The Shillong Times

GUWAHATI, June 10 : S. K. Bhalla, Secretary, North Eastern Council (NEC) inaugurated the newly- established Laboratories of Agricultural Sciences at The Assam Royal Global University (RGU) today in the presence of Prof Alak Kumar Buragohain, Vice Chancellor of RGU, Dr Bidyut Kumar Sarmah, Director, NECAB, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, apart from deans, faculty members []

Guwahati, June 10: A large group of teachers from various schools across different districts of Tripura, participated in an orientation programme on sustainability education held in Agartala on June 7 last. The day-long orientation programme was organised by regions premier biodiversity conservation organisation Aaranyak (www.aaranyak.org) in collaboration with the Tripura Science Forum and with support []

From CK Nayak NEW DELHI, June 9: Total change in North East during the past decade was the main theme of the speech of the newly-appointed BJP president Nitin Nabin in his address at the first-ever national media conference on the occasion of completion of 12 years of the party-led NDA Government at Bharat Mandapam []

SHILLONG, June 9: Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday said he was confident that Meghalayas ranking in the Ministry of Educations Performance Grading Index (PGI) would improve significantly in the coming years. Meghalaya was the lowest-performing state in the country with a score of 417.9 points out of a possible 1,000 in PGI 2.0. Talking []

Among the bills are those on trading by non-tribal people, the councils service rules, and regulations relating to the 14 Himas SHILLONG, June 9: The KHADC Executive Committee (EC) is set to introduce a series of amendment bills during the upcoming council session scheduled to commence on June 17. The decision was made on Monday []

SHILLONG, June 9: The KHADC Executive Committee (EC) has decided to increase the salaries of its 72 casual employees, many of whom have served the council for years on low wages. The council has proposed raising the monthly salary of all casual workers to a flat rate of Rs 10,000 as an initial measure. Currently, []

MAWKYRWAT/SHILLONG, June 9: Miscreants burnt down the office of the SAI Computer Limited located at Pamdaba in Ranikor, 50 km from Mawkyrwat, South West Khasi Hills District. Official sources informed that the incident took place in the wee hours of Monday night in which some unknown miscreants set ablaze the office of the SAI Computer []

MAWKYRWAT, June 9: The District Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), South West Khasi Hills, has issued a safety advisory following forecasts of heavy rainfall, thunderstorms and landslides in the region. The district administration has advised residents to avoid visiting rivers, streams, and waterfalls. Commuters have been urged to exercise extreme caution on hill roads and highways, []

SHILLONG, June 9: The National Peoples Party (NPP) has urged the Centre to establish a transparent, consultative, and time-bound framework for regulating foreign contributions under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA). The party stated that national security must be balanced with the needs of genuine civil society organisations serving remote and underserved regions. The demand []

SHILLONG, June 9: The Khasi Students Union (KSU) has petitioned Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to address the prolonged delay in disbursing the Chief Ministers Scholarship for the 2025 academic year, alleging that many students have been waiting for over a year. In a letter to the Chief Minister, KSU education secretary Alerick Kharjana stated []

SHILLONG, June 9: The Jaintia National Council (JNC) Western Zone has urged the state government to immediately advertise 677 vacant teaching posts in government Lower Primary and Upper Primary schools to address an acute staff shortage and the growing concerns of thousands of qualified candidates. A delegation led by JNC Western Zone president Hamehi Bamon []

By Rajdeep Sardesai Sequels in Indian cinema rarely work. Audiences have usually seen the original, the novelty factor is gone and the script feels stale. There are exceptions like the recent blockbuster Dhurandhar , of course, but most follow-ups struggle to recreate the magic of the first hit. Which is why the coming together of []

Singer Katy Perry and her beau Justin Trudeau, former Prime Minister of Canada, made their red carpet debut together at the Tribeca Festival. Trudeau was seen supporting Perry at the premiere of her concert film Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour Live from Paris at the film festival. Perry wore a white halter-neck gown featuring []

Researchers have been able to trigger neural connections in awake mice that normally occur only during sleep, offsetting impacts of sleep deprivation and revealing features key to restorative effects of sleep. What were essentially doing is forcing sleep in a local region of the brain. While that part is solidifying memories and restoring learning capacity, []

TALLINN, June 9: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Nordic and Baltic leaders in Tallinn, Estonia, offering to share Ukraines drone technology and expertise to help counter Russian drone threats. The discussions came after several Ukrainian drones, reportedly diverted by Russian electronic interference, entered Baltic airspace and caused incidents in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Zelenskyy said []

The debate around jaidbynriew has long occupied the political and social imagination of the Khasi people. From village dorbar to pressure groups, from student unions to political party, the call for the protection of the Jaidbynriew has become almost sacred in Khasi public discourse. As a Khasi man, I understand why this sentiment exists. Our []

