The Shillong Times News

KATHMANDU, Dec 17: Nepals CPN-UML on Wednesday voted to elect its leader with deposed prime minister K P Sharma Oli facing a tough challenge from senior leader Ishwor Pokharel to retain the position he has held for over 10 years. Oli, who is seeking a third consecutive term, and Pokharel are the only two candidates []

DHAKA, Dec 17:Under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government, Bangladesh is witnessing a severe deterioration in law and order, highlighted by the recent brutal killing of Awami League worker Riyad Hossain. According to the party, Hossain was stabbed to death on Wednesday in a coordinated mob attack allegedly carried out by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and []

BRUSSSELS, Dec 17: European Union leaders are preparing to attempt an unprecedented financial operation to support Ukraine, but the plan carries significant risks and could set long-term precedents affecting trust among the blocs 27 members. At a summit beginning Thursday, EU leaders are expected to discuss using tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian []

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Dec 17: The Trump administration expanded its travel ban to 20 more countries and the Palestinian Authority, citing national security and public safety concerns. Partial restrictions apply to 15 nations, including Angola, Nigeria, and Zambia, while full restrictions target Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, Syria, Laos, Sierra Leone, and PA-issued travel documents. []

Meher Castelino, the first Miss India and a celebrated fashion journalist, passed away on Wednesday. She was 81 years old, and is survived by her son, Karl, daughter-in-law, Nisha, and her daughter, Christina. Meher Castelino was born in Mumbai, and first caught the public eye by winning the Femina Miss India title in 1964, becoming []

SS Rajamouli was happy to be the first person in India to watch Avatar: Fire and Ash as he sat down to discuss the movie with director James Cameron who hopes to visit the Indian directors set when he is filming something fun. The two directors, united in their love for creating big theatrical spectacles, []

MUMBAI, Dec 17: The Indian rupee rebounded 55 paise on Wednesday to close at 90.38 against the US dollar, recovering from an all-time low of 90.93 in a volatile session, aided by suspected aggressive intervention by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Analysts said the rupees weakness in recent weeks was driven largely by external []

MUMBAI, Dec 17: Indian stock markets fell for the third consecutive day on Wednesday, as sustained foreign fund outflows weighed on investor sentiment. The BSE Sensex closed 120.21 points lower at 84,559.65, while the NSE Nifty fell 41.55 points to 25,818.55, both marking a weeks low. During the day, the Sensex dropped as much as []

SHILLONG: Gipin adokrangoni Meghalaya adokona manderangko salbaenggipa tourist taxi-rangko champengsona niam dongja ine adokni Deputy Chief Minister aro Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, talataniko onangaha. Mongolbar salo, All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA)-ni dilgiparang baksa tome chanchirimangani jaman iako Dhar aganaha. AKMTTA-ni dabienga gita gipin adokrangoni tourist taxi-rangko champengsona niam dongja ine talataniko onangengon, gipin []

RONGJENG: National Highway (NH)-217 ramako apalbatate tarianio, East Garo Hills ajani dingtang dingtang songrangna nangchongmotgipa uiatanirangko somoi gita onjahani asel, district administration-ni kamrango olgrokaniko nikna manaha ine ia ramako tarianio nangchakeaniko manenggipa songni manderang matnangtokaha. Jolo songdongenggipa manderangni parakatani gitade, Deputy Commissioner (Revenue)-ni November 17 tariko uiataniko aro uamangni gisepo kubalitimgipako songani bidingo uiataniko baditaba [

Editor, Apropos the article When Policy Forgets the Teacher: Reflections on NEP and Academic Life authored by Bhogtoram Mawroh and published in The Shillong Times, it deserves sincere appreciation for bringing into the open a side of educational reform that is too often ignored the side lived daily by teachers. Much is written and []

The water crisis in large parts of Shillong city caused by a major leakage of a water pipe at 101 area where a major road construction project is underway has exposed a weak flank in administration namely the absence of an emergency response system. The destruction of a water pipeline that supplies water to []

By Kyrsoibor Pyrtuh December 18, 2025, marks the 85th Death Anniversary of Babu Soso Tham and to pay homage to the bard of Hynniewtrep land and poet laureate, I wish to pen down on the subject above. Babu Soso Tham and his Students: Babu Soso Tham began his writing career together with his students of []

A Nail Without a Hammer By Roy Kupar Synrem A nail is useless unless driven by the hammer. In the same way, talents are useless unless driven by people in power. This is the quote I came across in a Book titled Grains of Thoughts by Dr. B.Ps. Toi. The book is a collection of []

3rd Ashes Test Adelaide, Dec 17: Alex Carey posted a hometown hundred and Usman Khawaja scored 82 after a dramatic, last-minute recall to help Australia reach 326 for eight at stumps on a hot opening day of the third Ashes test. Paceman Joffra Archer (3-29) took three big wickets, including two in three balls immediately []

