The Shillong Times

Tokyo, Jan 19: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Monday announced that she will dissolve the House of Representatives on Friday and hold a snap general election on February 8, local media reported. While addressing a press conference on Monday, Takaichi said official campaigning will begin on January 27 after she dissolves the Lower House []

New Delhi, Jan 18: The government has formulated specific guidelines for Indian missions abroad as it steps up efforts to boost exports through market diversification amid global economic uncertainties, an official said. The official said trade promotion guidelines for Indian commercial missions abroad include management of non-tariff barriers, market engagement activities, planning and resource management, []

New Delhi, Jan 18: Power distribution utilities in the country collectively recorded a profit of Rs 2,701 crore in FY25 after having incurred losses for several years, an official statement said on Sunday. Distribution utilities as a whole have been reporting losses for past several years since unbundling and corporatization of State Electricity Boards. The []

New Delhi, Jan 18: The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) is organising a Business Expo- Bharat Vyapar Mahotsav at Bharat Mandapam in the national capital to showcase the strength, scale and diversity of Indian trade, manufacturing and services under one roof, according to a statement issued by the traders body. The event, to be []

New Delhi, Jan 18: Brazil and Nigeria are emerging as key export destinations for Indian pharmaceutical firms amid global economic uncertainties, according to the commerce ministry data. Nigeria emerged as one of the fastest growing destinations, adding USD 179 million in exports and contributing over 14 per cent to the total export growth during the []

New Delhi, Jan 18: Foreign portfolio investors withdrew over Rs 22,530 crore (USD 2.5 billion) from Indian equities so far this month amid rising US bond yields and a stronger dollar, continuing their selling streak from last year. This came following an outflow of Rs 1.66 lakh crore (USD 18.9 billion) recorded in 2025, triggered []

Mumbai, Jan 18: Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption at workplaces is outpacing corporate training programmes, with 71 per cent of professionals believing their roles will change over the next few years as new tools and workflows become mainstream, according to a report. There is a sharp gap between AI adoption and training, as employees brace for []

SHILLONG: Sorkarini kamrangko kaanio, antangtangni dakrongbewalosan ongaigija, manderangni janggi tanganiko namdapatna gitasa gisik onbate kam kachina dingtang dingtang department-rangko adokni Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma didiangaha. Chief Minister-ni aganani gitade, sorkari department-rang pilakan apsan nisan ba miksonganiko chusokatna kam kaengoba, dingtang dingtang ongesa kamko karongengani gimin kamrangko chusokatna krenganio kucholsan ongani dongjaenga. Adokni namroro silroroanina []

Australian Open Melbourne, Jan 18: Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz fulfilled expectations on opening night of the Australian Open, the No. 1 seeds advancing in straight sets in a Sunday session that started with tennis royalty Rod Laver and Roger Federer in the crowd. Rod Laver Arena was heaving for their first-round matches, capping a []

New Delhi, Jan 18: Chinese Taipeis Lin Chun-Yi claimed his maiden Super 750 title in mens singles, while world number one An Se Young of South Korea underlined her supremacy by securing the womens singles crown at the USD 950,000 India Open here on Sunday. The 26-year-old Lin, currently ranked 12, completed a sharp turnaround []

New Delhi, Jan 18: The Badminton World Federation (BWF) will test its 25-second time clock at the Indonesia Masters next week, continuing trials at select World Tour tournaments to curb tactical delays and standardise match flow, a move that has drawn mixed reactions from players and coaches. Under the system, the clock starts once the []

Kartik Karkera reacts after winning the Indian Elite Mens race of the 21st edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label Race, on the illuminated Bandra-Worli Sea Link, in Mumbai, on Sunday. Ethiopians Tadu Abate Deme and Yeshi Kalayu Chekole won the mens and womens elite titles respectively. Sanjivani Jadhav emerged champion []

WPL 2026 Vadodara, Jan 18: On a roll, the Smriti Mandhala-led Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look to extend their winning run when they face Gujarat Giants in the Womens Premier League here on Monday. Unbeaten RCB are the team to beat in the tournament, having registered their fourth consecutive win on Saturday. GG, on the []

Wijk Aan Zee (The Netherlands) Jan 18: Top seed Arjun Erigaisi scored a convincing victory over compatriot R Praggnanandhaa, while World Champion D Gukesh played out a hard-fought draw against World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan in the first round of the Tata Steel Masters here. After a delayed start caused by environmental activists []

Pune, Jan 18: The Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026, which offers 2028 Los Angeles Olympics qualification points and features 164 riders from 28 teams across 35 countries, will be flagged off here on Monday. The event marks countrys first-ever Continental multi-stage Road Race for Men and is classified as a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 []

Bengaluru, Jan 17: After months of uncertainty, the Karnataka State Cricket Association on Saturday received permission from the state Home Department to host international and IPL matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The Home Department gave the go-ahead to conduct matches after examining the report submitted by a government-appointed task force, which found the security []

