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...

Newscapsule for the Month of January 2023

 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. 

Kerala 

  • 8 killed on Kerala's roads on the first day of New Year.
  • Saji Cherian is reinstated as the Minister.
  • The government and the governor draw a ceasefire. 
  • Man, injured in fireworks accident at Sabarimala and dies
  • Kerala Administrative Tribunal cancels appointment of 3 law college principals
  • Notice of a Kerala residential complex goes viral for moral policing 
  • Kozhikode wins 61st Kerala State School Kalolsavam; Kannur, Palakkad share second
  • Cases of deaths due to food poisoning rocks the state. Raids to be made effective. 
  • Won't return to Kalolsavam kitchen next year: Pazhayidom Mohanan Namboothiri amidst controversies
  • Ready to become Chief Minister if people of Kerala demand: Shashi Tharoor
  • G Sukumaran Nair vouches for Shashi Tharoor's leadership in the party.
  • Kerala HC quashes plastic bag ban.
  • Kerala Baker's association bans egg-based mayonnaise. 
  • Papanji burning event to be held beyond Fort Kochi. 
  • The dairy farming unit at Ernakulam district jail becomes operational. 
  • Kerala tiger attack: Opposition UDF, BJP take out protests in Mananthavady. 
  • Govt searches for new land for Kerala HC near Kalamassery- State govt identifies 27-acre land
  • Thrissur skywalk nears completion.
  • Masks made compulsory in Kerala. 
  • ED questions PV Anwar MLA
  • Kerala film institute row: Director Shankar Mohan tenders resignation, but 'not over protest',
  • The attachment of PFI assets in the state begins.
  • Kerala AAP dissolved. 
  • Governor announces Policy address. Criticised the centre for anti-federal policies.
  • Youth League leaders arrested in Capital for widespread protesting.
  • A K Antony's son leaves the party.
  • 50,000 vacancies: Kerala lorry owners want more women in driver’s seats.
  • Eleven police officers were awarded medals on R-day.
  • Kozhikode Lit fest was held in January. 

India 


  • Govt Data Reveals 3 PM to 9 PM is the Most Dangerous Time to be on Indian Roads
  • Dual Degrees Will Make Global Education Affordable for Indian Students: UGC Chief
  • Karnataka seer Siddeshwara Swami passes away at 81 after a prolonged illness
  • A dome-shaped bus stop was demolished in Mysore for resembling 
  • Divorced Muslim woman entitled to 'lifetime' maintenance until she remarries: Allahabad High Court.
  • India welcomes Foreign Universities to set up campuses in India
  • Congress leaders demand Aravind Limbhavani's arrest 
  • 2-year-old boy, mother killed after under-construction metro pillar collapses in Bengaluru.
  • RSS Chief speaks on current political issues in the country. 
  • Vice President Jagdeep Dankhar takes a shot at the Keshavananda Bharati vs the State of Kerala. 
  • Former Union Minister Sharad Yadav Dies At 75. 
  • Security breach during PM Modi's roadshow in Hubbali, police deny. 
  • SC Questions the Central govt on the autonomy of Delhi.
  • Massive Cold wave hits Northern India.
  • Praveen Thogadia calls to rewrite the Indian constitution to an Islamophobic one.
  • 10 dead as bus collides with truck in Nashik, Maharashtra.
  • Lakshadweep MP to face disqualification from parliament over attempt to murder case.
  • Foundations were laid for the Kempegowda statue in front of Bengaluru's Vidhana Soudha.
  • Kollam is declared India's first constitutionally literate state. 
  • SC says all marriages are null and void under the Hindu Marriage Act. 
  • Non-Veg is banned in Hansrak College
  • PM Modi to BJP workers: 'Reach out to educated Muslims, refrain from unsolicited remarks against community'.
  • Tejusvi Surya lands in controversy on Indigo flight emergency door opening.
  • Yogi government targets IAS officers in UP.
  • Israelis protest proposed judicial overhaul after a new government takes charge.
  • 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli police forces. 
  • Punjab Congress leader Manpreet Badal joins BJP.
  • Rahul Gandhi's BJY entered the final state of J&K. 
  • BJY ended on January 30th with flag hoisting in Lal Chowk.
  • India celebrated its 73rd Republic Day. 
  • Egyptian president Fateh Al Sisi was the Chief Guest.
  • 7 injured in twin blasts in Jammu city’s Narwal area. 
  • Erode by-poll date announced. 
  • Thackeray's birth anniversary commemorates. 
  • Men marrying girls aged below 14 years in Assam to be booked under POCSO Act: Assam CM
  • Udupi: 'Cong releases 10-point manifesto for Coastal areas'.
  • Unemployed man can't be forced to pay maintenance to wife: HC.
  • India invites FM Bilawal to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting. 
  • India issues notice over IWT to Pakistan. 
  • Modi holds Pariksha pe Charcha.
  • PM Modi will secure a new term as per the Mood Of the Nation survey.
  • Morbi Bridge case chargesheet filed.
  • SA, India sign MoU to translocate 12 cheetahs to Kuno National Park in MP. 
  • Meat banned in Aero India venue and surroundings.
World/International


