The Shillong Times

Joziah Ryan K Lyngdoh The sixth edition of the Shillong Literary Festival, which was held from November 12 to 14, 2026, brought together authors, writers, young people, children and literature enthusiasts for conversations, learning and an exchange of ideas. Among the highlights of the festival for Sunday Shillong was an exclusive interaction with Booker []

The loss of traditional and lesser-known vegetable varieties could undermine nutritional security and climate resilience, as experts call for greater conservation and wider use of Indias vegetable biodiversity. Forgotten vegetables could help make our diets more resilient, Mongabay-India correspondent Sharmila Vaidyanathan reports The clove bean is fondly known as mookuthi avarai in Tamil, an ode []

As I lay near the riverbank, I listened to the song of the flowing water and the sweet symphony of the birds. The breeze was cool, the grass was soft, and for a moment, the world felt perfectly still. It was a kind of peace I could never explain, only feel. But the farm was []

Films from Nagaland rarely find a voice on the international cinema stage. Tejha Rios Angh, which premiered in the Platform section of Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF 2026), explores cultural identity, faith and generational change in a traditional Naga village. In Toronto, TWF correspondentAsha Bajaj, speaks with the filmmaker about bringing Nagalands stories to world []

DAKAR, Nov 14: The Youth Olympic Games ended in Senegal, with organisers hailing Africas first Olympic event as further proof of the continents ability to host major international competitions.Nearly 2,700 athletes aged 14 to 17 competed across 25 sports and 153 medal events over two weeks in the capital Dakar, nearby Diamniadio and the beach []

VAR Takes Centre Stage as India Survive Bhutan Scare india 2 bhutan 1 DHAKA, Nov 14: Defending champions India survived a spirited second-half fightback from Bhutan to register a 2-1 victory in the semi-final of the SAFF Championship 2026 at the National Stadium here on Saturday and move a step closer to a []

GROUP b INDORE, Nov 14: Vihaan Malhotras explosive 86 and a late blitz from Uday Saharan helped Punjab pull off a four-wicket victory over Haryana in a high-scoring Group B match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy on Saturday. Chasing 191, Punjab reached 193 for six in 19.1 overs, with Saharan finishing unbeaten on 42 []

GROUP C Mohali, Nov 14: Maharashtra skipper Prithvi Shaw, who is looking to revive his career, failed to live up to the expectations as his side lost to Puducherry by 15 runs in their opening Group C match of the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy here on Saturday. Sent in to bat, Puducherry rode on []

Washington, Nov 14: President Donald Trump has had a lot to say about his thinking on the way ahead in the Iran war since Republicans were trounced in last weeks midterm elections. In exchanges with reporters, broadcast interviews and social media posts since Election Day, hes somehow managed to back away from carrying out additional []

United Nations, Nov 14: India has voted in favour of a UN General Assembly draft resolution that reaffirms the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people and the population of the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources and demands that Israel cease the exploitation and damage of these resources. The 193-Member UN General Assembly voted []

Kyiv, Nov 14: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the United States had raised the possibility of a new security framework for Europe as part of efforts to end Russias war in Ukraine, warning that Moscow could use such discussions to weaken NATO and reshape the continents borders. In my view, this can be dangerous, Zelenskyy []

The Himachal Pradesh Police registered an FIR against BJP MP Kangana Ranaut in Shimla over her social media posts targeting the Gandhi family, following a complaint alleging that her remarks were inflammatory and had the potential to disturb public peace. The case was registered on Friday, November 13, on the basis of a complaint filed []

After a recent video of Josh actor Sharad Kapoor moved everyone, AICWA has made a heartfelt appeal to Bollywood and Indian cinema to give him the work he deserves. Suresh Shyamla Gupta (President of All Indian Cine Workers Association) shared a video urging the big filmmakers and celebrities to give Sharad work and support. Shedding []

Janhvi Kapoor and Tiger Shroff have wrapped up the Pune schedule of their upcoming film Lag Jaa Gale, with the update being shared by the films hair and makeup artist Sourav Roy on social media. The development also marks Tigers return to work on the project following the firing incident involving his car. Sourav took []

Artists play Dama, the traditional Garo drum, on the concluding day of the 1,000 Drums Wangala Festival at Wangala Adam, Chibagre, in West Garo Hills on Friday. (ST)

Our Bureau SHILLONG/JOWAI, Nov 13: Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president and party candidate for the Shillong Lok Sabha by-election Vincent H. Pala stated on Friday that the backing of former Rajya Sabha MP and NPP leader Wanweiroy R. Kharlukhi brings not just individual support, but a wave of grassroots leaders into the Congress ahead []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 13: The schedule for the deferred GHADC elections will be finalised only after the delimitation process is completed, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Friday. Tynsong said the delimitation report is ready and will first be submitted to the GHADC for examination by its Executive Committee. After reviewing the []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 13: As the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway project turns into a sharp standoff between the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the Meghalaya government, a central question hangs over the state capital: Does the silent majority favour the projects continuity, or do the vocal protesters on the streets reflect the true []

