The Shillong Times

New Delhi, Sep 16: Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus admitted his side must improve its strike rate and reduce dot balls, while stressing the need for quality pitches at home to develop its white-ball game after the seven-wicket loss to India in the second T20I here. Afghanistan lost to India by seven wickets in the []

Nagoya (Japan), Sep 16: Wushu and table tennis players, as well as a few shuttlers, were among the first Indian athletes to check in for the Asian Games here on Wednesday, but the process was not completely hassle-free. The seven-member wushu contingent, accompanied by two coaches, reached Nagoya in the afternoon. It is learnt that []

Tokyo, Sep 16: The Indian womens cricket team head coach Amol Muzumdar said his players are eagerly looking forward to the unique atmosphere of the Asian Games after the defending champions landed in Japan determined to extend their recent run of success. Fresh from their T20 Asia Cup triumph, Harmanpreet Kaur and Co. will now []

London, Sep 16: Formula 1 plans to open the 2027 season in Bahrain even as uncertainty remains over this years races in the Middle East. F1 released a 24-race schedule for 2027 on Wednesday starting with the Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14 and then Saudi Arabia a week later, with events also scheduled for []

New Delhi, Sep 16: Indias deputy chef-de-mission for the Asian Games, A Sharath Kamal, says the unique container room and cruise ship accommodation at the event will not be particularly challenging for Indian athletes despite the mixed reactions that the arrangement has got from participating nations. Indias contingent of 501 athletes and 265 officials will []

New Delhi, Sep 16: With India sending a strong and experienced 30-member shooting contingent to the Asian Games, Olympic silver medallist Vijay Kumar wants the shooters to set their sights firmly on individual glory, believing that is where they can make the biggest impact. The former pistol ace feels India has enough experience and recent []

New Delhi, Sep 16: Indian boxers finishing on the podium at the upcoming Asian Games will directly qualify for next years World Boxing Championships, which is the first Olympic qualifier for the 2028 Los Angeles Games, the BFI announced on Wednesday. The Boxing Federation of India has released an expansive selection policy focused on having []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: The Meghalaya governments decision to allow vacancies carrying the State Pay Scale to be filled through the Structured Pay Framework (SPF) has raised concerns over the pay and service conditions of teachers who may be appointed against such posts. An Education Department notification dated August 12, 2026, issued under the orders of []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: The Meghalaya Unified Teachers Association (MUTA) has urged the state government to address critical gaps in the service conditions of teachers covered under the Structured Pay Framework (SPF), including leave entitlements, healthcare coverage, statutory maternity benefits, and access to institutional loans. In a representation submitted to Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: All Primary School Teachers Association (APSTA) general secretary FC Shullai has questioned Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbuis strong defence of Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri, remarking that the minister could even turn against Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma if he loses his Cabinet berth after joining another political party. Today we []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: Senior BJP leader and Pynthorumkhrah MLA AL Hek has written to the Minority Commission seeking recognition and welfare benefits for indigenous faith communities, including Seng Khasi, Seng Jaintia, and Seng Raj. Hek argued that tribal followers of indigenous faiths should not be denied facilities extended to other notified minority communities. Pointing out []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: The High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday allowed an appeal filed by Emanuel Marwein and set aside his conviction and sentence in a POCSO case after holding that the prosecution had failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that he was the person who committed the offence. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: The Special Court (POCSO) in East Jaintia Hills has sentenced a man to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment for raping a minor girl. In an order issued recently, Special Judge (POCSO) B. Khriam convicted the accused, Coming Massar, under Section 376(3) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) read with Sections 5(l), 5(n), []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: Meghalayas Catchment-to-Tap initiative continues to guide the states water security strategy, with rural tap water coverage reaching 84 per cent under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), according to the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department. In an official statement, the department said 785 critical water sources have been identified for rejuvenation, while roughly []

SHILLONG, Sep 16: Despite deciding not to back the UDP candidate in the upcoming Shillong parliamentary bye-election, the HSPDP has maintained that the Regional Democratic Alliance (RDA)a coalition of the two partiesremains intact. HSPDP president KP Pangniang on Wednesday said that while the party will not support the UDP nominee, regional parties must continue to []

Competition The Zenith Jubelieth Club, Laban, will organise the 27th All Shillong Dr. M.M. Das Memorial Inter-College/Higher Secondary School Debate Competition on September 19 at 2:30 pm. The competition will be held at the auditorium of Laban Bengalee Boys Higher Secondary School, Streamlet Road, Laban. The motion for this years debate is: Social media does []