Lucknow, Dec 17: The fourth T20I between India and South Africa was called off on Wednesday owing to poor visibility after a dense layer of smog engulfed the Ekana Stadium raising serious questions about BCCIs scheduling of matches in northern part of India during peak winter month. The venues allotted for the full series against []

Rome, Dec 17: Former Australia batter Joe Burns, who led Italy to its first-ever T20 World Cup qualification, will be omitted from the European nations squad for the showpiece in India due to availability issues that came in the way of a contract between him and the Italian Cricket Federation. The Federation on Tuesday named []

Kolkata, Dec 17: The Cricket Association of Bengal on Wednesday announced the ticket prices for matches to be held at the Eden Gardens during the ICC Mens T20 World Cup, with rates varying across group-stage fixtures and knockout matches. The 10th edition of showpiece will start on February 7. For group matches featuring Bangladesh vs []

Doha, Dec 17: Ousmane Dembele and Aitana Bonmati were named the best players of 2025 at the FIFA awards on Tuesday, adding to their prize collection after also winning the mens and womens Ballon dOr this year. Dembele starred for Paris Saint-Germain in its first Champions League title win and Bonmati was a standout for []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Meghalayas Edmund Arnold Myrthong secured the prestigious overall Mr. India 2025 title in the Denims category during the World Fitness Federation (WFF) competition held in Chandigarh on December 14 and 15. The event, which saw a total of 195 participants, featured a strong delegation from Meghalaya, accompanied by the []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 17: The Meghalaya Football Association announced its squad today for the upcoming Senior Mens National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 preliminary round. The state team will be captained by the experienced Hardy Cliff Nongbri and coached by the reputed Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh. Shillong will host three matches of []

Geneva, Dec 17: FIFA slashed the price of some World Cup tickets for teams most loyal fans following a global backlash and some will get $60 seats for the final instead of being asked to pay $4,185. It was a rare climbdown by the soccer body and its president Gianni Infantino after soaking up waves []

Doha, Dec 17: After finally ending its wait for a Champions League title, Paris Saint-Germain can finish the year by adding a first Intercontinental Cup trophy as well. PSG takes on Brazilian club Flamengo, the South American champion, in the final of the year-end international tournament on Wednesday. No French team has won the Intercontinental []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 17: Meghalaya have set Mizoram 248 to win in their U-19 mens Cooch Behar Trophy 2025-26 plate group match at the end of the second day in Anand, Gujarat, on Wednesday. Resuming their first innings in the morning on 129/5, in response to Meghalayas 219 all out, Mizoram were dismissed []

From Our Correspondent DADENGGRE, Dec 17: The Office of the Block Development Officer, Dadenggre C&RD Block, in collaboration with the Office of the District Disaster Management Officer (DDMO), West Garo Hills District Tura, on Tuesday organised a comprehensive training programme on disaster preparedness, focusing particularly on flood response and other natural calamities. The programme began []

From Our Correspondent TURA, Dec 17: The Achik Conscious Holistically Integrated Krima (ACHIK) has demanded immediate recruitment and strict adherence to policy by the Captain Williamson Sangma State University (CWSSU). In a statement, which was issued on Tuesday, the ACHIK, while accusing the senior administration of the university of arbitrary appointments, asserted that such practices []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: The youth wing of Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), West Khasi Hills, on Wednesday urged Arts and Culture Minister Sanbor Shullai to upgrade the existing district library in Nongstoin into a District Multi-Convention Centre to cater to the growing social, cultural and educational needs of the district. In []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Expressing concern over the growing drug menace in the state, Governor CH Vijayashankar convened a meeting of key stakeholders, including heads of educational institutions, as part of the flagship national programme, Nasha-Mukt Bharat Abhiyan. Addressing the gathering, the Governor said he would personally visit any village or locality that []

Beautification drive launched at Mawlai Mawroh By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Wednesday said that meaningful governance and sustainable urban transformation can only be achieved through strong interaction and collaboration between the government and citizens, asserting that real change begins at the grassroots level when public concerns are heard []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: The Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) on Wednesday held a protest meeting at the Congress Bhavan here, condemning what it described as the misuse of central investigative agencies by the BJP-led government to target political opponents, including the Gandhi family. The protest followed an order passed on December 16, []

Over two lakh tonnes of legacy waste recycled By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: More than two lakh tonnes of legacy waste have been recycled from the Marten landfill site at Mawlai, which was overflowing at one point in time. Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar stated on Wednesday that the landfill is now almost empty, []

From Our Correspondent NONGPOH, Dec 17: In view of a series of developments that adversely affected the functioning of the Nongpoh Sirdarship Elaka, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) has appointed Luistar Lyngdoh as the Acting Sirdar to oversee the administration of the Elaka. Lyngdoh was formally sworn in by Denzil Raynard Chen, Executive []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Marcuise Marak on Wednesday said that the Centre is expected to release the pending Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) funds by January 2026. Addressing media persons, Marak explained that the Centre has not yet released the funds due to implementation-related issues faced by some states []

