Sep 18, 2026, 01:30 PM UTC

Slovenian football figures Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar have shared insights into their playing careers and post-retirement developments. Čeh, who captained Slovenia's national team during its successful era under manager Srečko Katanec, detailed his transition into coaching. Following club stints with Olimpija, Grazer AK, and Maribor, he spent over a decade as an assistant coach alongside Katanec, including seven years in Asia.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar discussed his third return to Maribor. Despite originating from Ljubljana, Mlakar stated he was never close to signing with hometown rivals Olimpija. Looking ahead to the upcoming derby, Mlakar remarked that while Olimpija faces recent difficulties, derby matches remain unpredictable, leaving their rivals with only something to gain.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

The United States Supreme Court has cleared the way for construction to resume on President Donald Trump's $400 million White House ballroom while litigation proceeds. In a decision supported by a five-justice conservative majority, the court granted a temporary stay requested by the federal government, pausing an injunction previously issued by a lower court.

Chief Justice John Roberts indicated that the procedural measure gives the court additional time to evaluate the administration's appeal against a lawsuit filed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The justices emphasized that the ruling does not constitute a final judgment on the ultimate legality of the project. However, lifting the halt allows developers to advance building efforts, which could see significant structural progress completed before the judicial dispute is formally resolved.

Sources: Der Standard, Die Zeit, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau.

US-led NATO forces have conducted military maneuvers near Russia's Kaliningrad enclave, deploying American and Norwegian aircraft together with Polish ground troops. NATO representatives characterized the operations as routine efforts to maintain defensive capabilities.

The developments coincide with investigative reports revealing Moscow has established ten hidden facilities near NATO borders capable of launching long-range attack drones. Several of these sites are already active in offensive operations against Ukraine.

Concurrently, direct attacks between the belligerents continue to escalate. Russian ballistic missiles struck Kyiv, killing at least two individuals and wounding six others, following drone damage to commercial infrastructure in northern Ukraine. Ukrainian troops launched retaliatory drone strikes against Russia's Saratov region, resulting in reported casualties.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV.

US Central Command has completed a series of large-scale strikes against Iranian military targets near the Strait of Hormuz. According to military officials, the operation followed an unsuccessful attempt by Iranian forces to lay sea mines in the strategic shipping corridor, which have since been neutralized.

The military action follows a September 5 confrontation where US forces targeted three Iranian oil tankers after Iranian forces launched ballistic missiles at two American warships. US President Donald Trump has warned of severe retaliation against Iranian infrastructure if attacks on maritime trade persist. Analysts note the confrontation has increasingly evolved into drone-driven warfare aimed directly at commercial shipping, presenting significant risks to global energy security.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Ahead of upcoming regional elections in eastern Germany, concerns over far-right influence in education and cultural policy are growing. Teachers in eastern states report increasing instances of right-wing rhetoric, Nazi symbols, and extremist songs among students. In response, Thuringia’s education ministry and the University of Jena are deploying "constitutional coaches" to assist schools in promoting democratic values.

Concurrently, federal SED dictatorship victims' commissioner Evelyn Zupke called for mandatory student visits to East German memorial sites to deepen historical understanding. Meanwhile, cultural policy has emerged as a key political battleground. In Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party proposed stripping public funding from initiatives deemed "anti-German." Critics warn this move threatens support for Holocaust memorials, Bauhaus sites, and local theater venues amid broader debates over East-West identity.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, DW, FAZ, Tagesschau.