New Delhi, Sep 15: Sanju Samsons explosive 57 off 22 balls and Nitish Kumar Reddys three-wicket haul powered India to a commanding seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second T20I here on Tuesday, giving the hosts an unassailable lead in the three-match series. Reddy returned with figures of 3/24, striking on the first ball of []

Sydney, Sep 15: Steve Smith has admitted he is unsure whether he will play in next years Ashes in England, raising fresh questions over the veteran Australian batters future in Test cricket. Smith, who will turn 38 before the first Ashes Test at Trent Bridge next June, said he is approaching his Test career on []

New Delhi, Sep 15: The controversy-mired Hockey India has called an emergent Executive Board meeting on September 18 here to resolve the differences among its top officials and restructure the struggling Hockey India League to create an independent Governing Council. HI President Dilip Tirkey and secretary Bhola Nath Singh have not been on the same []

New Delhi, Sep 15: The Sports Ministry will wait for the warring factions in Hockey India to resolve their differences amicably before deciding whether an intervention from it is required. HI President Dilip Tirkey and its secretary general Bhola Nath Singh have been locked in a public tug of war ever since the body drew []

New Delhi, Sep 15: The Sports Ministry on Tuesday said more than Rs 702 crore have been spent in the last three years on the training, equipment support and hiring of coaches and experts to prepare athletes for the Asian Games beginning September 19 in Japan where Indias contingent will feature 310 event debutants. CEO []

Seoul, Sep 15: Indias singles players Sumit Nagal and Dhakshineswar Suresh will have to negotiate a slow, low-bounce court and balls that quickly become heavy and fluffy when they take on South Korea in their Davis Cup Qualifier Round 2 tie, starting Friday. Nagals preference for a higher bounce and Sureshs big serve are both []

New Delhi, Sep 15: Inappropriate relationships where power imbalance or dependency exists, use of degrading language or being a bystander to instances of harassment have been strictly prohibited in the Olympic Council of Asias Safeguarding Code of Conduct for athletes and officials at the Asian Games with violations punishable by suspension from the mega-event. The []

Nepali film Elephants in the Fog has been selected to represent Nepal at the 99th Academy Awards. The International Feature Film Selection Committee (Nepal) had received two films including Gauthali for consideration. However, the committee announced Elephants in the Fog (Tiniharu) will represent Nepal in the Oscar in 2027. After a thorough evaluation of both []

Sushant Singhs manager Disha Salian case The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has named Bollywood actors Dino Morea, Sooraj Pancholi, and Rhea Chakraborty in the FIR registered on Monday in connection with the death of Disha Salian. The development follows the Bombay High Courts direction to register an FIR in the case and ordered a []

Where is empathy? Why does this has to be pointed out again and again, said composer Amaal Mallik after not getting credit for his composition in the 2015 film Hero. Mallik composed the title track Main Hoon Hero Tera, which was sung by his brother Armaan Malik and later rendered by Salman Khan. It had []

New Hormuz entry and exit routes Cairo, Sep 14: An Iranian cargo vessel was struck early Sunday off Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state media said, and Tehran postponed a plan to brief neighbouring countries on its contested efforts to manage shipping in the strait. The attack drew attention back to the []

Islamabad, Sep 14: The Punjab government has imposed a ban on all kinds of gatherings across the province until September 17, ahead of a planned protest by former prime minister Imran Khans Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf party in the federal capital. Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Afridi, had announced a tour of 13 cities of Punjab []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: Work has begun on expanding Shillong Airport, with a larger domestic passenger terminal and a longer runway at the core of the plan. The proposed new domestic terminal will grow from 5,000 sq m to 10,550 sq m, more than doubling the existing floor area. The runway is to be extended from []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: VPP chief Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has questioned Meghalaya SSA Schools Association (MSSASA) president Aristotle Rymbais opposition to the partys demand for the removal of Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri, and raised questions over Rymbais alleged association with the ruling NPP. Basaiawmoit said the VPPs demand was not driven by any []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: While a large section of teachers has opposed the Voice of the People Partys call for the removal of Education Commissioner and Secretary Vijay Kumar Mantri, deficit school teachers struck a different note on Monday, refusing to join that defence and pressing their own charge that the official has caused hurt and []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Monday handed over Rs 20,000 relocation assistance each to street vendors shifted to designated vending zones at Barik and Dhankheti, assuring them of government support during the transition. Each of the relocated vendors will receive Rs 10,000 immediately through Direct Benefit Transfer and Rs 2,000 a []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: With Durga Puja just a month away, Shillong has already slipped into a festive mood as pandals take shape and committees work through the last stretch of preparations. The District Administration and the Central Puja Committee (CPC) have begun mapping arrangements to keep the celebrations peaceful. The five-day celebrations will be held []

