The Problems with Westphalian Nation-State System

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We all associate ourselves with various identities such as Indians, Chinese, Pakistani, Americans, Canadians, French, British and much more. Why do you think we all associate with all these more? Are there any other identities which people associate with?  The identities which I mentioned before are relatively new compared to other identities such as religion, language, caste, and various other identities. It is not to say that people never had such feelings towards nations or the state. But the idea of loyalty and love for the motherland was very important which offset various other identities. The question we are arriving at is what is the motherland, who made and how it formed.  What we refer to today as a Nation or Country refers to what we know in political science as a Nation-State. Today almost all the countries we know are categorised Nation-States and some even as State-Nations. International Relations and Political Science suggest that states are the most important a...
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News Capsule for the Month February 2022

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 Following are the top news for the month.  If you wish to follow and get notifications of future articles, you can signup using the email on the left sidebar. 


READ OUR BUDGET 2022 COVERAGE ARTICLE. 

Kerala 

  • Kerala termed as the Most Welcoming Region 
  • Vava Suresh was hospitalised after being bit by a snake while catching one
  • Crime Branch requests court to send Dileep’s phones for scientific examination
  • CM returns from the US and visited UAE for meetings and investment. He wore an unconventional suit and trousers. 
  • Schools and Colleges reopen after Third Wave
  • Lokayukta clears Minister R Bindu's Kannur University appointment case. 
  • State removes quarantine for foreign arrivals in the four airports of the state. Free testing on arrival. 
  • Shivshanker's book on the Gold Smuggling case raises political wildfire in the case. 
  • K-Rail can be implemented effectively using elevated tracks: Metro Man E Sreedharan.
  • Central Govt bans the telecast of Media One channel.
  • Governor signs the Lokayukta Ordinance. 
  • RTPCR amount reduced to 300 and Antigen to 100. 
  • Normal functioning of schools in Kerala from Feb 28, Sunday lockdown discontinued.
  • Indian army rescues a man stuck in a cliff for a day. 
  • VS Achunandan to pay compensation to Oommen Chandy as part of a defamation case. 
  • Covid-19: Asymptomatic patients after 3 days are considered negative.
  • Kerala's first Caravan Park opens to the public today, a few more soon. 

India


  • Indian budget speech passed in the Parliament. READ OUR BUDGET 2022 COVERAGE ARTICLE. 
  • Elections to five states begin. 
  • MP Pragya Singh Thakur infected with COVID. Earlier known for suggesting Cow dung as a medicine for the same. 
  • Bengaluru's Manyata Tech Park was briefly shut by BBMP. 
  • Sri Lanka gets $500 Million loans from India for buying Oil. 
  • AIMIM MP Assaduddin Owaisi's convoy attacked in UP. Now on to be given Z security. 
  • UP Court issues a notice to PMO after he wore Army Uniform. 
  • Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar passes away.
  • JNU's First Woman Vice-Chancellor- Santishree Pandit. 
  • PM Modi blames the Congress party for the Migrant Crisis in 2020. 
  • Hindutva is reflected in Indian Constitution: Mohan Bhagwat.
  • Rs 135 crore 'Statue of Equality inaugurated by PM Modi in Hyderabad.
  • Hijab Case bursts campuses in Karnataka into Protest grounds. Campuses closed for a week. Protests were banned for two weeks. HC to pronounce the verdict. 
  • Yogi says ‘UP could become Kerala’, which raises massive backlash. 
  • Bajrang Dal activist killed in Coastal Karnataka. 
  • Malayalam actor Kottayam Pradeep dies at 61.
  • Opposition walks out during Governor's speech session of the assembly.  
  • Karnataka Eases Covid Testing Rules for Travellers from Kerala, Goa As Cases Decline.
  • India summons Singapore's envoy over PM Lee Hsien Loong's remarks in Parliament. 
  • Congress expels senior leader Kewal Singh Dhillon.
  • South Asian University students protest management’s decision to reduce scholarships.
  • K'taka Congress continues agitation inside Vidhana Soudha demanding the minister's dismissal. 
  • India asks students to leave Ukraine. 
  • Lalu Yadav, New 5-Year Jail Sentence, 60-Lakh Fine. 
  • DMK secures landslide victory in urban civic polls.
  • Marriage certificate not essential to adopt a child: Allahabad HC
  • Maharastra Minister Nawab Malik Arrested. 
  • Name in suicide note not enough to establish guilt: P&H HC
  • BJP MLA demands withdrawal of voting rights of the Muslim community.
Indian State Elections Schedule  



World/International


  • Boris Johnson faces problems in the Partygate report. 
  • Truckers in Canada are protesting even though 90% of the drivers are vaccinated. Emergency imposed in Ontario. Violence used to disperse protestors. 
  • Qatar will be designated as a non-NATO ally.
  • Western Intelligence agencies have issued warnings for Ukraine calling for an invasion by Russia with one hundred thousand troops being deployed on its Eastern border. 
  • Damascus intercepts a swarm of Israeli Missiles heading towards it. 
  • The Socialist Party wins a landslide in Portugal. 
  • The US fires missiles against Houthis in Yemen. 
  • Boris Johnson meets Ukranian PM calls for support. 
  • Emanuel Macron meets Russian President Vladimir Putin.
  • ABC News suspends Goldberg for her comments. 
  • Islamic State leader Abu Ibrahim al-Qurayshi was killed in Syria. 
  • China accepts Russia's argument against NATO expansion.
  • Court rejects Redistricting map of the US states of Ohio, Kansas, Alabama etc. 
  • UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak admits attending PM Boris Johnson's lockdown party in 2020.
  • London police chief Cressida Dick stepped down.
  • Queen Elizabeth tests positive. 
  • Pakistan provides $50 M aid to Sri Lanka. 
  • Trump said in court he had no 'knowledge' of his company's finances a day before he issued a 1,100-word statement defending his company's finances.
  • Pentagon: Russian jets intercept U.S. Navy planes.
  • India signs free trade agreement with UAE. 
  • New Zealand witnessed anti-vax protests in the Presidential palace. 
  • Pak PM Imran Khan reaches Moscow. 
  • NATO Response Force activated for the first time. 

