Ebola cases on the rise in DRC & more updates | DD India live | 6 PM IST

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:09][music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music] >> Live from New Delhi, you're watching DD India live, India's voice to the world.

[00:01:10]I'm Ramesh Ramachandran. Coming up in the next 30 [music] minutes.

[00:01:16]US President Trump ends Iran meeting without a deal. Aids say agreement possible only if Tehran agrees to all conditions.

[00:01:27]Myanmar's president arrives in New Delhi from Bodh Gaya, reflecting the spiritual, historical, and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

[00:01:38]India sends sacred relics of Buddha's chief disciples to Mongolia for public viewing.

[00:01:47]And Ebola cases on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Health authorities report a sharp surge in suspected infections across affected regions.

[00:02:08]>> [music] [music] >> As questions swirled about the state of negotiations to end the US-Iran war, President Donald Trump said that he will only make peace with Iran if it meets all of his conditions. The White House had indicated that President Trump was close to a decision on a potential deal even as Tehran insisted that there was still no final agreement on ending the conflict. President Trump attended a 2-hour meeting in the White House Situation Room on Friday but did not reach a decision.

[00:02:57]In a social media post, President Trump said Iran would remove mines from the Strait of Hormuz and end its blockade of the waterway with no tolls while the US would lift its parallel blockade of Iranian ports.

[00:03:09]A deal was in the offing to extend a truce in place since early April for another 60 days to allow oil and gas shipments to resume through the strategic waterway while negotiators tackle tricky issues such as Iran's nuclear program.

[00:03:29]Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ismail Baghai said that no final understanding has been reached in ongoing talks with the United States. He said Tehran remains focused on ending the conflict rather than discussing nuclear details.

[00:03:45]He rejected Western demands saying that Iran makes decisions based on its own national interests and would not accept the language of must. The two countries still appear to differ on significant issues that have been central to the conflict. The deal was waiting on Trump's sign-off following weeks of halting negotiations over a conflict that has engulfed the West Asian region and shaken the global economy.

[00:04:14]The United States issued new counterterrorism sanctions on Friday targeting Iranian individuals and entities, among others. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Friday that any removal of the US financial and economic blockade on Iran would be slow.

[00:04:32]He said US had seized $1 billion in Iranian cryptocurrency assets as part of the economic component of President Trump's war on the Islamic Republic.

[00:04:44]Pentagon chief Pete Hoekstra said US is ready to restart attacks on Iran if a deal cannot be reached as negotiators from Washington, D.C. and Tehran work to bridge major differences blocking an agreement. Hoekstra was speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's premier forum for defense leaders, militaries, and diplomats.

[00:05:04]He said the US has more than sufficient stockpiles of weapons.

[00:05:08]Hoekstra is leading a bumper US delegation to the event that provides chances for both open debate and behind closed doors diplomacy.

[00:05:18]>> The entire ability to commence it necessary is uh we're more than capable. Our stockpiles are are more than suited for that, both there and around the globe because of how we balance exquisite and and more plentiful munitions. So, we're in a very good place.

[00:05:34]>> Hoekstra also said that the US has not turned its back on the Asia Pacific region despite being engaged in the conflict with Iran. He said there was a rightful alarm over Beijing's military buildup, but the US sought a respectful regional balance.

[00:05:54]>> The president has constantly articulated is a genuinely stable equilibrium that works for Americans as well as our allies. A favorable but durable balance of power in which no state including China can impose its hegemony and hold the security or prosperity of our nation and our allies being in question.

[00:06:18]>> Moving on to Israel-Lebanon tensions now, military officials from both nations held productive talks in Washington, D.C. on Friday. A US official said adding that the meeting will complement upcoming diplomatic discussions. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that his country's forces had pushed deeper into Lebanon even as Israeli and Lebanese military delegations were holding landmark security talks in Washington, D.C.

[00:06:45]A truce to halt the fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group was supposed to have taken effect on 17th April but has never been observed. Both sides accuse each other of violating it and justify the attacks by the others alleged breaches.

[00:07:04]The United Nations has said its peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon continues to observe intensive Israeli military air and ground activity across the UNIFIL and Lebanon area of operations including activity reported north of the Litani River and said access and emergency response capacity remain severely constrained.

[00:07:28]>> Elsewhere in Lebanon, local authorities tell us that repeated evacuation orders are forcing families to flee repeatedly and then return to their homes as security conditions shift. The humanitarian and resident coordinator for Lebanon, Imran Riza, said today he's deeply alarmed by the intensification of hostilities and the impact of evacuation orders by Israel have on communities across the country. In a statement, he referred to reports that air strikes have harmed civilians as they attempted to leave areas under displacement orders, stressing that international humanitarian law clearly states that civilians, including health workers and first responders, must be protected.

