PTI Dehradun Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the Uttarakhand governments bold initiatives on demographic change, uniform civil code (UCC) and checking illegal religious conversion, suggesting other states should emulate them. The seriousness with which the Dhami government implemented the UCC is an example for other states. The state government has adopted bold policies []

NT Reporter | Mapusa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday directed the police to conduct a fresh investigation into the cash-for-job scam following an allegation made by prime accused Pooja Naik that a minister, an IAS officer and a PWD engineer were involved in the Rs 17 crore recruitment racket. Asking police to register a []

PTI Beijing China Eastern Airlines started its Shanghai-Delhi service on Sunday with 95% occupancy, becoming the first mainland Chinese carrier this year to resume direct flights to India after a gap of five years. Flight MU563, carrying 248 passengers, departed from Shanghai Pudong International Airport for Delhi, the state-run Global Times reported. Indian airline IndiGo []

NT Reporter | Panaji Uzbekistans Konstantin Belousov and United Kingdoms Ellie Garrett claimed top honours at the IRONMAN 70.3 held in Panaji on Sunday. While Belousov stormed to victory in the mens category, completing the race in 4:25:47, Garrett clinched the womens title with a commanding finish in 5:18:43. The fifth edition of IRONMAN 70.3 []

NT Reporter Margao The MRAI Sustainable Steel Conference 2025 (MSSC 2025) that commenced in Arrosim on Sunday is the states first major ferrous-focused steel and recycling conference and aims to accelerate Indias transition toward low-carbon steelmaking, aligning with the governments target of producing 300 million tonnes of sustainable steel by 2030. The two-day event themed []

NT Reporter Margao Hundreds of Goans from across the state gathered at Lohia Maidan, Margao, on Sunday evening to renew their demand to stop all plans for increasing coal handling and related projects in Goa. The public meeting, organised by the Goyant Kollso Naka group, brought together political and social leaders, along with citizens, united []

NT Reporter Panaji Under the Cancer Detection Abhiyan, around 4,500 people have been screened across Goa, leading to the detection of 18 cancer cases. All diagnosed patients received free and comprehensive treatment including surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and dental care. The latest camp was held at St Cruz on Sunday under a joint initiative by []

NT Reporter | Curchorem Tensions flared during the Assolda gram sabha on Sunday when villagers walked out of the meeting, accusing the panchayat body and secretary of misleading them and supporting the construction of jetties in the panchayat area. When villagers asked the secretary whether the resolution requesting withdrawal of the NOC for jetty construction []

NT Reporter Canacona To tackle the growing stray cattle menace in Loliem-Polem, the gram sabha has unanimously decided to hand over unclaimed cattle to farmers willing to adopt them for livestock and agricultural use. The issue of stray cattle has remained largely unresolved in Canacona, causing several fatal accidents involving both commuters and cattle on []

PTI Kishanganj/Purnea Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah can go anywhere, but they will eventually be caught for indulging in vote chori. Gandhi, addressing poll rallies in Bihars Kishanganj and Purnea on the final day of campaign, also alleged that the BJP and []

NT Reporter Panaji Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday said that migrants are involved in most of the illegalities and crimes taking place in the state. Responding to media queries on the sidelines of the launch of six new fire tenders procured by the Directorate of Fire and Emergency Services in the city, the Chief []

NT Reporter Panaji Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar on Friday said the Electricity Department has lodged a complaint with the Chief Secretary after the police, acting on the orders of a Deputy Collector, took away an on-duty Assistant Engineer attached to the Tivim substation, for failing to report for the special intensive revision (SIR) duty. []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa cybercrime police have arrested one Avishkar Suradkar (26) of Maharashtra in the Rs 4.74 crore online fraud case, which is the biggest such scam in Goa so far. The case pertains to a 72-year-old retired employee from Tiswadi losing the money to a fake IPO (initial public offering). The accused []

NT Reporter Panaji The State Election Commission on Friday issued a notification declaring the reservation of seats for the forthcoming elections to North Goa and South Goa zilla panchayats (ZPs). Both zilla panchayats have 25 constituencies each. The elections will be held on December 13, 2025 as the tenure of the current district panchayat bodies []

PTI New Delhi The 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from November 20 to 28 and feature over 240 films from 81 countries, including 13 world premieres, five international premieres and 44 Asian premieres, officials said on Friday. Japan has been named the Country of Focus for 2025 and []

NT Reporter Panaji Food and beverage (F&B) experience zones at different locations in the state for tourists to enjoy themselves better are on the cards, with the government proposing to set up two such hubs initially at Colva and Mala. In both locations, the F&B centres will cover over 400 sqm of land each, although []

Special Correspondent Panaji Ritualistic ceremonies, including the reinstallation of the idol of Shree Ram and the prathishthapana (consecration) of the Shikhar Kalash (temple pinnacle), were held on Friday at Shree Sansthan Gokarn Partagali Jeevottam Math in the Canacona taluka. The events, marking the 550th anniversary celebrations of the math, were held in the presence of []

