned back at the Belarus border yesterday, after 13 were pushed back a day earlier. In the past day, the European Commission urged Lithuania to raise property and environmental taxes, cut tax breaks, phase out fossil-fuel subsidies and finish transposing EU environmental rules. Rheinmetall also won a new order to build a modular camp for the German brigade in Lithuania.
Moderna and Merck this week reported positive phase 3 results for a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine. Used with Keytruda after surgery, it cut the risk of melanoma returning, and the companies said the trial raised no new safety concerns. More detailed data are due at a medical conference in October.
The New York Times reported yesterday that a July 6 strike in Zaporizhzhia that killed three civilians may have involved a Russian drone using autonomous terminal targeting with an Nvidia Jetson Orin module. If confirmed, it would be the first publicly documented civilian deaths linked to such a Russian system. In Germany, investigators found a third drone wreckage and traces of hexogen near Leipzig-Halle airport, and Chancellor Friedrich Merz said today Berlin would soon name who it believes was behind the attempt.
In Šiauliai, residents were injured after a bomb placed in a toilet exploded. In Azerbaijan, Valdas Dambrauskas's Sabah won a place in the UEFA Champions League after extra time.
sources: vz.lt, delfi.lt, lrt.lt, 15min.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Top stories
Politics
A fully autonomous Russian AI drone with an Nvidia module in Ukraine killed three civilians
The New York Times reported on August 24 that a July 6 drone strike near a gas station in Zaporizhzhia killed three civilians, and forensic teams later found an Nvidia Jetson Orin module in the wreckage. Ukrainian air defense officials and drone experts said the weapon appeared to choose its final target on its own rather than through a remote operator. The report said Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has also found Nvidia components in Russia’s S-71M Monochrome weapon this month. If confirmed, it would mark the first documented civilian deaths linked to a Russian drone using autonomous targeting in its terminal phase.
Why it matters
Civilians in frontline Ukrainian cities now face a weapon that can identify and select a target without a human pulling the trigger in the final phase. That raises fresh questions for air defence, attribution and the legal limits on autonomous weapons.
Who benefits
Russia’s drone planners and makers gain a tool that reduces dependence on a live link, while civilians in Zaporizhzhia and Ukrainian air defences lose as the target set becomes harder to stop.
What's next
The next step is the final Ukrainian expert and intelligence assessment of the July 6 wreckage, and whether Kyiv submits the case to international bodies as evidence of autonomous weapon use.
sources:lrytas.lt
Politics
After the storm – suggestion to declare a nationwide emergency
Agriculture Minister Kęstutis Mažeika said on August 25, 2026 that the ministry will weigh a state-level emergency after the weekend storm that hit Lithuania. Officials are still assessing farm losses and waiting for hydrometeorological data on rainfall and water levels before deciding whether the declaration should be regional or nationwide. Farmers say the damage is uneven, with flooding in western and northern areas and power cuts hitting central and eastern farms. Insurers have already logged more than 3,000 claims and estimate losses at over 3 million euros. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Why it matters
For farmers, a nationwide emergency could unlock faster state aid, generators and other support needed to protect crops and livestock when power is out. For municipalities and insurers, it could speed up compensation, while also increasing pressure on public funds and claims payouts. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Politics
VSAT: migrants at the Belarusian border are not repelled
Lithuanian border guards did not turn back any illegal migrants at the Belarus frontier on Aug. 24, while they pushed back 13 on Aug. 23, according to VSAT data and a 15min report. VSAT says the figures are updated daily and track pressure along the border in real time. The next readout will show whether the border stays quiet or whether attempts to cross pick up again. (vsat.lrv.lt)
Why it matters
For border communities and patrol units, the key issue is whether the lull lasts or fresh attempts start again in the next few days. When the daily flow swings from zero to a dozen people, it changes patrol load and how quickly forces need to be shifted along the frontier. (vsat.lrv.lt)
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
Near a German airport a new worrying discovery: a third drone detected
German investigators found a third drone wreckage near Leipzig-Halle airport on Aug. 14 and said they also uncovered traces of about 50 grams of the military explosive hexogen nearby. The find is tied to the Aug. 4 incident, when a drone carrying explosives was discovered in the cargo zone while several Ukrainian cargo planes were on site. Investigators are also probing whether a second drone may have struck a DHL freighter after the airport was briefly shut. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Aug. 25 that Berlin will soon name who it believes was behind the attempt. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Why it matters
The incident raises direct risks for cargo carriers, airport security and the flow of military shipments bound for Ukraine. If an outside state role is confirmed, Berlin is likely to tighten airport defences and sharpen its response to hybrid operations. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
sources:lrytas.lt
Health
Cancer vaccine sparks euphoria, praised as a significant discovery by a professor
Moderna and Merck have reported positive phase 3 data for a personalised mRNA cancer vaccine, used with Keytruda in melanoma patients after surgery. The companies said the shot helped keep the cancer from coming back and raised no new safety concerns. Georgina Long, who led the study, called the results a landmark moment, while investors sent Moderna and Merck shares sharply higher. More details are due at a medical conference in October.
