Lithuanian politics: The ruling Social Democrats voted to remove the populist Nemunas Dawn from the coalition after deep clashes over defense policy and amid a court conviction of its leader for antisemitism-related statements; the party says it will seek a replacement with For Lithuania to keep its parliamentary majority. EU visa crackdown: 11 EU countries, including Lithuania, urged the European Commission to tighten Schengen visa rules for Russian citizens, arguing that Russians keep arriving for tourism while Ukraine is under attack; the Commission says it will propose targeted restrictive measures next year as part of a Schengen Visa Code revision. Baltic security in the air: NATO Baltic Air Policing continued with French Rafales scrambling from Šiauliai to intercept six Russian aircraft over the Baltic Sea, underscoring day-to-day allied readiness. Regional defense drills: NATO launched “Baltic Zenith 2026” air-defense exercises in Latvia with units from Lithuania, Estonia and others, while Russian forces also ran drills nearby. War spillover: Ukrainian drone strikes hit Russian cities including St. Petersburg, with local officials reporting large-scale interceptions and disruptions. Economy & resilience: The EBRD signed a deal to deepen support for a unified pan-Baltic capital market involving Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, aiming for stronger integration and higher global index classification. Social policy: The EU Commission approved Lithuania’s €884m Social Climate Plan to fund energy-efficiency upgrades, social housing and transport/EV support for vulnerable groups.