Sunday Summary - 12th April, 2026

Happy Easter Monday: Splash!

For those living in Poland, Czechia, and Slovakia, this week started with many of them getting soaked— and not because of the rain. In many Slavic cultures, Easter Monday holds a long-standing tradition of Wet Monday (Śmigus Dyngus/Oblievačka). The practice of Wet Monday has its roots and diverse pasts in Slavic pagan cultures and practices. Nowadays, the core of Wet Monday is splashing water on those around you, and many families continue to participate and pass on the heritage. However, splashing others with water on this day also holds a symbolic meaning of spring celebration and the vital energy of water. For young women, however, it was believed that getting splashed by a man grants beauty and fertility, and at the same time, it was a way for young men to show affection to their love interests. While many argue that it is an outdated practice and distance themselves from it, there is still a vast group of those who keep Slavic cultures alive and find joy in it. Hopefully, many families will be woken up on Wet Monday by the cold water in the years to come. Splash!

Global Politics: Time for the 25th Amendment? 

A key global event since the 28th of February, that the world has been following, is the US and Israel-led War on Iran. On 8 April, this conflict reached what seemed to be a critical turning point with a temporary ceasefire between the US and Iran, brokered by Pakistan. The negotiations were, however, unsuccessful as the US did not accept Iran’s ten-point ceasefire plan. If Iran’s demands were met, it would guarantee an end to not just the War on Iran but also Yemen, Lebanon, and Iraq. Additionally, Iran’s 10-point peace plan would increase sovereignty, economic stability, and independence of the West Asian region. When the US VP Vance claimed that the negotiations were unsuccessful because “Iran refused to accept US terms”, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif firmly stated that the US must finally realise they cannot dictate terms to Iran and Iran will not bow to US demands. Over the course of this conflict, the President of the United States has exhibited erratic behaviour through his inconsistent speeches and social media presence. Trump’s behaviour went as far as threatening Iranian civilians as he said: "The entire country can be taken out in one night– and that night might be tomorrow night". This kind of discourse has led some experts to debate whether the US President's threats to the Iranian population account for a war crime, with many arguing yes. 

Crisis Economy: Oil Shortage and Market Instability

A central issue in the US War on Iran is the Strait of Hormuz, which at the moment is under full control of the Iranian government. The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial global oil and export route. Oil prices have spiked sharply since the start of the war, which means higher fuel, transport, and production costs worldwide. This shock to the global economies is raising fears, especially in import-dependent areas such as the European Union and parts of Asia, as the renewed inflation becomes a real threat just as many countries were recovering from earlier crises. At the same time, the Strait of Hormuz situation is causing global powers to more seriously consider energy independence and turning towards reliance on renewable and nationalised energy sources. Ironically, Iran is doing what many environmental activists couldn’t for years— forcing Western nations to invest in clean energy sources. At the same time, the financial markets show no signs of recovery and are stuck in the crisis pattern. Investors worldwide move their money, gold, and Bitcoin into safe havens. Shipping and insurance costs surge particularly for the routes passing through the Gulf, and those affected the most are the average consumers who face higher costs. 

NASA: Artemis II Homecoming

Four astronauts who have gone on a first crewed lunar flyby mission in over 50 years have returned safely to Earth. Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, and Christina Koch— who, with this mission marked as the first woman to travel beyond low Earth orbit near the Moon— have all been happily reunited with their families. In this mission, the four astronauts flew 694,481 miles (1,117,659 km) in total. On their mission, the team managed to capture more than seven thousand images of the Moon’s surface and the solar eclipse. These will be impactful in broadening our knowledge of lunar science and future exploration.

Even in the Times of Global Decline, Humanity Prevails

Despite concerning global events taking place, people worldwide hold onto their goals and passions and fight to live their normal lives. While most of this personal resistance goes unnoticed, we can still find it all around us. From time to time, we see this when one of us achieves something out of the ordinary. This week has seen one of these achievements happen. David Olvera, only ten months after setting a Guinness World Record for swimming the fastest ever lap around Manhattan, has set another world record as he swam 52.8 miles (85 km) nonstop from Cozumel to Cancún in just 16 hours and 48 minutes. Congratulations! This event reminds us that humanity is where our love and passion are, and hope lies in us cultivating those.