Episode Details

Today Updates — Monday, 2 March 2026 | World, Australia and India News on Radio Haanji 1674 AM

Monday morning brings some of the most consequential news the world has seen in years, and host Gautam Kapil is on Radio Haanji 1674 AM to walk the Indian and Punjabi community through every major development — from a catastrophic plane crash in South America to a full-scale military conflict reshaping the Middle East. This is your daily Punjabi news podcast, and today's edition is one you will want to share with your family.

World Updates

A Bolivian Air Force cargo plane carrying 18 tonnes of freshly printed banknotes crashed onto a busy highway near the capital city of La Paz on Friday, killing at least 22 people and injuring nearly 40 more. The military C-130 Hercules aircraft veered off the runway at El Alto International Airport during severe weather, including heavy hailstorm and lightning, and ploughed into vehicles travelling on a major road below. Dozens of cars were destroyed and rescue teams worked through the night to recover victims. In the immediate aftermath, hundreds of people rushed to the crash site to collect the scattered bills that had spilled across the road. Bolivian authorities deployed more than 500 soldiers and 100 police officers to disperse the crowds, and ultimately set the cash alight in a bonfire — declaring the notes legally worthless as they had never officially entered circulation.

The world is waking up to a dramatically changed Middle East this morning. The United States and Israel launched a large-scale coordinated military operation, officially named Operation Epic Fury, on Saturday, targeting Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps facilities, missile sites and nuclear infrastructure across 24 of Iran's 31 provinces. Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the strikes — a seismic development that has sent shockwaves through global capitals. Iran responded swiftly and aggressively, launching waves of ballistic missiles and drones targeting US military bases across the region, including the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters in Bahrain, US installations in Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE, as well as Israeli territory. The IRGC claimed strikes on 27 US military bases. US Central Command confirmed three American service members were killed and five seriously wounded. Global oil prices surged more than eight per cent almost immediately, raising fears of a wider economic shock. The conflict remains active, with major combat operations continuing as of this morning.

Iran's military escalation extended to a direct challenge to global oil shipping. The IRGC targeted commercial tankers near the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow waterway through which approximately 20 per cent of the world's daily oil supply passes. The US military responded by sinking nine Iranian naval vessels. With the Strait now under threat, energy markets are in turmoil and economists are warning of sustained price rises across the world.

What the Middle East Crisis Means for Australians

The escalating conflict in the Middle East is already having direct consequences for people in Australia. Motorists are being urged by experts to fill their tanks now, as analysts predict Australian petrol prices could rise by as much as 40 cents per litre if global crude prices continue climbing toward the $100 per barrel mark. Long queues were already forming at petrol stations across Melbourne and other cities on Sunday evening, with reports of lines stretching over a kilometre in some locations. AMP Chief Economist Shane Ol