Tensions Rise Across Middle East and Beyond

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is a Turkish politician who has been the president of Turkey since 2014. He previously served as the 25th prime minister from 2003 to 2014 as part of the Justice and Development Party (AKP), which he co-founded in 2001. He also served as mayor of Istanbul from 1994 to 1998. Coming from an Islamist background and promoting socially conservative policies, Turkey has experienced increasing authoritarianism, democratic backsliding and suppression of dissent under Erdoğan's rule.

Barbara Slavin

Barbara Slavin is an American journalist and foreign policy expert. She is a Distinguished Fellow at The Stimson Center and former director of the Future of Iran Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East Programs.

Rebecca Babin

Bridgerton is a period drama television series created by Chris Van Dusen and produced by Shondaland for Netflix. It is based on the Regency romance literary series by Julia Quinn set in London's ton during the season, when debutantes are presented at court.

Vladimir Putin

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Russia from 1999 to 2000 and again from 2008 to 2012. He has been described as the de facto leader of Russia since 2000.

President Donald Trump

Donald John Trump is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who is the 47th president of the United States. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the 45th president from 2017 to 2021.

Valdis Dombrovskis

Valdis Dombrovskis is a Latvian politician serving as European Commissioner for Economy and Productivity, and Commissioner for Implementation and Simplification. He previously served as Executive Vice President of the European Commission for An Economy that Works for People (2019-2024), European Commissioner for Trade (2020-2024). European Commissioner for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (2016-2020) and Prime Minister of Latvia from 2009 to 2014.

Tony Burke

Anthony Stephen Burke is an Australian politician serving as Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Cyber Security and the Arts. A member of the Labor Party, he has been a member of the Australian House of Representatives for Watson since 2004. He previously held cabinet positions in the governments of Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard from 2007 to 2013.

Kayo Ebina

The Sakitama Hai, is a Japanese Domestic Grade 1 horse race for thoroughbred horses aged three and over, run in June over a distance of 1,400 meters on dirt at Urawa Racecourse.