PREMIER LEAGUE MANCHESTER, Jan 17: The Premier League produced a weekend packed with drama, historic victories, and last-minute heroes, as Manchester United stunned Manchester City in the derby and several other fixtures delivered tense finishes. Heres a detailed look at all the action. Carricks Reds Dominate the Derby Michael Carricks second spell as Manchester United []

Barcelona, Jan 17: Vladyslav Vanat scored penalties in stoppage time of each half as Girona beat Espanyol 2-0 in a fiercely contested Catalan derby in La Liga. It was the first time Girona has won three on the trot since November 2024. The result lifted it into ninth place in the table. Espanyol remained fifth.Girona []

Paris, Jan 17: Ousmane Dembele put transfer talk behind him and scored a crucial brace for Paris Saint-Germain in a 3-0 win over Lille that returned it to the top of Ligue 1. French media last week reported that the 2025 Ballon dOr winner rejected a new contract offer. His coach Luis Enrique called the []

New Delhi, Jan 17: Indian womens football stalwart Ashalata Devi says the dream of seeing the country play at the FIFA Womens World Cup remains alive, but stressed that sustained progress at the grassroots level is crucial to bridge the gap with the worlds elite. Our dream of the World Cup is still alive. We []

Bengaluru, Jan 17: A fascinating battle of equals is on cards as a closely-matching Saurashtra and Vidarbha vie for their third and maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title respectively here at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds on Sunday. Unlike in the past, both Saurashtra and Vidarbha do not have any superstars in their line-up. But []

Dog attacks are on the rise in Australia. The most recent data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare show dog-related hospital admissions more than doubled in the eight years to 2021. Over 2021-22 in Australia, there were more than 9,500 cases of attacks where a person was bitten or struck by a dog. []

Oceans shape everyday life in powerful ways. They cover 70 per cent of the planet, carry 90 per cent of global trade, and support millions of jobs and the diets of billions of people. As global competition intensifies and climate change accelerates, the worlds oceans are also becoming the front line of 21st-century geopolitics. How []

MUMBAI, Jan 17: The Indian equity benchmarks closed this week almost unchanged amid optimism towards Q3 earnings and renewed India-US trade discussions, even as caution persisted due to increasing geopolitical tensions. Profit-booking in pharma, consumer durables, and autos weighed on indices during the week, while PSU banks and metals outperformed. Nifty added 0.04 per cent []

Piyush Goyal meets Premier of British Columbia, Canada, Dave Eby, to discuss strengthening the India-Canada economic partnership on Friday. (PTI)

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: Renowned Christian minister and evangelist from Northeast India, Rev. Dr. Rieweh Robert Cunville, passed away at NEIGRIHMS on Saturday morning at around 7.30 am following a brief illness. He was 86. Rev. Dr. Cunville is survived by his wife, Carol Rani and their two children. He was the son []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Indian Army, General Upendra Dwivedi, has conferred the COAS Unit Certificate of Appreciation on the Zonal Recruiting Office (ZRO), Shillong, in recognition of the units outstanding achievements in recruiting youths from the Northeast region to serve the nation. The honour was conferred []

From Our Correspondent NONGPOH, Jan 17: Bindas Syiem, a resident of Mawlong village who had earlier staged a hunger strike at the Additional Secretariat demanding the blacktopping of the Nongpoh-Umden-Sunapur road, on Saturday expressed deep anguish after alleged irregularities were detected in the execution of the construction work. Her concern comes in the wake of []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: Researchers have captured the first photographic evidence of the Bengal Fox (Vulpes bengalensis) in Meghalaya, marking a significant addition to the states documented biodiversity. According to a statement here, the discovery was made within Balpakram National Park in the South Garo Hills December 1, 2025, at 8:30 pm, a []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: South Shillong MLA and Cabinet Minister Sanbor Shullai on Friday inspected development works worth over Rs 11 crore, including the widening of the road at Raid Laban and the construction of a football ground. Officials from the Public Works Department (PWD), Sports Department and Water Resources department were present []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: A regional multi-stakeholder convergence workshop on developing Indias Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare (SAHI) was held here on Saturday. The workshop, which was hosted by Shillong Medical College under the aegis of the Health department, formed part of a national consultation process led by the National Health Authority []

Theft Chairman of Mathura Compound Durga Puja Committee, Jhalupara, Shillong, lodged a complaint that on January 6, unknown miscreant(s) damaged the donation box and stole cash amounting to Rs. 80,000 from Mathura Compound Durga Puja Committee, Jhalupara, Shillong. Sapna Das lodged a complaint that on January 7 evening, unknown miscreant(s) stole LPG cylinder, pipes, etc., []

