The Shillong Times News

SHILLONG, Dec 12: Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday paid a visit to the Shillong Medical College campus at the old Pasteur Institute in Lawmali and interacted with the first MBBS batch of the College. He called their entry into the institution a historic moment for Meghalayas medical education sector and hoped that they []

Probe under way into Rs 1,575-cr investment fraud run through a website operated from Shillong under the banner of Pearlvine International between 2018 and March 2023 SHILLONG, Dec 12: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Shillong Sub-Zonal Office, has provisionally attached assets worth Rs 17.91 crore in connection with a large-scale investment fraud run through the website []

GUWAHATI, Dec 12: The Special Investigation Team, probing the death of Zubeen Garg, charged four accusedthe singers secretary Siddhartha Sharma, festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta, and band members, Shekhar Jyoti Goswami and Amritprava Mahantawith murder in the charge sheet filed in a court here on Friday.

Winter Tales: Day 2 SHILLONG, Dec 12: The second day of Meghalayas sixth edition of the community-led annual festival Winter Tales on Friday transformed the iconic Wards Lake into a convergence of sustainability, storytelling, and intellectual exchange. Building on the opening days momentum, Fridays agenda broadened the festivals exploration of this years theme Nurture, with []

SHILLONG, Dec 12: In an age when artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of image-making, iconic photographer Pablo Bartholomew came to Shillong with a quiet reminder: the deepest photographs are still born from lived memory, stubborn solitude, and time spent with people the world prefers to forget. Speaking to The Shillong Times on the sidelines []

SHILLONG, Dec 12: Meghalayas renowned conservationist Betsida CH Marak was awarded the Green Guru Award at the 13th Balipara Foundation Awards, held on December 11 in Guwahati, in recognition of her tireless work to protect the western hoolock gibbon and promote community-led environmental stewardship in the Garo Hills. The 13th edition of the awards celebrated []

NEW DELHI, Dec 12: Legendary rock band Def Leppard is all set to perform in Shillong on March 25 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium (Polo Grounds). The band will then perform in Mumbai on March 27, 2026, at Jio World Garden and Bengaluru on March 29, 2026, at NICE Grounds. Excited about their tour, Joe []

SHILLONG, Dec 12: Frost has arrived in the outskirts of Shillong, marking an early onset of the severe winter season as mercury dips across the region. Lyngkien village, located behind the Sacred Grove of Mawphlang, has reported heavy frost, with meadows and open spaces blanketed white in the early mornings. Locals say the frost started []

Dhaka, Dec 12: Bangladeshs Awami League party rejected the election schedule announced by the countrys Election Commission (EC), arguing that free and fair polls cannot be ensured under the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government. The remarks came after the EC on Thursday evening declared that the countrys 13th national parliamentary election, along with the July Charter []

People cook their breakfast as they take refuge after fleeing from their home following fighting between Thailand and Cambodia over territorial claims, at Wat Chroy Neangouns Buddhist pagoda in Siem Reap province, Cambodia on Friday. (PTI)

Superstar Salman Khan is currently in Saudi Arabia for the fifth edition of the ongoing Red Sea Film Festival. On Thursday, he participated in an interactive session, where he reflected on his cinematic journey. The Dabangg star also walked down the red carpet of the Awards ceremony. And guess what? He bumped into global star []

U-19 Asia Cup Dubai, Dec 12: Vaibhav Suryavanshi was at his imperious best while smashing a 171 off 95 balls, powering India to a mammoth 234-run win over hosts UAE in the inaugural match of the U-19 Asia Cup here on Friday. The 14-year-old from Samastipur, Bihar, unleashed a stunning display of batting, hitting 14 []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 12: The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown as Nongkseh and Shillong Lajong prepare to battle for the SSA Champions Cup 2025 title on Saturday, with both teams carrying unbeaten records into the much-anticipated final at the SSA Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 4:30pm. The two sides, who have []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 12: The Meghalaya Yogasana Sports Association is set to conduct the 5th State Level Yogasana Sports Judges Training Programme 2025-26 from December 13 to 16 in a hybrid format, combining both online and offline sessions. The inaugural ceremony will be held at Tikrikilla Government College in West Garo Hills from []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 12: The Meghalaya State School Chess Championship 2025, organised by the Meghalaya Chess Association (MCA) and sponsored by the Directorate of Sports & Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, concluded on Wednesday at the Gymnasium-cum-Indoor Sports Hall, Polo. The two-day event, held on December 9 and 10, saw an impressive turnout, []

WILLIAMNAGAR: East Garo Hills ajani Williamnagar-o gital dake taridapgipa Soil Lake Eco-Tourism Project-ko Sukrobar salo, adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, kulie onangaha aro ia project-ko kulie onanio, adokni Soil & Water Conservation Minister Marcuise N Marak baksana dingtang dingtang official-rangba bak raangaha. Ia Soil Lake-ko Nengsang River Valley Project (RVP)-ni ningo gital dake taridapaha []

