The Shillong Times

Agartala/Aizawl, June 2: The Army, Assam Rifles and other agencies have conducted joint flood relief and disaster response exercises across Tripura, Mizoram and other Northeastern states to strengthen inter-agency coordination, operational preparedness and emergency response capabilities ahead of the monsoon season, officials said on Tuesday. A defence spokesman in Agartala said that in a demonstration []

Bengaluru, June 2: Bengaluru Cyber Crime Police on Tuesday registered an FIR against 29 social media accounts in connection with the circulation of fake bikini videos and photographs of actress Rukmini Vasanth, who had gained national attention for her role in the film Kantara Chapter-2. The police have initiated stringent action against a total of []

Antigua, June 1: Cricket West Indies (CWI) has announced its 15-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Sri Lanka, which sees the return of Shimron Hetmyer, who has been reintegrated into the ODI setup as part of CWIs strategic build-up towards the 50-Over World Cup next year. CWI said Hetmyer will join the squad []

Paris, June 1: Anna Kalinskaya of Russia made it to the quarterfinals of the French Open for the first time by defeating Anastasia Potapova of Austria 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-7) on Monday. Their contest on Court Suzanne-Lenglen stretched to almost three hours after Potapova failed to serve out the match twice in the decider and []

PARIS, June 1: Adolfo Daniel Vallejo was fined $65,000 at the French Open after he said his second-round match should not have been umpired by a woman, organisers announced on Monday. Vallejo lost to French teenager Moise Kouame last week after a tense five-set battle that lasted nearly five hours. He later told the tennis []

Jakarta, June 1: Brimming with confidence after breaking their title drought in Singapore, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will look to make it a double celebration in a weeks time when they open their campaign in the Thailand Open Super 1000 badminton tournament starting here on Tuesday. The former world No.1 pair of Satwik and []

Paris, June 1: French Open director Amelie Mauresmo said on Monday that electronic line-calling is not 100% reliable on clay courts and has no immediate plans to introduce the technology at Roland Garros despite a controversial call during Casper Ruuds loss against Joao Fonseca. Ruud, a two-time runner-up in Paris, ultimately lost the fourth-round match []

Oslo, June 1: The Indian contingent endured a miserable outing as all four players suffered defeats in Round 6, with world champion D Gukesh slipping back to losing ways after showing encouraging signs in the previous round, while R Praggnanandhaa, Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy also ended on the wrong side of the results in []

Pristina (Kosovo), June 1: 15-year-old Divyanshi Bhowmick, ranked World No. 211, produced a dream performance to become the youngest Indian woman ever to win a WTT Feeder Womens Singles title here. The young Indian star defeated the World No. 38 Yeh Yi-Tian, from Chinese Taipei, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 7-11, 11-7. At just 15 years of []

Kakamigahara (Japan), June 1: Captain Ketan Kushwaha scored a brace as the Indian mens hockey team registered a dominant 4-1 victory against South Korea in their third Pool A match of U-18 Asia Cup here on Monday. Kushwaha scored in the third and 36th minutes, Varinder Singh struck in the fifth minute, and Shahrukh Ali []

New Delhi, June 1: Twenty-two rowers were on Monday inducted into the Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) Development Group ahead of the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, in September-October. The decision was taken by the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) in its 174th meeting here. The list was announced following the completion of annual national selection []

Mexico City, June 1: Mexico coach Javier Aguirre opted for a new generation of players to use home ground advantage at the World Cup in a bid to seek redemption after one of the worst failures for El Tri in modern times at Qatar 2022. El Vasco Aguirre, guiding the Mexican team into a World []

Prague, June 1: Sparta Prague midfielder Hugo Sochurek was included in the Czech Republic squad for the World Cup after he became the youngest player for the national team in a warmup game against Kosovo. The Czechs won 2-1 and 17-year-old Sochurek came on as a substitute on Sunday. Immediately after the game, coach Miroslav []

By Our Reporter Acclaimed Khasi feature film Ha Lyngkha Bneng The Elysian Field, directed by noted filmmaker Pradip Kurbah, has added another feather to its cap by winning the Best Feature Film award in the International Competition category at the 23rd Kathmandu Mountain International Film Festival on Sunday. The film was screened during the []

Actress Kangana Ranaut has called for child-friendly workplaces, saying women should not have to choose between family and career. Speaking during promotions for Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata, she recalled how co-star Smita Tambes children often visited the set, prompting her to question why workplaces lack dedicated spaces for children. Kangana stressed that encouraging women to join []

The Delhi High Court has granted an interim injunction to Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan, restraining unauthorised use of his name, image, voice and other personality attributes. Justice Jyoti Singh barred entities from exploiting his identity through AI-generated content, deepfakes, chatbots, face morphing and unauthorised merchandise. The court also ordered the removal of infringing online content, []

