SHILLONG:Capital town, which accounts for 95% of active COVID cases in the state, will come under lockdown and curfew simultaneously for 48 hours beginning Monday to enable the Government machinery to go for a vigorous contact tracing in different localities and at the same time eliminating chances of community spread of the virus. Lockdown and []

SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has confused people with the number of COVID-19 cases on Saturday. In his tweet in the morning, he said there are 76 COVID cases, taking the total number of active patients to 215 in the state. It was the highest single-day spike of cases. However, later during a press conference []

SHILLONG: Meghalayas galloping rise in active COVID cases continuedwith47 more reported on Saturday taking the total number to a all time high of 236. BSF alone accounted for159 cases, twoin Air Force and 44 other civilians. In addition, Ri Bhoi has 20 cases, followed by 9 in West Garo Hills and twoin East Jaintia Hillsdistrict []

SHILLONG: The number of positive COVID cases in the state is expected to go up further in the coming days, according to a survey conducted by the State Surveillance Team. The government was apprised of this ominous finding of the survey during Saturdays review meeting, sources said. The number of cases has doubled in the []

SHILLONG: The random testing in four localities adjacent to the BSF Umpling campus will begin from July 15. Health Minister AL Hek along with Mawryngkneng MLA David Nongrum on Saturday held detailed discussions with COVID Management Committees of Umpling and Nongmynsong about the random testing. Hek later said that apart from Nongmynson, Umpling and Mawpat, []

SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Board of School Education (MBoSE) has assured that the HSSLC (Arts ) results would be declared as scheduled on Monday despite the lockdown. MBoSE Controller of Examinations TR Laloo said that the lockdown is not going to pose a problem since the results would be declared online and not at examination centres. []

SHILLONG: Nongmyn-song outpost has been temporarily closed with immediate effect as police officials of the outpost came in close proximity with a secondary contact while discharging their duties. Assistant Inspector General of Police (Administration) GK Iangrai said that the outpost will be closed till the time the entire area gets disinfected and police officials of []

SHILLONG: The weather reports on Thursday indicated an enhanced southwest monsoon rainfall spell over Meghalaya. According to weather features, the monsoon trough at mean sea level continues to run close to foothills of the Himalaya. The report said there is high convergence of southwesterly/southerly winds from Bay of Bengal at lower tropospheric levels over Northeastern []

Mawkyrwat/NONGSTOIN: A footbridge was washed away and roads were cut off while reports of landslides occurred in various parts of South West Khasi Hills due to incessant rainfall in the district for the past few days. A footbridge connecting Marshillong and Jashiar village via Rilang River was washed away on Friday night after the water []

SHILLONG: Despite an order from the government prohibiting government-aided and privately owned hostels in the state to desist from charging rent or fees from students during lockdown starting from April, private hostel owners have failed to follow the order, said the Shillong Manipuri Students Union. In a statement issued on Saturday, the union said there []

New Delhi: Close on the heels of Supreme Court asking Meghalaya and 13 other states to file a report on death of elephants, a renowned animal rights body petitioned the Centre to probe the death of 30 jumbos in a month including one in Garo Hills. Animal rights body Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations []

ISLAMABAD: An umbrella group of Muslim organisations in Pakistan has extended its support to the construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad and denounced the controversy over the issue, according to a media report on Saturday. The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), whose members include Islamic clerics and legal scholars of different Islamic traditions, also []

SHILLONG: Union Minister Nitin Gadkari said management institutes are the driving force for the industrial sector while ruing on the countrys extensive import requirement despite the presence of minerals setting such as coal, copper, aluminium and gold. Gadkari was speaking as the chief guest of an online e-symposium organised by IIM Shillong on Friday. During []

The one thing that makes most Indians feel like an indomitable achiever, though for a split second, is undoubtedly spitting. If one notices closely, one would see the distinctive changes in the face of a person before he or she spits out with vengeance. The taut facial muscles distorting the countenance, readying for the regurgitation, []

The Director of Shillongs Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures and Museum (DBCICM), Dr (Fr) Manoj Churuliyil Abraham SDB, PhD, MA, MCom, BEd, travelled from down south up to the North East as a young boy to join the Salesians of Don Bosco. Fr Manoj wears many hats he is a Council Member of []