[00:08:11]>> Amid renewed tensions in the Ukraine-Russia conflict, Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have made fresh remarks on the situation.

[00:08:22]President Putin said his 9th May remarks about the conflict eventually ending were based on Russia's assessment of battlefield advances. He also rejected Western claims that Russia is preparing for a war with Europe, calling those allegations false. He further slammed Western media coverage of what Moscow described as a Ukrainian drone attack on a student dormitory in Russian-controlled Luhansk that Russian authorities say killed 21 people.

[00:08:52]Meanwhile, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv remains focused on weakening Russia's effort and accused Russia of preparing a major new attack on Ukraine. In his nightly video address, Zelenskyy accused Russia, saying Ukrainian authorities have information about a new large-scale Russian strike and that Ukrainian defense services are prepared.

[00:09:17]Ebola cases are on the rise in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with health authorities reporting a sharp surge in suspected infections across affected regions. Congo's public health minister, Samuel Roger Kamba, said on Saturday that the number of suspected Ebola cases has increased to 1,028 from 906 reported a day earlier.

[00:09:40]He said that confirmed cases now stand at 225 as authorities continue surveillance, testing, and response measures in the affected areas.

[00:09:53]>> If you go by yesterday's figures, I will tell you that we are at around 1,000 suspected cases as I announced, perhaps 1,028 suspected cases. That is hardly any different from yesterday, but what is new today and will become even more so is that with significantly improved laboratory capacity from tomorrow, I will be able to tell you how many cases of Ebola we have. Today, I can tell you that with all the tests we have carried out since the start of this outbreak up to today, we have 225 cases of Ebola.

[00:10:28]>> Reflecting the strong spiritual, historical, and people-to-people ties between Myanmar and India, the president of Myanmar, U Win Myint Aung Hlaing, began his India visit from Bodh Gaya.

[00:10:39]The visiting leader offered his prayers at Mahabodhi Temple. During his visit to New Delhi, the president of Myanmar will hold discussions with Prime Minister Modi on Sunday on further strengthening the historical and civilizational ties between the two countries.

[00:10:56]He will also participate in a business forum.

[00:10:59]Myanmar lies at the confluence of India's neighborhood first, Act East, and Sagar policies. The official visit of President Win Myint Aung Hlaing to India is expected to further strengthen and deepen the multifaceted ties between the two countries.

[00:11:18]The visiting dignitary, the president of Myanmar, Win Myint Aung Hlaing, was given a warm welcome upon his arrival in New Delhi from Bodh Gaya.

[00:11:26]The visiting head of state of Myanmar was received by Minister of State for External Affairs, V. Muraleedharan Singh, at airport. The visit provides an opportunity to further strengthen the bilateral partnership.

[00:11:41]The sacred relics of Arahan the Sariputra and Arahan the Maha Moggallana, Gautam Buddha's chief disciples, were ceremoniously placed at Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, capital of Mongolia, in the presence of former president of Mongolia, Nambaryn Enkhbayar.

[00:11:58]Assam's Governor, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, and Mongolia Education Minister, Enkh-Amgalan Luvsanlkhundev, were also present during the ceremony conducted by Supreme Abbot of the Gandan Monastery.

[00:12:10]India's Ambassador to Mongolia, Atul Malhari Gotsurve, informed DD India that the exposition of the relics will be inaugurated for public veneration at the Gandan Monastery from 1st to 10th June.

[00:12:22]For Mongolia, the arrival of these relics carry great importance. Thousands of devotees are expected to benefit from this global, spiritual, and meditative effort.

[00:12:32]The 2022 display of the Buddha's own Kapilavastu relics had drawn nearly 200,000 devotees.

[00:12:40]The relics, part of the AA category of Indian antiquities, were sent to Mongolia as part of a special request made by the Mongolian president to India's Prime Minister during his visit to New Delhi last year.

[00:12:52]These sacred relics are from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sanchi Stupa, belong to two of Lord Buddha's most prominent disciples, Sariputra and Maudgalyayana.

[00:13:04]Earlier, the relics were sent with deep reverence from the National Museum in New Delhi to the Palam Air Force Station and further onwards to the Buyant-Ukhaa Air Force Station, where Assam's Governor, Lakshman Prasad Acharya, paid obeisance to these ancient sacred relics.

[00:13:23]>> Our and Mongolia's relations are very old, historical, cultural, and civilizational.