Actress Anushka Sharma celebrated Virat Kohlis latest IPL triumph with an affectionate social media post after Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeated Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday. On Monday, Anushka shared a heartwarming photograph on Instagram showing her kissing Kohli on the forehead while he held the IPL []

DUBAI, June 1: The United States said it carried out airstrikes on Iranian radar and drone facilities after Iran shot down an American MQ-1 drone over the weekend. According to the US militarys Central Command, the strikes targeted sites near Geruk and on Qeshm Island, destroying air defence systems, a ground-control station and two attack []

TEHRAN, June 1: Iran has suspended talks with the United States in protest against Israels expanding military operations in Lebanon and its continued actions in Gaza, according to reports from the state-aligned Tasnim news agency. The agency said Tehrans negotiating team has halted discussions and indirect exchanges of messages through mediators, arguing that Israeli actions []

BEIRUT, June 1: Israel ordered airstrikes on Beiruts southern suburb of Dahiyeh on Monday, accusing Hezbollah of repeatedly violating the ceasefire signed in mid-April and launching attacks against Israeli territory. The decision came a day after Israeli ground forces advanced deeper into southern Lebanon than at any point in the past 26 years. Following Israels []

More people are relying on social media such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Reddit- to learn about mental health conditions and to interact with people who have shared experiences. These arent only long-familiar disorders such as depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. They also include conditions often placed under the neurodivergent umbrella such as autism, ADHD []

Herbal cigarettes, widely sold in India and abroad as natural, tobacco-free, and therapeutic alternatives to conventional cigarettes, are not safer than regular tobacco cigarettes- they produce emissions that can be comparably or even more damaging than tobacco smoke, according to a study. Findings published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials present a comprehensive comparison of []

Artistes perform during the celebration of the birth anniversary of Bengali poet Kazi Nazrul lslam at Bongiya Sahitya Parishad on Sunday.

From Our Correspondent AMPATI, June 1: The District Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) and National Oral Health Programme (NOHP), South West Garo Hills, observed World No Tobacco Day 2026 at Bidamong Educational Foundation School, Dengasi, on Monday. The event aimed to raise awareness about the harmful effects of tobacco and protect the youth from addiction. Delivering []

From Our Correspondent MAWKYRWAT, June 1: Local MLA Renikton L Tongkhar on Monday inaugurated a new Dorbar Hall at Domjyrti village in South West Khasi Hills, constructed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh under the Chief Ministers Special Development Fund (CMSDF) 2023-24. Addressing the gathering, Tongkhar commended the contractor for the timely completion and []

Aizawl, June 1: Mizoram Governor General (Dr) V.K. Singh (Retd) on Monday launched the Khet Bachao Abhiyan, a nationwide initiative of the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare aimed at preventing soil degradation through balanced fertiliser use based on soil testing and the promotion of natural farming practices. The campaign seeks to enhance soil []

Guwahati, June 1: Assam Congress MLA Jakir Hussain Sikdar on Monday said the party has initiated an internal review process to analyse the reasons behind its defeat in the recent elections, adding that observers appointed by the party are collecting detailed feedback from leaders and workers at the constituency level. Speaking to reporters here, Sikdar []

Guwahati, June 1: The Assam Royal Global University (RGU), the premiere higher education institution in the North-east India is all set for full implementation of the NEP 2020 with students joining the final year programme under the Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUGP). Elaborating the preparedness for effective implementation of this important aspect of NEP 2020, the []

Ri-Bhoi (Meghalaya), June 1 : The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) has added another feather to its cap as Dr Nibedita Paul, NSS Programme Coordinator, USTM, was conferred a prestigious National-Level Award under the National Service Scheme (NSS) during the Chintan Shivir organised by the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports at the []

Ahmedabad, May 31: It was a night dotted with chilling certainty. Royal Challengers Bengaluru translated their domination from Day 1 of this IPL into a second successive title, and Virat Kohli anchored that five-wicket romp over Gujarat Titans with a patented chase masterclass of unbeaten 75 here on Sunday. If the Titans innings of 155 []

Margao, May 31: Meghalaya midfielder Sanfida Nongrum delivered an impressive performance to earn the Player of the Match award as India defeated Bangladesh 3-0 to finish atop Group B in the SAFF Womens Championship 2026 on Sunday. India registered their second consecutive win of the tournament, having earlier thrashed Maldives 11-0, and ended the group []

New Delhi, May 31: Indias legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has heaped praise on 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, describing him as a truly special talent while also lauding the ability of the teenage batting prodigy to pick the correct line and length and smash the ball where he likes. Sooryavanshi finished the IPL 2026, scoring 776 []

