Politics today is defined by high-stakes power and accountability, from Manila to Beijing. In the Philippines, a dramatic and deeply unsettling standoff unfolded inside the Senate, where gunshots rang out as authorities tried to arrest Senator Ronald dela Rosa, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged crimes against humanity linked to the Duterte-era drug war. In Britain, Nigel Farage faces a very different test of scrutiny, with a parliamentary watchdog investigating whether he properly declared a multi-million-pound donation before re-entering Westminster. On the international stage, diplomacy moved in quieter but no less consequential ways: Benjamin Netanyahu’s office disclosed a previously secret meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, calling it a breakthrough as Israel’s conflict with Iran continues. And in Beijing, Donald Trump arrived for a summit with Xi Jinping, with global markets and security planners watching for signs of steadier U.S.-China relations.