AMPATI: Assam-oni South West Garo Hills-ona niamgri jakkalenggipa ramko champengchina gita Garo Student Union (GSU), Western Zone (South) Ampati aro Achik Holistic Awakening Movement (AHAM), South Western Zone, Ampati, Deputy Commissioner, Anendya Raajsshre-na memorandum-ko onaha. Uamangni chittio janapani gitade, Assam aro South West Garo Hills district-ni gisepogipa Katuli-Kakripara, Jholgaon-Kakripara, Thakurunbari-Kakripara aro Thakurunbari-Mankachar jolrangko niamgri rerurana []

Curiously, INDIA bloc held its meeting in the national capital on Monday at the behest of West Bengals former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Banerjee had been undercutting the cause of opposition unity and charting an independent course. She often trashed the Congress that led the bloc and targeted its leader Rahul Gandhi. But, on Monday, []

SHILLONG: PM eBus Sewa Scheme-ni ningo electric bus gari bolbongako Mongolbar salo, Meghalaya adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Shillong songjinmani Taraghar State Guest House-o abachengate onangaha aro ian songjinmarango rea doani cholrangko namdapatna aro garirangni walkuchi moila ongataniko komiatna mongsonggipa jaku deani gita ongaha. Ia scheme-ni skanggipa bako, manderangna rongtalgipa aro dongtogipa rea []

GUWAHATI, June 9: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said the state government was taking robust steps to reclaim lands encroached by illegal settlers in the state. Freeing up our lands from encroachers remains our top priority. Over the last five years we have reclaimed over 200 square kilometres of land from encroachers. We []

TURA, June 9: Cracking down on illegal trade operations, the GHADC on Tuesday shut down several business establishments in Tura for operating without valid Trading Licenses and not paying the required taxes. The drive was led by GHADC Deputy Chief Executive Member (CEM), Shri Stevie Marak, who supervised the spot inspections to ensure strict adherence []

GUWAHATI, June 9: A four-day residential Master Trainers Training Programme of Assam for the first phase of Census 2027, namely the House Listing and Housing Census (HLO), commenced at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship at Lalmati here from Tuesday. The training programme has brought together 59 master trainers, comprising 44 officials from various districts of []

Legendary American rock band Guns N Roses is set to return to India later this year for two major performances as part of the Asia leg of its ongoing world tour, with concerts scheduled in Bengaluru and Guwahati. The band will perform at Nice Grounds in Bengaluru on November 14 before travelling to Guwahati for []

Varun Dhawan has revealed that his father, filmmaker David Dhawan, once wanted to include a joke about his smile in his latest film, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai. Speaking on comedian Tanmay Bhats show, Varun recalled how he never expected his smile to become a subject of online jokes. The actor said he initially []

Obsession, directed by Curry Barker, has become the highest-grossing film in the history of Focus Features, earning USD 224.7 million worldwide. The horror-romance surpassed the studios previous record-holder, Downton Abbey, which grossed USD 194.6 million globally. Made on a reported budget of just USD 750,000, the film was acquired by Focus Features for more than []

KYIV, June 8: Ukraine and Russia intensified their drone war on Monday, with Ukrainian forces targeting major Russian energy infrastructure while Moscow launched hundreds of drones at Ukrainian territory. Ukraines General Staff said its forces struck the Grushovaya oil transshipment base near Novorossiysk in Russias Krasnodar region, one of southern Russias largest oil and petroleum []

Ahmedabad, June 8: When Kemi Blake first took up yoga nearly a decade ago, she was not looking for medals. She wanted to become a contortionist. On Saturday, that journey came full circle when Kemi won gold for the United States in the Back Bend Senior B category at the inaugural World Yogasana Championships at []

BEIJING, June 8: China on Monday urged India to maintain what it called the right strategic perception of bilateral relations, stressing that the two countries should regard each other as cooperative partners rather than rivals, and as opportunities rather than threats to each others development. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian made the remarks while []

Shillong has no traffic lights. At the busiest intersections in the city, where roads converge from impossible angles and traffic seems to be on the verge of collapsing into chaos, a single traffic policeman or woman stands in the middle of it all. Sometimes small in stature, armed with a whistle and an outstretched hand, []

ISLAMABAD, June 8: Pakistan-occupied Kashmirs Gilgit-Baltistan region appears headed for a coalition government after no party secured a majority in the elections to the so-called legislative assembly. According to unofficial results reported by Pakistani media, President Asif Ali Zardaris Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) emerged as the largest party with nine seats, while the Pakistan Muslim []

