Lithuania’s Vilnius airport was temporarily closed on Thursday after smugglers’ balloons appeared on radar, the National Crisis Management Centre said.
Last month, the Baltic state had closed its border crossings with Belarus in response to airspace disruptions caused by balloons entering from Belarus, but these crossings were reopened earlier on Thursday.
Authorities say the balloons are used by smugglers to transport contraband cigarettes and have criticized Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko for failing to stop the practice, calling it a hybrid attack on Lithuania.
While air traffic incident reports had decreased in recent weeks, Thursday’s closure of Vilnius airport underscores ongoing concerns over balloon-borne smuggling operations and their impact on national airspace security.
No injuries or damages were reported, and airport operations resumed once the airspace was cleared.
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A former estate of drug lord Pablo Escobar, now a wildlife park in Colombia, has marked Christmas by setting animals festive feeding challenges designed to boost their mental and physical health.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NATO's Secretary-General urged European leaders to step up defence efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia, that could be "on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured".
The resignation of Bulgaria's government on Thursday (11 December) puts an end to an increasingly unpopular coalition but is likely to usher in a period of prolonged political instability on the eve of the Black Sea nation's entry into the euro zone.
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
In a dramatic Champions League clash at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ grabbed an early lead, but Ajax staged a thrilling comeback to win 4-2.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Iran is preparing to host a multilateral regional meeting next week in a bid to mediate between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to resolve their tensions through dialogue and engagement, as it pledged to work with the international community to help improve relations between the two countries.
Pakistan and China are conducting a joint counterterrorism exercise, Warrior IX, to strengthen military cooperation. The drill comes at a time of renewed regional instability, with analysts saying it underscores both countries’ determination to deepen security ties.
A former estate of drug lord Pablo Escobar, now a wildlife park in Colombia, has marked Christmas by setting animals festive feeding challenges designed to boost their mental and physical health.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
NATO's Secretary-General urged European leaders to step up defence efforts to prevent a war waged by Russia, that could be "on the scale of war our grandparents and great-grandparents endured".
Japan has lifted a tsunami advisory issued after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.9 hit the country's northeastern region on Friday (12 December), the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. The JMA had earlier put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.7.
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