Oct 24, 2026, 07:00 AM UTC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has formally rejected a 15-point Gaza peace plan backed by US President Donald Trump, insisting that Israeli forces will not pull back without the complete disarming of Hamas.

Speaking during a televised cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu stated that Israel "will not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is genuinely disarmed" and confirmed the rejection of the document previously endorsed by Hamas.

The stance highlights growing tension between Israel and Washington despite recent reductions in Israeli military strikes under US pressure. Netanyahu faces domestic political pressure from far-right coalition partners opposed to territorial concessions as he prepares for national elections scheduled for 27 October.

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

A group of 128 nations meeting in Geneva reached a consensus on a formal definition for autonomous weapons systems. The decision follows warnings from the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross against allowing machines to autonomously target human beings.

Parallel to these regulatory discussions, Western armed forces continue expanding their artificial intelligence capabilities. Germany's Ministry of Defence confirmed that semi-autonomous systems may operate independently under specific conditions, maintaining that "the decision on the use of military force remains with humans." Additionally, the German military decided against using software from American provider Palantir, electing instead to develop a proprietary data analytics platform.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and NATO have jointly created two AI tools designed to forecast adversary drone trajectories and assist artillery targeting. One model is currently being prepared for integration into Ukrainian situational awareness systems.

Sources: Correctiv, Der Spiegel, Der Standard, Die Zeit, Hartpunkt.

Former Slovenian national team captain Aleš Čeh and forward Jan Mlakar have offered perspectives on their careers and the state of domestic football. Čeh, who captained the national squad during its successful era under manager Srečko Katanec, transitioned into coaching following his playing days, spending over a decade as Katanec’s assistant across various roles, including seven years in Asia. Despite his strong historical ties to Olimpija Ljubljana and Austrian side Grazer AK, Čeh maintained his respect for rival club NK Maribor.

Meanwhile, 27-year-old Ljubljana native Jan Mlakar has rejoined NK Maribor for a third spell, seeking his first league title with the club. Mlakar voiced confidence in Maribor leadership figures Zlatko Zahović and Darko Milanič. Commenting on the upcoming derby against Olimpija, Mlakar observed that while Olimpija faces institutional crisis, the rival side remains dangerous in head-to-head matches.

Sources: Delo, Siol.net

Slovakia's ruling coalition faces increasing pressure amid new ethical controversies and political friction within the government. Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák confirmed receiving consultancy payments from Czech defense manufacturer CSG for lobbying efforts in the United Arab Emirates before rejoining the cabinet and awarding ministry contracts to the firm.

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Tomáš Taraba was removed from his post after Slovak National Party leader Andrej Danko aligned with opposition lawmakers in parliament. In foreign policy, Bratislava re-established military attaché ties with Moscow, sparking opposition warnings regarding espionage risks.

Controversy also surrounds the appointment of a police investigator's wife to a state energy company supervisory board without a public tender, following her husband's dismissal of criminal complaints against Interior Minister Matúš Šutaj Eštok. Officials deny any wrongdoing.

Sources: Český rozhlas Plus, Denník N, Ekonomický deník, iROZHLAS, Seznam Zprávy

Russian ground operations across Ukraine have stalled, with independent mapping services recording virtually no net territorial changes through late September despite claims of progress from Moscow. Analysts noted that limited Russian advances were offset by localized Ukrainian counterattacks, such as operations near Oleksandrivka that reclaimed several communities.

With territorial momentum halted, Russian forces have intensified long-range strikes targeting Ukraine's energy grid ahead of the winter season. Prime Minister Serhij Koreckyj confirmed that recent bombardments against power infrastructure in Kyiv and surrounding areas represented the largest strike since the previous heating season. The escalation comes as Ukrainian air defense efficiency has dropped, with drone interception rates falling from 92 percent in May to 83 percent in September.

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