The Shillong Times

Mumbai, May 19: The rupee descended for the eighth consecutive session and ended 50 paise down at its lowest-ever level of 96.70 against the US dollar on Tuesday, weighed down by soaring crude oil prices, persistent foreign capital outflows, and a resilient dollar buoyed by global risk-aversion. Rupee, Asias worst-performing currency, has lost Rs 2.48 []

For most of the 20th century, the model of human origins was viewed as a tree: with the trunk dividing into branches, and then twigs. Each species of human relative (hominin) was considered a neat, single branch. Neanderthals, Homo erectus, and other ancient relatives were evolutionary dead ends unfortunate cousins who left no descendants. []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 20: Hyderabad-based BAC Infratech Pvt. Ltd. which has been in the news for bagging contracts worth over Rs 1,900 crore from the PHE Department, has now expanded its footprint in Meghalaya by bagging the prestigious Rs 732-crore Mawkhanu Stadium project, albeit through proxy. A reliable source informed The Shillong Times []

Basaiawmoit dubs it battle between rich and poor By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: Voice of the People Party (VPP) supremo Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit on Tuesday indicated he may contest from the Nartiang constituency in the 2028 Assembly elections if formally invited by Nartiang MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, describing the potential contest []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: The Meghalaya government on Tuesday acknowledged growing difficulties in negotiations over the sensitive Lapangap border dispute, alleging that the authorities in Assams West Karbi Anglong district have repeatedly backtracked on verbal understandings reached during the talks, complicating efforts to maintain peace and resolve the issue. Cabinet Minister and MDA-II []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: Despite facing intense heat over allocation of projects worth over Rs 1,900 crore to the Hyderabad-based BAC Infratech Pvt. Ltd., the state government on Tuesday defended the move, saying all due tendering process were followed. Cabinet Minister and MDA spokesperson Wailadmiki Shylla said the government followed established tender procedures. []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: With a wave of anxiety building among students, teachers, and academic stakeholders as North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) prepares to roll out the fourth year of its Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP) under the National Education Policy 2020, the university has stepped forward to provide clarity. On Tuesday, Prof. Ghanashyam Bez, []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: Petrol and diesel prices went up by around 90 paise per litre on Tuesday, just four days after an earlier hike of Rs 3 per litre. Shillong has not yet witnessed panic-buying at petrol pumps, although many consumers have started topping up their vehicle tanks fearing another hike in []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 19: A highly-decomposed male body was recovered from a Forest Department quarter at Polo Hills near the Buddhist Temple on Tuesday. Following receipt of the information, personnel from the Pasteur Beat House rushed to the spot and found the body in a highly decomposed state. Sources said parts of the []

From Our Correspondent TURA, May 19: A lineman displayed exceptional bravery on Tuesday afternoon when he rescued his colleague from electrocution in Barengapara village under Dalu Police Station, West Garo Hills. The two employees of SAI Computers, who were repairing an LT line at Barengapara Bazar, received severe electric shocks due to a reverse current []

Tura, May 19: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday inaugurated the newly relocated 41 Meghalaya Battalion NCC at Cherangre, Tura, marking a significant step towards strengthening youth development and NCC activities in the Garo Hills region. The programme featured a Guard of Honour, ribbon-cutting ceremony, unveiling of the commemorative plaque, tree plantation, cultural []

Guwahati, May 19: Assam Minister Atul Bora has been given charge of the Parliamentary Affairs Department as an interim arrangement ahead of the first session of the newly constituted Assam Legislative Assembly, officials said on Tuesday. The official stated that Assam Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, on the advice of Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, had []

New Delhi, May 19: The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC)s decision to release the provisional answer key for the Civil Services (Preliminary) examination 2026 soon after the test, has been hailed by the exam bodys chairman as a new beginning, a move that will go a long way in addressing candidates grievances and also []

New Delhi, May 19: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) said that cosmetic products are not permitted to be used through injections and warned that such practices violate provisions of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, and Cosmetics Rules, 2020, according to a notice released on Tuesday. In a public notice, the CDSCO said []

Abhijat Marathi, an OTT platform dedicated to Marathi content, was officially unveiled at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival 2026, marking a significant moment for Marathi entertainment and regional storytelling on the global stage. The launch was led by Kedar Narahar Joshi, Founder and Owner of Abhijat Marathi, in the presence of celebrated Marathi entertainment personalities []

Bollywood actors Kriti Sanon, Shahid Kapoor and Rashmika Mandanna during the song launch of the upcoming film Cocktail 2, in Mumbai, on Sunday. (PTI)

Hollywood actor Keanu Reeves will voice the title character in Hidari, a Japanese stop-motion action feature directed by Masashi Kawamura. The film was announced at Cannes and expands on Kawamuras 2023 proof-of-concept short of the same name, which gained attention for its unique visual style and storytelling approach. The story is inspired by the legend []

Actor Soni Razdan has slammed social media trolls targeting daughter Alia Bhatts Cannes Film Festival outing, saying the hate reveals something about society. Bhatt attended the festival and walked the red carpet as Indias global ambassador for LOreal Paris for the second consecutive year. A video post claims that the photographers did not know the []

