The Navhind Times

NT Reporter Panaji/Sankhali With memories of the stampede at Shirgao on May 3 last year still fresh, authorities have decided to introduce a one-way movement system for devotees to streamline entry and exit for the Shree Devi Lairai Jatra at Shirgao, scheduled for April 21, 2026. It has also been decided to remove encroachments and []

NT Reporter Margao At a special meeting held with locals from Seraulim and officials of the Directorate of Land Survey and Settlement, concerns were raised over the inclusion of the village in the NAKSHA survey and rejected any classification of the village as an urban area. Locals said that Seraulim is a ruralvillage with traditional []

NT Reporter Mapusa Bharatiya Janata Partys (BJP) national president Nitin Nabin on Saturday visited Mapusa and interacted with BJP North Goa district committee members and booth-level workers, focusing on strengthening the party organisation and increasing its vote share ahead of upcoming elections. Nabin first visited the BJP North Goa district office in Mapusa, where he []

NT Reporter Panaji The Goa police have arrested two persons from Assam in connection with a Rs 1.42-crore digital arrest cyber fraud case. The accused Ashadul Islam (24) and Yasmina Ahmed (32), were traced to Nagaon district in Assam and arrested by a special team of the Crime Branch following an investigation, Crime Branch Superintendent []

NT Reporter Panaji AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal, on Saturday, urged the party leaders to build a strong grassroots organisation that genuinely represents the people of Goa. Kejriwal held an interaction with the state office bearers of the party in Goa. During the meeting, Kejriwal listened to suggestions from party leaders and shared his vision []

NT Reporter Pernem A public meeting has been scheduled on February 1 at Dhargal in Pernem to protest against the proposed Formula 4 street racing event near Manohar International Airport at Mopa. Uday Mahale, activist and resident of Casarvarnem and convenor of the meeting, said the event goes beyond the airports intended aviation use. Despite []

Special Correspondent Panaji: National president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Nitin Nabin on Friday arrived in Goa, on a two-day state visit, and he was given a rousing welcome in the city. This is Nabins first visit to Goa after taking charge as the partys national president. Nabin was received at Manohar international airport in []

Orders free sanitary pads, separate toilets for schoolgirls New Delhi: Declaring the right to dignified menstrual health as part of the right to life and education under the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Friday directed all states and Union territories to provide free oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins to girl students and functional, gender-segregated toilets for all []

Panaji: The Department of Post under the Union Ministry of Communication has made the knowledge of Konkani compulsory for the appointment of candidates applying for Gramin Dak Seva (GDS) posts in post offices in Goa. A notification issued by the department stated that the candidates must have studied Konkani or Marathi at the 10th standard []

Special Correspondent Panaji: The Directorate of Education has invited applications through the Goa Staff Selection Commission (GSSC) for filling up the posts of teachers in government primary schools. A total of 390 posts have been announced 352 posts in Marathi medium schools and 38 posts in Konkani schools. For the Marathi medium schools, the []

Panaji: Chimbel villagers on Friday rejected a letter issued by Tourism Director Kedar Naik stating that the Unity Mall and Prashasan Stambh projects would be shifted from Chimbel, saying the letter has no legal authority and does not meet their demands. Villagers said they will continue their chain hunger strike and agitation until they receive []

Panaji: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said that the guidance given by Bharatiya Janata Party national president Nitin Nabin to party MLAs and ministers on Friday was highly motivating. Sawant was speaking after attending a meeting of BJP ministers, MPs and MLAs in Panaji, which was chaired by Nabin. The chief minister said Nabins clear message []

Panaji: Riding two-wheelers without a helmet remains one of the most common traffic violations in Goa, with police in 2025 booking over two lakh traffic violations, of which more than 25 per cent were related to the non-use of helmets. As per the Motor Vehicles Act, both the rider and the pillion rider are required []

Margao: The Transport Department has announced plans to install 92 AI-based traffic signals and cameras in the first phase of its traffic enforcement programme in the state. To ensure technology and evidence-based enforcement by the transport department along with PWD, we have taken up the project to install AI-based traffic signals and cameras across the []

Ajit Pawars death may expedite reunification of two NCP factions Mumbai/Pune: Sunetra Pawar, Rajya Sabha MP and the wife of deceased NCP chief Ajit Pawar, is likely to be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, party sources said. She would be the first woman to hold the post in the state. Following []

New Delhi: The government has blocked the Wingo app for allegedly sending fraudulent SMSes from users phones using them as mules to allegedly carry out large-scale message-based cybercrimes, officials said on Friday. The action was taken by the Union Home Ministry and its anti-cybercrime agency, Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), after getting numerous complaints []

Tourism can also be more meaningful if craftspeople are given a better stake in it The annual folk and crafts festival, Lokotsav 2026, concluded on Thursday. Held at Darya Sangam, the lawns of the Kala Academy, there were more than 440 stalls displaying handicraft items and other products mainly produced by craftspeople from across the []

