The Shillong Times

Many whos who from the entertainment industry mourned the loss of Ajit Pawar, the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who passed away in a tragic plane crash at his hometown, Baramati, at the age of 66. Irreplaceable void: Riteish Deshmukh Actor Riteish Deshmukh on Wednesday condoled the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, []

From left, actors Mona Singh, Anya Singh, Medha Rana and Sonam Bajwa during a get-together of Border 2 team in Mumbai, on Tuesday. (PTI)

Hollywood star and humanitarian Angelina Jolie has drawn attention to the human cost of the protests in Iran, sharing a poignant image of a seven-year-old girl standing at her mothers grave. Jolie, shared a photo of a child lying on her mothers grave and crying. Jolie identified the child as the daughter of Parisa Lashkari, []

The controversy erupted after social media influencer Orry made cryptic remarks and claims online, which went viral over social media, dragging Sara, Ibrahim and Amrita Singh. Actress Sara Ali Khan recently was spotted at the airport, turning heads with her sporty look. The actress was seen dressed in a casual athleisure outfit, pairing a zip-up []

Dhaka, Jan 28: As the law and order situation in Bangladesh continues to deteriorate, experts warned that patronage from the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government is inciting organised mobs in the country, local media reported. The remarks were made during a dialogue organised by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) titled Media Reform in Bangladesh: Between []

WASHINGTON, Jan 28: Uncertainty is increasing over Bangladeshs February 12 elections as US engagement declines and support for democratic institutions weakens, according to Mark Warner, chairman of the US Senate Intelligence Committee. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Warner said he could not assess whether the polls would be free and fair, citing reduced American []

BRUSSELS, Jan 28: The European Unions ambitious free trade agreement with India highlights Brussels drive to forge new global partnerships as long-standing reliance on the United States faces uncertainty under the Trump administration. The deal reflects growing concern across European capitals over Washingtons unpredictability on trade, defence and diplomacy, prompting the EU to seek greater []

DUBAI, Jan 28: A month after protests erupted in Iran, concerns over a potential U.S. strike are growing across the Middle East. The unrest, sparked by the fall of the rial on December 28, quickly spread nationwide and was met with a violent crackdown. Activists report at least 6,221 deaths, including 5,858 protesters, 214 government []

Kyiv, Jan 28: A new report from the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) warned that combined casualties in Russias war on Ukraine could reach 2 million by spring 2026. Russia has suffered unprecedented losses, with 1.2 million troops killed, injured, or missing between February 2022 and December 2025, including up to 325,000 deathsthe []

AMPATI: South West Garo Hills-ni District Administration, Tourism Department aro Arts & Culture Department baksa nangrimenba salgnina Mi Kari, winter festival-ko February 13 aro 14 tarikrango Ampati-ni Students Field-o ongatangna sienga. Ian jatni daka rikani bewalrangko ripinge rakkianina aro songsalo kucholsan onganiko mikkangchi mikchikkimao rakkiangkuna miksonge ongatenggipa Mi Kari festival-o dingtang dingtang jatni bewalko kalsusaanirang, []

Baghmara: Garo Hills Youth Solidarity (GHYS), Rongara Unit aro Nongalbibra Unit, district-o niamgri dongenggipa gipin jatrangko sandi-niroke watatpilchina dabie South West Garo Hills-ni Deputy Commissioner-na memorandum-ko onaha. Garo Hills Youth Solidarity (GHYS) Rongara aro Nongalbibra Units, South Garo Hills Meghalaya, district-o tomtomaniko rakkina aro jatni bil-rengsiko rakkina gita niamgri songdongenggipa rorirangko sandi-nirokchina molmolaha. District-o niamgri []

BAGHMARA: Bilsi anti ongatrongbaenga gitan ia bilsioba South Garo Hills-ni skotong songjinma Baghamara-o nitobegipa Simsang chirikam anchengo salgnina ongatenggipa Tyisam Festival-ko adokni Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira Butbaro abachengate onangaha jeon local MLA Kartush R Marak aro gipinrangba dongpaa Salgnina ongatenggipa Tysam Festival-ko abachengate onanganio Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira jinmana aganprakangengon, ia salgnina ongatenggipa []

