Oct 10, 2026, 04:00 PM UTC

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and forward Jan Mlakar have shared insights on their football careers and the enduring rivalry between Olimpija Ljubljana and Maribor.

Čeh, who served as an assistant to manager Srečko Katanec for over a decade—including seven years in Asia—reaffirmed his deep ties to Olimpija and Austria's Grazer AK, while expressing high regard for Maribor. Meanwhile, 27-year-old Ljubljana native Mlakar has returned to Maribor for a third spell. Addressing his roots, Mlakar noted that he "was never close to Olimpija" and expressed confidence in Maribor's leadership under Zlatko Zahovič and Darko Milanič. Looking ahead to the upcoming derby, Mlakar remarked that despite Olimpija's ongoing internal crisis, derby matches provide struggling teams an opportunity to reset their season.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point US-backed peace proposal for Gaza, declaring that Israeli forces will not withdraw until Hamas is fully disarmed. Speaking to his cabinet, 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 marks a public dispute with US President Donald Trump, who recently presented the framework as a breakthrough. Netanyahu's decision comes amid mounting domestic political pressure ahead of Israel's general election scheduled for October 27, where right-wing coalition partners oppose territorial concessions. Although Israeli military strikes in Gaza have recently slowed following diplomatic intervention from Washington, Netanyahu reiterated that operations will persist to counter security threats. Meanwhile, broader regional instability continues as Houthi militants claimed separate strikes on targets in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

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

Tensions across Northern Europe remain heightened amid reports of intensified Russian hybrid warfare and diplomatic friction. Danish and German authorities recently cited Russian involvement in sabotage plots targeting defense manufacturers and explosive devices at Leipzig airport. Concurrently, Kremlin officials issued sharp criticism toward Norway following NATO exercises and the seizure of a Russian vessel.

In Ukraine, military forces targeted a major oil refinery near Moscow, with Ukrainian officials claiming the strikes severely disrupted Russian refining capabilities.

Despite ongoing military actions, strategic analyses suggest that while Russia retains the capacity to sustain its war effort, Moscow faces increasingly constrained operational choices. Analysts note that European security objectives inherently require a Russian defeat, while urging calm in responding to non-military provocations.

Sources: Aftenposten, Berlingske, Dagens Næringsliv (DN), Finansavisen, TV 2 Nyheter

The European Commission has outlined proposals to overhaul its enlargement strategy, offering tailored accession roadmaps to Montenegro, Albania, Ukraine, and Moldova. Under the phased framework, these four candidate countries could receive accelerated access to specific EU policies and funding as they meet reform milestones, while other applicants risk falling behind.

The strategy aims to maintain momentum following the opening of negotiation clusters with Ukraine and Moldova. Vessela Tcherneva, deputy director at the European Council on Foreign Relations, highlighted that both countries retain "a huge desire to move closer to the EU" despite severe security challenges.

To address skepticism among current member states regarding governance and economic impacts, the Commission's plan integrates safeguards and gradual integration mechanisms prior to full membership.

Sources: Investor.bg, Mediapool, Nova TV

Russian ground offensives across Ukraine yielded minimal territorial shifts through late September, contradicting official statements from Moscow. Mapping assessments from DeepState and the Institute for the Study of War showed negligible net movement over four weeks, while Finnish analysts logged Russian gains of just 133 square kilometers in August. Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces executed counterattacks near Oleksandrivka, reclaiming ground.

With frontline movement stalled, Russian forces escalated long-range bombardment against Ukrainian energy infrastructure ahead of winter. Prime Minister Serhij Koreckyj noted that recent strikes targeting heating and power facilities in the Kyiv region were the largest since spring. The campaign coincides with Ukrainian air defense interception rates falling to 83 percent in September, down from 92 percent in May.

Sources: Deník N, Ekonomický deník, Respect, Seznam Zprávy.