NT Reporter Ponda Panic briefly gripped the Nagzar area of Ponda on Thursday morning following the sighting of a rare one-metre-long, thread-like parasite locally known as the Naru worm or Guinea worm. This is the second such sighting in Ponda this year, the previous one reported in August during the rainy season at the home []

Special Correspondent Panaji Joining the state in celebrating 150 years of Vande Mataram, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Friday described the poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee in Sanskritised Bengali as an ode to the motherland and the heartbeat of India. It is a song that unites people of all religions and symbolises the nations []

NT Reporter Sankhali The government aims to ensure an uninterrupted and adequate water supply to Goas villages through multiple dam projects, with studies underway to expand their number in the coming years, said Water Resources Minister Subhash Shirodkar. He also said that the department is implementing several schemes to bring the states wasteland fully under []

Shoma Patnaik Mumbai With several states eyeing investments at the India Maritime Week 2025 taking place in Mumbai, Goa tied up Rs 6,160 crore of funding from domestic and international investors through memoranda of understanding signed on the inaugural day of the mega event. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said the government will fast track projects []

NT Reporter Mumbai Giving a lift to the state, it was announced at the India Maritime Week 2025 that Mormugao Port Authority (MPA) is the only accredited green port in India. The green accreditation, which is for the operational areas of the port, is valid until June 2028. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, who attended the []

Abdul Wahab Khan Panaji Once known for its relative calm, the Arabian Sea is now showing a rise in cyclonic activity during the post-monsoon season between October and December, even as the Bay of Bengal continues to dominate the subcontinents storm map, an analysis of long-term IMD records has shown. According to historical data from []

NT Reporter Panaji North Goa police have checked more than 10,000 vehicles and verified over 19,000 persons between October 20 and 26 as part of an intensified nakabandi operation across the district. Police said the checks were being conducted every day and night to ensure crime prevention and public safety. During this period, officers verified []

NT Reporter Bicholim Areca nut farmers, particularly from Bicholim and Sattari, are facing heavy losses this year due to premature nut drop, with estimates suggesting a 40-50 percent fall in yield. Continuous rain and adverse climatic conditions have severely affected the ripening process, leaving farmers anxious about their future. A retired deputy director of agriculture []

NT Reporter Mapusa A driver from Chandigarh escaped unhurt after his four-wheeler vehicle plunged into the river at an old ferry ramp in Corjuem, Aldona, while following Google Maps in the early hours of Monday. The driver, Amandeep Singh Multani, a resident of Moira and originally from Chandigarh, said he was following the navigation app []

Padmavati Prabhu Panaji The Harvalem waterfall and the vicinity of Rudreshwar Temple at Harvalem are set to get a Rs 28.85 crore facelift under a central scheme. The Centre will fund Rs 19.33 crore while Rs 9.52 crore will be spent by the state government. The project is expected to be completed by November 2026. []

Special Correspondent Panaji Veteran journalist and former editor of Navprabha, Suresh Walve passed away on Monday at his Valshi residence in Bicholim taluka following prolonged illness. He was 76. The final rites were performed at the Pajwada-Bicholim crematorium, late Monday evening. Walve started his career in journalism in Margao with the Marathi newspaper Rashtramat under []

Both Asrani and Satish Shah were synonymous with good comedy Hasya rasa or humour is one of the nine Navarasas which are nine fundamental emotions outlined in ancient Indian theatrical texts like the Natyashastra. These emotions are the foundation of classical Indian performing arts and are used to evoke a response from the audience of []

Indias households long regarded as cautious savers are quietly taking on record levels of debt. According to the Reserve Bank of Indias Financial Stability Report, household debt in India is 42% of the GDP at the end of 2024, up from just 26% in 2015. It means that in absolute terms, the total debt is []

PTI New Delhi Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) on Saturday said its investments in Adani group companies have been made independently and in accordance with its board-approved policies, following detailed due diligence. Department of Financial Services (in the Union finance ministry) or any other body does not have any role in such (investment) decisions, []

NT Reporter Panaji The latest Coastal Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Atlas of India, released by the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) under the ministry of earth sciences, has identified 240.75 square kilometres of Goas coastal region as vulnerable to multiple ocean-induced hazards such as cyclones, sea-level rise, storm surges, tsunamis and coastal flooding. According []

NT Reporter Panaji Goa witnessed its highest 24-hour rainfall of the post-monsoon season, recording 78.6 mm till 8.30 am on Saturday, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Panaji. The downpour was accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning, and gusty winds reaching speeds of 3040 kmph, gusting up to 50 kmph, affecting normal life at some places. []

