The Shillong Times

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester, Feb 19: Arsenals Premier League title charge suffered another damaging blow as Mikel Artetas side squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with bottom-placed Wolves, a result that has swung momentum firmly towards Manchester City in the championship race. Cruising at 2-0 midway through the second half at Molineux, Arsenal appeared []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Feb 19: Laitkynsew Mission Club and Mawphlang CC registered convincing wins on Day 2 of the 5th East Khasi Hills District League T20 Cricket Tournament 2026, producing two competitive contests. In Match 3, Laitkynsew Mission Club defeated Seng Samla Mawlong Mawriang (SSM Mawriang) by 28 runs after a commanding all-round display []

Mumbai, Feb 19: Mumbai City FC began their Indian Super League season on a winning note, edging past Chennaiyin FC 1-0 at the Mumbai Football Arena here on Thursday. A tightly-contested encounter was decided by an own goal in the 48th minute by Pritam Kotal as the Islanders secured all three points. Neither team could []

Kolkata, Feb 19: With both teams aiming to register their first win of the campaign, Mohammedan Sporting Club will host FC Goa in the first fixture of Match Week 2 of the Indian Super League (ISL) 2025-26 at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata on Friday. Mohammedan Sporting went down 0-1 to Jamshedpur FC in []

Copenhagen, Feb 19: Sepp Piontek, the German coach who led the exciting Denmark team in the 1980s, has died, the Danish soccer federation said on Thursday. He was 85. Piontek took a team popularly known as Danish Dynamite with star talents Michael Laudrup, Preben Elkjaer and Jesper Olsen to its first World Cup in 1986, []

London, Feb 19: Pakistan cricketers could miss out on contracts with franchises owned by teams from the Indian Premier League in the upcoming season of The Hundred, with reports suggesting that these teams have chosen not to consider them for next months player auction. The upcoming season of The Hundred, scheduled from July 21 to []

Champions League Milan, Feb 19: Norwegian minnows Bod/Glimt continued their fairytale run in the UEFA Champions League with a stunning 3-1 victory over last seasons runners-up Inter Milan in the playoff first leg on Wednesday. The result gives the Scandinavian side a crucial two-goal cushion heading into next weeks return leg in Italy and further []

Marseille, Feb 19: Marseille is looking to reignite its season with a new coach on board. The nine-time French champion appointed Habib Beye to replace Roberto De Zerbi following a bad patch of form that saw the club exit the Champions League and drop 12 points behind Ligue 1 leader Lens. Beye, a former Senegal []

New Delhi, Feb 19: The Ranji Trophy 2025/26 final between Karnataka and Jammu & Kashmir will be staged at the KSCA Cricket Stadium in Hubballi from February 24, said the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Thursday. Previously, a JKCA official told IANS that the final was likely to be held in Hubballi. Taking into []

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor held on suspicion of misconduct in public office LONDON, Feb 19: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the former British prince who was stripped of his royal titles because of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. While Andrew has consistently denied any wrongdoing in connection []

In Australia, around 16 per cent of major road accidents (such as multi-vehicle crashes and pedestrian collisions) involve distracted driving. Distracted driving happens when people shift their attention from the primary task of driving to a secondary task such as using a mobile phone or eating. We recently examined the specific effects of different distraction []

Age could be a dominant factor in influencing antibody production in response to a virus for a given virus, certain antibodies increase with age while others decrease, depending on which part of the virus is targeted, researchers have found. The team, including researchers from Institut Pasteur at Frances National Centre for Scientific Research, have []

JALANDHAR, Feb 19: Lovely Professional University (LPU) participated in the India-AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. LPU presented 15 AI driven projects developed by its students and research teams, focusing on practical applications across sectors such as education, agriculture, robotics, enterprise technology, accessibility, and health. The university students []

New Delhi, Feb 19: Precious metal prices jumped over 7 per cent in the national capital on Thursday, with silver rising to Rs 2.6 lakh per kilogram, while gold advancing to Rs 1.58 lakh per 10 grams. According to the local marketmen, the white metal surged by Rs 18,000, or 7.32 per cent, to Rs []

SHILLONG: Mandeni janggina sal somoi dongja ine agana gitan Bristibar attamo, Shillong-ni Lok Sabha MP aro Voice of the Peoples Party (VPP)-ni dilgipa Ricky AJ Syngkon, robol kale roengmitingo tanggitik saaniko mane gaakaha aro jamano ua, Shillong-ni Dr H Gordon Roberts Hospital-o agilsakko watangaha. Ua bilsi 54 ongahachim. Koborko onani gitade, Bristibar attamo Shillong-ni MP []

SHILLONG: Phulbari-oni Agia-ona four lane ramako tarina gita tarakale tangka-paisarangko chamatchina gita Deputy Chief Minister in charge PWD (Roads) Prestone Tynsong, Mamongni Ministry of Road Transport aro Highways-ko didiaha. Assembly Budget Session-o mejalo singgiparangna aganchakengon, bakrobee kaenggipa Dhubri Phulbari dolongko rika matchotna amangengjok indiba mingsa nengnikaniara nangdimeatgipa four lane ramako nangenga, Tynsong aganaha. Dolongoni dakbaenggipa []