SHILLONG: Adita sal skang Shillong-ni dingtang dingtang bakrango bolbri garirangko sochipe galanina bidingo sorkari nirokanggen ine Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma aganaha. Obosta ongani bidingo daodipetde chugimik report-ko mansokujaenga, minggipin meja antio gipin dingtang dingtang kamrangko jakchakgija ongaha ine Sangma aganaha. Asel ongani chugimik report-ko mankujaenga. Maimancha obosta ongenga iako name dake nichenggen uni jamansa []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) nominee James P.K. Sangma is set to be elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Meghalaya on June 11 after emerging as the sole candidate to file nomination papers before the deadline ended on Monday. Returning Officer and Assembly Secretary Malthus A. Sangma confirmed that []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: MDAs Rajya Sabha nominee James P.K. Sangma on Monday asserted that his election to the Upper House of Parliament would not prevent him from continuing as president of the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA). Responding to queries after filing his nomination papers, Sangma said existing legal provisions permit elected representatives []

MANILA, June 8: An offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 35 people, injuring more than 200 others mostly in damaged buildings and sending a 1-metre (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts. A few buildings collapsed and key infrastructure sustained quake damage in the city of General Santos, and tsunami []

Six members of the U-23 Meghalaya Womens Cricket Team had alleged sexual harassment by the duo By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: The Meghalaya State Commission for Women (MSCW) has directed the Meghalaya Cricket Association (MCA) to initiate disciplinary proceedings against head coach Hemant Roy and assistant manager Sanjay Mondal after finding allegations of sexual []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the torching of four vehicles in different parts of Shillong on Saturday were isolated incidents and assured that the government would look into them. Responding to queries from reporters on Monday, Sangma said he had not yet received a detailed report on the []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: The counsel for Sonam Raghuvanshi has concluded his arguments in the case pertaining to the writ petition filed by the state government challenging the bail granted to her by a lower court in connection with the murder of her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, in Sohra last year. On Monday, the []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: A shocking pattern of police extortion has emerged along National Highway-6, where truck drivers from outside Meghalaya claim they are being systematically tortured by police personnel manning checkpointsallegedly forced to pay thousands of rupees in illegal taxes during a single trip through the state. When a section of reporters []

Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress members take out a rally protesting against rising fuel prices and NEET paper leak issue at Mendipathar, North Garo Hills, on Saturday. (UB)

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: Former Cabinet Minister Kyrmen Shylla on Monday said open-cast coal mining is not a viable option for East Jaintia Hills, citing the regions unique geographical and mining conditions. Speaking to reporters, Shylla stated that while open-cast techniques may work in other parts of Meghalaya, they are impractical for the []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 8: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday refused to comment on the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), which launched a movement demanding reforms in the education sector, stating that it is too early to assess an outfit that is yet to establish its organisational base. According to him, the strength []

Guwahati, June 8: Two community-managed stretches of low-cost solar-powered fence supported by Goalpara Forest Division of Assam Forest Department, were inaugurated and handed over to the community in a programme organised at the community hall of Amguri village in Goalpara district of Assam on June 4 last. The single-strand circular solar fences were installed []

Mullanpur, June 7: For the first time in 15 years, India fielded a home Test XI without either Ravichandran Ashwin or Ravindra Jadeja, leaving a sizeable void in the spin department. However, debutant left-arm spinner Manav Suthar ensured there was little reason for concern with an impressive display against Afghanistan on the second day of []

Dhaka, June 7: Former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal has taken charge of the countrys cricket administration after being elected the new president of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), marking a significant new chapter in his association with the sport. Tamims elevation to the top administrative position comes after a successful showing in the BCB elections, []

Paris, June 7: Alexander Zverev finally fulfilled his long-held ambition of becoming a Grand Slam champion after overcoming Italys Flavio Cobolli in a dramatic five-set battle to capture the French Open mens singles title at Roland-Garros on Sunday. The German second seed prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-1 in a gruelling contest lasting more than []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, June 7: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma congratulated the Indian womens football team for clinching the SAFF Womens Championship title and hailed Meghalaya footballer Sanfida Nongrum for her outstanding contribution to the triumph. India defeated Bangladesh in the final to reclaim the championship after a gap of seven years, with Nongrum []

Houston, June 7: For most members of the Curaao squad, stepping onto the field for their opening FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Germany on June 14 will be a landmark moment. For winger Tahith Chong, however, the occasion will carry even deeper significance. The 26-year-old is the only player in Curaaos World Cup squad []

New Delhi, June 7: Brazil forward Neymar has indicated the FIFA World Cup 202, starting Thursday, will be the last of his career. Brazil will be competing at the FIFA World Cup for a record-extending 23rd time next year. Indeed, the Selecao are the only side to have featured in every edition of the global []

New Delhi, June 7: Bruno Guimaraes and Endrick scored in each half as Brazil stepped up its World Cup preparations with a 2-1 win over Egypt. Newcastle United captain Guimaraes opened the scoring by dispossessing Mohanad Lasheen on the edge of the 18-yard box and calmly slotting his shot into the far corner. The African []