  • Scores of Russian soldiers were killed when Ukrainian missiles struck a building in the occupied Donetsk region of Ukraine on New Year’s Day.
  • Lula da Silva was sworn in as Brazil’s president, amid fears of violence from Bolsonaro supporters.
  • Taiwan showed a willingness to offer help to China to deal with the Covid-19 surge. 
  • The house speaker race continued in limbo as Kevin McCarthy failed to get the needed votes due to the split within GOP. 
  • UK PM Rishi Sunak unveils plan for mandatory teaching of maths to students till the age of 18.
  • Biden and McConnel met together in Kentucky on the occasion of rebuilding the country. 
  • Russia announced a ceasefire for Orthodox Christmas. 
  • The second anniversary of January 6th was commemorated.
  • Kevin McCarthy becomes the speaker of HOR after several rounds of voting. 
  • Jeffries Hakkim becomes the first Black leader of the US Congress. 
  • Journalist George Stephanopoulos’ Producer, Dax Tejera, Dead at 37.
  • Pro-Bolsonaro supporters breach security barriers and break into the Brazilian Congress.
  • New House Rules Make It Easier to Dump Speaker, and Harder to Spend or Raise Taxes. 
  • Single-use plastic cutlery and plates are to be banned in England.
  • Ukrainians are to start training on Patriot missiles in the US soon. 
  • EU-NATO sign a joint agreement. 
  • 'Not mere fibs.' NY Republicans urge Santos to resign.
  • Nine states as well as D.C. prohibit the sale or possession of assault weapons. 
  • A tornado also delivered "significant damage" to the city of Selma.
  • Middle East military rankings: Turkey highest, Lebanon lowest per global index. 
  • Iran executes dual British-Iranian citizen Alireza Akbari.
  • Anti-Hijab protests in Iran subside.
  • Massive suicide blast kills 100 in Peshawar, Pakistan in a security complex mosque. 
  • Yeti Airlines plane crashes in Nepal. 
  • COVID-19 peak is crossed in China.
  • Smoking is back in the Capitol under the new Republican-controlled House. 
  • Mafia boss Matteo Messina Denaro, Italy’s most wanted man, was arrested in Sicily.
  • Vietnamese President Nguyen Xuan Phuc resigns, blamed for 'violations and wrongdoing'. 
  • Shehbaz Sharif has asked to make peace with India only to retract it later. 
  • China’s population falls; India has the highest population in the world. 
  • Classified documents were found at Biden's and Mike Pence's homes.
  • German parliament recognises Yazidi 'genocide' in Iraq.
  • Bill in US House to revoke Pakistan’s Major Non-NATO Ally status
  • Authorities in Indiana say a 25-year-old man opened fire in a Walmart store where he once worked, wounding at least one person before officers fatally shot him. 
  • The draft opinion showed Roe v. Wade would be overturned.
  • The US will send Stryker combat vehicles to Ukraine for the first time as part of $2.5 billion security package.
  • Rishi Sunak was fined for not wearing a seatbelt in the back of the car.
  • Two policemen were killed in a terror attack on a checkpost in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
  • China celebrates Lunar New Year.
  • Brazillian President Lula sacks far-right army head. 
  • Stockholm in protests after far-right politician burned the Quran.
  • Turkey objects to Sweden's NATO entry due to the same.
  • Massive gun violence was reported in California. 
  • McCarthy says he won't allow Swalwell, Schiff on House Intel Committee.
  • The US finalized plans to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine. 
  • Germany to send Leopard 2 tanks as well.
  • Ukraine shoots down missiles fired at Kyiv.
  • Mike Pompeo unveils his book. 
  • 5 former Memphis police officers face murder charges in Tyre Nichols' death.
  • Tyre Nichols died three days after being stopped by Memphis police. Five former officers have been charged with second-degree murder in his death.
  • House GOP freshmen boycott White House event over COVID protocols. 
  • Tanks to Ukraine mark change in Moroccan foreign policy.
  • Ukraine Shoots Down Three Russian Helicopters in 30 Minutes.
  •  DOJ announces arrests over alleged Iranian plot to kill U.S. journalist. 
  • 5 people were killed in the Jewish Synagogue attack.
  • Retired Czech general Petr Pavel wins the presidential election.
  • UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak fires Nadhim Zahawi as Conservative Party chairman.