TURA: Divisonal Forest Officer (DFO), Territorial Division-ni, West aro South Garo Hills ajani dingtang dingtang jolrango niamgri chalaienggipa karkana aro quarry-rangko sandienba, Forest Department-ni gita Show Cause Notice-rangko onmanahachim. Indake niamgri kam kaanirangko amsandianio, Gomaijhora, Nayagaon, Balujhora, Baitbari, Borobakra, Hatogaon, Borogobal aro Motapara jolrangoniko niamgri chalaienggipa adita dam itta soani karkana aro roong quarry-rangko Hollaidonga []

Dosi dakgipani kosako jaku dena police kadongata TURA: Reanggipa January 9 tariko Rajabalani Goalgaon-o saksa ACHIK activist ACHIK activist, Dilseng Sangma-ko chadrape sootani aselni bidingo ningjoljol sosojengjeng ongengani jatchio, antangtangko ISIS-K ine akangenba, Turani Araimile OP-ni ningo gaakgipa Tura Law College-ni sepango gesa electrict post-o Achikrangko kamikkenate segipa poster-ko tape donanganichi ssojengjeng onganirang dingchaodapenga. Poster-ko []

Editor, The recent CBSE circular dated January 19, 2026, mandating the appointment of career counsellors in every one of its schools, addresses an urgent and pressing need. It presents the career counselling fraternity with an opportunity of unprecedented proportions. At the same time, it presents the heads of CBSE schools with a challenge! There are []

Governor CH Vijayashankar announced on Republic Day that Meghalayas Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) recorded a real growth of 9.66 % in the financial year 2025 making it the second fastest growing state and scoring nearly double the national average. With this growth trajectory it would appear that Meghalayas economy is growing exponentially. But is []

By Bhogtoram Mawroh Tea is us. Tea is not ours. This is the name of a film made by Ugyal Tshering Lama Yolmo, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at SRM University Sikkim, which encapsulates succinctly the trap in which the people of Darjeeling find themselves in relation to an []

New Delhi, Jan 28: Cricketer-turned broadcaster Ian Smith remains surprised about New Zealands watershed 3-0 Test series win in India in late 2024 and put down their recent red ball struggles at home to Indian batters diminishing ability against spin. Left-arm spinners Ajaz Patel and Mitchell Santer were the architects of the famous Test series []

Govt warns against communal Incitement after discovery of alleged ISIS-K poster threatening Garo community Our Bureau TURA/SHILLONG, Jan 28: Authorities in West Garo Hills have launched a high-level investigation into what they describe as a deliberate attempt to incite communal violence, following the discovery of a poster in Tura purportedly from the global terror group []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 28: Meghalayas ancient indigenous engineering is one step closer to global immortality as India officially submitted the Jingkieng Jri nomination dossier to UNESCO, seeking World Heritage status for a landscape nurtured by Khasi and Jaintia communities for centuries. The dossier was delivered to UNESCO headquarters in Paris this week by []

Visakhapatnam, Jan 28: In what comes as an encouraging development for India ahead of next months T20 World Cup, off-spin bowling all-rounder Washington Sundar has resumed batting in the nets as part of his rehabilitation from a rib injury at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Yes, Washington has resumed batting, but at []

New Delhi, Jan 28: T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reckons all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh will hold the key to Indias prospects in the upcoming edition of the tournament. Defending champions India will enter the T20 showpiece as one of the overwhelming favourites due to their massive depth and quality. Rohit []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 28: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has agreed to grant some extra days to the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) to implement pending reforms recommended by the MPSC Reforms Committee, 2025, but warned that stringent action, including halting examinations, will be taken if it fails to bring about meaningful changes. []