Groups call project ecological disaster Our Bureau SHILLONG, Nov 13: Support for the Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Shillong Ropeway Project fighting is gaining strength with each passing day, with more voices being raised against what is being termed as an ecologically catastrophic project. Women protesters under the JAC have been camping near the []

Kaziranga, Nov 13: At least 26 people died, including women and minors, and 20 others were injured in a head-on collision between a minibus and a container truck near Kaziranga National Park in Assam on Friday, officials said. Many of the victims were college students who were returning from their classes. President Droupadi Murmu, Vice []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 13: Industrial pollution in Byrnihat has come under renewed scrutiny, with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) constituting a task force to inspect industries operating on the Assam side, where 17 of the 42 units have been categorised as red. The matter figured prominently before the Meghalaya High Court on []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 13: Amid the continuing controversy over the proposed Shillong Peak Ropeway project, the Meghalaya Congress has urged the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and the state government to sit across the table and break the impasse. Meghalaya Congress president Vincent H. Pala said stakeholders and the government must hold discussions to []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Nov 13: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) has accused the MDA government of contradicting its assurances given in the Assembly regarding the continuation of University Grants Commission (UGC) pay scales for college teachers, alleging that the policy being implemented on the ground is different from what was stated in []

Tura, Nov 13: The AMMSU based in the plain belt of Garo Hills has sought the immediate inauguration and thereafter, functioning of the already constructed Kashiabari Health Centre under Rajabala in West Garo Hills and has urged Chief Minister Conrad Sangma to look into the matter. In its representation to the Chief minister, the union []

Guwahati, Nov 13: The nomination papers filed by candidates for the elections to the Mising Autonomous Council (MAC) and Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council (SKAC), scheduled to be held on November 30, were scrutinised on Thursday. Of the 163 nomination papers filed for the Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council elections, 163 were accepted. Of these, 130 nomination []

SHILLONG: Dokgipa changna, Shillong songjinmani Wards Lake-o ongatenggipa Shillong Literary Festival-ko Bristibar salo, adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, abachengate onangaha aro ia Literary Festival-ko abachengatanio, dingtang dingtang sorkari official-rang, dingtang dingtang biaprangoni sea jotanio gisik nanggiparang, kitap serakgiparang, chatro chatrirang, skigiparang aro gipinrangba dongpae bak raangtokaha. Ia Shillong Literary Festival-ko abachengate onanganio adokni Chief []

TURA: Meghalaya adokni deficit skulrango skigiparang aro kam kagiparangni dingtang dingtang dabianirangko chusokate onna gisik nangjaenga ine sorkariko matnangenba, Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers & Employees Association (GHDSTEA), rebaenggipa November-ni 16 tariko, jinma jegale rejomaniko Tura-o ongatna tik kaangaha. Iani bidingo uiataniko onangengon, deficit skulrango skigiparang aro kam kagiparangni dingtang dingtang dabianirangko sorkari knachakna gisiko []

Hong Kong, Nov 12: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigned Thursday affair raises national security concerns. The company named Colette Kress as interim CEO. She is the current executive vice president and chief financial officer. Huang faced growing calls to resign after his affair with an alleged Chinese spy. Late Wednesday, media reports said Huang had []

Kathmandu, Nov 12: At least 14 people were killed and six others injured on Thursday when a microbus they were travelling in plunged down a hilly road in Nepal while they were returning home for the Chhath festival, police said. The accident occurred around 5:45 am in Makwanpur district of Bagmati province, according to an []

Cairo, Nov 12 :An Israeli airstrike targeting the Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza killed six people and wounded at least a dozen more, Gazas Health Ministry said. The strike was carried out early Thursday, according to the Israeli military, which said it struck a senior Hamas terrorist and other militants, without providing evidence. The Gaza []

Lahore, Nov 12: Two sisters of Pakistans jailed former prime minister Imran Khan were released from prison on Thursday after the Punjab government withdrew their detention order, the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leaders said. Finally, some good news. Two of former PM Imran Khans sisters Dr Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi were released []

Antalya, Nov 12: The first day of the COP31 Leaders Summit saw countries build political momentum on electrification, responding to the COP31 Presidencys calls to action on this key priority. More than 100 national leaders and the UN Secretary-General, Antnio Guterres, gathered in the coastal city of Antalya to send a clear message that they []

Tlaxcala De Xicohtencatl, Nov 12: Three years ago, Alberto Amaro was sitting at home when he heard two gunshots. His son, playing in the garden, ran inside in terror. When Amaro reached the front gate, he saw two armed men running down his street. Amaro, 38, a journalist in the central Mexican state of Tlaxcala, []

I didnt have a house till I got married: Shah Rukh Khan on his dream home A home is where ones story begins and can become an emotion, an identity and a source of pride, says Shah Rukh Khan, recalling how he did not have a home of his own until he got married and []

