Ruddhi Phadke

Economic despair at home and American bluster abroad have revived old fears of regime change in Iran. Iran has seen protests before that have changed the course of its history. It has seen foreign pressure, sanctions and threats in abundance. But what makes the present moment unsettling is the coincidence of both. Ever since demonstrations spread across the country last month, sparked by a collapsing currency and surging prices, they have quickly become entangled with a far more combustible...

The Islamic Republic’s latest satellite launch powered by Russia shows how sanctioned powers are reshaping the politics of orbit For decades, space has been sold to the public as humanity’s most cooperative endeavour and as a realm above borders where science trumps politics. Yet, history suggests otherwise. From Sputnik’s shock in 1957 to the weaponised GPS of modern warfare, the orbit has always been an extension of earthly rivalry. Iran’s latest satellite launch executed with Russian help...

An 11th-century temple and 21st-century nationalism are keeping the Thai–Cambodia border perpetually on edge. Once again, artillery has spoken along the jungle-clad frontier between Thailand and Cambodia. As fighter jets roar overhead, civilians have fled to makeshift shelters even as a ceasefire signed only weeks ago collapsed with indecent speed. The latest bout of violence, featuring air strikes, casualties and mass displacement, has revived a familiar question in South-East Asia: why does...