Oct 1, 2026, 07:30 AM UTC

Ahead of the upcoming Slovenian derby between NK Maribor and Olimpija Ljubljana, former national team figures Aleš Čeh and Jan Mlakar have shared insights into their careers and expectations.

Former Slovenia captain Aleš Čeh reflected on his post-playing career, which featured more than a decade of coaching alongside Srečko Katanec and seven years working in Asia. Despite his deep ties to Olimpija, Čeh emphasized his enduring respect for rivals Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Ljubljana-born forward Jan Mlakar discussed returning to Maribor for a third spell. Expressing trust in club leaders Zlatko Zahović and Darko Milanič, Mlakar dismissed past transfer rumors, clarifying he was "never close to joining Olimpija." He added that while Olimpija currently faces a crisis, derby matches remain unpredictable, giving struggling teams an opportunity to regain momentum.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Historical analyses continue to re-examine 1989 as the critical foundation of 21st-century geopolitics, highlighting how simultaneous global events shaped today's multipolar world. While European collective memory focuses predominantly on the fall of the Berlin Wall and the collapse of communist regimes, developments in Asia established contrasting political trajectories.

In China, the suppression of pro-democracy protests around Tiananmen Square enabled the ruling party to pursue economic integration into global markets without political liberalization. Concurrently, the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan generated long-term security vacuums in Central Asia. Together, these events demonstrated that 1989 was not merely a victory for Western liberal democracy, but rather the origin of competing international power structures that define contemporary foreign relations.

Sources: Die Presse

The United States military has conducted extensive strikes against Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz following an escalating maritime confrontation. According to US Central Command, American forces targeted military positions and hit three Iranian commercial oil tankers after Iranian forces fired ballistic missiles at two US warships.

US military officials confirmed that sea mines previously placed by Iranian forces in the critical shipping corridor have been fully neutralized. The engagement marks a significant expansion into commercial energy warfare. US President Donald Trump warned Tehran that continued interference with commercial vessels would trigger direct attacks against Iranian power grids and domestic energy infrastructure. Analysts note that targeting energy systems alongside military assets highlights an evolving warfare doctrine designed to combine high-tech precision strikes with severe economic pressure.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Russia and Ukraine exchanged heavy strikes overnight following the departure of American envoys from Kyiv. Russian forces launched ballistic missiles at the Ukrainian capital, killing at least two people and wounding six others. The attack follows a previous Russian drone strike on a British American Tobacco facility in northern Ukraine.

In response, Ukrainian drones targeted industrial infrastructure in Russia's Samara and Saratov regions. Local officials reported air defenses intercepted dozens of drones, but a fire broke out at the Kuibyshev oil refinery, and injuries were reported in Saratov.

Simultaneously, NATO forces carried out notable military operations near the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad. Led by the United States, the activity involved American and Norwegian fighter jets, Polish ground troops, and surveillance aircraft. NATO stated the alliance remains defensive while continuously enhancing its operational readiness.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

United States federal prosecutors in Manhattan have unsealed an indictment charging five alleged Russian intelligence operatives with orchestrating targeted assassinations and sabotage operations across North America and Europe. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the network recruited individuals to surveil and execute attacks against supporters of Ukraine, including a June 2024 operation in Prague. All five suspects currently remain at large.

Concurrently, a regional court in Stuttgart, Germany, convicted a Ukrainian national for participating in a Kremlin-backed parcel bomb scheme. Investigators found that the operation used international packages equipped with tracking devices to disrupt logistics networks and compromise public security.

Sources: BBC News, Cyprus Mail, France24, OCCRP, The Guardian.