Episode Details

Today Updates - 11 March 2026 - World, Australia and India News on Radio Haanji

Wednesday morning on Radio Haanji 1674 AM, host Ranjodh Singh brought listeners the biggest stories shaping the world, Australia and India right now. From the continuing war in the Middle East to a major shift in Australian politics and the start of NAPLAN season, Today Updates covered it all in one sharp, community-focused morning bulletin. Tune in at haanji.com.au or wherever you listen to your favourite Punjabi podcast Australia.

World Updates

The conflict between Iran, the United States and Israel continues to dominate global headlines as it enters its eleventh day. The US and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iran on 28 February 2026, triggering a wave of retaliatory missile and drone attacks by Iran across Israel and several Gulf nations, including Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. Iran has made clear it will not back down, with senior officials including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stating the country is prepared to continue striking for as long as necessary. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards also pushed back against comments from President Trump, declaring it is Iran — not Washington — that will determine when the war ends.

Global oil markets have been severely disrupted by the conflict, with prices surging above one hundred dollars per barrel due to fears over disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Trump held a press conference in Florida on Monday in which he claimed the US was achieving major progress toward its military objectives and that the war could be nearing an end, though he stopped short of giving a firm timeline. He also said he would consider easing sanctions on certain countries to help stabilise oil supply during the crisis.

In a significant diplomatic development, President Trump held a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday — the first conversation between the two leaders since the war began. The Kremlin described the hour-long call as frank and constructive, with Putin presenting proposals for a swift political settlement. Trump acknowledged the call was positive but urged Putin to focus on ending the war in Ukraine as well, telling reporters, "He wants to be helpful on Iran. I told him you can be more helpful by ending the war in Ukraine." The call underscores growing international concern over both the humanitarian and economic fallout of the widening Middle East conflict.

Lebanon has been drawn deeper into the crisis, with over 700,000 people now displaced as Israeli strikes and Hezbollah rocket exchanges escalate across the country. The International Rescue Committee has issued an emergency alert, warning that the displacement crisis is becoming the most visible humanitarian consequence of the war. Lebanon's Prime Minister has called on all parties to allow displaced families to return home safely.

The Afghanistan-Pakistan border has also seen rising tensions, with the UN Refugee Agency reporting an estimated 115,000 people internally displaced inside Afghanistan and several thousand more in Pakistan due to active conflict along the border region.

Australia in Focus - Politics and Education in the Spotlight

In a major political development, National Party leader David Littleproud announced his resignation on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, stepping down after nearly four years at the helm of the part