Border Update: Latvia’s Pāternieki checkpoint on the Latvia–Belarus border has resumed after a technical shutdown, with the lvrobeza.lv reservation system taking new bookings again from Wednesday, Aug. 5—travellers can once more enter Latvia from Belarus and travel onward via Pāternieki. Diplomacy & Sanctions: Belarus’ foreign ministry hit back at Latvia over the border closure and warned it could take retaliatory measures, while Lithuania’s top diplomat said there’s “no reason” to lift sanctions as long as Belarus supports Russia. EU Migration Fallout: The EU is still roiled by the Ceuta crisis, with Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez facing heavy criticism and EU leaders debating whether migration is being “weaponized.” Security Posture: Ukraine’s border service says the threat from Belarus becomes real if provocations target the border, citing strengthened engineering obstacles, surveillance, and minefields. Belarus Politics & Courts: Belarus court statistics show fewer overall convictions in the first half of 2026, but a rise in cases tied to “facilitating extremist activities,” and 13 teenagers convicted on political charges. Military Tech: Lukashenko said Belarus is considering a “universal” anti-drone weapon concept, potentially developed through a new Academy of Intelligent Technologies. Sports: Naftan’s Golden Mafwenta was named Belarus Premier League Player of the Week after a standout 3-3 comeback draw.