[00:13:53]>> The current exhibition of Buddha's chief disciples relics is being organized by India's Ministry of Culture in coordination with the International Buddhist Confederation to strengthen the spiritual and civilization bonds between the two countries.

[00:14:09]>> With the initiative of the government of India, we are taking the holy relic of Sariputra and Mogallana to Mongolia.

[00:14:18]And this has been kind of a a unique um kind of event for between the both countries because the last time when the president of Mongolia came to India he has a very comprehensive discussion with the prime minister of India Shri Narendra Modi ji and requested that the India should kind of bring in the holy relics of the two prominent disciples of the uh Buddha Shakyamuni to for the display in uh the Mongolia.

[00:14:57]>> In Laos, specialist divers rescued one man from a flooded cave on Friday, while four others remained trapped and two are still missing. A video posted Saturday showed divers teaching the survivors to use equipment and breathe safely. Seven Lao nationals had entered the cave to search for gold, but the exit was blocked after heavy rain triggered a landslide leaving them stranded for more than week. Search and rescue operations are ongoing.

[00:15:30]And still to come on DD India Live.

[00:15:34]Chief Election Commissioner says India's electoral framework continues to earn global recognition for holding free, fair, and transparent elections.

[00:15:44]And Defense Minister Rajnath Singh inaugurates the Nausena Shaurya Vatika in Lucknow.

[00:15:59]>> Geopolitics and trade deals.

[00:16:02]Economic challenges amid development.

[00:16:06]Hard work and the path to prosperity.

[00:16:10]It's the economy, always.

[00:16:13]Between walkers, money is what money does and says supply [music] creates its own demand between the holds, pulls, and airs, cares.

[00:16:24]When supply chains globalization [music] and India rises to the podium.

[00:16:31]We'll get you centered with the economic brief at 8:00 p.m. every Thursday on DD India.

[00:16:43]>> Welcome back. You're watching DD India Live. I'm Ramesh Ramachandran.

[00:16:47]The Election Commissioner of India on Saturday reiterated its commitment to transparency, accuracy, and inclusiveness in the electoral process.

[00:16:55]Addressing a legal conference in New Delhi, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar highlighted the success of the SIR of electoral rolls, credibility of EVMs, and the robust legal scrutiny that India's election management system has consistently passed. He emphasized that India's electoral framework continues to earn global recognition for holding free, fair, and transparent elections.

[00:17:20]>> In part two, it's signed It's signed by each and every counting agent of the candidate sitting besides the table.

[00:17:32]And only after that, those results are announced.

[00:17:37]With having this kind of transparency, the Election Commission of India and the elections in India have gained widespread appreciation.

[00:17:49]>> Defense Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday inaugurated the Nausena Shaurya Vatika in Lucknow.

[00:17:56]The Nausena Shaurya Vatika has been developed as an open-air naval museum dedicated to the bravery, sacrifice, technological excellence, and maritime legacy of the Indian Navy. On the occasion, the minister said India is moving towards complete self-reliance in the defense sector.

[00:19:00]At the International Institute for Strategic Studies Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh emphasized the growing collaboration between India and European defense companies.

[00:19:13]In his address on Saturday, defense secretary noted that several European firms are already working closely with India. He said that in the near future, this partnership with the European Union is expected to align with India's defense requirements and strengthen cooperation in meeting future needs.

[00:19:33]>> We already have a large number of European OEMs working with small and medium industry in the country.

[00:19:40]We have several large orders as well. Many of them involving buy and make, meaning we buy a small quantity from there and the rest of it is to be at least assembled in India.

[00:19:52]The transport aircraft under Airbus is one example, but there are more examples coming in terms of underwater uh on the for submarines and maybe other military aircraft as well. So, with that uh the the agreement, the strategic partnership agreement with EU and the fact that perhaps European technology and India's labor arbitrage and scale can uh work together to provide meet both our needs.

[00:20:21]>> The outgoing Chief of Defense Staff, General Anil Chauhan, received a ceremonial guard of honor in the national capital on Saturday, marking the culmination of his tenure as the country's top military officer. The ceremonial farewell comes as General Chauhan completes his extended tenure as CDS and secretary Department of Military Affairs, which is approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet on 24th September, 2025, extending his service up to 30th May or until further orders.

[00:20:52]At the ceremonial farewell, he also laid a wreath at the National War Memorial.

[00:20:57]Commissioned into the Indian Army in 1981, General Chauhan was had a long and distinguished military career spanning over four decades, holding key command and staff appointments. During Operation Sindhu, he played a vital role in spearheading India's shift to multi-domain non-contact warfare.