Melbourne, Jan 28: Naturally therell be attention on the backstory when Aryna Sabalenka and Elina Svitolina meet in the Australian Open womens semifinals. Top-ranked Sabalenka, who is seeking a third title in four years in Australia, is a 27-year-old from Belarus. Shes popular on TikTok for her humorous posts and dance routines. Svitolina is a []

WPL 2026 Vadodara, Jan 28: Table-toppers Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to make amends with the bat after two consecutive defeats and lock their berth in the final when they take on a depleted UP Warriorz in the Womens Premier League, here on Thursday. RCB (10 points) are the only team confirmed for the WPL []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 28: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has urged the Meghalaya government to set up a dedicated public cultural centre at Khyndai Lad in Shillong to preserve the areas historic name, cultural identity and legacy, in keeping with the philosophy of Im Ka Kyrteng, Sah Ka Nam. In a letter to []

Tata Steel Masters Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands), Jan 28: World Champion D Gukesh suffered yet another defeat in the Tata Steel Masters, this time against Matthias Bluebaum of Germany in the ninth round while Arjun Erigaisi was forced to settle for a quick draw with Hans Moke Niemann of United States. World Cup winner []

La Conca (Italy), Jan 27: Eleven-year-old racing sensation Atiqa Mir made a roaring debut in the WSK Super Master Karting Series as she became the first Indian to set the second fastest time in a male dominated qualifying grid of 37 seasoned drivers. Embracing the mighty challenge after moving from mini (age 8-11) to junior []

New Delhi, Jan 27: The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sport will extend full support to sports science initiatives in every possible way, but it is important that we invest wisely and use sports science with precision to deliver results, informed Secretary (Sports) and Director General, SAI, Hari Ranjan Rao in New Delhi. He was []

NEW DELHI, Jan 27: Ahead of Bangladeshs February elections, intelligence officials warn of a coordinated plot to incite violence against the countrys minority Hindu community. According to an Intelligence Bureau source, several political leaders met last week to plan the strategy, enlisting radical elements to execute it. Experts say the move is part of an []

DHAKA, Jan 27: As campaigning begins for Bangladeshs February 12 elections, political tensions are escalating, with sharp exchanges between major parties and growing concerns over electoral conduct and public safety. On January 27, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) issued an indirect warning against Jamaat-e-Islami, urging voters not to destroy the country by supporting groups accused []

Kathmandu, Jan 27: Nepals Election Commission on Tuesday sought clarification from five political leaders contesting the general elections over their remarks violating the model code of conduct. The leaders who have been asked for clarification include Rastriya Swatantra Partys Prime Ministerial candidate Balendra Shah, CPN-UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet and Shram Sanskriti Party chair Harka Sampang. []

People wait for the all-clear signal to reach the opposite bank of the Dnieper River during a Russian drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday. (PTI)

KYIV, Jan 27: A heavy Russian drone attack on Ukraines southern port city of Odesa injured 23 people, including two children and a pregnant woman, officials said, as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called for faster US-led diplomatic efforts to end Russias nearly four-year invasion. The assault involved more than 50 drones, some recently upgraded to increase []

UNITED NATIONS, Jan 27: India mounted a strong rebuttal against Pakistan at the United Nations Security Council, declaring that it is not normal to tolerate Pakistans continued use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy. Indias Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish, made the remarks while responding to comments by Pakistans envoy []

Guwahati, Jan 27: Congress MLA Rakibuddin Ahmed on Tuesday mounted a sharp attack on the BJP, accusing the ruling party of indulging in divisive politics by targeting the Miya-Muslim community and raising serious objections over alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls at the Boko-Chaygaon Co-District Commissioners office. Speaking to reporters at Goraimari in Assams Chamaria []

New Delhi, Jan 25: The Badminton Association of India (BAI) is set to roll out an exchange programme with leading Asian nations to improve the skills of Indian shuttlers. BAI has already held discussions with countries such as Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia to conduct training sessions in India and abroad. We have discussed with our []

