The Shillong Times

By K C Monnappa India is the worlds largest democracy, yet only about 14 percent of its Lok Sabha members are women. In a country where women constitute nearly half the population, cast roughly half the votes, and increasingly lead households, businesses, and even defence missions, this number is not merely a statistic. It is []

By H Srikanth When the US and Israel bombed and killed the top-brass leaders in Iran, everyone thought that was the end of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Based on the experience of Iraq, Syria, and Libya, many assumed that there would be a puppet regime in Iran that would dismantle the nuclear program and []

With their dazzling blooms, orchids are among the most famous and collected flowering plants on Earth. But orchids are not just beautiful and rare. They can also provide clues into the broader health of global ecosystems. From the outside, ecosystems can look healthy while species reproduction rates are quietly collapsing, due to a decline in []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 20: BJP national secretary in-charge for Meghalaya, Anil K Antony, on Monday said the party is set to emerge as a significantly stronger force in Meghalaya ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections, citing its growth across the Northeast. Addressing a press conference, Antony noted that while the BJP had no []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 20: In a significant policy reversal, the Meghalaya government has decided to completely remove Lumpongdeng Island from the proposed Umiam Luxury Resort and Spa project, following sustained agitation by the Green-Tech Foundation and concerns raised by local stakeholders. The decision was taken after a delegation from Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 20: The Green-Tech Foundation, Meghalaya, called off its 12-day indefinite hunger strike at Malki Ground on Monday evening after receiving official communication from the state government confirming that Lumpongdeng Island has been excluded from the proposed luxury resort and spa project. Foundation secretary general Ritre Lyngdoh announced the decision before []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 20: Voice of the People Party (VPP) president, Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, on Monday formally announced an eight-point charter of demands targeting the National Peoples Party (NPP)-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) Government, raising concerns over governance, employment, land rights, and environmental protection. At the forefront of the demands is the immediate []

State unit distances itself from Heks ticket offer to former Chief Secretary DP Wahlang By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 20: The BJP in Meghalaya appears internally divided over the strategy for the upcoming Shillong Parliamentary bye-election, after senior MLA A.L. Hek publicly suggested offering the party ticket to former Chief Secretary D.P. Wahlang, who has []

Guwahati, April 20: Assam Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah on Monday appealed for public cooperation and heightened vigilance as several parts of Guwahati continued to grapple with severe waterlogging following intense overnight rainfall. Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the minister said that heavy and unexpected rainfall from Sunday evening to late night led to widespread []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) MATCH TODAY GUJARAT TITANS VS MUMBAI INDIANS AT 7:30 PM Mullanpur, April 19: Priyansh Arya, one of the countrys most talked about T20 batting talent alongside Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, smashed his way to a magnificent 93 as Punjab Kings clinically []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) Kolkata, April 19: Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana has finally arrived in the city to join Kolkata Knight Riders, giving a much-needed boost to the side that is currently languishing at the bottom of the IPL table. The franchise confirmed []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) Hyderabad, April 19: Chennai Super Kings have been dealt a major blow with young batter Ayush Mhatre sustaining a hamstring tear which looks pretty bad during their IPL match against Sunrisers Hyderabad here. The 18-year-old, who came in as an []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) New Delhi, April 19: Pace great Dale Steyn on Sunday reckoned the victory over Chennai Super Kings could be a turning point for Sunrisers Hyderabad, propelling them into the top four of the IPL standings. SRH are in good form []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) Ahmedabad, April 19: An embattled Mumbai Indians side will be desperate to arrest its slide when it takes on a confident Gujarat Titans outfit, which is eager to extend its winning run, in the Indian Premier League here on Monday. []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | AJINKYA RAHANE HAS THE MOST IPL DUCKS AS AN OPENER (12) Karachi, April 19: The Pakistan Cricket Board admitted that no contract was ever sent to Blessing Muzarabani to play in the PSL but insisted that a firm verbal agreement was reached with the Zimbabwe pacer and he had breached the []

