3 w. ago Smuggling balloons keep shutting down this European airport. Here’s why

Dozens of flights have been redirected or cancelled at the airport in the past week

Politics

3 w. ago Lithuania closes border with Belarus after balloons shut down Vilnius airport – Europe live

66 objects spotted on radars overnight as prime minister says ‘no hybrid attack will be tolerated’ and pledges to shoot down any more balloonsMeanwhile over in the Czech Republic, the country’s president Petr Pavel has tasked the populist billionaire Andrej Babiš with leading talks on forming the new government after recent parliamentary election.Babiš told the president – who defeated him in the 2023 presidential elections – that the coalition talks were already under way, and “promised to hand over the text of the coalition agreement and programme priorities” later this week, according to a readout issued by the presidential office. Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Lithuania draws up plans to shut Belarus border crossings indefinitely after balloon disruptions

Lithuania’s prime minister says her country has drawn up plans to shut its border crossings with Belarus indefinitely, with some exemptions

Politics

3 w. ago Lithuania to close border with Belarus after balloons shut down Vilnius airport – Europe live

66 objects spotted on radars overnight leading to fourth closure of airport in a week as prime minister says any more balloons will be shot downLithuania’s Ruginienė also said that the country was not ruling out the possibility it could call for Nato’s Article 4 consultations, Reuters reported.The Article 4 – not to be mistaken with much more serious Article 5 provision – allows countries to call for Nato talks “whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the parties is threatened.” Continue reading...

Society

3 w. ago Nato member’s main airport shuts again after Belarusian balloons disrupt airspace

Flights to and from Vilnius Airport in Lithuania were suspended on Saturday night

Politics

3 w. ago Lithuania shuts airports and Belarus border after weather balloon incursion

Vilnius and Kaunas airports closed down after balloons drift into country’s airspace for third time this monthLithuania closed its two biggest airports on Friday and shut crossings on its border with Belarus after helium weather balloons drifted into its territory, the third such occurrence in the Baltic state this month.European aviation has repeatedly been thrown into chaos in recent weeks by drone sightings and other air incursions, including at airports in Copenhagen, Munich and the Baltic region. Continue reading...

Society