Tata Steel Masters Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands) Jan 25: World Champion D Gukesh suffered his second defeat in a row and third in the event, going down to local star Anish Giri in the seventh round of Tata Steel Masters here. On what turned out to be a tough day for Indians, Arjun Erigaisi []

Yangon, Jan 25: Myanmar concluded the final round of its three-stage general election on Sunday, finalizing a process that has already guaranteed military dominance in Parliament. The army-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and allied parties are set to control the legislature, aided by the 25% of seats reserved for the military. Opposition parties, []

SHILLONG: Ri Bhoi ajao kulina sienggipa LPG bottling plant-ko rikani kamrang matchotangengahani gimin adoko manderangni LPG-na chagrongna nangenggipa nengnikanirangko bakan namatna mannaba dongaha. Kobor ontimgiparangni uiatani gitade, Ri Bhoi ajani ICAR complex sambao LPG bottling plant-ko rikani kamrang dao 80 percent-ni gita matchotmanaha aro ia karkanako March jani gisepon matchotna kadongenga. Indake onggenchimoba, ia karkanako []

Our Bureau SHILLONG/GUWAHATI, Jan 25: The President of India has approved the conferment of the Padma Shri Award 2026 to Hally War from Siej village, Sohra, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to social work, environmental conservation, and the preservation of indigenous traditions. Hally Wars extraordinary journey stands out as a powerful example of how []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) on Sunday issued a stern warning to residents in border areas, cautioning them against facilitating the illegal entry of Bangladeshi nationals into Meghalaya. The organisation expressed grave concern over reports indicating that some local individuals are actively assisting cross-border infiltrators. KSU president Lambokstarwell Marngar []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) on Saturday objected to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangmas remarks regarding opposition to the state governments proposal to introduce an ILP-like mechanism in Meghalaya. The KSU stressed that no one can oppose or support the proposal without first understanding its details. Speaking to reporters, []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: Meghalaya Police has intensified security measures throughout the Eastern Range in view of the Republic Day celebrations. DIGP (Eastern Range), Shillong, VS Rathore said on Sunday that police personnel would remain vigilant throughout the night, with intensive naka checking and patrolling already underway at various locations. When asked about []

From Our Special Correspondent GUWAHATI, Jan 25: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday resumed his tirade against University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya (USTM), alleging that funds brought in under the name of Chancellor Mahbubul Hoque were initially sourced from an organisation linked to terror outfit, Al-Qaeda. We have complete information and evidence []

Absence of safety signs blamed for highway fatality Our Bureau DAINADUBI/TURA, Jan 25: The accidental death of a youth on the upcoming Dainadubi-Darugre NH-127 has put contractors in a major quandary, with the lack of signage on the route being blamed for the fatal mishap. A police inquiry following the incident identified the deceased as []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: In recognition of the districts impressive planning and delivery in conduct of elections, East Khasi Hills has been conferred the national Best Election District award for excellence in election management and logistics. Deputy Commissioner Rosetta M Kurbah received the honour from President Droupadi Murmu at the National Voters Day []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has decided to blacklist an Assam-based private security agency, North East Security Service (NESS), for allegedly resorting to fraudulent practices to secure a security services contract at the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Sohra. Chief Executive Member (CEM) Winston Tony Lyngdoh said []

Rabindranath Tagore Cultural Complex to be completed within next eight months By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 25: Arts and Culture Minister Sanbor Shullai on Friday inspected the ongoing construction of the Rabindranath Tagore Cultural Complex at Rilbong, where PWD engineers assured that the project will be completed within the next eight months. Shullai stated that []

Djokovic secures 400th Grand Slam match win to extend record, ties Federers Australian Open mark AUSTRALIAN OPEN MELBOURNE, Jan 24: An even 400 in Grand Slams and 102 in Australia. Novak Djokovic just keeps setting tennis records. The 24-time major winner became the first player to reach 400 wins in Grand Slam singles when he []