EGH road-widening project From Our Correspondent RONGJENG, Dec 17: Villagers affected by the NH-217 road-widening project in East Garo Hills have alleged that crucial government notices were not communicated to them in time, exposing serious lapses on the part of the local administration. Residents said they came to know about the November 17 public notice []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Meghalaya, which has one of the lowest LPG penetration rates in the country and remains below the national average, is aiming to significantly improve household coverage through the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) 3.0. The state government has set a goal to cover around one lakh households, which are []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: The High Court of Meghalaya has directed the state government to file a progress report on complaints regarding the poor and dilapidated condition of roads in Nongrimmaw and Laitumkhrah. The petitioner had complained about the poor and deteriorated condition of roads in Nongrimmaw and Laitumkhrah, Shillong, and had disclosed []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 17: Amid claims by rival parties that the United Democratic Party (UDP) is sinking, party leader Kyrmen Shylla on Wednesday said that only elections would reveal whether the party is sinking or growing. But as far as our preparation is concerned, we feel we will grow, he said. He also []

Info sought on abandoned kids The District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), Ri-Bhoi, has informed that an infant, aged nine months, and his siblings aged 14 years and 11 years, who were abandoned and handed over to the Child Welfare Committee on May 14, 2025, are currently under the care of the Specialised Adoption Agency, Ri-Bhoi, []

Manchester, Dec 16: Manchester United drew with Bournemouth 4-4 in one of the best games in the Premier League on Monday. United coach Ruben Amorim said before the match that playing against Bournemouth is never fun and they were prophetic words on a night his side had most of the opportunities but still came away []

Rome, Dec 16: Brazilian full back Wesley Frana got the only goal as Roma beat Como 1-0 and moved within three points of Serie A leader Inter Milan on Monday. A summer signing from Flamengo, Franca gave Roma the breakthrough it deserved on the hour mark by taking Matas Souls pass and firing a low []

Madrid, Dec 16: Rayo Vallecano battled to a 0-0 draw at home against Real Betis on Monday, extending their winless streak in La Liga to six matches. The result leaves Rayo struggling to regain momentum, while Betis secured a point to maintain their position in the upper half of the table. Rayo, who had managed []

U-16 National Tennis championship By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 16: The inaugural National-Level MTA-AITA Championship Series (CS7) for Under-16 Boys and Girls continued on Day 2 at The Shillong Club Tennis Courts, organised by the Meghalaya Tennis Association (MTA) in association with the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs (DSYA). The tournament, running from December []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 16: The Meghalaya Yogasana Sports Association successfully concluded the 5th State Level Yogasana Sports Judges Training Programme for the 202526 season, held in a hybrid format from December 13 to 16. Hosted by the West Garo Hills District Yogasana Sports Association, the programme began with an inaugural function at Tikrikilla []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 16: The Meghalaya team for the preliminary group games of the Senior Mens National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy 2025-26 will likely be announced on Wednesday. Khlain Pyrkhat Syiemlieh will coach the team this year. It was he who was in charge of the side that reached the final []

Cooch Behar Trophy By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 16: Meghalaya were in a spot of bother on the first day of their U-19 mens Cooch Behar Trophy 2025-26 plate group match against Mizoram but recovered to post 219 all out in their first innings in Anand, Gujarat, on Tuesday. At stumps, Mizoram were 129/5, trailing []

NATIONAL SHOOTING NEW DELHI/BHOPAL, Dec 16: World Championship silver medallist Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar delivered a landmark performance at the 68th Shooting Nationals on Tuesday, firing a world record 470.5 to clinch gold in the mens 50m rifle 3 positions final at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Range. Aishwarys score is 1.6 points more than []

BWF WORLD TOUR HANGZHOU, Dec 16: Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will face a stern examination of form and resilience when the season-ending BWF World Tour Finals begin here on Wednesday, with the Indian mens doubles duo drawn in what is widely regarded as the group of death. The showpiece features the top-eight players or []

MUMBAI, Dec 16: Indian cricketer Prithvi Shaw on Tuesday claimed that social media influencer Sapna Gills plea against him in an alleged molestation case was frivolous, and filed with the intention of maligning his image and gaining publicity. In a written reply filed before a court here, Shaw claimed that Gill was playing the womanhood []

DUBAI, Dec 16: Abhigyan Kundu delivered a record-breaking innings to lead India to a dominant win over Malaysia in their Under-19 Asia Cup Group A match in Dubai. He scored an impressive 209 not out off 125 balls as India set a total of 408 for 7, bowling Malaysia out for just 93. Kundu came []

Specially-abled sportspersons play cricket during the inauguration of the Khelo Tripura Para Games 2025 in Agartala on Tuesday. (PTI)