Death of major leader Ajit Pawar in an air crash this week in Baramati has brought about big uncertainties and complicated the picture in innumerable ways A sudden death of a top politician in an air crash naturally causes deep distress and brings big uncertainties in the political arena, particularly when the politician is in []

Inspired by the 1990s Goa, Raahi is an upcoming sandbox style game which romanticises the beauty in an ordinary life VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN The upcoming slice of life sandbox style game Raahi, created by co-founders of Kalp Studio: Akshat Sinha, Mannat Jain, and Rishabh Raj, is set in Majili, a fictional coastal town inspired by 1990s []

Maria Fernandes | NT For advocate Varsha Deshpande, womens empowerment, human rights and social justice are non-negotiable pillars of equality. She discussed these ideals on The Navhind Times talk show Talk from the Heart which aired recently on the Goa 365 channel. Deshpande shared how her journey into activism was shaped by her upbringing, personal []

FILM REVIEWS SACHIN CHATTE Film: Mardaani 3 Cast: Rani Mukherji, Mallika Prasad, Janki Bodiwala Directed by: Abhiraj Minawala Duration: 2 hours 17 minutes Rating: * * 1 / 2 A third installment of a franchise headlined by a female police officer is an unusual and somewhat unexpected occurrence in Bollywood. Male-led cop films are []

DEEPIKA RATHOD Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder characterised by elevated blood sugar levels, has affected millions of people worldwide. This condition occurs when the body either doesnt produce enough insulin (Type 1 diabetes) or becomes resistant to the insulin it produces (Type 2 diabetes). Indeed, Insulin resistance (IR) is a pivotal factor in Type 2 []

PTI Beijing/London Chinese President Xi Jinping and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday agreed to develop a long-term, stable comprehensive strategic partnership, in a rebuff to US President Donald Trumps unpredictable policies and tariff threats. During their 80-minute meeting in the Great Hall of the People, watched keenly in Washington, Xi said that the []

PTI Moscow Russia on Thursday said there still is scope for negotiations between the US and Iran, but warned that any military action against Tehran will lead to destabilised security systems in that region. We continue to call on all parties to exercise restraint and renounce any use of force in resolving the issue, Kremlin []

IANS Canberra Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong has announced 50 million Australian dollars in support for Afghanistan to address the deteriorating situation. She condemned Talibans oppression of women and girls and stated that Australia is continuing legal action against Afghanistan for violations of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW). []

AP Johannesburg, Devastating floods have killed more than 100 people in southern Africa since the beginning of the year and displaced hundreds of thousands, as authorities and aid workers warn of hunger, cholera and attacks by crocodiles that have spread with the waters. More than 70 people have died in Zimbabwe and 30 in South []

Lusophone Goa: Tracing the Portuguese Language edited by Portuguese MA student Aren Noronha, brings together a collection of first-person narratives dwelling on the multifaceted ties to the language CHRISTINE MACHADO | NT KURIOCITY Last year, as afirst-year MA Portuguese student,Aren Noronha discovereda fewinteresting books and records from Goa and Macau in the Central Library, all []

NT KURIOCITY Independent filmmakers, students and content creators from across the world can now submit their work to the WAVES International Short Film Festival Goa, India 3.0. Themed A Celebration of Cinematic Waves, the festival is accepting short films of all genres and languages, original music videos, short documentaries, animation, AI-generated films and advertisement or []

Principal of Government Polytechnic, Panaji, Sunil T. Shetyes new novelette The Mariner & The Two Mysterious Women continues the tale of his first book KALYANI JHA NT KURIOCITY Sunil T. Shetye has been quite busy since he accepted the post of principal at Government Polytechnic, Panaji, last October. But nothing could keep him away from []

NT KURIOCITY Underprivileged Goan students keen on learning technology gained a practical introduction to user-centred design, interactive interfaces and real-world digital project workflows at a campus outreach initiative by Goa-based digital transformation firm Kilowott. The firm hosted learners from the Ponda-based Tata STRIVE at the tech firms Porvorim campus. Tata STRIVE provides youth from underprivileged []

PTI New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday asserted that the country was emerging as a ray of hope for the world and pointed to the free trade pact with the European Union, saying it for an ambitious India and manufacturers should seize this opportunity to enhance capacities. Addressing the media at the beginning []

Also decides to relocate Prashasan Sthamb project Panaji : Backing down in the face of strong opposition from villagers, the state government on Wednesday decided to shift the proposed Unity Mall and Prashasan Sthamb projects from Chimbel to a different site, even as the survey of the project site showed that it falls outside the []

Four others also dead in tragedy in Baramati Baramati: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four other persons onboard a chartered aircraft were killed after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of a tabletop runway at Baramati airport in Pune district on Wednesday. The death of the 66-year-old leader, fondly known as []

Special Correspondent Panaji: The state cabinet on Wednesday approved a 100-point roster system for postgraduate (PG) seat reservations at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, which will streamline and ensure transparency in admissions. The particular system of reservation for PG seats is for the scheduled castes (SC), scheduled tribes (ST), other backward classes (OBC) []

