The Navhind Times

Margao: Archbishop of Sindhudurg Agnelo Pinheiro urged the Catholic faithful to pursue lives of holiness and blamelessness that are acceptable to God. Pinheiro was the principal celebrant at the feast Mass of Nossa Senhora das Neves (Our Lady of Snows), popularly known as the Konnsache Fest, at Raia church on Wednesday. He delivered the homily []

Panaji: Goa must adopt rainwater harvesting at the household and community level to deal with increasingly erratic monsoon patterns, former National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) Chief Scientist Dr M R Ramesh Kumar said recently. Speaking on the Southwest Monsoon, El Nino, La Nina and climate change, Dr Kumar told The Navhind Times that the state []

Ponda: Days after the assistant jailor and noted litterateur Dr Ramnath Pandhari Gawade died by suicide, his wife has lodged a complaint with Ponda police alleging that harassment by senior officials at Colvale Central Jail drove him to take the extreme step. In her complaint, Rutika Gawade sought registration of an FIR against the jail []

Margao: Goa Forward Party (GFP) president Vijai Sardesai on Sunday said the rise of Gen Z had reshaped politics and could no longer be ignored, as the party announced a statewide yatra to engage with people across Goa ahead of the Assembly elections. Gen Z has woken and shown that when we ignore them they []

Valpoi: The state government will introduce a pension scheme for full-time rural journalists, who have completed 50 years of age, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said this at the Patrakar Din 2026 programme at Ravindra Bhavan, Sankhali. Sawant also said the government would introduce special welfare schemes for senior journalists, under which eligible journalists would be []

New Delhi: The first batch of Indian athletes, including ace weightlifter Mirabai Chanu and Lovepreet Singh, returned home to a heros welcome after a successful Commonwealth Games (CWG) campaign with hundreds of fans lining up to receive them at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here on Sunday. Olympic medallist Mirabai clinched her third successive Commonwealth []

5,792 people shifted to 209 relief camps across state Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Sunday said eight people had died, eight remained missing, and 13 were injured after heavy rain triggered landslides, flooding and widespread damage across the state on Saturday. In a statement issued by his office, Satheesan said 27 houses []

New Delhi: A man threw a slipper at Independent MP Pappu Yadav during a press conference at his house on Sunday after the lawmaker defended his skit inside the Parliament House complex on the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple, leading to a scuffle between his supporters and the attacker. Yadav was addressing []

Arrest seven accused, expose 313 mule bank accounts Panaji: In one of the largest coordinated operations against cyber-enabled financial crime in recent years, Goa Police has arrested seven accused, issued notices to 24 others and identified over 300 mule bank accounts linked to cyber frauds worth over Rs 2.5 crore by launching Operation Cyber Vigil, []

DR. LUIS DIAS The BBC Proms classical music festival began in London (and a few other locations in the U.K.) in mid-July, and Ive been listening to audio podcasts online a day later for convenience due to thetime difference. As ever, there is so much to delight in, and learn, from old works of music []

PRAJYOT MAINKAR At a taluka office in most of India, the real gatekeeper is not the clerk. It is the register. Theres this fat old ledger going soft at the edges, the kind where someone once scribbled your name maybe they even knew how to spell it, maybe not. One tiny letter decides everything: []

Ahead of National Oral Hygiene Day on August 1, the writer shares the secret to a healthy mouth and brighter smile DR. GAURI SARDESSAI National Oral Hygiene Day is celebrated on August 1 every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Dr. G.B. Shankwalkar, the pioneer in periodontology. This day serves as a reminder to []

Spanning family, childhood, motherhood, and patriotism, Vividha, a debut poetry collection by 80-year-old Geeta Vasant Bhate, reflects lifes many experiences through verse VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN A lifetime of observations, memories, and quiet reflection has found expression in Vividha, a poetry collection by Geeta Vasant Bhate. This debut anthology by the 80-year- old gathers poems she wrote []

Nokre is a Konkani reggae song about one-sided love, told through moments of humour and emotion RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT BUZZ When Warren Fernandes started writing Nokre, he wanted it to be a fun reggae song about relationships. He says, I got the idea for Nokre after listening to an English reggae song. I liked []

Department for Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD) and the Office of the State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, participated in World Youth Skills Day Exhibition, organised by the Directorate of Skill Development Entrepreneurship at Kala Academy, Panaji recently. The exhibition showcased the talent, innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit of persons with disabilities. Secretary, state []

Indian para-athlete Sharmila Dhankar speaks to the media after winning a gold medal in the womens shot put F57 event at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on Tuesday. The 40-year-old produced her seasons best throw of 9.81m, clinching Indias first ever para-athletics gold in CWG. Dhankar was impaired by polio at the age of two []

Release detained, arrested students below 18 with no criminal record New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday restrained states from taking any coercive action against protestors in the recent student-led agitation and directed them to release those under 18 on the condition that none should have any criminal antecedents. Hearing a batch of petitions alleging []