London, April 19: There are weekends in football that pass quietly, and then there are those that leave a lingering echo long after the final whistle. This was firmly the latter. Across England, the Premier League delivered a gripping spectacletitle contenders trading blows, European hopefuls clinging to ambition, and relegation-threatened sides fighting for survival. Haaland []

By Our Reporeter Shillong, April 19: The Shillong Sports Association (SSA) on Sunday condoled the untimely demise of its member, Dister M. Marbaniang, terming his passing a significant loss to the sporting fraternity in Meghalaya. A condolence meeting was held at the SSA Stadium, First Ground, Polo, under the leadership of SSA president Banteidor Lyngdoh, []

From Our Special Correspondent GUWAHATI, April 19: Assams Nikshita Konwar continued the states strong run in womens boxing, clinching gold at the 8th Mens and Womens National Youth Boxing Championship that concluded at Sonapur here on Sunday. Competing in the Under-19 category at the Don Bosco University Hall, Nikshita edged past Haryanas Vanshika 3-2 in []

Milan, April 19: Napoli was jeered off the field after it lost 2-0 at home to Lazio a result that saw Inter Milan take a huge step toward winning the Serie A title next week. Matteo Cancellieri and Toma Basic scored for Lazio, which could have won by a greater margin on Saturday had []

Margao, April 19: Gerard Artigas and Thomyo L. Shimray struck a goal each in the second half as Rajasthan United FC came from behind to beat Dempo SC 2-1 in Indian Football League here on Sunday. Marcus Joseph netted for Dempo SC. The result moved Rajasthan United to third in the standings with 17 points []

Seville, April 19: Real Sociedad beat Atletico Madrid on penalties to win the Copa del Rey title, giving American coach Pellegrino Matarazzo his first career title after he moved to Spain this season. After the game finished 2-2 following extra time, Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marrero saved shots by Alexander Sorloth and Julian Alvarez and Pablo []

Paris, April 19: Marseilles players are out of excuses and running out of time to secure direct qualification for next seasons Champions League. Saturdays 2-0 loss at Lorient was a third defeat in four league games and it left outgoing sporting director Medhi Benatia fuming. He resigned following former coach Roberto De Zerbis departure, before []

Sadhvi Satish Sail of Goa was crowned Femina Miss India World 2026, a statement said. Sail, who will now represent the country at the 75th Miss World pageant, bagged the title from among 30 participants from across the country at a star-studded event in Bhubaneswar on Saturday night. Rajnandini Pawar from Maharashtra was crowned Femina []

Eddie Murphy accepts the 51st AFI Life Achievement Award during a tribute to him at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, on Saturday. (PTI)

ZEE5 has announced the release of its upcoming docuseries Lawrence of Punjab, which will premiere on April 27. The series focuses on the making of criminal identities and uses gangster Lawrence Bishnoi as a central case study to explore how culture, systems, and media visibility contribute to the rise of such figures. Produced by Riverland []

New Delhi, April 19: Stock markets would keenly track developments in the US-Iran conflict, crude oil prices and quarterly earnings from corporates for further direction this week, analysts said. Besides, trading activity of foreign investors would also influence trading in the markets, they noted. Geopolitical developments in US-Iran conflict will remain a key monitorable, given []

New Delhi, Apr 19: Indias cooking gas LPG consumption fell by a steep 13 per cent in March as supply disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict hit availability for both household kitchens and commercial users, according to latest official data. LPG consumption was at 2.379 million tonne in March, 12.8 per cent lower than []