New York: Amazon is slashing about 16,000 jobs in the second round of mass layoffs for the e-commerce company in three months. The tech giant has said it plans to use generative artificial intelligence to replace corporate workers. It has also been reducing a workforce that swelled during the pandemic. Beth Galetti, a senior vice-president []

Special Correspondent Panaji: The new national president of the Bharatiya Janata Party Nitin Nabin will be on a two-day Goa visit from January 30, which will be his first visit to the state after taking over the highest party post. State BJP president Damodar Damu Naik on Wednesday said that Nabins visit is part of []

Locals demand safety measures on NH66 Margao: A 45-year-old Cuncolim resident Ulhas Gaonkar was dragged nearly 100 metres along the highway at Panzarconi, Cuncolim after the two-wheeler he was riding was hit by a car on Wednesday morning, resulting in his death. Police said the driver of the car, Sanjay Horakeri, a resident of Davorlim []

Panaji: The High Court of Bombay at Goa on Wednesday set aside an order passed by the Principal Commissioner of Income Tax, Panaji, rejecting the petitioners application under the Vivad Se Vishwas Scheme. The High Court said that Section 5A of the Income Tax Act, 1961, treats income as a single community income belonging to []

Betul: Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday said India is on track to achieve the target of producing five million metric tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030 and added that the target may even prove to be conservative. Puri told reporters that the transition to green hydrogen was announced []

Panaji: Claiming that the presence of casinos has turned the state capital into a sin city, Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao on Wednesday said that casinos need to be thrown out of Goa. Why are these casinos coming to Goa They are bringing bad name to Goa. Casinos are said to be linked with prostitution, []

Shivam Dubes 23-ball 65 in vain as New Zealand win fourth T20I by 50 runs Visakhapatnam: Shivam Dube flickered brightly with a fifty of exceptional quality but it was insufficient to prevent Indias 50-run defeat against New Zealand in the fourth T20I here on Wednesday. Dubes explosive 65 off 23 balls was the lone bright []

His early goal hands Chapora Yuvak Sangh a 1-0 victory Nagoa: Soham Sheticars early finish guided Chapora Yuvak Sangh to a 1-0 victory over Cortalim Villagers SWSC in the Goa Professional League at the Nagoa ground on Wednesday. Chapora broke the deadlock when Omkar Shetgaonkar split the defence with a through ball to Soham Sheticar, []

Melbourne: After a walkover and an in-match retirement, 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic will meet two-time defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals. Djokovic dropped the first two sets of his quarterfinal 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday to fifth-seeded Lorenzo Musetti but was up a break in the third when the 23-year-old Italian retired with an []

Ashwel, Rohit won titles in their respective categories Panaji: Fredsan Marshal and Angie Fernandes clinched the mens and Womens title respectively at the 52nd All Goa Cycle Race, organised by Guirdolim Club in association with Sudesh Bhise, at Guirdolim. Marshal clocked 37:22:04 to edge past Derwyn Viegas of Chinchinim (37:22:06) and Mark Jose Fernandes of []

AP Washington Secretary of State Marco Rubio has begun his much-anticipated congressional testimony about Venezuela, defending the Trump administrations military operation to oust and arrest then-President Nicolas Maduro as Republican and Democratic lawmakers offered starkly different readings of the current situation. Rubio told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday that President Donald Trump had []

AP Baghdad Former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki expressed defiance on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump threatened to withdraw Washingtons support for Iraq if he returns to power. We reject the blatant American interference in Iraqs internal affairs and consider it a violation of its sovereignty, al-Maliki, who is nominated by the countrys dominant []

Samrudhdi Kerkar Spring arrives softly in Goa, yet leaves behind vivid traces of its presence across the forested landscapes. The season unfolds like a celebration, where colours slowly awaken the woods from their winter hush. Among the many signs of spring, the Kindal tree (Terminalia paniculata) blooms in tender shades of red, its cluster of []

Photographer Assavri Kulkarni takes us into the kitchens of the forest dwellers of the state in her new insightful and cultural enriching coffee table book Forest Recipesof Goa CHRISTINE MACHADO NT BUZZ When one leafs through the pages of Assavri Kulkarnis new coffee table book, you may be blown away by the beauty and []

NT BUZZ Archies, one of Goas most celebrated live bands, led by Antonio Nunes, has completed 30 years in the music industry. Over the years, the band which consists of Shane Fernandes (keyboards, saxophone, violin, vocals), Royston DSouza (lead guitar, vocals), Minguel Lourenco (keyboards, vocals), Michelle (vocals), Antonio Nunes (rhythm guitar, vocals), Kassel Gomes (drums, []

The Ao Naga Choir will be performing for the first time in Goa at the Monte Music Festival on January 30 KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ When the Ao Naga Choir was approached to be a part of the upcoming Monte Music Festival organised by Fundacao Oriente, Panaji, the group was excited. The purpose of []