Top News Audio Briefing – 26 Oct 2026, 12 AM
1- Good evening, and welcome to the Times of India’s Top News Audio Briefing. We’re covering a range of crucial developments today, starting with a political controversy here in India.
2- Indeed. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has sparked a significant row with his recent “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” remark, made at a program in Patna. This comment, captured in a video, led to a strong retort from Kharge after a person shouted “Modi nahi jayega.”
3- The BJP has hit back forcefully, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah accusing Kharge of crossing all limits and attributing the Congress’s “frustration” to repeated electoral defeats. Shah cited past derogatory remarks against PM Modi and his family.
4- Meanwhile, the Congress has countered, alleging the person who shouted was a BJP worker and claiming Kharge’s “baap” reference was actually for the RSS and its chief, Mohan Bhagwat. They’ve accused the BJP of disrespecting their national president.
5- In other news from Delhi, an FIR has been registered against opposition MPs for alleged trespassing at Jamia Millia Islamia University. This follows a complaint by university authorities amid ongoing student protests demanding the restoration of the students’ union.
6- Jamia Registrar Md Mahtab Alam Rizvi accused Congress MPs Imran Masood and Imran Pratapgarhi of entering the campus without authorization, with Masood reportedly crossing a wall and Pratapgarhi breaking a lock. The protests, which began on October 12th, also highlight concerns over attendance policies and hostel facilities.
7- The controversy has widened further with reports of “Free Kashmir” graffiti on campus walls, which the university condemned. However, MP Imran Masood stated he denounced the slogan, maintaining Kashmir is an integral part of India.
8- Moving overseas now, the United States is reportedly preparing for the possibility of a major global war. The Pentagon is working on plans to keep military bases operational for at least 90 days without external support, an initiative known as FORTRESS.
9- This “doomsday plan” involves portable nuclear reactors, large-scale battery storage, and microgrids to allow bases to disconnect from civilian power grids. It also includes developing strategic reserves and preparing civilian factories for defense production during a crisis.
10- The Pentagon is also expanding efforts to prevent foreign adversaries from developing technologies that could undermine America’s military advantage, reportedly establishing a secretive Technology Support Office, or TSO.
11- From defense strategies, we turn to a new development in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. Russia has reportedly begun using a new cruise missile, the Filin, which combines a Russian-made jet engine with electronic components linked to American and Chinese manufacturers.
12- This weapon, with an advertised range of up to 1,200 kilometers, adds to Moscow’s growing arsenal of relatively inexpensive long-range weapons, further stretching Kyiv’s air defenses amidst sustained aerial attacks.
13- Turning to South America, Brazilian voters are heading to the ballot box for a closely contested presidential runoff between incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro.
14- The campaign has centered on rising living costs, crime, corruption, and mounting pressure on public finances. Foreign policy is also a key issue, with Bolsonaro seeking stronger ties with the US, while Lula advocates multilateralism.
15- In Venezuela, opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado has returned to the country after nearly a year abroad, following a US military operation in January that removed President Nicolás Maduro from power.
16- US President Donald Trump, who welcomed deals involving US companies in Venezuela and voiced support for interim president Delcy Rodríguez, stated he knew nothing about Machado’s return, describing her as a “very nice woman” while suggesting continued backing for Rodríguez.
17- In the Middle East, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing backlash over a controversial proposal to use cryptocurrency and blockchain technology to circumvent potential international sanctions.
18- The Bank of Israel has issued a rare rebuke, stating cryptocurrencies “cannot be used as a route for bypassing sanctions.” Economists and political opponents have also warned of severe economic conseque
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