The Problems with Westphalian Nation-State System

-
Image
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...
Post a Comment

Newscapsule for the Month of April 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. 


Article of the month 

Kerala 

  • Arrears pending in petrol pumps; police cut down patrolling
  • G20 Sherpas Meet was held in Kumarakom successfully. 
  • Man attacked people on train using petrol in the bottle. 3 killed and the accused was arrested from Maharastra. NIA joined the investigation for finding the terror angle. 
  • Anil Antony, veteran Congress leader AK Antony's son, joins BJP. 
  • Attappady Madhu mob lynching: 14 out of 16 accused held guilty.
  • Thrissur food poisoning victim was murdered by his son, who is an Ayurveda doctor.
  • The First Vandebharat Express rakes arrived in Kerala within hours of the announcement. 
  • K J Alphons was inducted to the BJP core committee.
  • Plea questioning election victory of R Bindu quashed by HC.
  • Ibrahim Kunju's plea was rejected for ED questioning in the Palarivattom Flyover case.
  • Kochi Corporation fines the contractors on waste management. 
  • CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote letters to PM Modi to reconsider his decision on Vandebharat Express. 
  • CMDRF misuse: Kerala Lok Ayukta tones down attack on petitioner; case posted to June 5
  • Kerala's power consumption crosses 100 Million Units. 
  • Kerala Police arrests accused who wrote threat letter warning suicide bomb attack
  • 2019 accident case: Sriram Venkitaraman had the intention of evidence destruction, observes HC.
  • The KPCC chief to visit Arch Bishop as part of Christian outreach. 
  • Vande Bharat trains were surprisingly announced for Kerala and the fight for the same began. 
  • PM Modi arrived in Kerala for the Yuvam conference, political rallies and various inaugurations. 
  • PM Modi inaugurated Vandebharat Express, Kochi Water Metro, Digital Science Park and Tallest Hanuman Statue.
  • Kerala BJP leader visits St Thomas’s shrine.
  • Comedian and Actor Mamu Koya passed away. 
  • Dressed in 'Mundu', PM Modi holds a roadshow in Kochi.
  • A case has been taken against Congress leaders for putting posters on Vandebharat Express. 
  • Governor does a U-turn, and hands Saji Gopinath KTU VC charge. 
  • Mission Arikomban was successful, and Tusker was transported to Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary. 
  • KSRTC-SWIFT to employ female drivers to run electric buses in TVM. 
  • Thrissur Pooram successfully conducted. 
  • Thrissur Pooram fireworks light up the sky; Messi featured in 'Kudamattam'. 

India 


  • Cow Vigilantes kill a Muslim man to death for cow smuggling. 
  • Govt clears 26th tranche of electoral bonds ahead of Karnataka Elections.
  • BJP leader H R Chennakeshava joins JDS.
  • The Vatican Apologizes for the Church’s Historical Role in Justifying European Colonialism.
  • HC- Husbands have a moral and legal liability for providing alimony to wives even if he is unemployed. 
  • NCERT deletes important History content in textbooks. 
  • Muslims offer sweets to Hindus on Ram Navami in Bengal's Asansol.
  • Heavy violence was reported on Ram Navami day. 
  • K'Taka CM Bommai decided to contest from Shiggon, Siddaramiah from Varuna, DK Shivakumar from Kanakapura, 
  • IUML decides not to contest the elections and instead support Congress. 
  • Seven tourists killed as avalanche hits the road from Gangtok to Nathu La.
  • BJP meeting Christian delegation in Parliament as part of Kerala outreach.
  • Telangana SSC question paper ‘leaks’.
  • Kerala ASI was suspended for dancing on duty.
  • PM Modi flags off Vandebharat trains in TN, Rajasthan and Kerala.
  • Sachin Pilot fasts against CM Gehlot in Rajasthan.
  • Himachal passes Bill for the welfare of orphans and persons with special needs.
  • Fifty years of ‘Project Tiger' commemorated. 
  • SC raised the issue of Same-Sex marriage. 
  • Bihar Ram Navmi clashes: British-era madrasa library bears the brunt of the violence.
  • Indian Army pays tribute to the Bravehearts of Op Meghdoot on 39th Siachen Day.
  • Gangster Atiq Ahmed's son Asad was killed in an encounter in Jhansi by UP Police STF.
  • Jallianwala Bagh Massacre anniversary commemorated. 
  • Amit Shah launches Vibrant Villages Programme in Arunachal.
  • SC slams Karnataka order scrapping Muslim quota.
  • Samajwadi Party will be contesting elections in Madhya Pradesh.
  • NCP, CPI and TMC lose their national party status. 
  • 'Modi Silenced Me on Lapses Leading to Pulwama, Is Ignorant on J&K, Has No Problem with Corruption'- Ex-Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik to The Wire Interview.
  • The Kannada actor's OCI card was cancelled.
  • Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead in public view on camera. 
  • UP forms a Judicial committee to probe the same. 
  • Lakshman Savdi and Jagdeesh Shettar of BJP join Congress and are contesting on party tickets. 
  • Sachin Pilot enters a hunger strike against his own government.
  • All accused are acquitted in the Naroda Dam case. 
  • SC stays Lokayukta probe against former Karnataka CM Yediyurappa.
  • Thane Court Grants Rahul Gandhi Permanent Exemption From Appearance In 2014 Case.
  • India starts Operation Kaveri. 
  • Nandini vs Amul Controversy begins in Karnataka.
  • Kerala BJP leader visits St Thomas’s shrine.
  • Man opens fire at Woman in Saket Court.
  • Satya Pal Malik summoned by CBI.
  • Assam, Arunachal ink MoU to resolve the decades-long boundary dispute. 
  • NCERT removes Darwin's evolution theory from science textbooks.
  • Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal quotes a fake account of Satyapal Malik to attack the Modi government and CBI.
  • Radical Sikh ‘preacher’ Amritpal Singh arrested in Punjab.
  • Chinese President Xi Jinping holds a phone call with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky.
  • Shashi Tharoor lauds Kerala's attempt to teach students about the 2002 Gujarat riots, and Mughals.
  • New Indian Army headquarters ‘Thal Sena Bhawan’ likely to be ready by 2025.
  • India-China high-level talks held. 
  • UP Court Convicts Ex-MLA Mukhtar Ansari In A Gangster Act Case, Handed 10-Year Jail Term, ₹5 Lakh Fine Also Imposed.
World/International