States demand finds no favour with Centre Panaji: The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has issued the seventh draft notification on ecologically sensitive area (ESA) in the Western Ghats, proposing to bring 1,463 villages spread across six states and covering 56,825.7 square kilometres under enhanced environmental protection. Goas proposal remains unchanged []

Study attributes high prevalence to hot and humid climate, poor awareness Abdul Wahab Khan Panaji: Fungal skin infections, fuelled by Goas warm and humid coastal climate, have emerged as the most common skin disorder among children, with a new study showing that infectious dermatoses account for more than half of all paediatric skin disease cases []

Becomes first Indian para athlete to top CWG podium; Shilpa Shyla wins bronze Sharmila Dhankar scripted history by becoming Indias first para athlete to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, overcoming a life marked by adversity to clinch the womens shot put F57 title here on Monday. The 40-year-old produced her seasons best effort of []

They play out a goalless draw in the Imphal derby Imphal: TRAU FC and NEROCA FC shared spoils in a fiercely contested goalless Imphal Derby, with both sides creating several promising chances but failing to find the breakthrough in the Durand Cup here on Tuesday. The match was played at a high intensity throughout, featuring []

Atharv Katkar, Satyam Phal finish second and third respectively Borim: Devesh Naik emerged champion of the Late Mahadev Prabhudesai and Late Pramila Prabhudesai Memorial All Goa Open Rapid Chess Tourney organised by Pratibha Friends Circles Pratibha Sports Club in collaboration with the Ponda Taluka Chess Association under the aegis of the Goa Chess Association at []

Margao: Twenty-four fishermen were rescued in two separate incidents after their canoes capsized off Colva and Benaulim beaches on Tuesday, amid rough sea conditions along the states coastline. The incidents occurred two days after another similar mishap was reported off Majorda-Betalbatim. A coordinated rescue operation was carried out by Drishti Marine lifesavers, the Goa Police []

Unite communities through shared civic action, dialogue and mutual understanding Tomorrow is International Day of Friendship. The day was proclaimed in 2011 by the UN General Assembly with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities. The UN resolution emphasised involving young people, as []

To celebrate 25 years of performing on the Konkani stage, Antonette de Maina has released her maiden tiatr, Fuddarachi Ranni Hanv Tuji, a tale of a family that has many problems. The play focuses on addressing the question can love and understanding help to clear these? Catarina is a woman who has a very []

New Delhi: The Congress-led Opposition is set to keep the pressure on the government in Parliament over the alleged police brutality against protesting students, demanding action against those responsible for the assault and an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources said on Sunday. However, the Oppositions floor strategy and its stand on the bill []

Shahin Bepari Lambe Panaji With the aim of channeling used cooking oil for biodiesel production, the state government has proposed a first-of-its-kind framework to plug gaps in the collection and digital traceability of used cooking oil (UCO) in Goa. The will ensure that the oil is collected through authorised channels and eventually channelled for biodiesel []

Diana Fernandes Margao Israel Ministry of Tourisms Director of Marketing, India, Amruta Bangera, who is currently in Goa,said the state has the potential to become one of Israels biggest tourism hubs, with opportunities extending beyond faith-based travel to leisure and MICE tourism. She also said discussions have been held on establishing direct flights between Goa []

NT Reporter Margao Tribal Welfare Minister Ramesh Tawadkar on Wednesday said the Tribal Welfare Department would incorporate the views and suggestions of experts and resource persons while preparing the Goa Tribal Vision Document 2037. He made the statement after a one-day conference on the Goa Tribal Vision Document 2037 organised by the Directorate of Tribal []

NT Reporter Panaji The High Court of Bombay at Goa was informed on Wednesday that the Superintendent of Police (Crime) has taken charge as the inquiry officer (IO) to conduct a departmental inquiry into the assault on advocate Ankur Kumar and his client at Tembwada-Morjim. The newly appointed IO has already secured registers and documents []

NT Reporter Margao The deteriorating condition of the roof at Nehru Stadium in Margao has prompted residents to seek immediate repairs, saying corroded metal sheets and structural damage pose a safety risk. The roof above Gate No 8 is reported to be in particularly poor condition, with several metal roofing sheets and supporting channels showing []

NT Reporter Panaji The BJP Goa unit, led by president Damodar Damu Naik, staged a protest near Congress House in Panaji on Wednesday, accusing the Congress of promoting sponsored anarchy and manufactured chaos. Several state ministers, including Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and Fisheries Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar, along with MLAs and party workers, participated in the []

NT Reporter Margao A group of young advocates from South Goa on Wednesday extendedtheir support to the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), backing the youth-led movements ongoing national and local protests. The educational and systemic issues raised by the movement were not limited to Goa but reflected concerns across the country, they told reportersin Margao. The []

