The Shillong Times News

Mumbai, Dec 22: Actress Hina Khan has been extremely vocal about her cancer journey. During her recent interaction with actress Soha Ali Khan, during her podcast All About Her, the Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai actress opened up about her challenging journey with cancer treatment. Hina revealed that there were both good and bad days []

PREMIER LEAGUE London, Dec 21: Liverpool strengthened their push at the top with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in north London, a match shaped by red cards and decisive moments in the second half. Spurs were reduced to 10 men shortly after the half-hour mark when Xavi Simons yellow card for a challenge []

London, Dec 21: Liverpool are bracing themselves for the possibility of a serious lower-leg injury to Alexander Isak after the striker was forced off during Saturdays 2-1 Premier League victory over Tottenham Hotspur. Isak had made an immediate impact after coming off the bench, firing Liverpool into the lead, but his involvement was cut short []

DHAKA, Dec 21: India on Sunday suspended visa operations at its mission in Bangladeshi port city of Chattogram until further notice, according to media reports. The move comes in the wake of a fresh wave of unrest witnessed in the country following the death of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi. His death triggered attacks []

Police clash with protesters during the Aska is not closing rally against the eviction of the Askatasuna social centre in Turin, Italy, on Saturday. (PTI)

Miami, Dec 21: A Kremlin envoy said peace talks on a US-proposed plan to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine were pressing on constructively in Florida, while the Ukrainian president said they were moving quickly. The talks are part of the Trump administrations monthslong push for peace that also included meetings with Ukrainian and []

Islamabad, Dec 21: Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan urged his supporters to gear up for countrywide protests following a 17-year jail term handed to him and wife Bushra Bibi in a corruption case. Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi were sentenced to 17 years in jail each by a court on Saturday in the []

Melbourne, Dec 21: Thousands of mourners gathered under tight police security at Sydneys iconic Bondi Beach on Sunday evening to mark a week since two gunmen targeting a Jewish festival killed 15 people. Since then, Australian governments have been galvanised into action on countering antisemitism and tightening already strict national gun controls. Prime Minister Anthony []

Kabul, Dec 21: Over 5,400 Afghan migrants have been repatriated from Iran and Pakistan in a single day. Sharing the High Commission for Migrants Issues report on X on Sunday, Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated that 981 families, comprising 5,412 people, returned to Afghanistan from Iran and Pakistan on Saturday, Pajhwok Afghan News reported. []

New York, Dec 21: At least 16 files disappeared from the Justice Departments public webpage for documents related to Jeffrey Epstein including a photograph showing President Donald Trump less than a day after they were posted, with no explanation from the government and no notice to the public. The missing files, which were []

Actors Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday are currently busy promoting their forthcoming romantic entertainer, Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, which is scheduled to reach the cinema halls on December 25 during Christmas. Kartik and Ananya even graced the famous hot seat on the reality game show, Kaun Banega Crorepati. Giving the netizens []

New Delhi/Kolkata, Dec 21: Asserting that 90 per cent of the Aravalli region will remain protected, the Centre on Sunday rejected claims that the new definition of the Aravalli range will allow large-scale mining and cited a Supreme Court-ordered freeze on new mining leases in the region. It said a Supreme Court-approved framework provides for []

Dubai, Dec 21: India faltered against the big-hitting Sameer Minhas and the extra zip of pacers, suffering a massive 191-run defeat against Pakistan in a one-sided 50-over Under-19 Asia Cup final, here Sunday. Pakistan lifted their second U19 Asia Cup, and as it is the norm now, there was no formal greetings between the players []

Mount Maunganui, Dec 21: Devon Conway and Tom Latham shone bright once again, thanks to their 192-run partnership, as New Zealand posted a mammoth 462-run target for the West Indies to chase. With just three sessions in hand, the visitors will walk into Day 5 with a mammoth task ahead. West Indies start to Day []

Mount Maunganui, Dec 21: Devon Conway etched his name into New Zealand cricket history with a rare and outstanding feat during the third and final Test against the West Indies at Bay Oval as the left-handed opener became the first New Zealander to score both a double-century and a century in the same Test match. []

Jaswant Singh of Rajasthan, a differently-abled player, bowls with a stick during a cricket match of the BCCI-sponsored Divya Shakti Sugamya Bharat Trophy at the MP Theatre ground of Banaras Hindu University on Sunday. (PTI)

New Delhi, Dec 21: Indian cricketer Pratika Rawal shared an update on her injury, saying that she had been recovering well and was grateful for the messages she had received from her well-wishers. Rawal sustained injuries to her right ankle and knee during the washed-out Womens World Cup league stage match against Bangladesh at the []