JERUSALEM, May 18: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump discussed the possibility of renewed military action against Iran during a phone call, according to Israeli media reports cited by Kan TV. A senior Israeli official said the United States could potentially join Israel in coordinated strikes if hostilities with Iran resume. []

Ankara, May 18: The Israeli military intercepted several boats belonging to the Global Sumud Flotilla off the coast of Cyprus on Monday, preventing activists from attempting to breach Israels naval blockade of Gaza. More than 50 vessels had departed from Marmaris, Turkiye, in what organisers described as the final stage of a mission aimed at []

Islamabad, May 18: Pakistan on Monday strongly condemned the drone attack on the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in the United Arab Emirates. A drone strike on Sunday caused a fire outside the inner perimeter region of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in Abu Dhabi. So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. Pakistan []

Rotterdam, May 18: The cruise ship MV Hondius docked in Rotterdam on Monday for disinfection after a deadly hantavirus outbreak during its voyage. The vessel arrived carrying 25 crew members and two medical personnel after all passengers had already disembarked in the Canary Islands and entered quarantine in more than 20 countries. Crew members aboard []

KYIV, May 18: Russia launched a large overnight drone and missile assault on Ukraine, striking eight regions, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday. Officials reported more than two dozen civilians injured, including three children, with the central region and city of Dnipro suffering the heaviest impact. The attack involved 524 drones and 22 ballistic and []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | VIRAT KOHLI BECOMES FIRST INDIAN WITH 10 T20 TONS MATCH TODAY RAJASTHAN ROYALS VS LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS AT 7:30 PM New Delhi, May 18: Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani praised senior pacer Australian quick Mitchell Starc for his influence on younger players after the team kept its IPL play-off []

INDIAN PREMIER LEAGUE | VIRAT KOHLI BECOMES FIRST INDIAN WITH 10 T20 TONS MATCH TODAY RAJASTHAN ROYALS VS LUCKNOW SUPER GIANTS AT 7:30 PM New Delhi, May 18: Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman Arun Dhumal has dismissed speculation surrounding the possibility of the playoffs of the 2026 edition being held behind closed doors or []

Guwahati, May 18: Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrahs workload management will be debated alongside the match fitness of Rohit Sharma when the national selectors pick Indias squads for next months one-off Test and three ODIs against Afghanistan, here on Tuesday. There is a short turnaround between the IPL and the one off Test which begins in []

New Delhi, May 18: The BCCI is not a public authority under the Right to Information Act, thus it is not liable to answer any queries under the transparency law, the Central Information Commission held on Monday, overturning its own 2018 order in this regard. Information Commissioner PR Ramesh said that the Board of Control []

Sylhet, May 18: Mushfiqur Rahim hit a record-breaking century as Bangladesh set Pakistan a daunting 437 runs for victory in the second Test on Monday. Rahim struck a superb 137 off 233, smashing 12 fours and one six to help Bangladesh post 390 in the second innings. Litton Das, followed his first-innings 126 with an []

Lahore, May 18: Pakistan mens hockey team captain Ammad Shakeel Butt is ready to take on arch-rivals India in the upcoming FIH Pro League and the 2026 Hockey World Cup in Belgium and The Netherlands. Acknowledging that the Indian hockey team is a tough opponent, Butt said Pakistan is prepared this time to give a []

SHILLONG: Dao dipet Meghalaya adokni pilak biaprangon, petrol, diesel aro songa chanani LPG-rangko chuonga gita manengkua ine dingtang dingtang Oil company-rang parakatenba, manderangko kenjagokjachina didiataha. Oil Industry, Meghalaya-ni State Level Coordinator aro Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) Shillong Area Manager (LPG-Sales)-ni parakatani gitade, dao dipet adokni pilak biaprangon, Public Sector Oil Marketing Company-rang, petrol (MS), diesel []

Delhi High Court to study WFI selection policy before order New Delhi, May 18: The Delhi High Court on Monday said it would examine the Wrestling Federation of Indias (WFI) selection policy before passing any order on wrestler Vinesh Phogats plea seeking a fair opportunity to make a comeback to competitive wrestling. The matter came []

SHILLONG: Adok sorkarini Megha Health Insurance Scheme (MHIS)-ko Ayushman Bharat scheme baksa chaprimate, ia scheme-ni mangniko baridapatahaoba ia scheme-na biming segatani komikuenga ine adokni Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla, suk onggijaniko parakataha. Iani bidingo kobor ratimgipa manderang baksa agangrikengon, MHIS-ni ningo hospital-rango sanna bananirangko rana gita bilsiprakon gong lak 5-ona kingking bariatahaoba, adoko ia scheme-ko rana []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 18: Senior BJP leader and MLA AL Hek on Monday said the Assam-Meghalaya interstate boundary dispute is being addressed through sustained negotiations between the two state governments, even as he said that the India-Bangladesh border fencing is the need of the hour considering growing security concerns. At a time when []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 18: Senior BJP leader and MLA AL Hek on Monday said that local technical expertise and a traditional understanding of river systems are essential for protecting the Wah Umkhrah and its tributaries. Speaking on the rivers condition, Hek argued that local knowledge is more effective than relying solely on external []

