Vilnius - Lithuania looks set join Baltic neighbours Estonia and Latvia in recession soon, after figures released by the Lithuanian statistics office Tuesday said GDP fell by 1.5 per cent in the last quarter of 2008 compared to growth of 2.9 per cent in the third quarter.

Estimated average growth for the whole of 2008 was 3.2 per cent.

"Today's GDP figures confirmed our expectation that the economic development in Lithuania is lagging behind the other two Baltic countries, which are already in recession," commented Danske Bank analyst Violeta Klyviene.

Vilnius - There was nowhere to hide for anyone owing money in Lithuania Monday after one of the Baltic country's main debt collection agencies said it was using a renowned clairvoyant to track down debtors and identify secret business crooks.

Vilija Lobaciuviene is well known in Lithuania for her supernatural powers. The self-styled witch employs techniques including spells, herbal medicine and the reading of auras in her work, which has helped make her a television favourite.

Now the otherworldly psychic has signed a down-to-earth cooperation agreement with debt collection agency Skolu Isieskojimo Biuras (SIB), whose corporate website says: "There are are cases when unconventional means and methods must be applied."

Vilnius - The authorities in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, were in watchful mood Friday as crowds gathered outside the national parliament building and government offices to demonstrate against tax increases, job losses and public spending cuts.

The demonstration, organized by trade unions, was expected to draw several thousand participants from across the Baltic country.

Vilnius - Lithuania's President Valdas Adamkus took part in a teleconference Thursday morning with his Ukrainian and Polish counterparts, Viktor Yushchenko and Lech Kaczynski, to discuss the ongoing gas supply dispute between Russia and Ukraine, according to official sources.

"The leaders of Ukraine and Poland requested the Lithuanian president to actively support Ukraine's position in the conflict and to explain its standpoint to EU leaders," a statement from the presidential press service said.

Vilnius  - The owners Lithuania's national flag-carrier, FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlines, have agreed to sell the struggling company to industrial holding company SCH Swiss Capital Holdings in a deal that should be completed within the next two weeks, according to a company statement released Friday.

"Negotiations with the Swiss investment fund SCH Swiss Capital Holdings have agreed on the sale of FlyLAL-Lithuanian Airlines' shares. Today an agreement was signed under which SCH Swiss Capital Holdings will purchase 100 per cent of company shares," the statement said.

Vilnius  - The year 2009 is a very special one for Lithuania and the capital Vilnius for a number of reasons. First of all, the largest of the Baltic states celebrates its millennium anniversary since the name Lithuania was first mentioned in the monastic annals Annales Quedlinburgensis (or Annals of Quedlinburg) in 1009.

The New Year also marks the first occasion that a metropolis in a former communist-ruled republic has been awarded the title of European Capital of Culture. Both the city and the country are keen to show themselves as authentic, hospitable destinations and look forward to a sizeable influx of visitors.