Morning Brief: Golden Boy Of Global Illiberal Left Bows Out In Disgrace; India Backs Kabul As Taliban's Ties With Pakistan Unravel; 7.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Nepal

Catch up on the day’s must-read stories with Swarajya's roundup of the morning's headlines.

Golden Boy Of Global Illiberal Left Politics Bows Out In Disgrace

Justin Trudeau, after nine tumultuous years as Canada’s Prime Minister, announced his resignation, admitting the country “deserves a real choice in the next election.” Once hailed as a progressive icon, Trudeau’s leadership has crumbled under the weight of domestic failures and dwindling support within his own party.

Trudeau will remain in office until the Liberal Party chooses a successor. His press conference in Ottawa was riddled with lofty rhetoric, but it’s clear his exit is driven by plummeting popularity and mounting crises at home.

Under Trudeau, Canada has faced runaway inflation, a housing crisis, and a botched immigration strategy. He was also accused of restricting freedoms, particularly targeting those he did not consider his voter base—most notably the truckers who protested against him and faced frozen bank accounts as retaliation.

Internationally, his baseless accusations against India have backfired, with New Delhi accusing him of deflecting from domestic woes.

Once the golden boy of the global liberal left—fundamentally illiberal in nature—Trudeau now bows out as a leader whose tenure ended in disgrace.

India Backs Kabul As Taliban's Ties With Pakistan Unravel

Amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan over Pakistani airstrikes on Afghan civilians, India condemned the attacks and expressed solidarity with Kabul. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) criticized Pakistan for targeting innocent civilians and accused it of habitually blaming neighbors for its internal issues.

The Taliban regime warned Pakistan that its actions violated international norms and would face consequences, further escalating border tensions. Pakistan claimed the airstrikes were in retaliation for cross-border attacks by the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), while Afghanistan accused Pakistan of violating its sovereignty. The December 24 strikes in Afghanistan’s Paktika province killed at least 51 people, reigniting a dispute over TTP activities and Pakistan’s aggressive military response.

7.1-Magnitude Quake Hits Nepal, Tremors Felt In North India

A 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Nepal early Tuesday morning, with tremors felt across Delhi-NCR, Bihar, and other parts of North India. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at 6:35 am near the Nepal-Tibet border, 93 kilometers northeast of Lobuche. In Kathmandu, over 200 kilometers from the epicenter, buildings shook as the tremors were felt across the region, according to AFP. The quake originated at a depth of 10 kilometers in China’s Tibet region, as per the USGS. No immediate reports of damage or casualties have been received so far.

Other Developments

First Generation IITs See Decline In Campus Placement

Recent data highlights shifting hiring trends at Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), with at least four older IITs experiencing a decline in campus placement percentages over the past few years. Surveys suggest this may coincide with a rise in students independently securing jobs outside campus placements. The Indian Express analysed placement data from five first-generation IITs under the RTI Act, covering the years 2018-19 to 2023-24, while IIT Madras and IIT Guwahati referred to their annual reports.

Among the institutes that disclosed data, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Roorkee reported placement rate drops between 5 and 16 percentage points across undergraduate, postgraduate, and research programs. These trends emerge amid a shifting global tech landscape, economic uncertainties, and growing competition in the job market for IIT graduates. The changing placement scenario reflects broader challenges faced by students navigating a dynamic employment ecosystem.

US Moves To Lift Restrictions For Nuclear Deal Operationalisation

In an incremental move towards operationalising the Indo-US nuclear deal, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced on Monday that the US is finalising steps to lift long-standing restrictions that have prevented civil nuclear cooperation between India’s top nuclear institutions and US companies. This includes the removal of Indian government entities from the US Entity List, which imposes export controls on entities that pose national security risks. These restrictions are designed to prevent the trade of goods and technologies that could support terrorism or weapons of mass destruction programs. The announcement, made just two weeks before US President-elect Donald Trump takes office, is notable as the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, signed in 2008, has not been operationalised in more than a decade and half.

Government Addresses Concerns About HMPV As Cases Rise

Union Health Minister JP Nadda addressed concerns about Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) on Monday, reassuring the public that it is not a new virus and urging calm. First identified in 2001, HMPV has been circulating globally for years, Nadda explained. In a video message, he assured citizens that the government is closely monitoring the situation and taking necessary steps to protect public health.

He clarified that HMPV spreads through the air, can affect all age groups, and is more common during winter and early spring months. Nadda's comments followed reports of five confirmed cases in India, including two in Tamil Nadu and three infants in Karnataka and Gujarat testing positive for the virus.

Techie Suicide Case: Karnataka HC Rejects Wife's Plea To Cancel FIR

The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a plea to cancel the First Information Report (FIR) filed against Nikita Singhania in connection with the alleged suicide of Bengaluru techie Atul Subhash. Subhash, an employee at an automobile company, reportedly died by suicide after facing alleged torture and a demand for Rs 3 crore from his wife for a divorce settlement. The court ruled that the FIR provided enough grounds to pursue the charge of abetment of suicide. The bench questioned why Singhania would resist an investigation, pointing out that the complaint met the necessary criteria.

From The States

TM: Stalin Offers $1M Prize for Deciphering Indus Valley Script

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin's offer of a $1 million prize to decipher the Indus Valley script aims to address the mystery of the ancient civilisation while advancing his political agenda. The announcement follows a study by the state's Archaeological Department, which highlights striking similarities between the Indus Valley script and graffiti discovered in Tamil Nadu.

The research analysed over 15,000 pot shards from 140 Tamil Nadu sites and compared them with 4,000 artefacts from the Indus Valley. The study identified 42 base signs, 544 variants, and 1,521 composite forms, with nearly 60 per cent of the base signs matching the Indus script. This finding strengthens Stalin's positioning as a champion of "Dravidian interests" and a vocal critic of the BJP and its ideology.

Maoist IED Blast Kills Nine In Chhattisgarh

In a major Maoist attack, nine people, including eight District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel and a civilian driver, were killed when an IED weighing 70 kg exploded in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Monday. The blast occurred near Ambeli village as DRG personnel were returning from a three-day anti-Maoist operation, during which five Maoists, including a woman cadre, were killed. The DRG, a specialized unit of local tribals and surrendered Maoists, suffered its first major loss of 2025 in this counteroffensive. Chhattisgarh recorded significant anti-Maoist actions in 2024, with 287 Maoists killed, 1,000 arrested, and 837 surrendered, including 14 top-ranking leaders.

Follow along for more updates throughout the day.