Lithuania Security Prep: Lithuania is training civilians, including high school students in Vilnius, in survival, weapons basics, and drone skills as part of a broader effort to deter a potential Russian attack. Belarus Real-Estate Curbs: Lithuania’s foreign minister says the Seimas will consider in November restrictions on Belarusians buying real estate near military and other strategic sites, aiming to reduce risks to critical facilities. NATO Command Boost for the Baltics: NATO’s new force model has expanded the role of the 1 German-Netherlands Corps, which now commands multinational divisions in Estonia and Latvia, with a permanent German armored brigade also set to operate in Lithuania. Rail Baltica Funding Pressure: Rail Baltica’s costs have surged from €5.8bn (2017 estimates) to about €23.8bn (2024 audit), and EU budget talks threaten further delays and financing uncertainty. UN “Equal Earth” Map Vote: The UN General Assembly backed the “Correct the Map” resolution promoting the Equal Earth projection; 164 voted for, the US alone voted against, and Lithuania abstained. UK/Patriot Air-Defence Push: The UK pledged £100m via NATO’s PURL to speed Patriot interceptors and other air-defence equipment to Ukraine before winter. Poland Border Checks: Poland plans to extend temporary border controls with Germany and Lithuania until March 2027, citing illegal migration risks. Lithuanian Telecom Resilience: Lithuania’s telecom regulator proposes stronger network resilience measures, including priority restoration for communications infrastructure and a critical communications network.