Why it matters
For melanoma patients, the result could mean a lower chance of the cancer returning after surgery and a new treatment option for one of the deadliest skin cancers. If the finding holds up in further analysis, it could accelerate development of personalised vaccines for other cancers.
sources:vz.lt
Environment
Lithuania receives a critical signal from the European Commission about environmental responsibility
The European Commission has urged Lithuania to raise property and environmental taxes, trim tax breaks and phase out fossil-fuel subsidies. Brussels links the move to the need to fund security and keep public services afloat without blowing a hole in fiscal policy. Lithuania is also still under pressure over incomplete transposition of EU environmental rules, with infringement proceedings already open on several fronts. The next concrete step is Lithuania’s response to the Commission’s findings and parliamentary work on waste and pollution rules.
Why it matters
Fuel users, firms tied to polluting transport and recipients of tax breaks would feel the squeeze first if the tax system is tightened. The state budget and cleaner energy and renovation projects stand to gain if the extra revenue is redirected there.
sources:vz.lt
Europe
Summary
Kramatorsk was hit eight times by Russian forces in a seven-minute attack on Tuesday, injuring at least 24 people, including a two-month-old baby. Officials in the Donetsk region said guided aerial bombs were used between 10:33 a.m. and 10:40 a.m., and emergency crews worked through the day in damaged residential areas.
Russia also struck Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia overnight, killing one person in Kharkiv's Osnovianskyi district. In Zaporizhzhia, drones damaged an apartment building and set non-residential premises on fire. In Odesa region, Russian drones hit a border checkpoint near Moldova and paralysed traffic, while 13,000 families lost power elsewhere in the region and two food trailer units caught fire. The same night, Ukrainian forces struck oil infrastructure in Russia's Krasnodar region, with local channels naming the Afipsky refinery, which processes about 6.25 million tonnes of crude a year, as one target.
In southern France, the number of people injured by a tornado that tore through Pomas and nearby villages in Aude on Sunday evening rose from 26 to 41. Five people were taken to hospital, and damage estimates near Carcassonne widened from about 100 homes to roughly 300 affected properties. Météo France had placed 20 southern departments on an orange thunderstorm alert and warned of another storm line overnight across the Mediterranean region.
Moscow also tightened its response to Ukrainian drone strikes inside Russia over the past day. Vladimir Putin gave the state power to take over critical infrastructure if it is judged poorly protected, after Ukrainian drones hit four Ozon logistics hubs in southern Russia and a fire broke out at one centre in Dagestan. The Kremlin had already ordered a rebuilding programme for commercial warehouses hit in attacks that damaged Wildberries and other logistics sites.
