The Navhind Times

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 []

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 []

Miguel Braganza The ladyfingers, Abelmoschus esculenta, or Bhendde are the pride of Jua that the Portuguese named after St. Stephen, the first martyr for Christ, as Santo Estevao. During the monsoons, ladyfingers are traditionally grown between the coconut palms on the dykes or bunds, locally known as bandh. These bunds and sluice gates, or manos, []

AMBIKA MORAJKAR There are some stories that entertain us for a few hours, and then there are stories that quietly stay with us long after they end. Pritam and Pedro is one such series for me. Directed by Avinash Arun and created, produced, and co-written by acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, the series marks his debut []

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 []

The Reserve Bank of Indias latest Financial Stability Report is reassuring about the health of banks and non-banking finance companies. It is less reassuring about the financial health of their retail customers. Indias household debt reached 45.5 per cent of the GDP by September 2025, close to its earlier peak, and subsequently a new high []

Nadda has assured us of internal talks, says CJP New Delhi: White clouds of teargas hung over the Parliament, and the insistent chant of slogans echoed from restive youth fighting police batons on an unprecedented Monday of highs and lows. By the end of the day, police vacated Jantar Mantar as the government and the []

Panaji: Taking cognisance of the violent attack on advocate Ankur Kumar during a demolition process in Morjim, the High Court of Bombay at Goa on Monday directed the Superintendent of Police, North Goa, to immediately transfer the investigation to an experienced officer from a different police station. The High Court said that the new officer []

Panaji: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Panaji Zonal Office, has conducted extensive search operations across multiple states in connection with a large-scale digital arrest cyber fraud and money laundering case, resulting in the seizure of cash, foreign currency, gold and other assets totally valued at around Rs 5 crore. The searches, carried out under Section 17 []

New Delhi: The government has not yet decided to raise ethanol blending in petrol beyond the current 20% level, Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Suresh Gopi told the Rajya Sabha on Monday, adding that any future increase would follow further scientific study and consultation with industry. So far, no decision has been []

Panaji: A large number of people, predominantly youth and students, participated in a peaceful candlelight solidarity march in the city on Monday in support of education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk. The march, organised by the NGO Uzwaad The Rays of Hope, began at the Miramar Circle and proceeded to the Azad Maidan, where participants []

Margao: Following the Transport Departments recent commissioning of artificial intelligence (AI)-based traffic management system to detect road violations, police have warned motorists about a phishing scam involving fake e-challan notices designed to compromise mobile phones and steal banking credentials. According to senior police officials, fraudsters are sending text messages to motorists claiming they have been []

Mapusa: A group of devotees from Pirna on their way to Pandharpur for the Ashadhi Ekadashi pilgrimage were allegedly robbed of cash, mobile phones and bags collectively worth around Rs 1.20 lakh near Miraj in Maharashtra. Sources said the pilgrim group, Shri Sant Dnyaneshwar Tukaram Warkari Mandal, began its journey on July 11. The group []

AP Moscow Ukraine fired more than 400 drones toward Moscow in its latest major attack on the Russian capital, the citys mayor said Monday. The blitz came hours after Russia bombarded Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities with ballistic missiles in a relentless cycle of tit-for-tat strikes that make a settlement to end Moscows more than []

PTI Beijing China on Monday said it is in talks with the US over the planned visit of President Xi Jinping to Washington in September, signalling that the visit is on track despite recent tensions after President Donald Trumps allegation that Beijing interfered in American elections. Head-of-state diplomacy provides irreplaceable strategic guidance for US-China relations, []

PTI Chisinau (Moldova) Noting the increase in the number of Indians travelling to Moldova, a top diplomat on Monday said the Moldovan authorities had proposed exploring the possibility of direct connectivity with India. Addressing a press conference during President Droupadi Murmus historic state visit to the eastern European country, Secretary (West) in the Ministry of []

PTI Dubai Indias Ambassador to Oman, Prashant Pise, met distressed Indian women employed as domestic workers in the Gulf nation and assured them of prompt action to address their grievances, the embassy in Muscat said on Monday. The embassys outreach comes amid recurring reports of abuse, exploitation and non-payment of wages involving Indian women domestic []

Agencies Cardiff England bounced back in style with a four-wicket win to level the ODI series 1-1. Their victory was set up by a superb bowling effort, as their pace attack bowled India out for just 233. Jofra Archer and Gus Atkinson claimed three wickets each, while Englands seamers kept India under pressure throughout. Indias []

PTI Sultanpur/Hathras A court in Uttar Pradeshs Sultanpur on Wednesday rejected a revision petition seeking forensic test of Congress leader Rahul Gandhis voice sample in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Home Minister Amit Shah, while another court in Hathras issued notice to him on a complaint linked to the 2020 Boolgarhi []

Move also aims to cover China, Slovakia, Hungary, Azerbaijan Washington: A bipartisan group of US senators unveiled a bill that seeks to impose 100 per cent tariffs on five countries, including India and China, for purchasing oil from Russia. The bill, brokered by late Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, exempts 15 European nations that buy gas []

Panaji: Goa Pradesh Congress Committee (GPCC) president Girish Chodankar on Sunday joined the Mulgao Varkari Sansthas annual Wari to Pandharpur for Ashadhi Ekadashi, walking with devotees for a part of the pilgrimage and offering prayers for peace, prosperity and social harmony. Chodankar said the Wari was more than a pilgrimage and represented the values of []