New Delhi, April 19: Following massive online backlash over a purported internal grooming document, eyewear retailer Lenskart has issued a public apology and released a standardised In-Store Style Guide that allows employees to wear religious and cultural symbols at work. In a statement on X, the company said it is making its guidelines public and []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 19: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has urged the regional forces in Meghalaya to form a united front to unseat the NPP-led MDA-2 government in the 2028 Assembly elections. NCP observer and North East coordinator Sanjay Prajapati said the party is inviting all local political players to come together in []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 19: State BJP vice president and Tura MDC, Bernard N Marak has stated that the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) passed a motion in 2024 to abolish Municipalities, with a committee now formed to expedite the process. Marak, who moved the motion, said the decision clears the way for []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 19: The Siamsinpawlpi (SSPP) Shillong, the Paite Students Welfare Association, organised a career guidance programme on Saturday at Morning Star College, Nongthymmai. According to a statement, the event was attended by hundreds of students preparing for various competitive examinations. SSPP Shillong president Khamthianmung Ngaihte delivered the welcome address, while the []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, April 19: The Shillong Traffic Police (STP) penalised 91 motor vehicle defaulters during an intensified enforcement drive across the city on Saturday night, realising a total fine of Rs 1.02 lakh. The operation targeted various offences, including illegal modifications to exhaust systems and lights, the use of black window tints, and []

From Our Correspondent NONGPOH, April 19: A youth from Shillong lost his life after drowning in the Umtrew River near Umran Dairy in Ri-Bhoi on Sunday morning. The deceased has been identified as Elias Kurbah of Mawiongrim. According to sources, Kurbah had gone for a bath with two friends around 8:30 am when the incident []

From Our Correspondent KHLIEHRIAT, April 19: The Jaintia Hills Cement Manufacturers Association (JHCMA) has addressed concerns regarding the dispatch of cement through bulker trucks. According to the JHCMA, bulkers are utilised strictly for large consumers such as Ready-Mix Concrete (RMC) plants, major infrastructure projects, government works and reputed contractors to ensure efficiency, quality, and a []

New Delhi, April 19 : Indias Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Sunday departed for a two-day official visit to Sri Lanka, marking a significant step in strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations. The visit is notable as the first bilateral official trip by an Indian Vice President to Sri Lanka, underscoring the growing [] The post VP Radhakrishnan departs for Sri Lanka on landmark two-day visit to boost bilateral ties appeared first on The Shillong Times .

New Delhi, April 19: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday extended greetings on the occasion of Parshuram Jayanti, highlighting the values of justice, truth, and inner strength associated with Lord Parshuram. The Prime Minister wrote on X, Heartfelt wishes to all on Lord Parshuram Jayanti. From Him, we draw inspiration to stand firm against injustice [] The post Symbol of unparalleled valour, wisdom: PM Modi extends wishes on Parshuram Jayanti appeared first on The Shillong Times .

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | SHUBMAN GILL OVERTAKES VIRAT KOHLI TO TAKE ORANGE CAP Bengaluru, April 18: David Miller sort of redeemed himself with two last-over sixes after KL Rahul made a 57 rooted in classicism and Tristan Stubbs produced an equally chic 60 as Delhi Capitals edged Royal Challengers Bengaluru by six wickets in their [] The post Millers last-over heroics seal thrilling victory for DC appeared first on The Shillong Times .

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | SHUBMAN GILL OVERTAKES VIRAT KOHLI TO TAKE ORANGE CAP MATCHES TODAY KKR VS RR AT 3:30 PM | PBKS VS LSG AT 7:30 PM Hyderabad, April 18: Sri Lankan pacer Eshan Malingas pinpoint yorkers found perfect support in unheralded left-arm wrist spinner Shivang Kumar as Sunrisers Hyderabad edged past Chennai [] The post Malinga, Nitish, Shivang star in SRHs hard-earned victory over Chennai appeared first on The Shillong Times .