TURA: West Garo Hills ajani Demdema C&RD Block ningo donggipa mitam village employment council (VEC)-rango, niam gri job card mangiparang batroroenga ine West Garo Hills Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ni general secretary Peterjob A Sangma parakatenba, iani bidingo sandirokatchina, Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan-na sedoataha. Iani bidingo adita salrangna skangsan, Confederation of Meghalaya Social []

SHILLONG: Shillong songjinmani Old Pasteur Institute-o gital kuligipa Shillong Medical College-ona Sukrobar salo, adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma reangenba, ia college-ni skanggipa batch-o poraienggipa chatro chatrirang aro ia college-o kam kaenggipa manderangko grongeaha. Shillong Medical College-ni chatro chatrirangko aro kam kagiparangko grongeanio adokni Chief Minister baksana Health Minister Wailadmiki Shylla aro Health department-ni official-rangba []

TURA: Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma-ni chang 153-gipa siani salko Sukrobar salo, Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma Memorial Association, East Garo Hills ajani Chisobibra-o donggipa Togan Park-o gisik rae manidilangaha aro ia manianio, adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, adokni PHE Minister Marcuise N Marak, dingtang dingtang official-rang aro jolo songdongenggipa manderangba bak raangtokaha. Ia salko gisik []

Shillong, Dec 12: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma today announced that the story of Pa Togan Nengminja Sangma will be properly scripted for plays and dramas to be used in schools and colleges. This initiative aims to encourage the younger generation to connect with the stories of their forefathers. He expressed delight that []

Dhaka, Dec 11: Bangladesh will hold the general elections on February 12, its first since the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government in a violent student-led protest in August 2024. Voting will take place on February 12, 2026, from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) AMM Nasir Uddin said in []

Agencies warn of rising LeT-JeM activity next door DHAKA, Dec 11: Indian intelligence agencies have uncovered what they believe to be a major ISI-backed terror mobilisation centered in Bangladesh, raising alarms about a potentially significant strike being prepared against India. According to officials, a group of operatives from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has []

BANGKOK, Dec 11: A military airstrike in Myanmar destroyed a hospital in Mrauk-U township, Rakhine state, killing 34 patients and staff and injuring around 80 others, local rescue workers and media report. The hospital, a vital healthcare facility in a region where most hospitals have closed due to ongoing conflict, is in an area controlled []

Islamabad, Dec 11: The United States has approved the sale of advanced technology and support for F-16 fighter jets valued at USD 686 million to Pakistan. The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), in a letter sent to Congress on Monday, gave the approval. The package includes Link-16 systems, cryptographic equipment, avionics updates, training, and []

KATHMANDU, Dec 11: Former Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has asserted that ongoing efforts by both domestic and international forces to weaken or eliminate Nepals communist parties will not succeed. Speaking at a media interaction ahead of the Communist Party of NepalUnified Marxist-Leninist (CPN-UML) 11th General Convention, Oli argued that similar attempts in Nepals []

WASHINGTON, Dec 11: Mexicos Congress has approved a bill imposing higher tariffs on imports from India, China, Brazil, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and other nations with which it lacks free trade agreements (FTAs). The measure, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, was passed by the Senate after []

Deir al-Balah, Dec 11: A winter storm swept through Gaza, flooding tent camps and highlighting the territorys dire humanitarian crisis. Thousands of Palestinians displaced by the Israel-Hamas war faced waterlogged shelters, leaking tents, and unsanitary conditions, with over 2,500 distress calls reported since the storm began. Children, the elderly, and sick residents were particularly affected. []

Mumbai, Dec 11: The rupee plunged 38 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.32 against the US dollar on Thursday amid uncertainty over the India-US trade deal. Traders said the rupee is expected to trade with a negative bias as the delay in the trade deal between India and US may continue to []

Mumbai, Dec 11: The US should sign the free trade agreement with India if Washington is happy with what has been offered by New Delhi, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday. Goyal welcomed the Trump administrations views on Indias offer, but refrained from giving a deadline for the signing of the long-awaited []

Mullanpur, Dec 11: The lean run of Shubman Gill and Suryakumar Yadav was extended as Indian batters stumbled on a good batting surface to lose the second T20 against South Africa by 51 runs here on Thursday. Quinton de Kock made an effortless 90 of 46 balls, pushing South Africa to a challenging 213 for []

U-19 Asia Cup | starts today Dubai, Dec 11: Indias Asia Cup U-19 campaign will be fronted by Gen Z batting sensations Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ayush Mhatre, but equal focus would be on whether the BCCI allows the youngsters to exchange handshakes with their Pakistani counterparts, in what would be construed as maintaining sporting civility []

Growing mistrust of tap water has helped turn bottled water into a global staple, even in countries where public supplies are among the most rigorously tested. Marketing has positioned bottled water as purer, healthier and more convenient, but the scientific evidence tells a different story. This perception of purity is central to bottled waters appeal, []

Ocean temperatures warmed by human-caused climate change fed the intense rainfall that triggered deadly floods and landslides across Asia in recent weeks, according to an analysis released on Wednesday. The rapid study by World Weather Attribution focused on heavy rainfall from cyclones Senyar and Ditwah in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka starting late last []

