Sep 25, 2026, 01:00 AM UTC

Former Slovenian national team players Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar have provided reflections on their careers and the ongoing rivalry between NK Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana.

Čeh, the former captain of Slovenia's national team during its historic tournament qualifications, discussed his transition into coaching after retiring as a player. He served as an assistant to head coach Srečko Katanec for over a decade, which included seven years working in Asia. Despite his ties to Olimpija, Čeh maintained respect for rival club Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar addressed his third return to Maribor. Despite being born in Ljubljana, Mlakar stated he was "never close to Olimpija" and expressed confidence in Maribor's leadership, specifically highlighting former sports director Zlatko Zahović and former manager Darko Milanič. Commenting on Olimpija's current form, Mlakar noted the club "is in crisis, but in a derby it can only gain."

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated his government's rejection of a US-backed 15-point peace framework for Gaza, maintaining that Israeli troops will not pull out until Hamas is fully disarmed.

Speaking in televised comments, Netanyahu stated that "Israel rejects the 15-point document" and emphasized that military forces "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed". The announcement highlights a public rift with US President Donald Trump, who recently touted diplomatic progress on the proposal previously accepted by Hamas.

Despite a slowdown in Israeli military operations in Gaza following diplomatic pressure from Washington, Netanyahu faces internal political tension from far-right coalition partners ahead of Israel's national election set for October 27.

Sources: Cyprus Mail, France24, STV News, The Guardian, The Herald.

Historical assessments increasingly frame 1989 as a decisive turning point that shaped contemporary global affairs across multiple continents. While Western narratives primarily emphasize the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Soviet influence in Eastern Europe, simultaneous developments in Asia established distinct long-term political trajectories.

In China, the government crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square solidified autocratic governance alongside rapid economic modernization. Concurrently, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan initiated deep regional instability across Central and South Asia. Analysts contend that these converging developments signaled the end of Cold War bipolarity and established the foundations for today's systemic competition between democratic and autocratic political models.

Sources: Die Presse.

Cross-border attacks between Russia and Ukraine have continued to escalate alongside reports of heightened NATO military movement around Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. Overnight Russian ballistic missile strikes targeted Kyiv, killing at least two people and injuring six, following prior strikes on an industrial facility in northern Ukraine.

In response, Ukrainian drones hit commercial targets in Russia's Samara and Saratov regions, igniting a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery. Samara officials stated air defenses intercepted numerous drones aimed at industrial facilities.

Concurrently, German media reported a U.S.-led NATO operation near Kaliningrad involving American and Norwegian aircraft as well as Polish ground forces. NATO described its actions as routine efforts to maintain alliance readiness.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

US President Donald Trump has warned the European Union that Washington could levy heavy tariffs or restrict bilateral trade if Brussels proceeds with a proposal to grant Canada associate membership status. Trump described European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's initiative as "ridiculous" and cautioned that any action perceived as hostile would trigger commercial retaliation. However, Trump indicated that trade sanctions might be avoided if the proposal stems from constructive intentions.

The proposal originated following earlier remarks by Finnish President Alexander Stubb, who highlighted growing diplomatic friction between Washington and Ottawa by suggesting Canada join the bloc. Despite the escalating rhetoric from the White House, European officials have not formally withdrawn the idea of exploring closer integration with Canada.

Sources: 444, HVG, Telex.