[00:21:17]>> Great honor for me to separate and wait with a tri-services guard of honor.

[00:21:24]I thank the three services and headquarter IDS for it.

[00:21:31]With the conclusion of the guard of honor, I bid farewell to my colleagues in uniform, comrades in arms forever.

[00:21:40]I just laid the wreath at the war memorial for the last time in uniform as a humble tribute to those who laid down their lives in the line of duty.

[00:21:54]>> The Research and Information System for Developing Countries or RIS is celebrating its 44th Foundation Day on Saturday. Marking the occasion, the New Delhi-based think tank has organized a high-level conference on strengthening India-Africa partnership for agricultural transformation at the India Habitat Center.

[00:22:15]Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, delivered the inaugural address virtually.

[00:22:21]Minister Margherita said RIS remains as relevant today as when it was founded, adding that India can build strong coalitions and that future global competition will increasingly be economic.

[00:22:36]>> Over the past four decades, RIS has evolved into one of India's leading policy research institutions, consistently aligning its work with India's foreign policy priorities and the broader aspirations of the global south.

[00:22:54]What makes RIS particularly important is its ability to combine scholarship with policy relevance.

[00:23:02]Its work in areas such as trade, global economic governance, regional integration, and development cooperation has helped support informed policy making at the time when the global landscape is becoming increasingly complex.

[00:23:19]>> To sports news now, star Indian duo of Satwik Sairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into the Singapore Open Badminton tournament final on Saturday.

[00:23:30]The Indian pair prevailed over reigning world champions Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae of South Korea 21-19, 21-18 in the semi-final. The match was a closely contested affair with Ho and Jae holding a narrow lead at the break in the opening game, but Satwik and Chirag made a remarkable comeback by earning crucial points to pocket the opening game.

[00:23:52]It was not smooth sailing for the Indian duo in the second game as well, but they maintained their composure to come from behind and upset the Korean pair.

[00:24:01]However, it was a curtains for Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto as they lost 16-21, 21-17, 13-21 to the Japanese pair of Yuichi Shibamoto and Sayaka Hobara in the mixed doubles semi-finals.

[00:24:18]Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated the multi-purpose indoor sports complex in Shillong ahead of the 2027 National Games in the northeastern state of Meghalaya.

[00:24:30]The complex has been designed to host multiple sporting disciplines including basketball, badminton, and volleyball.

[00:24:37]The occasion also witnessed the signing of the revised host state contract for the 39th National Games between the Indian Olympic Association and the Meghalaya government.

[00:24:48]Minister Mandaviya, Minister of State Raksha Khadse, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, and others were present.

[00:24:55]The Minister said Meghalaya has become an important partner in the country's mission to strengthen sports infrastructure and promote a sporting culture among youths.

[00:25:24]>> [applause] >> In the Dooars region of West Bengal, India, havoc struck amongst the locals as multiple herds of elephants enter the residential area and even a school campus in the Dhupguri subdivision. Take a look.

[00:25:42]>> Panic gripped parts of the Dooars region in West Bengal on Saturday after multiple elephant herds, including several calves, strayed into tea gardens, residential areas, and even a school campus in the Dhupguri subdivision.

[00:25:59]A herd of more than 50 elephants were spotted in the Haldibari tea garden area, while two elephants entered the Gurumara area near Dhupguri town, triggering concern among residents.

[00:26:12]A police official said coordinated efforts by the forest department, police, and local volunteers were underway to monitor the situation and ensure public safety.

[00:26:26]>> It is becoming challenging, but despite that, people are doing a very good job.

[00:26:30]We have a lot of support from NGOs and the forest department staff. They are working day and night, and there has been no problem with the duty arrangements. It may be a matter of timing. The elephants might have come in search of food, and by the time they were returning, it had become morning.

[00:26:44]So, perhaps they were unable to go back.

[00:26:51]>> Some local residents said the sudden arrival of elephants near residential areas triggered panic while authorities asked the people to leave the area.

[00:27:02]According to officials, the elephants were being monitored as they continued to move around the region.

[00:27:11]>> And with that, it's a wrap. You can get the latest news on our mobile app on both Android and iOS platforms. Scan the QR [music] code to download it.

[00:27:22]And we'll be back with more news as it breaks. I'm Ramesh Ramachandran from all of us here in New Delhi. Thanks for watching DD India Live.

[00:27:39]>> [music] >> Geopolitics and trade deals.

[00:27:55]>> [music] >> Economic challenges amid development.