Technology



  • Indian Railways are set to become the world’s largest ‘Green Railways’ by 2030.
  • 5 lakh footfall in New Year's Eve bash in Kochi, more than 200 sought medical assistance.
  • Paytm complains to NPCI on Cred’s UPI gamble
  • India starts National Hydrogen Mission
  • Ghaziabad-Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhya section becomes India’s longest rail track with an automatic signalling system.
  • Stop showing gory images, dead bodies, and physical assault, govt tells television channels in a strict advisory.
  • China unveils 18-MW world's largest offshore wind turbine that could power 40,000 homes annually.
  • Over 1,100 flights were grounded in the United States due to system failure as per FAA.
  • Bangladesh opens its first Metro.
  • Middle East military rankings: Turkey highest, Lebanon lowest per global index.
  • PWD allocates Rs 170 crore to renovate 22 roads to Sabarimala.
  • 'Congress' app to collect funds as part of ‘Rs 138 challenge’.
  • GPS and tracking are to be installed in all buses. 
  • Germany releases solar power boom.
  • The new EV factory starts operations in Kochi.
  • SAAB Ends Partnership With India’s Adani Group To Manufacture Gripen E Fighter Jets In India 
  • PIB fact-checks social posts to be removed as per the government.
  • BBC releases documentary on PM Modi's involvement in 2002.
  • Centre Blocks Tweets Sharing BBC Documentary Critical Of PM Modi using IT emergency powers.
  • Technical glitch causes Pakistan's electric grid to fail.
  • India uses emergency powers to block a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi from being seen in the country. 
  • ChatGPT records a massive number of downloads in a short span.
  • BMTC is likely to launch the NIMBUS app.
  • Trump mocks Meta as they reinstate him on Facebook and Instagram.
  • New York City will replace its largest fossil fuel plant with wind power, in the US first. 
  • FBI brings down massive ransomware gangs by "hacking the hackers".
  • Sukhoi and Mirage crashed after being in a mid-air collision.
Business and Finance


  • Senior TV journalist of India- Ravish Kumar quits NDTV. 
  • Elon Musk Becomes First Person Ever To Lose $200 Billion.
  • Cisco lays off nearly 700 employees in SF Bay Area in the US
  • RS Sodhi steps down as Amul MD; Jayen Mehta takes interim charge. 
  • New CEOs for Technopark, and Infopark appointed. 
  • Customs seize 4.65 kg gold at Karipur airport, biggest recent gold hunt under air cargo wing.
  • Govt raids Mukesh Ambanis' Hamley's stores. 
  • SC reserves order on ICICI scam case.
  • TCS stops remote work. 
  • A massive wave of resignations hit NDTV.
  • Trump Org. fined $1.6 million after conviction for 17 felonies, including tax fraud. 
  • Adidas loses 4-stripe trademark battle to Thom Browne.
  • Sabarimala earns record revenue.
  • Shashi Tharoor becomes Manorama Newsmaker of the year.
  • WEFORUM met this year successfully. 
  • Kerala New Year bumper out.
  • Google parent Alphabet to lay off 12,000 employees or 6% workforce worldwide.
  • Europe could dodge a recession. But the UK is in a mess.
  • Eight states are also involved in the legal action against Google.
  • Pathan becomes India's highest single-day earning film.
  • Interest rate hikes imposed by the Fed.
  • Hidenberg Report targets the Adani group. SEBI starts an enquiry. Adani gives a response. 
  • FBI brings down massive ransomware gangs by "hacking the hackers". 

Sports 


  • Cristiano Ronaldo joins Al Nassr.
  • World's largest hockey stadium Birsa Munda built-in Rourkela as part of World Cup 2023. India was knocked out before the quarter-finals. 
  • Germany won the Hockey World Cup, 
  • Indian cricket team members visit Sree Padmanabhaswamy temple in TVM ahead of ODI against Sri Lanka. 
  • India wins the T20 series vs Sri Lanka
  • Women's T20 to begin in South Africa. 
  • Pakistan to host cricket series against South Africa. 



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Happy New Year 2023!!

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