Kolkata, Dec 21: Ugandas Joshua Cheptegei underlined his mastery of the distance to win the 10th Tata Steel World 25K Kolkata mens race while Indias Gulveer Singh and Seema rewrote the course records in their respective elite categories here on Sunday. Ethiopias Degitu Azimeraw produced a clinical performance to dethrone defending champion Sutume Asefa Kebede []

Kolkata, Dec 21: Former India football captain Bhaichung Bhutia on Sunday termed the chaos during Lionel Messis public event at the Salt Lake Stadium here as undesirable and said sports events must be given priority over political and bureaucratic formalities. Speaking after a running event in Kolkata, Bhutia said fans turn up to watch sport []

Karachi, Dec 21: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has once again extended the deadline for investors to submit bids for the two new Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises, pushing it back by another two days. While the PCB is yet to make an official announcement, a reliable source confirmed that the revised deadline for submitting []

Editor, The war of narratives has begun as tension between India and Bangladesh rises even as relations are at their lowest ebb. Sharing a 4,096 kilometre border with North East India it has always remained a porous one. On this side of the fence, we troubleshoot the problems of illegality in entering a foreign space []

By Avner Pariat Meghalaya has been a recipient of substantial Externally Aided Projects (EAPs). A Google Search defines them as Funds provided by international financial institutions (like the World Bank, ADB) or foreign governments to developing countries for large-scale infrastructure, social, or environmental projects, acting as crucial additional development finance where domestic resources fall short, []

By Ubahunlang Dkhar Tmar In the book of John Chapter1:1, it is written In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God and the word was God. The same voice resonates through the devout man of God, the prophet Isaiah who prophesied the birth of Jesus Christ about 750 years (7th centuries []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 21: The cancellation of the iconic Christmas Extravaganza at Moolamylliang village in East Jaintia Hills has challenged the Meghalaya governments claims of promoting the state as a premier tourist destination. For the first time since the events inception, the village has been forced to call off its famous Christmas light []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 21: Mounting anger over a steep power tariff hike and the lack of visible improvement in electricity supply, particularly across the plain belt areas of Garo Hills has prompted plans for a high-level political meeting in Phulbari on December 22 to chart the next course of action. Raising concern over []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 21: The Operation Clean-Up (OCU) team, comprising several groups and concerned individuals who have been cleaning the Umkaliar River since 2019, has now decided to spread its wings to rural Meghalaya and work with villages to conserve the springs and aquifers there. On Saturday, Team OCU went to Mawrah village, []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 21: The decision of the Executive Committee (EC) of the KHADC to appoint an Acting Chief instead of recognising Maremdor Syiem as the new Syiem of Hima Sohra has triggered strong resentment among traditional heads of villages under the Hima. In a notification issued on December 19, the KHADC Deputy []

From Our Special Correspondent NEW DELHI, Dec 21: Professor Dinabandhu Sahoo, the founder of the popular Northeast India Cherry Blossom Festival, received the Nature Care Award for 2025 on Sunday. He was recognised for his outstanding contributions in providing nature-based solutions to current environmental problems. The award was presented by the Nature Care Initiative, a []

Cummins, Starc, Lyon star as Oz win Adelaide Test by 82 runs Adelaide, Dec 21: Australia retained the Ashes with two matches to spare after paceman Mitchell Starc took three of the last four wickets to blunt Englands defiant comeback Sunday in a tense fifth-day finish to the third cricket test. Australia started Day 5 []

ADELAIDE, Dec 21: England captain Ben Stokes has insisted he is fully committed to continuing in the role despite his sides heavy Ashes defeat in Australia, which was sealed inside three Tests. Stokes, who took over the captaincy following Englands 4-0 defeat in Australia four years ago, said the latest setback would not prompt any []

State firmly against militancy, door open for peace: Dhar By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 21: A total of four persons two members of banned Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) and its two overground workers (OGWs) were involved in the recent IED blast on the campus of Dhar Construction Company near Shymplong village, the []

Most people recognise that we shouldnt actively harm others at work. Yet people tend to assume that failing to act is relatively benign or inconsequential. Imagine witnessing an employee being belittled by a coworker. As a manager, should you step in, or could staying on the sidelines give employees room to resolve conflicts themselves? Our []

A new study conducted by scientists at the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has decoded the specific risk factors for breast cancer among women in India. Breast Cancer is among the top three cancers amongst women in India. The incidence of breast cancers in the country is expected to rise by about 5.6per cent []