SHILLONG: Garo Hills-o National Highway (NH) ramarangna aarangko raanio dao dipet gong kror 268 tangkarangko, aa nokgiparangna sualataha ine Bristibar salo, adokni Deputy Chief Minister aro PWD (Roads) Minister Prestone Tynsong, Assembly-o parakataha. Tynsong-ni parakatani gitade, North Garo Hills ajao sak 187 aro East Garo Hills ajao sak 2,227 aa nokgiparangna gimik gong kror 268 []

Editor, It was appalling for all of us to witness the high decibel shouting match which started from the Opposition bench and was aimed at putting the Government on the mat. What should have been a serious discussion of an important issue turned into a shouting match. If legislative discourse on Government failures and delivery []

Artificial Intelligence would power the world across multiple sectors in the years ahead. The five day India-AI Impact Summit in the national capital made waves with the presence of a battery of top technocrats, IT honchos, business leaders and was graced also by Frances president Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Hosted by the []

By Dr. Treemmi Lamare The recent coal mine tragedy in East Jaintia Hills has once again brought the coal issue of Meghalaya into sharp public focus, not only within the state but also at the national level. In any democratic society, such incidents naturally invite criticism, questioning and political debate. Opposition parties have raised concerns, []

By Dr Omarlin Kyndiah Under the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Value Added Courses on Health and Wellness aim to equip students with essential life skills that promote holistic development. Among the foundational pillars of health: nutrition, physical activity, and mental well-being, sleep remains one of the most underestimated. This chapter explores []

Vincius Jnior says he was racially insulted Madrid, Feb 18: The Champions League playoffs were overshadowed by claims of racism towards Real Madrid player Vincius Jnior in angry scenes after the Brazilian scored a brilliant winning goal against Benfica on Tuesday. Play was halted when Vincius claimed he had been racially insulted by an opponent []

Kalyani (West Bengal), Feb 18: Sixty seven years after their maiden appearance, Jammu and Kashmir stormed into the Ranji Trophy finals for the first time on Wednesday, upstaging two-time former champions Bengal by six wickets in the semifinals here to add another historic chapter to a fairytale season so far. Auqib Nabis stunning nine-wicket match []

Lucknow, Feb 18: Ravichandran Smaran scored his second successive hundred as Karnataka continued to grind down Uttarakhand to reach 299 for six in their second innings for a whopping overall lead of 802 runs on the fourth day of the Ranji Trophy semifinal here on Wednesday. Karnataka assured a berth in the title clash against []

Bengaluru, Feb 18: The upcoming Ranji Trophy final between Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir is set to be played at the KSCA Stadium in Rajnagar, Hubballi, from February 24. The M Chinnaswamy Stadium has received conditional nod from the Karnataka state cabinet to host domestic, IPL and international matches after being on the sidelines since []

Salmans father suffering from minimal brain hemorrhage Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan suffered a brain haemorrhage which has been tackled, is on ventilator support as a safeguard and stable, doctors treating him said on Wednesday, a day after he was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here. The 90-year-old, one half of the celebrated Salim-Javed duo which []

CANBERRA, Feb 18: Aiming to establish an unassailable lead over Australia, Harmanpreet Kaurs India would draw confidence from a strong bowling performance in the rain-hit opening win when the two sides square off in the second and penultimate T20 International here on Thursday. It was a commanding display from seamer Arundhati Reddy, whose four-wicket haul []

Slovakian players celebrate their third goal against Germany during the Ice Hockey quarter-finals at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan on Tuesday. (PTI)

KARACHI, Feb 18: Pakistan hockey captain Shakeel Ammad Butt has lashed out the national federation after returning from a tumultuous tour of Australia during which his side didnt just have to roam the streets for lack of accommodation but also wash dishes before going to play a match. Butt told the media at the Lahore []

CORTINA D AMPEZZO, Feb 18: Ami Nakai and Japanese teammate Kaori Sakamoto upstaged Alysa Liu and the rest of the Blade Angels from the U.S. to take the lead after the short program in the womens figure skating competition at the Milan Cortina Olympics on Tuesday. Nakai rode her opening triple axel to a career-best []

New Delhi, Feb 17: A heated dispute emerged in Bangladesh on Tuesday over the proposed Constitutional Reform Council, highlighting legal and political challenges facing the newly elected cabinet even before assuming office. Members of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), sworn in as parliamentarians, refused to take an oath for the Council, citing the lack of []

Dhaka, Feb 18: Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, on Tuesday, met with Shafiqur Rahman, chief of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Leader of the Opposition, on the sidelines of Bangladeshs new government swearing-in ceremony. Misri conveyed Indias greetings to Rahman on his new role and reaffirmed New Delhis enduring support for Bangladesh, emphasizing the people-centric nature []

GENEVA, Feb 18: The latest US-brokered talks between Russia and Ukraine in Geneva ended Wednesday without a breakthrough, as the war approaches its fourth anniversary. This was the third round of direct negotiations organized by the US, following earlier meetings in Abu Dhabi that also made little progress. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the talks []