From Our Correspondent BAGHMARA, May 18: A resident of South Garo Hills, Jhonprizebirth Sangma, has petitioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi alleging gross irregularities and nepotism in the recruitment process conducted by the District Selection Committee (DSC). The complaint specifically names South Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner and DSC Chairman, Sumit Kumar Singh, for allegedly overseeing the []

By Our Special Correspondent SHILLONG, May 18: Samanong village, located hardly 18 kilometres from the West Jaintia Hills district headquarter of Jowai, is home to Samanong Non-Government Lower Primary School, established in 1971. The old school building adjacent to the new one is a dilapidated wreck. The Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council built a new []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 18: Amid a spike in motorcycle thefts in East Khasi Hills, Superintendent of Police Vivek Syiem has urged two-wheeler owners to install GPS trackers and avoid parking in unsecured public spaces. Syiem noted that thefts are being reported almost every week, prompting the district police to intensify surveillance and checkpoints, []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 18: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) on Monday petitioned the Directorate of Higher and Technical Education, alleging a violation of the Meghalaya State Reservation Policy in the recruitment for government-sanctioned posts at Womens College Shillong. HYC education secretary Enlang Sawian told reporters that data obtained through the Right to Information []

Shillong, May 18: Meghalaya Chief Minister, Conrad K. Sangma, on Monday announced the postponement of the Meghalaya Teacher Eligibility Test (MTET), which was earlier scheduled to be held on May 29, following appeals from teachers engaged in multiple national duties, including Census and SIR-related assignments. Addressing a public programme in Damas in North Garo Hills []

Biplab Kr Dey Baghmara, May 18: A resident of South Garo Hills, Jhonprizebirth Sangma has written to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi alleging gross violation of DSC rules as well as arbitrary appointment of job aspirants affiliated to a particular political party by the deputy commissioner of the district, Sumit Singh, despite these candidates not passing []

Guwahati, May 18: Amid concerns over rising prices of essential commodities in the state, the Assam government on Monday reviewed the price monitoring mechanism and announced stringent measures aimed at maintaining market stability. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma reviewed the price monitoring mechanism for essential commodities and directed officials to take strict steps to []

Journalist-turned-actor Saurabh Dwivedi is faced with significant social media criticism following his acting debut in the recently released Saif Ali Khan-starrer Kartavya. Whilst the crime drama has garnered positive reviews for its gritty storytelling, Dwivedis performance has drawn heavy fire from viewers. Social media users on X mocked Dwivedis dialogue delivery and expressions, with some []

The restored 4K restoration of late filmmaker John Abrahams cult Malayalam film Amma Ariyan was screened at the Cannes Film Festival on Sunday. It was attended by the films lead actor, Joy Mathew, and editor Bina Paul, along with others. The Film Heritage Foundation (FHF), which played a major role in the restoration of this []

Ayushmann Khurrana-starrer Pati Patni Aur Woh Do has earned over Rs 10 crore at the domestic box office. The film is directed by Mudassar Aziz and released in theatres on Friday. It also features Sara Ali Khan, Rakul Preet Singh, and Wamiqa Gabbi, and is produced by T-Series. The makers shared the box office numbers []

Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha, who is gearing up for the release of her streaming movie System, does not agree with the opinion that cinema should be used solely as a medium for bringing about social change. The actress spoke to IANS, along with veteran actress Jyothika, during the promotions of the film in Mumbai. When []

Kathmandu, May 17: Thousands of landless squatters on Sunday organised a massive rally in Lumbini province in southern Nepal to protest the governments ongoing eviction drive that they claim has displaced millions of people across the country, including in Kathmandu. Nepal, especially the capital, has witnessed a series of protests by the people displaced during []

Islamabad, May 17: The Pakistan Army on Sunday criticised Indian Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedis recent remarks, while urging New Delhi to learn to co-exist peacefully. Gen Dwivedi on Saturday said that if Pakistan continues to harbour terrorists and operate against India, then they have to decide whether they want to be part of geography []

Jerusalem, May 17: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday claimed that it has eliminated the Hamas operations headquarters Commander who advanced terror plots against Israeli forces. IDF forces in the Southern Command eliminated Bahaa Baroud yesterday, a commander in the operations headquarters of the Hamas terror organisation, the IDF said on social media platform []

Washington, May 17: Concerns are growing in Taiwan after President Donald Trump indicated that future US arms sales to Taipei could become part of broader negotiations with China following his summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing. Taiwans representative to the US, Alexander Yui, warned on Sunday on CBS News that Taiwan needed continued []

New York, May 17: Recent outbreaks of hantavirus and norovirus on cruise ships are making headlines, but theyre unlikely to dim the growing popularity of vacation cruises, according to industry representatives and travel experts. In fact, many within the industry still expect a record number of people worldwide to take cruises this year despite three []