  • A "catastrophic" tornado moved through Little Rock on Friday afternoon.
  • China's Colleges Give Students 7-Day Break 'To Fall In Love' As Birth Rate Plummets.
  • Biden issues his second Veto.
  • Donald Trump is set to be arraigned Tuesday on the first criminal charges against a former president.
  • Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces 2024 White House bid
  • A pro-Putin military blogger was killed in a Cafe in St. Petersberg. 
  • Ron-DeSantis signs the bill to allow the permitless carrying of guns in Florida.
  • Pet owners are facing longer wait times and rising costs at U.S. vet clinics. Some are taking their business to Mexico.
  • Hush money case: Trump flies to New York for court surrender
  • OIC raises the issue of Ram Navami violence.
  • Brandon Johnson Is Elected Mayor of Chicago.
  • SC refuses to entertain the plea of 14 parties alleging misuse of central probe agencies.
  • Finland joins NATO. 
  • Nigeria shooting: Gunmen kill at least 50 in attacks on village.
  • Top secret US documents leaked from Pentagon on Russia-Ukraine war.
  • PM Modi holds talk with UK counterpart Sunak, calls for strong action against anti-India elements.
  • Two black lawmakers were expelled by the Republican supermajority in the state House of Representatives and taken back.
  • FBI arrests 21-year-old US Air National Guard for online intelligence leaks.
  • Japanese PM Fumio Kishida evacuated after an attack on him. 
  • Civil War in Sudan restarts. Countries pull out their citizens. 
  • Aravind Kejriwal was summoned by ED for questioning. 
  • White House Correspondents Association Dinner held. 
  • Ron Desantis escalates legal tussle with Disney, which it fights back through a lawsuit. 
  • Joe Biden ends COVID-19 emergency.
  • 'Mehul Choksi can’t be removed from Antigua and Barbuda’ as per the court. 
  • 12th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization held.
  • The Rohingya and Myanmar’s planned election as ICJ keeps the heat on the junta.
  • Indian Students Restricted from Five Australian Universities Over Sham Visas.
  • Massive flooding was reported in Fort Lauderdale. 
  • NATO chief visits Kyiv for the first time since the Russian invasion.
  • China rows back after envoy denies the sovereignty of former Soviet states
  • Indian Masters student working as fuel station clerk shot dead in the US.
  • DeSantis asks the Biden administration to declare Broward County a disaster area.
  • Gov. Bill Lee proposed keeping guns away from those deemed a risk to others.
  • SCOTUS allows abortion pills.
  • The US has seen one mass killing a week this year. 
  • The law against caste-based discrimination was passed in the US.  
  • Pak PM Shehbaz Sharif wins trust vote in Parliament.
  • 5 Killed in Texas shooting.