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | SHUBMAN GILL OVERTAKES VIRAT KOHLI TO TAKE ORANGE CAP New Delhi, April 18: Gujarat Titans left-arm fast bowler Luke Wood said the standard in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is closest to what one gets while playing international cricket, adding that featuring in the tournament was an aim he was chasing [] The post IPL closest to intl standard: Luke Wood appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Durban, April 18: A scratchy India will look to address their batting frailties in the backend and hope for an improved show from the pacers as they aim to bounce back against South Africa in the second womens T20I here on Sunday. India never really got any momentum and from 119 for 2 in the [] The post India seek better finishing, sharper pace attack against SA in 2nd T20I appeared first on The Shillong Times .

New Delhi, April 18: A first batch of 58 Indian shooters and support staff is headed to Cairo to take part in the ISSF Combined Junior World Cup, to be held in the Egyptian capital from April 19-27. The Cairo tournament will kickstart the ISSF junior circuit, which has three events lined up for shotgun [] The post First batch of Indian shooters head to Cairo appeared first on The Shillong Times .

New Delhi, April 18: Amid Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviyas push to criminalise doping, provisions advocating jail and hefty fines for suppliers of banned substances from the draft anti-doping bill of 2018 are back in focus along with the debate and pushback it triggered from bodies like the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). Criminalisation of doping was [] The post As govt bids to criminalise doping, scrapped 2018 provisions back in focus appeared first on The Shillong Times .

New Delhi, April 18: Ninety per cent of the synthetic tracks currently used in the country are substandard material-wise, laying-wise, marking-wise, said Athletics Federation of India (AFI) spokesperson Adille Sumariwalla in a shocking revelation on Saturday. Sumariwalla said the AFI has been told by World Athletics to get involved into the matter and clean up [] The post 90 per cent of synthetic tracks in India is substandard, AFI to get into certification appeared first on The Shillong Times .

New Delhi, April 18: The Federation Cup in Ranchi next month will be the first major national championships where the Athletics Federation of India will conduct SRY Gene tests in a bid to ensure that only biological females compete in the womens category. The AFI will also start DNA testing of the Indian athletes to [] The post AFI to start DNA testing of athletes, SRY tests during next months Fed Cup appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Dehradun, April 18: Syndrela Das capped a remarkable run by defeating Divyanshi Bhowmick 4-1 in the U-19 singles final, bringing the curtain down on the girls team events in the first leg of the Junior and Youth National Table Tennis Championships here on Saturday. With this victory, Syndrela completed a rare double, having already secured [] The post Syndrela wins U-19 title, completes rare double at Nationals appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Sarfaraz named head coach for Bdesh Test tour Karachi, April 18: Pakistans national selectors have recalled 36-year-old pace bowler, Mohammad Abbas, and included four uncapped players in their squad for a two-match Test series in Bangladesh next month. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also named former Test captain, Sarfaraz Ahmed, as the new head coach [] The post PCB selectors recall veteran Abbas appeared first on The Shillong Times .

London, April 18: On an afternoon that promised intensity but delivered tension in fragments, Brentford were left to rue a missed opportunity as they were held to a goalless draw by Fulham in a subdued west London derby. Meanwhile, at St. James Park, AFC Bournemouth edged past Newcastle United 2-1 in a tightly contested encounter. [] The post Bournemouth edge Newcastle as Brentford miss top six chance appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Blackburn, April 18: Coventry City clinched a return to the Premier League for the first time since 2001 after drawing at Blackburn Rovers 1-1 in the Championship. Frank Lampards men were second best for much of the game but one point was enough to secure a historic return to the top tier.Blackburn winger Ryoya Morishita [] The post Coventry return to the EPL after hard-fought draw at Blackburn appeared first on The Shillong Times .

Lens, April 18: Lens allowed two goals in the first 13 minutes and bounced back in a superb second half to beat Toulouse 3-2 and keep alive slim hopes of a first Ligue 1 title since 1998. It was helped by the 17th minute red card for Toulouse midfielder Yan Ghobo. Lens has matched reigning [] The post Lens beat Toulouse to keep Ligue 1 title hopes alive appeared first on The Shillong Times .