Melbourne, Dec 11: Australia has named its 15-member squad for the ICC Under-19 World Cup scheduled for early next year, with two Indian-origin youngsters Aryan Sharma and John James earning spots in the travelling party. The squad, headed by U-19 mens head coach Tim Nielsen and supported by assistants Luke Butterworth and Travis []

New Delhi, Dec 11: Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers said he agrees to a certain extent with India head coach Gautam Gambhirs belief that ODI batting orders are overrated, but stressed the need for teams to balance flexibility with clearly defined roles. Following Indias 2-1 ODI series win against South Africa, Gambhir had []

Wellington, Dec 11: Mitch Hay scored 61 in his first Test innings on Thursday to help New Zealand to a 73-run first-innings lead over the West Indies on the second day of the second Test. The wicketkeeper-batter who cut his teeth in seven one-day internationals and 12 T20s was called into Test cricket as a []

TURA: West Garo Hills ajani Demdema C&RD Block ningo MGNREGA-ni kamrango bangen onggija dakanirang donga ine matnanganirangko manani jaman, ia onggija dakanio jak donggipa block official-rang aro village employment council (VEC)-ko dilenggipa manderangni kosako rakgipa jakurangko dechina Confederation of Meghalaya Social Organisations (COMSO)-ni advisor Cherian Momin, State Rural Employment Society (SRES)-ni Mission Director-ko didiataha. Demdema []

London, Dec 11: Sergio Ramos, who bade farewell to Monterrey fans on Tuesday by closing the latest chapter of a career that has spanned more than two decades, is likely to be roped in by Manchester United to strengthen their defence. It is reported that United have made an offer to the 39-year-old Ramos and []

Cooch Behar Trophy By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 11: Meghalaya required around 90 minutes to remove the remaining four Nagaland batters and win their U-19 mens Cooch Behar Trophy 2025-26 plate group match by a convincing 109 runs on the morning of the fourth and final day at the MCA Ground here. Resuming on 208/6 []

By Our Reporter Shillong, Dec 11: Meghalaya took a decisive step toward reshaping its sporting future on Wednesday as Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma laid the foundation stone for the ambitious Mawkhanu Football Stadium Complex in New Shillong. Envisioned as a 40,000-seater arena and carrying an estimated cost of 732 crore, the project is being []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 11: The High Court of Meghalaya on Thursday fixed strict deadlines for the state government and the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to remove all hurdles and ensure the early commencement of the long-pending expansion of Shillong Airport. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Soumen Sen and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh, []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 11: Black flags and banners appeared across the city on Thursday as the KSU marked the sixth anniversary of the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019. The protest was part of a coordinated action by the North East Students Organisation (NESO), of which KSU is a constituent member. []

From Our Correspondent NONGPOH, Dec 11: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday inaugurated Meghalayas first Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) at Pahamsyiem in Ri Bhoi district. Constructed with support from the Tribal Affairs Ministry, the school has already started its academic session. The Chief Minister also laid the foundation stones for two additional projects []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Dec 11: Amid growing whispers of dissatisfaction following the recent Cabinet reshuffle, United Democratic Party (UDP) chief and Cabinet Minister Metbah Lyngdoh on Thursday attempted to steady the partys public posture, asserting that the organisation remained confident about its direction. When asked about reports that several leaders were unhappy and rumours []

FIH Mens Junior World Cup CHENNAI, Dec 10: India produced a brave-heart performance, nullifying a two-goal deficit to beat Argentina 4-2 and clinch the bronze medal in the FIH Mens Junior World Cup here on Wednesday. India, who won the title in 2016 in Lucknow, failed to finish on the podium on the last two []

NEW DELHI, Dec 10: The inaugural edition of the Shooting League of India (SLI) will be held from February 16 to 26 next year, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) said on Wednesday. The dates have been finalised in alignment with the International Shooting Sport Federations (ISSF) 2026 calendar to avoid clashes with major []

SANTIAGO (Chile), Dec 10: Goalkeeper Nidhi made several brilliant saves as India defeated Uruguay 3-1 in shootout after an intense 1-1 draw to stay in contention for a ninth place finish in the hockey Junior Womens World Cup here. Manisha (19) scored for India while Justina Arregui (60) slammed the equaliser for Uruguay on Tuesday []

LONDON, Dec 10: Linda Caicedo raced clear from halfway to score the goal that clinched Real Madrid a 2-0 win over Wolfsburg in the Womens Champions League on Tuesday, while there were also victories for defending champion Arsenal and Juventus. Paris Saint-Germain stayed winless after five rounds after a 0-0 draw with OH Leuven, however, []

ODISHA MASTERS CUTTACK, Dec 10: Top seeds Unnati Hooda and Tharun Mannepalli as well as other leading Indian shuttlers progressed comfortably to the pre-quarterfinals across singles categories of the Odisha Masters Super 100, here on Wednesday. In womens singles, Unnati began her campaign in commanding fashion, defeating UAEs P. Bharath 21-12, 21-18. Sixth seed Anmol []