Technology



  • German investor accuses Zonta of fraud, complains to PM Modi.
  • There was a chemical leak in the Adani pipeline in Kochi.
  • Twitter replaced the bird logo with a dog.
  • Varanasi-bound flight makes emergency landing at Shamshadabad after 'technical problem'.
  • UGC NET results out. 
  • The new fleet of 131 K-SWIFT started their service. 
  • Kerala gets Semi-High-Speed Rail Vandebharat Express. 
  • A train accident took place in The Netherlands.
  • Elderly woman earns praise for averting train mishap in Mangaluru. 
  • Bank account of a shop frozen in Kochi as per instruction of Gujarat Cyber Police.
  • NASA launches device to monitor air pollution from space
  • SC bans the sale of Illegal Firecrackers online. 
  • NPR ends its usage of Twitter as it was called a state-funded Mediahouse.
  • Germany shuts down its last nuclear power plant.
  • Vodafone placed a 200 cr order with Huawei.
  • Railway Minister says K-Rail still not off the cards.
  • Kerala MVD installs AI cameras to catch and fine traffic violators. 
  • Kerala to issue smart card driving licenses with seven security features from April 20.
  • The starship of SpaceX explodes soon after takeoff. 
  • A deal was done using cards, UPI & Russian financial messaging system. 
  • PM Modi's 100th Mann ki Baat episode goes live. 
Business and Finance


  • Fox News faced a lawsuit for spreading lies about the 2020 election by Dominion Systems.
  • Elon Musk seeks to end its $258B Dogecoin lawsuit.
  • Stormy Daniels and her alleged tryst with Donald Trump gained attention. 
  • Rents double in Bangalore city.
  • Cyrus Poonawala attacks the Socialist policies of the current Indian government.
  • Two hundred per cent increase in Jharkhand’s pension coverage.
  • Russia records a new high oil production level amidst war.
  • Bank of Baroda stops clearing paperwork for Russian oil purchase. 
  • Substack CEO dismisses Musk's claims. 
  • Fox News settles its dispute outside court for $787 Million. 
  • Indian authorities dismiss news of India-UK trade talks being stalled: Report
  • Sardar Sarovar Dam reaches record low on profits. 
  • Brahmapuram fire: Kerala HC stays NGT order imposing Rs 100 cr fine on Kochi Corporation.
  • Milma withdraws price hike of Rich milk; Smart packet will cost Rs 25.
  • Elon Musk loses $12.6B in a day.
  • Fox News ends the contract with Tucker Carlson. 
  • CNN ends the contract with Don Lemon.
  • Byju's office was raided by ED. 

Sports 


  • Odisha FC beat Gokulam Kerala FC to qualify for the AFC Cup 2023-24.
  • IPL continues in a splendid fashion.
  • Saina Nehwal to skip Asian Games. 
  • Ding Liren becomes China's first Chess Champion.
  • Protests by Wrestlers in Delhi continue. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

European Refugee Crisis- A Podcast

-
Image
Greetings to all listeners!! Human Rights have been the hot topic of the previous decade. It will continue to be a hot topic as we go ahead. But the main reason Human Rights came into the mainstream discussion was Refugee Crisis. It is not a new concept, but found relevance in the last decade due to a series of events starting from the Syrian Civil War in 2011, then war against terror in Iraq, Libya, Yemen, parts of Africa etc. Although the debate of Refugee crisis grabbed global attention only after it reached Europe. The first massive refugee crisis was soon after World War, after the massive destruction it created throughout Europe. That was when the 1951 Refugee Convention came into effect, later there was the 1967 Geneva Protocol. Now, we have seen another refugee crisis in Europe were refugees from the Middle East, Afghanistan, Africa etc came to the doorstep of Europe knocking the doors of the EU. Today we are decoding the events leading to that, how Europe reacted, it's...
Read more

Understanding the boycott of France by Islamic countries and the recent incidents in France and how it leaves us with countless lessons for us to think about

-
Image
//Islamic Countries referred here are the states of Organisation of Islamic Nations (OIC). This is purely factual and meant for education/awareness and not for hurting individual religious or political sentiments.//  On October 2nd, French President Emanuel Macron had informed that he will strengthen the Separation of Church and the State Law in France which was established in 1905. The French Secularism law is also known as  laïcité . The most controversial part of his speech was "Islamic Separatism" in France. Turkey, which also follows the same laws of secularism, but is now lead by an Islamic Nationalist dictatorial leader Erdogan was the first and strongest critic of these statements. Similar reactions followed in Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, etc where is freedom and democracy while the Arab states still continued the silence.  Recent incidents in France Was Macron right in making these statements? Everyone is divided over it. France is a country that supports ab...
Read more

Political Events to Watch for In 2024

-
Image
2023 ended with a hope for another year of normalcy. Everyone expects 2024 to be as good as 2023. Politically speaking, 2024 will be one of the most important years for world politics. Hence, this year is something that you should be surely watching this year. 2024 will have more elections than any year to date. Over 7 out of 10 most populous countries in the world are heading for polls this year. India, the most populous one, will have a two-month-long election process in the summer. Elections in India are like festivals.  CREDITS- WIKI More than 3 Billion voters will select their leaders which will affect the population of more than 4 Billion people. This is more than half the world that is heading for polls. It is not just full democracies electing but even semi-democracies, hybrid regimes and much more. Besides elections, there are two major conflicts happening- the Russia-Ukraine War and the Israel-Hamas conflict. There are other minor issues affecting people’s lives as well s...
Read more