Sep 29, 2026, 08:00 AM UTC

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

Čeh, who captained Slovenia's national team and later served over ten years as an assistant to manager Srečko Katanec—including a seven-year stint coaching in Asia—expressed his deep affinity for Olimpija and Grazer AK while maintaining high respect for Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old forward Jan Mlakar has returned to Maribor for his third spell at the club. Dismissing rumors regarding his hometown club, the Ljubljana native stated he was "never close to joining Olimpija." Addressing the forthcoming eternal derby, Mlakar noted that despite Olimpija's current form struggles, "in the derby they can only gain."

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Ukraine and Russia conducted further mutual strikes following the conclusion of US diplomatic visits to Kyiv. Russian ballistic missile strikes against the Ukrainian capital resulted in at least two fatalities and six injuries, following earlier drone damage to an industrial plant in northern Ukraine.

In response, Ukrainian drone attacks targeted Russia's Saratov and Samara regions, igniting a fire at the Kuibyshev oil refinery. Samara regional officials reported that air defense forces intercepted dozens of incoming uncrewed aerial vehicles aimed at industrial facilities.

Simultaneously, US-led NATO forces initiated military maneuvers near Russia's Kaliningrad enclave. The operation involves Polish ground troops alongside American and Norwegian aircraft, including AWACS and EA-37 reconnaissance planes. NATO officials reaffirmed that the alliance operates defensively to maintain operational readiness.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

German security agencies are broadening investigations into suspected Russian state-sponsored sabotage following a foiled explosive drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport.

Reports linking a Russian military intelligence (GRU) operative to the Leipzig logistics have coincided with warnings from Germany's domestic intelligence agency, which suspects Moscow may have hidden weapons inside the country for future operations. Beyond targeted drone plots near Ukrainian cargo aircraft, law enforcement across German states is currently tracking over 100 cases of potential hybrid interference. These include unauthorized airspace intrusions, physical sabotage against transit networks, severed undersea cables, and coordinated disinformation campaigns.

Officials emphasize that such multi-faceted operations aim to weaken critical infrastructure, create public panic, and destabilize democratic institutions.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Standard, FAZ, ORF, Tagesschau

The United States military has conducted extensive strikes against Iranian positions near the Strait of Hormuz following Iranian attempts to deploy sea mines and launch ballistic missiles at two American warships. United States Central Command confirmed the action targeted military infrastructure alongside three Iranian commercial oil tankers.

The retaliatory operation comes amid intensified warnings from U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that Tehran faces severe damage to its energy grid and domestic infrastructure if attacks on maritime shipping continue. Military analysts observe that the ongoing confrontation marks a strategic shift toward energy warfare, marked by direct strikes on commercial fleets and critical trade routes.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Historians are re-evaluating 1989 not merely as the end of the Cold War in Europe, but as a multi-dimensional turning point that inaugurated the twenty-first century's geopolitical structure. While European perspectives focus heavily on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of Soviet-backed regimes, simultaneous developments in Asia fundamentally reshaped global power dynamics.

In China, the violent suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square consolidated single-party rule, enabling a model of state-directed economic expansion without political liberalization. Meanwhile, the Soviet retreat from Afghanistan created a power vacuum that catalyzed regional instability and fueled long-term security challenges. Together, these concurrent crises altered international governance structures, establishing the foundations for contemporary multipolar rivalries.

Sources: Die Presse