U.S. intelligence chief John Ratcliffe arrived in Moscow, while the Kremlin abruptly changed Vladimir Putin's schedule and he signed three secret decrees the same day. In Ukraine, a top adviser to President Volodymyr Zelensky was placed under the strictest pretrial measure over corruption and money laundering accusations.
sources: lrt.lt, delfi.lt, 15min.lt, tv3.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Term
Guided bomb
A guided bomb is an air-dropped weapon fitted with steering or guidance systems that make it more accurate than a conventional unguided bomb. In Ukraine, Russia has used them heavily against cities and positions near the front line.
Top stories
Politics
Russians carried out a mass air raid on Kramatorsk
Russian forces hit Kramatorsk eight times on August 25, injuring at least 24 people, including a two-month-old baby, local officials said. The strikes came in a 10:33 a.m. to 10:40 a.m. window and used guided aerial bombs, according to regional authorities. Kramatorsk has been under repeated attack in recent weeks, and a Russian strike on the city’s postal facility on August 16 killed one person. Officials said the latest barrage damaged residential areas and forced emergency crews to keep working through the day. (uatv.ua)
Why it matters
For residents, the attack adds pressure on civilian neighborhoods where guided bombs keep hitting homes and local infrastructure. The presence of a two-month-old among the injured shows how directly families still in the city are being hit. (uatv.ua)
Who benefits
Russia’s assault forces gain operational pressure on a front-line city, while Kramatorsk civilians and emergency crews bear the losses. (uatv.ua)
What's next
Donetsk regional officials still need to confirm the final casualty count and the full scale of building damage from the August 25 strikes. (uatv.ua)
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
Russians attacked Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv; casualties reported
Russia struck Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia overnight on August 25, killing one person in Kharkiv's Osnovianskyi district. The attacks were part of a broader wave that also hit Kyiv and Dnipro, with fires breaking out and apartment blocks damaged, according to Ukrainian authorities and 15min. In Zaporizhzhia, drone strikes hit a residential building and set fire to non-residential premises. The Ukrainian air force had warned earlier of drone groups and tactical aviation threats over Zaporizhzhia. (15min.lt)
Why it matters
For residents of Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, the strikes mean renewed risk to homes and city services, not just military targets. They also force emergency crews back into damaged districts and put more pressure on air defence and civil protection. (15min.lt)
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
Russia launches attack drones at the Ukraine-Moldova border; traffic paralyzed
Russian drones hit a border checkpoint in Ukraine’s Odesa region near Moldova and paralysed traffic on that crossing. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said it was part of a wider overnight barrage that also struck Kyiv, Odesa region and Chernihiv region. In Odesa region, 13,000 families lost power and two food trailer units caught fire at another site. Local officials said there were no casualties at the checkpoint.
Why it matters
The crossing matters for civilian movement and freight flows between southern Ukraine and Moldova. Power cuts and damaged logistics hit local residents and hauliers already operating under wartime strain.
Politics
Putin’s surprise for Russian companies affected by drone attacks
On Aug. 24, 2026, Vladimir Putin gave the state power to take over critical infrastructure if it is judged poorly protected against Ukrainian drone attacks. A week earlier, on Aug. 19, he ordered the government to draw up a rebuilding program for commercial warehouses hit in a series of strikes that have already hurt Wildberries and other logistics sites. On Aug. 24, Ukrainian drones hit four Ozon logistics hubs in southern Russia, and a fire broke out at one centre in Dagestan. The new Kremlin line is moving from compensation to tighter control over vulnerable assets. (currently.att.yahoo.com)
Why it matters
Russian logistics, retail and energy firms now face more than repair bills after drone strikes. They may have to spend more on protection, while also risking stronger state control over strategically important assets. (currently.att.yahoo.com)
sources:tv3.lt
Environment
Tornado in southern France injures dozens, damages hundreds of homes
A tornado ripped through Pomas and nearby villages in France's Aude department on 24 August, injuring at least 26 people and damaging about 100 homes, according to the local prefecture. Five of the injured were taken to hospital, and more than 115 firefighters and rescuers were deployed to the area. Later media reports put the toll higher, with at least 41 injured and roughly 300 homes affected, as damage assessments continued. Météo France had already placed 20 southern departments under an orange thunderstorm alert and warned of another storm line overnight.