The Oracle Hidden behind the flailing shopfronts, past the narrow gulley through a consenting orifice, through the dusty lanes with billowing juniper and dung plumes, beyond the staccato sheds of mud plaster and hollow bricks, a leap across the canal carved out of the Indus for sustenance and amusement, like a vagrant whisper a flat-roofed []

By Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee Born in 1970 at a tea garden near Silchar at his grandfathers place, Nabarun Bhattacharya was brought up in Shillong where his father worked in the AG office. His early schooling started at All Saints Cathedral School. After a brief stint in Bhutan where his father was posted on deputation, he []

India, which is considered the oldest country to have a well-planned city with the oldest civilisation in the world, has some hidden truths that not many know about. This country has created wonders in every field, including science and arts. All of us know that India was the country to establish the first mahaviharas or []

Hosts limp to 54-run lead after reaching 168-3 at tea on Day 4

Southampton: Stand-in England captain Ben Stokes added another feather into his already illustrious cap as he achieved the rare feat of 150 wickets and 4000 runs in the longest format. During the third day of the first Test of #raisethebat series against West Indies at Ageas Bowl in Southampton, Stokes picked four wickets (4/49) to []

New Delhi: Former India captain M.S. Dhoni was lucky in the way that he inherited teams consisting of great players when he took over the Indian captaincy in all formats of the game, according to former batsman Gautam Gambhir. As Test captain, Dhoni is credited with being the first to lead India to the top []

Southampton: Former England captain Nasser Hussain feels the hosts missed a trick by leaving pace spearhead Stuart Broad out of the playing XI for the first Test of #raisethebat series against West Indies at Ageas Bowl. Veteran pacer James Anderson was given the nod alongside Mark Wood and Jofra Archer as Broad had to be []

Norwich: Michail Antonio scored all the goals as West Ham beat Norwich 4-0 to relegate the Canaries from the English Premier League on Saturday. Antonio has been a standout since the league restarted amid the coronavirus pandemic. Since July 1 hes scored six out of his eight league goals this season and assisted another. Norwich []

Barcelona: Karim Benzema helped Real Madrid move one step closer to dethroning Lionel Messis Barcelona. Benzema scored one goal and set up another to lead Madrid to beating Alavs 2-0 on Friday and restoring a four-point lead over Barcelona in the Spanish league with only three rounds left. Benzema scored a penalty kick in the []

Brussels/WASHINGTON: Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) have adopted a new regulation that will allow vaccines and treatments for COVID-19 to be developed more quickly. The regulation that allows temporary derogation from certain rules for clinical trials was approved on Friday by 505 votes in favour, 67 against and 109 abstentions, following an urgent debate []

New York: New data revealed by Gilead Sciences has shown that its antiviral drug remdesivir reduces death risk of severe Covid-19 patients by as much as 62 per cent when compared with standard care alone. This is an important finding that requires confirmation in prospective clinical trials, Gilead said on Friday about the results presented []

Kathmandu: Under mounting pressure to resign, Nepals beleaguered Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has downplayed the intra-party rift and said such disputes are regular phenomena that can be resolved through dialogue, as a crucial meeting of the ruling party was postponed by a week to give more time to the warring factions to reach []

Here is a first-hand account by Nitin Waghela about the traditional Dokra art of West Bengal and how one can train with the artistes who are facing the challenge of machine-made products

Brasilia: Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest has hit a monthly record of 1,034.4 square kilometres in June, the government reported. The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation revealed in a report on Friday that deforestation in June was 10.6 per cent higher than in the same []

Maths magic

Singapore: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loongs Peoples Action Party has retained power with a clear mandate in the general election held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, but the opposition staged its best performance ever by securing a record 10 seats in Parliament. The Peoples Action Party (PAP), in power since 1965, won 83 of 93 []

By US Saikia Weather and climate, though may seem similar, are used in different perspectives. The word weather is used to define instantaneous condition of the atmosphere. Weather changes frequently. But climate is used to define long-term average of weather conditions in any given location over a long period of time, say 31 years. Climate []

