Top News of the Week: Easter Under Fire and a New Geography of Protests
Easter celebrations around the world this year were marked by geopolitical turbulence. While some believers prayed for peace in conflict zones, others took to the streets, turning religious holidays into a platform for political statements. GlobUs’ weekly World in a Flash digest offers a review of the major events that changed the world map over the past week.
In eastern Goma, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Easter services were held amid the ringing of bells and the sound of cannon fire. Worshippers filled churches despite ongoing fighting between the army and the M23 movement. Father Wenceslas Marenzi called the massive turnout a testament to the people's resilience. The US-brokered ceasefire remains fragile: Kinshasa accuses Kigali of supporting the rebels, and Washington has already imposed sanctions on Rwanda, citing violations of the agreement. Meanwhile, economic difficulties are spreading discontent around the world. Senegal, a country developing its own oil and gas industry, is forced to limit foreign travel for ministers. Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko explained that fuel prices have almost doubled their planned levels.
Europe is also not standing idle. Thousands of protesters took to the streets in Berlin and Rotterdam carrying Palestinian flags and placards reading "No to War on Children." The marchers demanded that European governments increase diplomatic pressure on Israel and the United States. Police detained several people, but the protests were generally peaceful.
Explosives and detonators were found near the Turkish Stream gas pipeline in Serbia near the border with Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán convened an emergency meeting of the Defense Council. Now the opposition is accusing the prime minister of panicking ahead of the elections, but the threat of sabotage on key energy supply routes is becoming increasingly real.
In Venezuela, Easter traditions took on a political dimension: residents of Caracas burned effigies of Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu, and other leaders. The ritual, known as the "Burning of Judas," this year became a symbolic protest against imperialism and neocolonialism.
The conflict in the Middle East, sanctions pressure, and economic instability continue to reshape the global map. Africa, Europe, and Asia are increasingly becoming not just observers but active participants in the new geopolitical reality.
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