MUMBAI, Feb 18: Gold and silver prices rose Wednesday after two days of decline, supported by global macro-economic factors, easing US-Iran tensions, resilient physical demand, and renewed buying, despite a stronger US dollar. (IANS)

MUMBAI, Feb 18: Indian equity markets extended gains for the third consecutive session on Wednesday, driven by last-hour buying in bank, metal, and FMCG shares. The 30-share BSE Sensex rose 283.29 points, or 0.34%, to close at 83,734.25, touching an intraday high of 83,770.05. The 50-share NSE Nifty gained 93.95 points, or 0.37%, ending at []

Editor, The news item, Shillong at Standstill etc. (ST, Feb 12, 2026), once again underscores the hardships citizens endure due to frequent traffic congestion in Shillong, with no clear solutions in sight. However, the relative ease of driving on most Shillong roads during the schools winter break, when congestion was markedly reduced, offered a revealing []

The Assembly is a place for reasoned debates, not a platform for shouting matches. Elected members sitting in the Opposition may be agitated on several matters including long pending projects including the demand for the Inner Line Permit (ILP) which does not appear to be a priority for the NDA Government.The State Legislature is meant []

By Bhogtoram Mawroh Last week, I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to a play titled After Ayodhya: Its Conscience and Man, performed by Pearly Dew Higher Secondary School in collaboration with Forever Young and the Maitshaphrang at the Meghalaya Bharat Scouts and Guides Hall, Shillong. Maitshaphrang is an organization founded by Michael Syiem, former []

By Sumendra Yadav Walk into a store to buy a laptop in 2026, and it can feel less like shopping for a computer and more like picking out a robot assistant. Bright stickers labeled AI inside and Copilot+ ready dominate the marketing landscape, while traditional specifications have quietly receded into the background. This article examines []

New Delhi, Feb 18: Pakistans economic situation is likely to start unfolding negatively in 2026, as geopolitical headwinds appear to be re-emerging, according to media reports. There is visible friction in Pakistan-UAE ties, evident from the monthly rollover of UAE deposits at a higher rate of 6.5 per cent, when the government had previously been []

Bon appetit: French president connects with Bollywood over desi ratatouille and paneer French President Emmanuel Macron added a touch of cinematic glamour to his diplomatic visit to Mumbai, holding a special interaction with Bollywood celebrities on Tuesday. The French leader and First Lady Brigitte Macron met prominent figures of Indian cinema including actors like Anil []

Veteran screenwriter Salim Khan is currently stable and remains under close observation after being admitted to the ICU at Mumbais Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday. Salim Khan was admitted to the Lilavati Hospital under Dr Jalil Parkar in the ICU at 8.30 am on Tuesday morning. He was brought into the emergency by their family doctor, []

After proving her mettle in Bollywood, actress Alia Bhatt is also constantly making a mark for herself on the international platform. Adding another feather to her cap, Alia has joined the list of the BAFTA presenters for 2026 alongside some prominent personalities such as Cillian Murphy, Kate Hudson, and Sadie Sink. The British Academy recently []

Frederick Wiseman, the celebrated director of Titicut Follies and dozens of other documentaries whose in-depth, unadorned movies comprised a unique and revelatory history of American institutions, died at 96. The death was announced in a joint statement from his family and from his production company, Zipporah Films. Additional details were not immediately available. He died []

GENEVA, Feb 17: Delegations from Russia and Ukraine met in Geneva for a new round of US-brokered peace talks, just a week before the fourth anniversary of Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbour. Despite the renewed diplomatic push, expectations for a breakthrough remain low, with both sides entrenched on key issues such as territorial control []

KATHMANDU, Feb 17: Nepals electoral body on Tuesday urged media not to disclose results of opinion polls before the general elections as it may damage a healthy competitive environment. Nepal is set to hold the House of Representatives elections on March 5, the first since last years deadly Gen-Z protests that toppled the K P []

Johannesburg, Feb 17: Hindu and Muslim communities in South Africa have opposed a proposed law mandating electronic death certificates before cremations or burials, fearing delays to sacred rituals. The Hindu Coordinating Council and Sunni Ulema Council cited constitutional protections for religious and cultural practices, challenges for rural communities with limited digital access, and distress for []

GENEVA, Feb 17: The United States and Iran held their second round of indirect talks in Geneva on Tuesday over Tehrans nuclear programme, even as tensions rose sharply in the Gulf. Iran temporarily closed parts of the Strait of Hormuz for live-fire military drills, citing safety concerns, and confirmed it had launched missiles toward targets []

Peshawar, Feb 17: Militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan carried out a deadly suicide attack on a Frontier Corps (FC) check post in the Bajaur district of northwest Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 16, killing 11 security personnel and a child, the military said. The attack involved an explosive-laden vehicle ramming the check post, []

Across the tropics, each square metre of a forest could be contributing about 240 litres of rainfall yearly, underscoring why tropical forests need to be protected amidst increasing water and climate pressures, a new study has estimated. Tropical forests help sustain a regions and continents rainfall system through a process called evapotranspiration, where solar energy []