Why it matters
For residents in Aude, the immediate issues are shelter, power and access roads. Temporary accommodation has been opened, while outages and blocked roads are slowing recovery work.
sources:lrt.lt
Politics
War in Ukraine. Attacks on oil refineries in Krasnodar and Rostov regions
Overnight on August 24-25, Ukrainian forces struck Russia's Krasnodar region, with local channels naming the Afipsky refinery as one of the targets. The plant processes about 6.25 million tonnes of crude a year and produces gasoline, diesel, gas condensate distillates, heavy oil products and sulfur. Social media posts showed a large blaze at the site, while an air alert was in force in the region. Air defenses were also reported near the Novooshakhtinsk refinery in Rostov region, though there was no confirmation of damage there.
Why it matters
The attacks hit a refinery that feeds both Russia's military fuel chain and civilian supply, which raises the risk of tighter gasoline and diesel markets in the south. Any outage would also ripple into transport and logistics across the region.
World
Summary
Zaporizhzhia has exposed a new detail of Russia’s war technology: The New York Times reported that three civilians were killed on July 6 by a drone that chose its final target on its own. Ukrainian officials said the aircraft, equipped with an Nvidia-powered module, was sent toward a gas station on a preloaded route and then locked onto propane tanks without a human making the final targeting decision. Investigators found the same off-the-shelf computer in debris from other drones in the area, and Zaporizhzhia has already strung up about 240 miles of anti-drone netting.
An oil tanker off Oman near the Strait of Hormuz was hit today by an unidentified projectile. The blast damaged the engine room, injured one crew member and prompted assistance from the Omani coast guard. Canada halted trade talks with the United States after negotiations in Washington collapsed, and Washington imposed 50% tariffs on some Canadian goods from Saturday. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said no new talks were planned for now, while Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would retaliate.
In Gaza, at least five people, including two children, were killed on Monday in Israeli strikes. One strike hit a tent in central Gaza, and a 10-year-old girl was killed by artillery fire in the south. Gaza health authorities say 1,288 people have been killed since the ceasefire took effect, while the Israeli military said it had no immediate information on the incidents. The U.S. Supreme Court on Sunday gave Donald Trump a temporary win by letting part of his order curbing mail voting take effect before November’s midterm elections.
Late on Sunday, reports said American country music legend Dolly Parton had died. In Russia's Far East, a fire injured more than 100 people.
sources: vz.lt, delfi.lt, 15min.lt, tv3.lt, lrt.lt, lrytas.lt
Worth knowing
Term
Strait of Hormuz
The Strait of Hormuz is the narrow waterway linking the Gulf to the Arabian Sea. A large share of the world’s oil and liquefied gas passes through it, so attacks there can quickly affect security calculations and energy prices.
Top stories
Politics
New York Times: a fully autonomous Russian drone killed 3 civilians in Zaporizhzia
On August 24, The New York Times reported that a Russian drone in Zaporizhzhia killed three civilians on July 6 after selecting its own target with an Nvidia-powered module. Ukrainian officials and drone specialists said the aircraft was sent toward a gas station on a preloaded route, then locked onto propane tanks without a human pilot making the final targeting decision. Investigators said debris from other drones in the same area carried the same kind of off-the-shelf computer, suggesting Russia is testing autonomous strike systems in the war. Zaporizhzhia’s air defenses say they have already strung up about 240 miles of anti-drone netting around roads in and near the city.
Why it matters
Ukrainian civilians are now facing a weapon that can identify targets on its own, cutting humans out of the final strike decision. That raises the danger for gas stations, roads and other civilian sites that front-line cities now have to shield with nets and decoys.
Who benefits
Russia’s drone developers and military testers gain data from the strikes, while civilians in Zaporizhzhia lose safety as their city becomes a testing ground.