The 31st European Union Film Festival (EUFF) 2026 opened on Thursday at St. Edmunds College, bringing a diverse selection of European films to the city. Running from November 12 to 18 and organised in partnership with Asian Confluence, the festival aims to promote cinematic appreciation, cultural exchange and dialogue by showcasing films that reflect the []

New Delhi, Nov 12: The Technology Development Board (TDB) has signed an agreement with Bengaluru-based Astrome Technologies to provide financial support of Rs 64.05 crore for the development of an indigenous artificial intelligence-enabled electronic intelligence satellite constellation aimed at national security applications, an official statement said on Thursday. (IANS)

New Delhi, Nov 12: Declining for the third straight session, Gold futures fell Rs 1,207 to Rs 1.38 lakh per 10 grams on Thursday, as stronger-than-expected US inflation data reinforced expectations of further policy tightening by the Federal Reserve. On the Multi Commodity Exchange, yellow metal contracts for December delivery traded lower by Rs 1,207, []

SHILLONG, Nov 12: A Joint Action Committee (JAC) rally against the proposed Shillong Peak ropeway turned confrontational outside the Main Secretariat on Thursday, with protesters stopping at the main gate, attempting to breach barricades and refusing to disperse despite repeated appeals. The East Khasi Hills administration later said the JAC had violated the terms of []

SHILLONG, Nov 12: The Joint Action Committee (JAC) Against the Shillong Ropeway Project on Thursday rejected Cabinet Minister South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullais proposal for an independent expert panel to examine the project, accusing him of misrepresenting the outcome of Wednesdays meeting and attempting to divide residents of Riat Laban Dorbar Pyllun. Shullai dismissed the []

SHILLONG, Nov 12: Two separate complaints have been lodged against members of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) opposing the Shillong Ropeway Project, one alleging intimidation and obstruction during a meeting and the other accusing them of defaming the son and son-in-law of South Shillong MLA Sanbor Shullai. The 19-South Shillong Advisory Committee has written to []

SHILLONG/JOWAI/TURA, Nov 12: The agitation by deficit school teachers intensified on Thursday, with the Khasi Jaintia Deficit School Teachers Association (KJDSTA) continuing its indefinite strike for the second day and the Garo Hills Deficit School Teachers and Employees Association (GHDSTEA) announcing a protest rally in Tura on November 16. KJDSTA members staged sit-in protests and []

Kiran Desai reflects on loneliness and identity; CM stresses need to preserve cultural roots SHILLONG, Nov 12: Internationally acclaimed authors, emerging literary voices and readers came together as the sixth edition of the Shillong Literary Festival opened at Wards Lake on Thursday, bringing global literary conversations to the heart of Meghalayas capital. Chief Minister Conrad []

Washington, Nov 12: US Congressman-elect Amish Shah has called for rolling back tariffs and taking tariff-setting authority away from the White House, saying Indian-American entrepreneurs were being hurt by the duties as he pledged to confront rising anti-Indian hate. Speaking to a group of Indian reporters on Wednesday (local time), Shah said lowering costs would []

Ri Bhoi, Meghalaya, Nov 12 : The School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Science & Technology Meghalaya (USTM), observed National Pharmacy Week 2026 today at the Central Auditorium on its campus. Organised by the Pharmacy Council of India (PCI), New Delhi, in collaboration with the Meghalaya Pharmacy Council, the programme was held under the theme []

New Delhi, Nov 11: Flamboyant all-rounder Hardik Pandya moved to Punjab Kings from Mumbai Indians at an increased fee of Rs 18 crore, while PBKS traded pacer Arshdeep Singh for him, completing the biggest and most high-profile exchange of players in the history of IPL. Pandyas existing fee was Rs 16.35 crore. Arshdeep, on the []

New Delhi, Nov 11: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has rejected reports that the Board had a role in the appointment of Meghalaya Cricket Association official Rayonald Kharkamni as the convenor of North East zones womens selection committee, saying the decision was made by the state body despite a High Court suspension order against him. Kharkamni []

Mount Maunganui, Nov 11: New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry is looking forward to putting his recent injury troubles behind him as he prepares for a busy home summer, headlined by the two-Test series against India beginning at Wellington on November 19. Henry suffered a concussion following a training-ground collision with teammate Devon Conway, forcing []

Wellington, Nov 11: New Zealand have retained the core of the squad that defeated England in their own backyard earlier this year for the upcoming two-Test series against India, with Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra and wicketkeeper Tom Blundells participation subject to fitness assessments ahead of the opening match. Captain Tom Latham will lead the 14-member []

New Delhi, Nov 11: BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia has ruled out an immediate expansion of the IPL from 10 to 12 teams, insisting that the idea has not even been informally discussed within the Board. While there is a lot of interest around IPL in the global cricket market, Saikia said that there is no []