By Abhijit Deb Shillong, Sep 14: Long before packaged snacks, roadside eateries and modern food-delivery systems reached the Garo Hills, farmers working in jhum fields had a simple way of dealing with hunger they ate what the land around them provided. A newly published study on indigenous food systems in the Garo Hills has []

SHILLONG, Sep 14: The Hills Farmers Union (HFU) on Monday demanded compensation for pig farmers hit by the recent outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) and a waiver of Piggery Mission loans, accusing the Meghalaya government of failing to ensure proper health screening of pigs entering the state. Talking to reporters after an HFU delegations []

JOWAI, Sep 14: The Central Executive Committee of the Jaintia National Council (JNC) has submitted representations to the State Level Expert Appraisal Committee (SEAC) and the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority (SEIAA), demanding strict adherence to regulatory procedures regarding the proposed Shree Cement project at Lum Syrman. The council urged both bodies to maintain the []

New Delhi, Sep 13: Marcus Trescothick is uncertain about his future with the England Test side, as Stephen Fleming is set to take over as the permanent head coach. Trescothick served as the interim head coach of the Three Lions during their recent historic 3-0 home victory over Pakistan, following Brendon McCullums departure from the []

DHAKA, Sep 13: The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) is exploring the possibility of playing a bilateral series against Nepal before the end of the current Future Tours Programme (FTP) cycle in 2027. The development follows an invitation from the Nepal Cricket Association (CAN), which has expressed its interest in hosting Bangladesh for a bilateral series. []

LAHORE, Sep 13: Mike Hesson has expressed his willingness to continue as Pakistans Test coach after taking temporary charge of the side, while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has reaffirmed his commitment to red-ball cricket as he returns to the domestic first-class arena. Hesson was appointed interim coach for the third Test against England after []

New York, Sep 13: Elena Rybakina came to New York and took everything that had belonged to Aryna Sabalenka. First, it was the No. 1 ranking in womens tennis, then the US Open trophy. The tournament that for so long was a struggle for Rybakina turned into the site of her coronation. Rybakina won her []

NEW YORK, Sep 13: American Christian Harrison and British partner Neal Skupski won their second Grand Slam mens doubles title of the year by defeating Germanys Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz 6-4, 7-6 (6) in the U.S. Open final on Saturday. Harrison and Skupski were playing just their second tournament together when they won the []

Tokyo, Sep 13: Tokyo Paralympic gold medallist Pramod Bhagat secured a gold in mens singles SL3 and silver in mens doubles SL3-SU5, while Sukant Kadam bagged the 100th medal of his career at the Japan Para Badminton International here on Sunday. Pramod, a six-time world champion, produced a dominant performance to defeat fellow Indian U []

New Delhi, Sep 13: Wushu player Divyanshi Choudhary has dialled down her anger against the sports national federation after being dropped from the Asian Games squad due to an injury, saying she has full support of the governing body to make a stronger comeback. Divyanshi was included in the seven-member wushu team for the Aichi-Nagoya []

New Delhi, Sep 13: Indias international para-badminton shuttler Prema Vishwas has issued an emotional public appeal, alleging that her official entry for the upcoming AichiNagoya 2026 Asian Para Games was deliberately delayed, which resulted in its rejection. Taking to social media to seek Prime Minister Narendra Modis immediate intervention, the WH1 category athlete questioned the []

Period pain is often dismissed as a normal part of menstruation, but severe or persistent pain could be a sign of endometriosis, a chronic condition that can affect fertility and significantly impact a womans quality of life, according to doctors. Experts said growing evidence suggests that genetic and epigenetic factors may influence a womans susceptibility []

Humans everywhere use mind-altering substances, from stimulants and narcotics to hallucinogens. Yet surprisingly little is known about how some psychoactive drugs were first discovered and incorporated into daily life. In a study published today, we uncover the prehistoric roots of betel nut chewing. This widespread habit has a long and deep history in the Asia-Pacific []