(23:58) Guwahati, July 11 (IANS) As many as 55 inmates lodged in Guwahati Central jail have tested positive for coronavirus, causing concern among the authorities, health officials said on Saturday. A senior officials of the Health and Family Welfare Department said that the authorities of both health and prison departments are inquiring how the jailbirds []

SHILLONG: Nongmynsong Police Out Post has been closed with immediate effect as officials of the Out Post came in close contact with a secondary contact while discharging their official duty. The Out Post will remain closed until the entire premises have been disinfected. In order to prevent further exposure, the officials of the Outpost have []

SHILLONG: In a surprise check conducted by the Magistrate and police officials at Madanrting and Happy Valley area, 5 shops were closed down for violating the COVID-19 protocols and 10 people were imposed with penalty for not wearing masks in public place. Taxi drivers and drivers of commercial vehicles were issued with stern warning []

GUWAHATI: One more COVID-19 patients died in Assam on Saturday while undergoing treatment in Guwahati Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) with this number of death of COVID-19 patients under treatment has gone up to 37. Very sad to share that Smt Shanta Asharjee (40),a #COVID patient with history of pneumonia,type-2 diabetes, Hypothyroidism and admitted at []

GUWAHATI: Taking into consideration the large scale spread of incidence of COVID-19 in Kamrup Metropolitan district, Government of Assam has decided to extend the ongoing lockdown by another week, with effect from 6:00 PM of July 12 till 7 PM of July 19, 2020. The order of extension signed Kumar Sanjay Krishna, Chief []

GUWAHATI: Increased rainfall activity over the past few days has worsened the flood situation in Assam yet again with as many as 20 districts affected and two more deaths reported on Saturday. One drowning death was reported from Kokrajhar district while the other casualty was reported from South Salmara district, taking the overall death toll []

GUWAHATI: The All Arunachal Pradesh Students Union (AAPSU) has urged the state government and three members of Parliament from the state to impress upon the Centre to provide adequate relief, rehabilitation and a re-construction package for the natural-calamity-affected state. Of late, reports of loss of lives and damage to infrastructure and property by floods and []

GUWAHATI: The Assam health department has decided to provide customised treatment to COVID-19 patients who are above 65 years at a dedicated geriatric ward here, besides dedicating a hospital for pregnant women and children below 12 years, who are infected with the virus. A dedicated geriatric COVID care ward would be opened at Khanapara COVID []

GUWAHATI: After the recent publication of his poem, Ekhon Asustha City Bus (An ailing city bus), stirred controversy and sparked statewide protests, contemporary Assamese literature poet Nilim Kumar rues that a spontaneous call of heart for the love of ones own language and nationality, has been misinterpreted. Published in a widely-read Assamese magazine on July []

SHILLONG: In the wake of spike in COVID-19 positive cases, Meghalaya government has announced lock down in the capital city of Shillong on July 13 and 14 next. The Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has announced the complete lock down in Shillong agglomeration mainly to trace contacts of COVID-19 positive cases reported in Shillong. He has []

GUWAHATI: In view of detection of COVID-19 patients, the Central Jail at Lokhora in the city has been declared a Containment Zone from today until further order. The Containment Zone is bounded by SSB Camp and Assam Police plot to the east, Main Gate of Central Jail to the west, Residence of Hiren Teron and []

GUWAHATI: Seventy-six more individuals have tested positive for #COVID19 in Meghalaya taking the total active cases up to 215 in the state. Total number of cases recovered in the state so far in 45. It has been informed by Chief Minister, Conrad K Sangma.

SHILLONG: Meghalayas COVID hotspot the sprawling BSF campus at Umpling which is causing serious concern among officials and public alike, has been designated as a containment zone with a slew of accompanying protocols. Anxious to get a grip over the rapidly escalating number of coronavirus positive cases emanating from BSF establishment, Chief Secretary []

SHILLONG: Meghalaya COVID-19 count continues to rise steadily with as many as 39 people, including 29 BSF personnel, testing positive on Friday. The total cases in the state have gone up to 181 out of which 134 are active cases. Incidentally, a tweet by Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma said that the number of active cases []

SHILLONG: Acting on the magisterial inquiry reports, the state government has ordered the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner to file an FIR against the 41 people who attended a jinxed wedding ceremony at Guwahati on June 27 last in gross violation of law. The decision was made after examining the reports of the two inquiries []