What's next
The next key step is whether Ukrainian investigators and Nvidia can keep identifying the same Jetson Orin module in debris from follow-on strikes.
sources:delfi.lt
Politics
Following the incident at a German airport, latest: a third drone found
German investigators found a third drone and about 50 grams of suspected military explosive near Leipzig/Halle airport on Aug. 14, 10 days after the failed attack, local media reported on Tuesday. The latest discovery was made in Kabelsketal, west of the airport, and is linked to the earlier drone incident near a Ukrainian cargo plane on Aug. 4. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the government would soon name who is behind the attempted attack. The federal prosecutor’s office has taken over the case, and investigators are examining whether the devices were planted as part of a coordinated sabotage effort. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Why it matters
The case puts Leipzig/Halle airport’s cargo operations and the Ukrainian-linked aircraft parked there under direct security pressure, with potential knock-on effects for flights and logistics. A confirmed sabotage link would likely force tighter airport protection and widen the probe beyond the airport perimeter. (internazionale.it)
sources:tv3.lt
Politics
US Supreme Court partially grants Trump's request to limit voting by mail
On August 24, the U.S. Supreme Court gave Donald Trump a temporary win by lifting a lower-court block on his order to curb mail voting before November’s midterm elections. The fight is over who controls election administration, with Democratic-led states arguing the Constitution leaves that power largely to the states, not Washington. The justices did not decide the merits, leaving the policy in limbo while the legal battle continues. Trump’s order would require voter-roll checks before the Postal Service could deliver ballots to some voters.
Why it matters
Mail-voting limits could change turnout among older voters, service members and people living away from their home state. If the administration pushes the order further, state election offices and the U.S. Postal Service will carry the extra burden.
sources:lrt.lt
Politics
Five killed in Gaza amid Israeli strikes, including two children
At least five people, including two children, were killed on Monday in Israeli strikes across Gaza, according to Palestinian health officials and civil defence crews. One strike hit a tent in central Gaza, while a 10-year-old girl was killed by artillery fire in the south. The Israeli military told AFP it had no immediate information on the incidents. The deaths came a week after a U.S. delegation pressed Israel to scale back attacks, even as the ceasefire remains in place and Gaza health authorities say 1,288 people have been killed since it took effect. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Why it matters
Gaza civilians are still paying the highest price for strikes carried out despite the ceasefire, with children and displaced families among the exposed. The killings also complicate U.S.-backed efforts to move the truce into its next phase and contain the violence. (archyvai.lrt.lt)
Economy
After trade agreement fiasco, neither Canada nor the United States expect to quickly return to negotiations
Canada suspended trade talks with the U.S. on Aug. 22 after negotiators failed to strike a deal before fresh American tariffs took effect. Washington then imposed 50% duties on some Canadian goods, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said no new talks were planned for now. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Ottawa would retaliate, while President Donald Trump separately threatened 50% tariffs on Canadian vehicles, parts and steel from 2027. The collapse followed several days of talks in Washington that were meant to ease the tariff fight. (internazionale.it)
Why it matters
Canada’s autos, steel and export-heavy industries face higher costs and weaker access to the U.S. market, which absorbs about 70% of Canadian trade. U.S. importers and consumers could also face higher prices if Ottawa widens retaliation. (15min.lt)
sources:vz.lt
Politics
Iran war. A shell hit an oil tanker off the coast of Oman
On August 25, 2026, the UK Maritime Trade Operations centre said an oil tanker off Oman was hit by an unidentified projectile near the Strait of Hormuz. The blast damaged the engine room and left one crew member injured, while the Omani coast guard helped the rest of the crew. The vessel was transiting outbound through the strait. The origin of the projectile has not been confirmed, and officials have not publicly tied the strike to Iran. (arabnews.com)
Why it matters
Any hit on a tanker near the Strait of Hormuz raises immediate risk for shippers, insurers and refiners that depend on Gulf crude flows. Even a single casualty and engine-room damage can force tighter escorts, higher freight costs and more caution from vessels entering the waterway. (arabnews.com)