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 []

Crime against women in eastern state is a serious issue; it should not be exploited by Opposition West Bengal has been rocked by a gangrape of student of a private medical college located in its Paschim Bardhaman district. The student of medicine hailing from Odisha was allegedly raped by some men in Durgapur. The incident []

Should peace hold, Gaza deal will be US Presidents greatest feat, even surpassing Abraham Accords of his first term that normalised ties between Israel and Arab nations US President Donald Trump visited Israel and Egypt this week to oversee the initial implementation of his Gaza peace agreement, which many hope will permanently end the two-year []

NT Reporter Panaji The states tourism department will spend nearly Rs 1 crore to accord a traditional welcome to international tourists arriving in the first charter flights from each source market, either at the Goa International Airport located at Dabolim or the Manohar International Airport in Mopa. Similarly, a traditional welcome will also be accorded []

Padmavati Prabhu Panaji Following the successful introduction of roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) ferryboats on the Ribandar-Chorao route in July, the state government has now set the ball rolling for starting such a ferryboat service on the Divar-Sao Pedro route. The service is likely to start in April next year, and the two Ro-Ro ferryboats to be []

NT Reporter Panaji Goa is set to get its second common waste management facility for industries, with the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) planning a Solid Waste Management Processing Facility (SWMPF) at the Tuem industrial estate cluster, which covers the Tuem, Colvale, Thivim, Mapusa, and Pilerne industrial estates. Earlier, GIDC had announced a similar facility []

NT Reporter Panaji The Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Panaji on Wednesday extended the police remand of history-sheeter Zenito Cardozo (36) and seven others by two more days in connection with the brutal attack on social activist Rama Kankonkar. Police said Cardozo, the prime accused, was arrested on Sunday. While police sought seven days additional []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday directed the state government to submit a status report on steps taken to appoint a Lokayukta at the next hearing. The post has been vacant since December 2024. The petition, filed by Trinamool Congress national spokesperson Trajano DMello, challenges the non-appointment of a []

NT Reporter Panaji Citizens of Old Goa raised strong objections on Wednesday to the dumping of garbage in the Bhakia property area, which falls within the buffer zone of a protected heritage site. They demanded immediate action to identify the culprits, stop the dumping, and restore the site to its original condition. The dumping is []

Agencies United Nations President Donald Trump returned to the United Nations on Tuesday to boast of his second-term foreign policy achievements and lash out at the world body as a feckless institution. World leaders listened closely to his remarks at the UN General Assembly as Trump has already moved quickly to diminish US support for []

NT Reporter Panaji Officials of the Commercial Tax Department on Tuesday visited around 117 shops across the state to check if the goods and services tax (GST) rate reductions are being passed on to customers. No violations were reported during the visits. The officials visited all types of shops such as grocery stores, pharmacies, cement []

NT Reporter Panaji The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Panaji, has arrested Mohammed Suhail alias Michael under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the land grabbing scam. The ED said Suhail, an alleged mastermind in the large-scale land grabbing in the state, was taken into custody on September 22 from []

NT Reporter Panaji Streamlining the process to sell iron ore dumps, the Union government on Tuesday specified that dumps which are in leased area up to August 31, 2025, are permitted for sale by mining companies. Earlier, the mines ministry had empowered states to allow the sale of dumps stacked in the leased area but []

NT Reporter Panaji Chemists in the state have asked for a protection period of 90-120 days to transition into the new GST rates, seeking to ensure that those who do not stock lower MRP items are not subjected to punitive action by tax officials. With the revised GST rates coming into effect from September 22, []

NT Reporter Sankhali A massive fire broke out in the Sankhali Municipal Market around 1.30 am on Monday, gutting three shops and causing estimated losses of about Rs 60 lakh. Firefighters from the Bicholim and Valpoi fire stations battled the blaze for nearly two hours before it was brought under control. The blaze, initially suspected []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa directed M/s Goveia Resorts/Waterfront, Goveia Marina Resorts, Vaddy, Siolim, to remove the mud filling carried out in the lagoon and restore it to its original dimensions. The court noted that in its order dated March 15, 2024, with reference to the April 7, 2017 direction []

NT Reporter Panaji A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the proposed Unity Mall and the 17-storey administrative tower Prashasan Stambh, set to come up at Chimbel, have all required permissions, chairman of the Chimbel Biodiversity Committee Govind Shirodkar said the projects are planned on land officially classified as wetland by the government []

NT Reporter Panaji Goa Tourism was awarded for its spiritual tourism initiative at the Travel and Tourism Fair (TTF) Hyderabad 2025 held on September 19-20. The award was presented by Jayesh Ranjan, Special Chief Secretary for Youth Advancement, Tourism and Culture, Government of Telangana. During the two-day event, the Goa Tourism delegation engaged extensively with []

History tells us that Goans have migrated for centuries due to socioeconomic and religious factors, with migration patterns evolving from early movements to Indian states and East Africa to later waves of emigration to the Gulf, Europe and other parts of the world. Goans have today established communities worldwide, especially in countries that were once []

EDITORIAL Public buildings should serve as tangible representations of our heritage and culture The state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Building Construction Corporation (India) Ltd (NBCC) for the redevelopment of seven key infrastructure projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. These include two historic buildings Junta House in []

Roque Dias Margao In a key step to ease depositions before courts, Goa is all set to launch its first-ever e-witness room at the South Goa collectorate building in Margao, enabling witnesses, police officers, public servants, and citizens to testify before various courts via high-definition video conferencing, without stepping into a courtroom. This e-witness room, []