Oct 13, 2026, 10:30 AM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace framework endorsed by US President Donald Trump, reiterating that Israeli forces will not withdraw from the enclave without the complete disarmament of Hamas. Speaking during televised cabinet remarks, Netanyahu stated that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and confirmed the government's rejection of the document.

The stance highlights growing diplomatic friction between Washington and Jerusalem, despite Israeli forces recently scaling back operations in Gaza under American pressure. Netanyahu's decision comes as he campaigns ahead of Israel's October 27 election, balancing pressure from far-right coalition partners against ties with Washington.

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

Ukrainian drone strikes hit a major oil refinery near Moscow, reportedly disrupting over half of its refining capacity according to Ukrainian officials. The operation underscores Kyiv's expanding focus on degrading Russian energy infrastructure.

At the same time, Northern European nations are bracing for heightened hybrid threats. Authorities in Germany and Denmark recently disclosed foiled Russian sabotage plots and drone incidents targeting defense infrastructure.

Diplomatic relations between Russia and Norway have also deteriorated after Russian leadership accused Oslo of "state terrorism" following NATO exercises and the seizure of a Russian ship. Strategic experts observe that while European security requires a Russian defeat, Moscow retains sufficient capability to prolong the war despite a shrinking range of options.

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

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and striker Jan Mlakar have reflected on their career paths and the dynamics of domestic football. Čeh, a prominent leader of the national team during head coach Srečko Katanec's era, transitioned to coaching after retiring, spending over a decade assisting Katanec, including seven years working in Asia. Despite his strong ties to Olimpija Ljubljana and Austrian club Grazer AK, Čeh expressed enduring respect for rival club Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Ljubljana native Jan Mlakar has rejoined Maribor for a third spell at Ljudski vrt. Mlakar dismissed rumors surrounding hometown club Olimpija, stating he was "never close to signing" with them, while expressing confidence in Maribor's management team of Zlatko Zahović and Darko Milanič.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

German law enforcement and security agencies are investigating more than 100 suspected cases of foreign state-sponsored hybrid warfare, according to recent disclosures and investigative reports. Evidence from a foiled August drone attack targeting Ukrainian transport aircraft at Leipzig/Halle Airport has increasingly pointed to Russia's GRU military intelligence service, with investigators identifying a GRU operative as a primary logistician.

During a parliamentary hearing, intelligence chiefs warned that hostile foreign actors may have established clandestine weapon stashes across Germany to facilitate future sabotage. Security officials cautioned that alongside Russian physical sabotage and digital destabilization aimed at eroding public support for Ukraine, influence operations linked to China also pose a growing concern.

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

Russian ground operations in Ukraine have stalled through late September, with mapping data from the Institute for the Study of War and DeepState indicating virtually no net territorial changes. Despite official assertions of progress from Moscow, analysts report that Russian forces achieved only minimal gains in August before being checked by localized Ukrainian counterattacks, including around Oleksandrivka.

With frontline momentum constrained, Russian forces have intensified long-range bombardments against Ukraine's energy infrastructure ahead of winter. Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhij Koreckyj confirmed that recent strikes targeted critical power and heating assets in Kyiv and surrounding areas, marking the largest attack on energy infrastructure since the last heating season. Meanwhile, Ukrainian air defense interception rates for incoming drones dropped from 92 percent in May to 83 percent in September.

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