Episode Details

Today Updates — Tuesday, 3 March 2026 | World, Australia and India News Podcast on Radio Haanji 1674 AM

Tuesday morning brings one of the most consequential news days of 2026, and host Gautam Kapil is on Radio Haanji 1674 AM to cut through the noise and bring the Punjabi and Indian community the facts that matter most. From a Middle East war entering its fourth day to a historic diplomatic reset between India and Canada, today's episode of Today Updates covers the full picture — world, Australia and India — in one essential daily listen.

World Updates — A War That Is Reshaping the Global Order

The United States and Israel launched a fresh and intensified round of strikes on Iran overnight Tuesday, marking the fourth consecutive day of Operation Epic Fury. President Donald Trump addressed the nation via CNN, telling anchor Jake Tapper that the US military is "knocking the crap" out of Iran, and that the "big wave" is yet to come. On the question of how long the war will last, Trump said the military had originally projected four to five weeks to terminate Iran's military leadership, but suggested the operation was running ahead of schedule. Trump also left open the possibility the conflict could run significantly longer. Speaking separately, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth sought to reassure critics that the campaign would not become an endless war, stating: "This is not Iraq. This is not endless. This operation is a clear, devastating, decisive mission."

Qatar became the most dramatic single battlefield outside Iran on Tuesday. The Qatar Emiri Air Force shot down two Iranian Su-24 fighter-bomber aircraft — the first Iranian crewed aircraft confirmed destroyed in air-to-air combat since the war began. Qatar also intercepted seven ballistic missiles and five drones on the same day. Over the course of the conflict to date, Qatari forces have intercepted 63 missiles and 11 drones, with two missiles reaching Al Udeid Air Base — the key US installation near Doha — and one drone targeting an early warning radar system. Iran also targeted energy infrastructure, with drones striking a power plant in Mesaieed and a QatarEnergy facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City. The Ras Laffan attack forced Qatar's state energy firm to halt liquefied natural gas production, causing benchmark European and Asian wholesale gas prices to surge by 39 to 50 per cent in a single session.

Britain, France and Germany issued a joint statement declaring they were ready to take defensive military action against Iran if required. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that the US had been granted access to British military bases for defensive strikes on Iranian missile launchers, emphasising that this was a defensive, not offensive, posture. France's Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot went further, stating that France was "ready" to defend Gulf countries and Jordan against Iranian attacks. Germany, meanwhile, clarified it had no intention of participating offensively, with Foreign Minister Wadephul saying Berlin did not have the military resources to do so. The death toll from Operation Epic Fury inside Iran has climbed to at least 555 people. Four US service members have now been confirmed killed in Iranian retaliatory strikes. Iran's Foreign Minister has indicated that a new supreme leader could be announced within days.

Australia's Parliament in Session as the Middle East Crisis Dominates

Australia's federal parliament is in a scheduled sitting week from 2 to 5 March, the third House sitting week of the 48th Parliament's 2026 autumn sessi