Ponda: Residents of Kerya in the Curti-Khandepar panchayat said the village has been facing a severe water shortage for nearly six months despite being located about 500 metres from the Opa water treatment plant. They warned of a protest outside the Water Supply Department office at Daag if regular drinking water supply is not restored []

Dhaka: At least 44 people have died in flood and landslide incidents in a week, officials said Sunday even as rivers remained above danger level leading to displacement of over 2.5 lakh families across Bangladesh. Overnight torrential rains 76 mm from 12 midnight till 6 am inundated several areas and paralysed life in capital Dhaka []

Washington: US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, one of President Donald Trumps closest allies and an influential voice on American foreign policy, has died after what his office described as a brief and sudden illness. He was 71. Graham, who represented South Carolina in the Senate for more than two decades, was among the Republican Partys []

New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modis silence on the alleged embezzlement of donations at the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and said the country will never forgive the BJP-RSS for the betrayal of faith. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh reiterated the partys demands for an independent investigation supervised by []

Coimbatore: Former BJP Tamil Nadu President K Annamalai on Sunday asserted that a true Hindu treats everyone equally and embraces everyone and does not regard someone as high or low. Addressing his foundations first conference at Pollachi near here, Annamalai said he is a proud nationalist and Indian. Annamalai helmed We the Leaders foundation chose []

New Delhi: Indias first bullet train service will begin operations in phases from August 15, 2027, with the Surat-Bilimora section of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail (MAHSR) corridor set to become the countrys inaugural high-speed rail route, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced. The 508-km Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train corridor will be commissioned in stages, allowing sections []

Gauresh Jadhav Walk into any newly minted shopping complex or a sprawling corporate outlet in Goa today, and the contrast is immediate. Outside, the flashy neon signs and grand facades promise a retail revolution. Inside, there is an eerie, expensive silence. Showy stores and fewer crowds is the new paradox of Goan retail. National corporate []

Amresh Parab Panaji For the first time, Goa Police are introducing two-wheelers to the Police Control Room (PCR) fleet, which currently has over 55 four-wheelers, to respond to distress calls within minutes. A senior police officer said the introduction of two-wheelers will help the police reach incident spots without any hurdles, thereby improving the response []

AP Dubai A series of unclaimed airstrikes hitting Iran right after the US announced it had finished its own attacks has once again raised questions about who else might be targeting the Islamic Republic. The strikes occurred on Thursday, just as Iran prepared to bury its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, hitting multiple areas []

NT Reporter Mapusa A 25-year-old electricity department employee from Maulinguem, Bicholim, died on Friday morning after suffering an electric shock while trimming trees at the Assonora water treatment plant. According to police, the incident occurred around 9:30 am while the deceased, identified as Manthan Aroskar, was clearing overgrown tree branches at the plant. During the []

Abdul Wahab Khan Panaji Industrial pollution, agricultural runoff, plastic waste, encroachments and unregulated tourism are damaging Chorao Islands fragile environment, with researchers warning that loss of mangroves, disturbance to bird habitats and declining ecological resilience could threaten the islands long-term survival unless conservation efforts are improved. A new study shows that while ecotourism has boosted []

Mbappe, Dembele dazzle as France dump Morocco 2-0 France booked their place in the World Cup semi-finals with a 2-0 victory over Morocco in Boston, powered by another decisive display from Kylian Mbapp. The France captain endured a frustrating first half, seeing a penalty saved by Yassine Bounou, but responded in style after the break. []

Defending champions Argentina face Swiss hurdle en route to semis Argentina will look to keep their World Cup title defence alive when they face Switzerland in the quarter-finals in Kansas, but Lionel Scalonis side arrive after surviving back-to-back scares in the knockout rounds. After edging Cape Verde in extra time, the defending champions produced a []

Panaji: The Goa Football Association (GFA) Executive Committee has resolved to invite applications from eligible players for the constitution and formal formation of the GFA Players Association, a move aimed at providing footballers with a recognised platform to represent their collective interests and contribute to the development of the game in the State. The association []

Parliament panel holds consultation with states stakeholders on One Nation, One Election Panaji/Margao: The Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), as part of its deliberations on the One Nation, One Election initiative, held stakeholder consultations in Goa on Friday to discuss the proposal for simultaneous elections across the country. The committee is examining the Constitution (One Hundred []

Panaji: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has ruled that GI pipes and mild steel cannot be used in the construction of a beach shack at Betalbatim, Colva. While examining the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authoritys (GCZMA) policy of permitting mild steel-framed structures for beach shacks, the NGT observed that allowing steel and prefabricated material indicates []

Months of innovation, coding and teamwork have earned five Goan students a place among the worlds top young robotics talent NT KURIOCITY Five school students from Goa have been selected to represent India at the FIRST Global Challenge 2026, an international robotics competition to be held in Incheon, South Korea, from October 7 to 10. []

Don Bosco College, Panaji, launched its Silver Jubilee celebrations to commemorate its 25th anniversary. The celebrations began with a Mass at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, Panaji, celebrated by Fr. Clive Telles, Provincial of the Salesian Province of Panaji. Students, faculty, alumni, former staff and invited guests later attended the inaugural function on []

Mushtifund Higher Secondary School, Cujira, welcomed its new batch of Class 11 students for the academic year 202627 at a function held recently at the Indishila Auditorium, Cujira. Founder and CEO of SoFueled, an IT services organisation, Prajyot Mainkar attended as the chief guest. Also present were Mushtifund Saunstha treasurer, Dilip Dharwadkar, manager (Administration and []