Ukraine-Russia War 

  • Pentagon: Russian troops are in attack position. 
  • Putin in Moscow declares two Separatist controlled provinces as an independent. EU and US start to plan out sanctions. NATO condemns. 
  • UNSC emergency session held on 22nd. Russia is the President. 
  • In the early morning of 24th February, Russia calls for military operation in Ukraine. Troops move in on three sides- Belarus Border, Eastern province, Crimea. 
  • Air-Raids reported on several Ukrainian cities. 
  • The world community condemns the move. 
  • UNSC emergency session up in chaos with a verbal fight over the intervention. 
  • Ukrainian airspace closed. 
  • India starts Op. Ganga to rescue Indians stuck in Ukraine. 
  • Ukraine cuts diplomatic ties with Russia. 
  • US President announces that US or NATO will not step in. 
  • Ukraine was hit by more cyberattacks, destructive malware.
  • India, China, UAE abstains from UNSC resolution. Russia vetos.
  • UEFA set to move Champions League final from St. Petersburg in wake of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. 
  • Lithuania Declares State Of Emergency After Russia Invades Ukraine. 
  • Chernobyl power plant captured by Russian forces.
  • PM Narendra Modi speaks to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 
  • Pak PM Imran Khan reaches Moscow. 
  • The US asks its diplomats to leave Russia. 
  • Russian forces enter the capital Kyiv. Russian troops are evicted from Kharkiv.
  • Russian currency plummets heavily to record low. Central Bank increases the rate. 
  • 30 odd European countries close Airspace for Russian aircraft. 
  • US announces $350M for Ukraine. EU nations to supply arms. Germany overturns its weapon export policy. 
  • Meta bans pro-Russian handles from monetising. 
  • Chechnyan forces plan attacks in Kyiv, their convoy is destroyed on the outskirts. 
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay & other payments were banned indefinitely in Russia.
  • Ukraine approaches the International Court of Justice against Russia.
  • Russia-Ukraine talks to be held in the Belarus border. 
  • UN GA emergency session begins. 
  • Ukraine requests to join the EU. 
  • Belarus opens space for Nuclear weapons. 
  • Russia Uses Controversial Cluster Bombs In Ukraine, Hits School: Amnesty.
  • Billionaires in Russia lose $126 B. 
  • US citizens urged to leave Russia. 
Technology 


  • Google Chrome changed its logo after eight years. 
  • Huawei gets a Rs 150-crore contract for the upkeep of the Bharti Airtel transmission network.
  • Wordle saves the life of an 80-year-old woman who was held hostage for 17 hours.
  • Abhilash Mohan leaves Media One for Mathrubhumi News. 
  • Free Fire app removed from Google Play Store, Apple App store in India.
  • Kerala State govt to have its own OTT movie platform; to lease from private players for 2 years.
  • Biological E's Covid vaccine Corbevax receives emergency use nod for children aged 12-18 yrs. 
  • BigBasket acquires Kerala startup Agrima Infotech.
  • Ukraine hit by more cyberattacks, destructive malware
  • Meta bans pro-Russian handles from monetising. 
  • Anonymous group attacks Russian digital assets. 
  • Russia was expelled from the SWIFT banking system. 
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay & other payments were banned indefinitely in Russia.
Business and Finance
  • The New York Times takes over the Wordle game. 
  • Meta loses $230 Billion in a single day. 
  • Kochi Metro inks pact for e-bus service.
  • Nepal becomes the first country outside India to adopt a UPI payments system.
  • UK man becomes the world's richest for 7 minutes, leaving Elon Musk far behind.
  • Crude oil tops $100 as Russian forces invade Ukraine; Gold prices rise sharply.
  • BigBasket acquires Kerala startup Agrima Infotech.
  • Russia was expelled from the SWIFT banking system. 
  • Apple Pay, Google Pay & other payments were banned indefinitely in Russia.
Sports 



  • Winter Olympics began in Beijing. More on Winter Olympics. 
  • India and Western nations do a diplomatic boycott of the Winter Games in Beijing. 
  • IPL 2022: Shreyas Iyer bought by KKR for Rs 12.25 cr; Ashwin to Rajasthan Royals for Rs 5 cr. 
  • IPL auction 2022 successful. IPL to be held in Mumbai and Pune. 
  • India To Host International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session In 2023 After 40 Years.
  • 16-year-old Praggnanandhaa stuns World chess Champion Carlsen. 
  • UEFA set to move Champions League final from St. Petersburg in wake of Russia-Ukraine conflict, Champions League final moved from Russia to Paris
  • World SKI authority suspends sporting events in Russia. 
  • Ukraine crisis: Fifa and Uefa suspend all Russian clubs and national teams.

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