NT Reporter Panaji Democracy has died, read one of the placards held aloft by youth protesters gathered at Azad Maidan on Wednesday, where students protested against senior BJP leader Narendra Sawaikars reported remark referring to them as termites. A large number of students declared, We are those termites who will destroy this unaccountable power, as []

PTI New Delhi The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) on Wednesday made it clear it will hold talks with the government only at a neutral venue as the student protests over the paper leak issue spread to several states including Bihar, where police used tear gas shells, water cannons and batons to prevent a march to []

AP Manila US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned Asian leaders on Wednesday that Irans demand to control and collect toll in the Strait of Hormuz would threaten the worlds economy and set a precedent that could be repeated elsewhere in the world. Rubio spoke at the start of an annual meeting in the Philippine []

AP Barcelona Firefighters in central Spain on Wednesday battled a wildfire that has burned over 32,000 hectares in one of the largest blazes in recent memory for the southern European country. The fire in rural Guadalajara comes less than two weeks after a deadly blaze devastated a small expat community in southern Spain. That small []

AP Sofia (Bulgaria) Bulgarias Parliament, on Wednesday, backed a government proposal to allow the US military to use an air base in the Balkan country to support US operations in the Middle East, while some expressed concern about becoming involved in the Iran war. The Trump administration has faced pushback from certain other countries in []

NT Reporter Panaji In a policy decision impacting pollution control norms for Goas tourism and hospitality establishments, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has revised the pollution index (PI) categorisation of small hotels, restaurants (including cloud kitchens without rooms), banquet halls and resorts. The updated guidelines shift most of these businesses into the orange and []

NT Reporter Panaji Goas cashew yield dropped significantly in 2025-26, according to the latest crop estimates from the Union Ministry of Agriculture. The ministrys second advance estimates place the states cashew production at 17,870 tonnes a 28% drop from 2024-25, when the Goa Directorate of Agriculture reported an average yield of 24,882 tonnes. State []

Panaji: The Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) demanded an unconditional apology from the BJP within 24 hours for allegedly referring to protesting youth as termites. Congress warned that it would launch a statewide agitation if the ruling party failed to withdraw the remarks attributed to BJP vice president and former MP Narendra Sawaikar. A social []

NT BUZZ In an effort to encourage literary creativity and promote Konkani writing among young students, the Dalgado Konknni Akademi (DKA) organised a poem writing workshop at Our Lady of the Rosary High School, Dona Paula recently. The workshop aimed to develop students creative writing skills and inspire them to express their thoughts and emotions []

Two plays on the life of Goas freedom struggles first martyr Bala Raya Mapari were recently staged as part of the National Theatre Festival organised by the Sangeet Natak Akademi KALYANI JHA | NT BUZZ Two Goan plays Vande Mataram: Desh Raag and Vande Mataram: Veer Dharma were performed last week as part []

VINIKA VISWAMBHARAN | NT BUZZ Rain has a way of making people pause. Perhaps that is why Goas monsoon feels like the perfect setting for an evening of qawwali, where every verse asks listeners to slow down, reflect, and listen as much with the heart as with the ears. When Tasawwur Qawwali Ensemble takes the []

World Brain Day is observed today, July 22. Although a key organ in the human body, brain health is often overlooked until an illness or injury occurs DR. VAILANKI NAZIRA RAPOSO Every thought we think, every word we speak, every step we take, and every memory we cherish begins in one extraordinary organthe brain. It []

Newly crowned FIFA World Cup champions Spain were accorded a heroes welcome on their return to Madrid, with an estimated two million fans lining the streets to greet the squad. La Roja secured their second world title after defeating defending champions Argentina 1-0 in a thrilling, extra-time final clash in New Jersey.

EDITORIAL Enact stronger legal safeguards to protect advocates and uphold the rule of law The brutal assault on advocate Ankur Kumar and his 75-year-old client, Anil Prabhakar Naik, in Morjim on July 17 is disturbing. According to the complainant, the two were dragged from their car and beaten with bricks and iron rods by a []

Panaji: Taleigao MLA and former minister Jennifer Monserrate passed away after a prolonged illness at a private hospital in Dona Paula on Sunday. She was 56. During her political career spanning more than a decade, she remained actively involved in public service, focusing on the development of Taleigao and the state. She served three terms []

New Delhi: Activist Sonam Wangchuk will call off his indefinite hunger strike if political leaders meet him at the Safdarjung Hospital and assure him that the issue of education accountability will be the focus of the Monsoon Session of Parliament beginning Monday, his wife Gitanjali J Angmo said on Sunday. Addressing protesters at the Jantar []

Panaji: Industrial estate plots in the state may belong to business establishment owners in the future, with the Goa Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) working on a conversion policy to change industrial land from leasehold to freehold. The proposed land conversion policy is in tune with the Union governments compliance reduction and deregulation initiative, which requires []