Politics today spans hard power, infrastructure, and the politics of control. In Moscow, authorities escalated their long-running pressure on Telegram by charging founder Pavel Durov with aiding terrorism and placing him on an international wanted list, a move that underscores Russia’s determination to tighten its grip on digital platforms amid war and domestic security fears. In Washington, President Trump is preparing to unveil a roughly $22 billion remake of Dulles Airport, pairing big-ticket symbolism with a promise to modernize one of the capital’s key gateways. But the day’s most combustible development came in the Middle East, where Trump vowed a fierce response after Iran allegedly launched a ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces in Jordan, an incident reportedly thwarted by interceptions. Together, the stories reflect a familiar global pattern: governments asserting power through security crackdowns, military deterrence, and ambitious national projects.