Vilnius Mercy Pilgrimage: Around 7,000 pilgrims from 50+ countries opened the World Apostolic Congress on Mercy in Vilnius with a Eucharistic procession through Old Town, stopping at sites tied to Lithuania’s “wounded past” and faith’s endurance. Nordic-Baltic Summit in Tallinn: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met Nordic and Baltic leaders in Estonia, pushing cooperation on cheaper drone defense after drones strayed into the region—crashing in Estonia, hitting Latvia, and being shot down by Romanian jets based in Lithuania. Lithuania’s Religious Diplomacy: Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė met Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, highlighting the Vilnius exarchate as an important alternative for believers and stressing support for Ukrainians amid the war. Academic Freedom Under Pressure: Vilnius-based European Humanities University expanded support for students and staff after Belarus designated it an “extremist formation,” citing searches and growing uncertainty for families. Cultural Crime in Europe: A Paris court began trying seven Georgian nationals accused of stealing rare Russian literary classics from French libraries, including Pushkin and Gogol—an international case that also links to earlier convictions in Lithuania and Estonia. Demography Watch: A wider Europe story points to later motherhood trends, with Greece’s average age at first birth rising sharply—another reminder of how family patterns are shifting across the region. Sports & Identity: Lithuania is also in the spotlight via basketball qualification talk for the FIBA 3x3 Europe Cup, with Lithuania listed among women’s contenders.