Rinku, Kishan back in squad for T20 WC Mumbai, Dec 20: Taking a bold call with an eye to maximise impact over reputation, the Indian selectors on Saturday dropped Shubman Gill from the T20 World Cup squad and brought back wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan along with Rinku Singh. Gills omission is the most interesting decision of []

Adelaide, Dec 20: Nathan Lyon severely dented Englands desperate Ashes survival bid with three quick blows: vice-captain Harry Brook, bowled; captain Ben Stokes, bowled; leading scorer Zak Crawley, stumped. Just as England was starting to gain confidence Saturday chasing what needed to be a world-record 435 to keep the Ashes series alive, Lyon returned to []

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, Dec 20: Kavem Hodges unbeaten century has led the West Indies fightback in response to New Zealands mammoth first-innings score, as the visitors finished Day 3 of the final Test at 381/6 at Bay Oval on Saturday. Hodge brought up his second Test hundred and remained unbeaten on 109 as West Indies avoided []

London, Dec 20: Chelsea recovered from an early two-goal deficit to earn a thrilling 2-2 draw at St James Park against Newcastle United on Saturday. Nick Woltemade had put the Magpies in command with a close-range finish in the fourth minute before doubling the lead in the 20th, glancing home a cross from Anthony Gordon. []

Security forces control a group of people who arrived to participate in the funeral prayers for leading Bangladeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi, who died from gunshot wounds sustained in an attack earlier this month, outside the nations Parliament complex in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Saturday, (PTI)

Parliamentary panel raises acute staffing crisis, delayed infra projects By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 20: Despite nearly full utilisation of its allotted funds, the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS), Shillong, continues to struggle with acute staffing shortages and delayed infrastructure projects, prompting a Parliamentary panel to raise concerns []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 20: The Meghalaya government on Saturday effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle. According to a government notification, Dr BDR Tiwari, Chief Electoral Officer and Commissioner and Secretary of Election Department, etc., will also function as Commissioner and Secretary of the Border Areas Development Department. On completion of central deputation, Dr Pooja []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 20: The Meghalaya Legislative Assembly on Friday organised a Pre-Christmas Prayer Service and Celebration at the New Meghalaya Legislative Assembly premises at Mawdiangdiang, New Shillong. The programme was attended by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly Thomas A Sangma, Deputy Speaker Limison D. Sangma, Deputy []

Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha is on cloud nine right now as King Charles will be watching her movie Christmas Karma as part of his Christmas celebration in Sandringham. Not just that, Chadha also got the opportunity to meet King Charles, who told the director that he is looking forward to seeing the drama. Chadha took to []

Lamphrangbor Nongspung captures the flavours of Christmas in Shillong, tracing its transition over the years and the modern twists that are shaping its celebrations. Christmas in Shillong has always been more than just a festival. For generations, it has symbolised community, faith, music, and open-hearted togetherness. However, as the city prepares once again for Christmas, []

By Reeta Ghosh Come December, the golden rays of the sun and the pink blossoms of wild cherry trees amidst the lush greens of Shillong fill hearts with the joy of Christmas and the New Year.Besides this festive cheer, the month also marks the remembrance of the life and works of the revered Khasi poet, []

By Christina K Sangma What fun is the holiday season, said Andrew. One of Andrews favourite festivals was Christmas. Andrew grew up in a diverse neighbourhood where festivals of all kinds were celebrated together. Christmas, however, was special to him because it was this one time where the neighbourhood felt all joyful and uniting. Christmas []

By Souvik Ghosh At a time when political ambition is often wrapped in calculation, Shashi Tharoors entry into Indian politics was shaped by doubt, family anxiety, and personal conviction. That story unfolded with rare intimacy at atte--tea hosted by the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, in association withSanskriti Sagar and FICCI FLO Kolkata, where Tharoor appeared []

Phototheme #ALotLikeChristmas Anita Chauhan Makhanlal Kainth Patricia Khardewsaw Arup Dutta Joziah Ryan K Lyngdoh Next weeks theme is #HappyHolidays Send your contributions atsundayshillong@theshillongtimes.comto get featured.

Being a linguist and someone who has tried to learn several languages (including English) in addition to my mother tongue (Flemish Dutch) I have an annoying habit: instead of paying attention to what people are saying, I often get distracted by how they are saying it. The other day, this happened again in []

Christmas can be a magical time of year for kids. Writing wish-lists, seeing Santa at the shops, leaving carrots for the reindeer out on the porch. And then of course, the presents under the tree. So what happens when the penny drops and a child realises the guy who brings toys in a sleigh is []