By Our Reporter SHILLONG, Jan 17: One of Jowai towns oldest institutions, Tympang Club, on Friday marked a historic milestone as it celebrated 125 years since its establishment in 1901, reaffirming its place as the towns first club and a nucleus of civic life in the Jaintia Hills. Often described as the earliest urban hub []

From Our Correspondent JOWAI, Jan 17: In a major step towards the protection of women and children rights, health, education and future, the District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), East Jaintia Hills, on Thursday organised a legal awareness programme under the theme Ghar Ghar Mein Nyay Ki Jagriti on crime against women (POSH Act) and the []

The BJP has dismissed allegations by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman that shifting power dynamics and potential communal bias in the Hindi film industry have reduced his work opportunities in recent years. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale and other BJP leaders emphasized that the industry operates on talent and merit, not religion, citing the continued success of []

Actress Melissa Rauch, best known as Bernadette Rostenkowski from The Big Bang Theory, reminisced about her 2016, sharing that her camera roll was filled with moments on the shows set alongside co-stars Johnny Galecki, Jim Parsons, Kaley Cuoco, Simon Helberg, Kunal Nayyar, and Mayim Bialik. She also shared glimpses from the sports comedy The Bronze. []

SHILLONG, Jan 16: The Meghalaya government has made substantial progress with its statewide CCTV surveillance programme, with a majority of cameras under the first phase already installed. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma indicated that of the initial batch, 227 CCTV cameras have been installed, accounting for roughly 70 to 80 per cent of the planned []

SHILLONG, Jan 16: In what can be deemed a proud moment for Meghalaya, Iarisha Kharbhoi, an Aapda Mitra volunteer from East Khasi Hills district, has been invited as a special guest to attend the Republic Day Celebration 2026 in New Delhi, in recognition of her exemplary service in the field of disaster management. A trained []

TURA, Jan 16: BJP leader and GHADC MDC from Tura, Bernard Marak, has been appointed the Meghalaya state president of the Amit Shah Youth Brigade (ASYB). He was appointed through an appointment letter issued on December 31, 2025. The ASYB is a non-profit organisation focused on empowering Indian youths through social service, national unity and []

SHILLONG, Jan 16: Meghalaya has been recognised as a Leader for its efforts in building a robust and vibrant startup ecosystem during the National Startup Day celebration held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on Friday. During the programme, Meghalaya was also conferred a Certificate of Appreciation under the States Startup Ecosystem Ranking (5th Edition). The []

Telugu superstar Allu Arjun set Tokyo abuzz during his recent visit to Japan, where he addressed fans in Japanese and even delivered a popular dialogue from Pushpa 2: The Rule in the language, drawing massive cheers and applause. Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna visited the country as part of promotions ahead of the films grand []

SHILLONG, Jan 16: The Hynniewtrep Youths Council (HYC) has strongly condemned the circulation of derogatory, inappropriate and deeply insensitive content targeting women from the Khasi community through an application known as Nolo. In a statement, the HYC said such content is not only misogynistic and demeaning but also constitutes a direct attack on the dignity, []

SHILLONG, Jan 16: The state government has introduced a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to streamline the process of granting permission to government employees for private foreign travel. While prior permission remains mandatory, the new SOP aims to ensure a uniform, transparent and time-bound procedure for issuing No Objection Certificates (NOC) while safeguarding administrative and security []

SHILLONG, Jan 17: The Meghalaya Cabinet on Friday approved proposals to extend the services of a senior government official and re-engage retired officers serving in various capacities, citing the need for continuity amid ongoing projects and administrative responsibilities. Speaking to reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma said the Cabinet approved a []

From Our Correspondent Nongpoh, Jan 16: The Meghalaya Weightlifting Association (MWA) has announced that the second edition of the ASMITA Weightlifting League will be held in Ri Bhoi district as part of efforts to scout and groom emerging talent from across the state. MWA president Donald Rymbai, speaking to the press alongside association secretary Batskhem []

Editor, Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I wish to draw the attention of the authorities, civil society, and the general public to a deeply concerning issue affecting our indigenous people. An inappropriate mobile application (NOLO) is currently being circulated widely through social media platforms, and its impact on our communityespecially the younger generationis []

The MDA Government appears to be a one-man army with Chief Minister Conrad Sangma answering questions on every issue under the Meghalaya sky. Normally the cabinet which comprises 12 ministers, the Chief Minister included should appear to be a collective body where any minister should be able to answer questions upfront to the media. But []

By Lillian Anjum Smale Growing up, in an educated mixed marriage, I was exposed to ideas, values, concepts that many even now would believe to be too perfect for todays world. I remember the times when my Nana would bring me onto his lap and tell me the stories of fighters and soldiers and the []

By Dapbianglin Sohkhlet Among the indigenous Khasi community, words have never been understood as a mere form of communication. ka ktien ka thylliej, words are believed to carry power, power that heals and power that harms, power that blesses and power that curses. This belief, preserved across generations, lies at the very heart of Khasi []