FirstUp: US Congress to be briefed on Iran conflict, Canada's Carney begins Australia visit

Tuesday (March 3) is set to be a massive day in terms of news.

The US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine, will address lawmakers today (March 3) on the ongoing US-Israel conflict with Iran.

In other news, after his trip to India, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to visit Australia. Carney during the trip is expected to address Australian Parliament, according to government officials.

All this and more of the big news from across the world today.

US Congress to be briefed on Iran conflict

Both chambers of the United States Congress will be briefed today about the ongoing US-Israel strikes on Iran, according to the US Department of State.

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Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency John Ratcliffe, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine will brief lawmakers, according to Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson.

The conflict in West Asia has entered its fourth day. Iran continues to reel and retaliate after the US and Israel unleashed a deadly bombing wave across Iran on Saturday morning (February 28), killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other senior commanders.

Canada's Carney begins Australia visit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney begins his Australia visit starting today (March 3). According to government officials, Carney will address Australia’s Parliament during the trip.

Both Canada and Australia are Commonwealth countries and partners in the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance, along with the US, UK and New Zealand, according to reports. Canada and Australia signed an agreement last year to deploy an over-the-horizon radar system.

After his trip to India, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney starts a visit to Australia. Image courtesy: X

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney arrived in India last week on a high‑stakes diplomatic visit widely framed as an effort to clean up the foreign‑policy wreckage left behind by Justin Trudeau’s tenure.

Total lunar eclipse today

One of the most striking astronomical events, a total lunar eclipse, will be visible in India today (March 3).

During a total lunar eclipse, the Moon moves completely into Earth’s umbral shadow, giving it a darker appearance, whereas in a partial lunar eclipse, only part of the Moon enters the shadow.

The India Meteorological Department has provided the timing: Eclipse begins at 3:20 pm, total phase starts at 4:34 pm. Total phase ends at 5:33 pm. Eclipse ends at 6:48 pm.

Primary elections in Texas

Primary elections will be held in Texas today. Voters will choose Democratic and Republican candidates who will face off in November’s congressional races for the US Senate and the US House.

Along with one of Texas’s two US Senate seats being contested for a six-year term, all 38 seats in the US House of Representatives are up for election for two-year terms, NBC reported.

100-day countdown to the start of FIFA 2026 World Cup

The 100-day countdown to the biggest World Cup in history gets underway today (March 3) against a chaotic backdrop of global unrest, from US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

A total of 104 matches will be held across 16 venues and four time zones, with the bulk of the action occurring in the United States, which will host 78 games, according to reports.

With inputs from agencies