Intensifying Conflicts Shape Global Developments

Michael L. Weinstein is an American attorney, and former Air Force officer. He is the founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation and author of With God on Our Side: One Man's War Against an Evangelical Coup in America's Military and No Snowflake in an Avalanche, both of which describe purported Christian evangelical and fundamentalist proselytizing by some members of the military.

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War with Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas, and has continued to serve during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

Standing Together is an Israeli grassroots movement that aims to bring together Arab Israeli and Jewish Israeli communities in the struggle for Israeli-Palestinian peace, equality and social justice. Known for its purple paraphernalia and branding, it is the largest Arab-Jewish grassroots movement in the country. Standing Together first became active in 2015, and had about 5,300 members as of April 2024.

Pedro Luís Pereira de Sousa was a Brazilian poet, politician, orator and lawyer, adept of the "Condorist" movement. He is the patron of the 31st chair of the Brazilian Academy of Letters.

Volodymyr Oleksandrovych Zelenskyy is a Ukrainian politician and former entertainer who has served as the sixth president of Ukraine since 2019. He took office five years after the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War with Russia's annexation of Crimea and invasion of the Donbas, and has continued to serve during the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, which has been ongoing since February 2022.

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.

Yuri Viktorovich Ushakov is a Russian senior diplomat who has served as the aide to the president of Russia on foreign policy issues since 2012. From 1998 to 2008, he was the Russian ambassador to the United States. He has the federal state civilian service rank of 1st class Active State Councillor of the Russian Federation.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is an Ethiopian public health official, researcher, diplomat, and the director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO) since 2017. He is the first African to become WHO Director-General, receiving an endorsement for the role by the African Union. Tedros played a role in the response to the Ebola virus epidemic, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022–2023 mpox outbreak.