Padmavati Prabhu Panaji The homestays operating in the state henceforth will have to offer a variety of activities and experiences to tourists depending on their geographic location and cultural ethos of the place that broadly include activities pertaining to ecotourism, pilgrim tourism, adventure tourism and agro tourism, among others. The Tourism Department has now come []

Abdul Wahab Khan Panaji A study has uncovered the critical ecological factors that influence how the Indian giant squirrel (Ratufa indica) selects its nesting trees in Goas Bondla Zoological Park. The squirrels show a strong preference for tall, mature trees with large girths, particularly deciduous species, according to the research. The study, published in Mammalian []

NT Reporter Panaji The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Panaji zonal office has filed a chargesheet under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the ongoing money laundering investigation pertaining to international drug trafficking against seven accused persons. The accused are Vedasto Audax (Tanzanian national), Tariro Brightmore Mangwana (Zimbabwe national), Masoom Uikey, Chirag []

Special Correspondent Panaji The government has notified new rules allowing comunidades to develop their land by engaging private developers. As per the notification, 20 per cent of the developed area must be reserved for affordable housing for gaonkars (jonoeiros). The rules state that comunidades can invite bids from developers in proportions decided by their managing []

NT Reporter Calangute Severe traffic jams were caused on the roads leading to Calangute during the brief dry spell on Saturday, causing a major disruption for tourists heading to the beach and local market areas. The heavy traffic was seen after two days of continuous rain during the long Diwali weekend. With numerous tourists visiting []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) has condemned the statement made by the Power Minister Ramkrishna Sudin Dhavalikar that misuse and wastage of the power between 5 pm and 9 am would attract 20 per cent extra charge. This move will directly hit households, students, small shopkeepers, and business establishments who depend []

NT Reporter Panaji With Russia being one of Goas most significant source markets contributing substantially to international tourist arrivals, the Tourism department is planning to organise roadshows in three cities Moscow, Yekaterinburg and Novosibirsk. The Department has proposed to organise international roadshows in Russia which will be complemented by a focused digital marketing campaign []

Nandkumar M. Kamat This article follows last weeks focus on rare earth elements and yttrium in Goa, because suddenly, we see that some news is flashed that this or that non-ferrous element or deposit is discovered for the first time in Goa. So, it is important to present what has already been surveyed and published []

Dr. Luis Dias The 2024 biographical drama musical film Bob Marley: One Love based on the life of the eponymous reggae singer and songwriter (1945-1981), brilliantly played by British actor Kingsley Ben-Adir, reminded me how tragically and unnecessarily he died, aged just 36. Marley would have turned 80 this February. A lifelong lover of []

Konkani short story translated from the book: The Salt of The Earth Author: Jayanti Naik Translator: Augusto Pinto Publisher: Goa 1556 Continued from last week So far everything was going as planned. Saheb, we have reached Balli; now should we proceed to Margao or should we take the shortcut to Quepem? Shivanands reverie was []

Frederick Noronha Last week, we visited, through words, the village of Chicalim on the outskirts of Vasco. This time its a shift to coastal Salcete and the village of Betalbatim. The Goan village is indeed is fascinating kaleidoscope of history, geography, peoples, cultures, traditions and more. Afonso Botelho, a longtime resident of this village whose []

Canadian researchers have found that scanning the tiny blood vessels in the eyes may help predict a persons risk of developing heart disease and how fast theyre biologically ageing. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, suggests that retinal scans could one day serve as a noninvasive window into the bodys overall vascular health []

Sainandan Sridhar Iyer Rome became my classroom this month, as I presented my research on Global South diplomacy, discourse and governance at an international seminar. Organised by Universita degli Studi Guglielmo Marconi, the event gave me a chance to share ideas and engage with scholars from around the world, while experiencing the citys history []

Ponda: Goas Agriculture Minister and former chief minister Ravi Naik passed away late Tuesday night following a sudden cardiac arrest. He was 79. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant confirmed the news. Expressing grief on the death of his ministerial colleague, Sawant said it is a big loss for Goa. Naik was a man of the masses []

Move to ensure Goan candidates get more opportunities Shoma Patnaik Panaji: Proficiency in Konkani language may soon be extended to the private sector vacancies in the state, with the draft Employment Policy of the government proposing to make Konkani aptitude compulsory for selection of Goan candidates by private companies. The department of labour and employments []

Mapusa: A week after the daring dacoity in Ganeshpuri, Mapusa police Tuesday arrested two Bangladesh nationals for their alleged involvement in the crime. Police arrested Raju B (27) and Safikul Ami (37) from Bengaluru. Police said the two Bangladesh nationals are connected to the six main accused. They said the duo conspired with the main []

Panaji: Panaji zonal office of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has frozen six decentralised crypto wallets containing crypto currencies worth around 1.5 lakh USDT during search operations conducted at six locations across Goa, New Delhi and Chandigarh under provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The search operations were conducted in connection with []