Jaipur, May 31: Rajasthan Royals entered IPL 2026 with one of the most exciting squads in the tournament. Blessed with explosive batters, versatile all-rounders and a bowling attack capable of troubling any opposition, the franchise appeared well-equipped to mount a serious title challenge. Yet, despite possessing the talent to go deep into the competition, the []

Dubai, May 31: International cricket is set for another action-packed year, with the Future Tours Programme (FTP) for 2026-27 featuring a packed schedule of bilateral series and major tournaments across the globe. The calendar will see several of the games leading nations travel extensively, while fans can look forward to high-profile contests involving India, Australia, []

TEHRAN, May 31: Iran has said that restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz remain in force despite US President Donald Trumps recent claim that a naval blockade on the country would be lifted. According to Irans semi-official Tasnim news agency, Iranian sailors reported that vessels are still being prevented from freely passing through the strategic []

MOSCOW, May 31: Ukraine launched fresh overnight drone attacks on Russian energy infrastructure, Russian officials reported on Sunday, while Kyiv denied Moscows allegations that a Ukrainian drone had struck the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. In Russias southwestern Rostov region, drone debris sparked a fire at a fuel storage facility, prompting the evacuation of residents []

BANGKOK, May 31: A powerful explosion at a building reportedly storing mining explosives in northeastern Myanmar killed more than 45 people and injured around 70 others on Sunday, according to rescue workers and local media reports. The blast occurred around midday in Kaungtup village in Namhkam township, an area located near the Chinese border and []

NEW DELHI, May 31: Developments surrounding the US-Iran situation, crude oil prices, and the RBIs interest rate decision will determine the trend in the equity market in an event-heavy week ahead, analysts said. Besides, macroeconomic data announcements, trading activity of foreign investors, and the rupee-dollar trend will act as key drivers for equities, they noted. []

New Delhi, May 31: India-Oman Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) offering zero duty access to a range of Indian labour-intensive exports, will kick in from Monday. The Finance Ministry on Sunday issued notification on duty concessions on Omani goods under trade pact with India, which will come into effect from June 1. India and Oman []

New Delhi, May 31: The government has halved windfall gains tax on export of petrol to Rs 1.5 litre, while reducing the levy on diesel to Rs 13.5/litre and aviation turbine fuel to Rs 9.5/litre effective June 1. The finance ministry in a notification said road and infrastructure cess will be nil on export of []

New Delhi, May 31: Billionaire Gautam Adani said the Adani Group has moved beyond its US legal challenges and is accelerating investments across energy, transport, logistics and digital infrastructure, positioning itself to benefit from rising demand for artificial intelligence-led growth. In his annual letter to shareholders, Adani said the conglomerate remained committed to expansion despite []

Kakamigahara (Japan), May 31: The Indian womens hockey team registered a convincing 3-1 victory over Korea in their second Pool A match of the U-18 Asia Cup here on Sunday. Riding on goals from Nousheen Naz, Shruti Kumari and Kiran Ekka, India maintained their winning momentum in the tournament following their opening-day triumph over Malaysia. []

Lucknow, May 31: Indias new mens freestyle wrestling coach Shako Bentinidis believes reigning U23 world champion Sujeet Kalkal has the potential to become an Olympic medallist but must further sharpen his technical skills to dominate the highly competitive 65kg category. He also urged Indian coaches to continuously upgrade themselves through greater exposure to international training []

CHAMPIONS YET AGAIN: Royal Challengers Bengaluru players celebrate with the trophy after defeating Gujarat Titans in the IPL final at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday. (PTI)

Push for Garo representative bolsters James Sangmas prospect By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 31: Ahead of the Rajya Sabha election for the lone Rajya Sabha seat in Meghalaya, scheduled on June 18, the BJP has decided to support a common candidate of the NPP-led Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA). Traditionally, the Rajya Sabha seat from Meghalaya []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 31: Meghalaya Trinamool Congress (TMC) president and Opposition MLA Charles Pyngrope on Sunday dismissed speculation that party leaders in the state were preparing to switch allegiance ahead of the 2028 Assembly elections, asserting that the party remains active and functional. Responding to reports and rumours suggesting that TMC leaders were []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, May 31: A series of developments over the past year from a contentious cabinet reshuffle and public disagreements among senior leaders to complaints from party units and the resignation of a veteran leader have fuelled questions about whether Meghalayas second-largest political party is confronting one of its most challenging internal phases []

During an evening test fire on May 28, 2026, a Blue Origin New Glenn rocket exploded, engulfing the launchpad in a massive fireball. The spectacular fire, caught on video, not only destroyed the rocket but also appears to have significantly damaged Blue Origins only launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Fortunately, []

India and Pakistan are no strangers to heat. This time of year is the worst, as heat peaks before the monsoon brings cooler conditions from June. But this years heat is something else. Intense, sustained heat began in mid-April. Daily maximum temperatures have topped 46C in many locations, with some areas running around 58C above []