MARGAO: The Loutolim gram sabha on Sunday resolved that the panchayat should verify the electoral rolls in each ward.

MARGAO: The former tourism minister, Francisco Pacheco alias Mickky was on Sunday late evening admitted to the Goa Medical College and Hospital at Bambolim after he complained of chest pain.

PANAJI: The Union Law Minister, Mr Veerappa Moily on Sunday said that Goa has the potential to become the first state to be arrear free as regards to cases in the courts were concerned, even as he said that the state has been given the target of making at least one of the courts of the Goa bench of Bombay High Court and one of the sessions court paper free at the earliest.

PANAJI: Export and import business activities have come to a virtual standstill in Verna industrial estate due to the sudden sharp increase by Rs 30,000 in cargo transport rates and this has evoked angry reactions from small scale enterprises and majors.

BY JOAO SOUSA M | NT

PANAJI: The old age homes managed by the Institute of Public Assistance (Provedoria) account for only 25 per cent of the elderly living in such homes in the state.

MARGAO: The Loutolim gram sabha on Sunday resolved that the panchayat should verify the electoral rolls in each ward.

MARGAO: The Goa Bachao Abhiyan (GBA) on Sunday demanded that the proposed TCP amendment Bill be scrapped and instead the recently constituted TCP Act review committee be asked to give its recommendations in a stipulated time frame.

PONDA: The members of the newly formed Task Force, headed by Mr Prakash Velip, on Sunday opposed the amendment to Section 59(6) (a) of the Goa Co-operative Act, 2001 terming it as an arbitrary.

MARGAO: The Majorda panchayat gram sabha on Sunday resolved to discuss the village development plan in detail at the next gram sabha.

KOLKATA: Delhi stormed into the pre-quarters of the 64th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy with a resounding 3-1 victory against Madhya Pradesh in their last group league match played on Sunday.

PANAJI: Anurag Mhamal and Gauri Hadkonkar emerged winners at the Sub-Junior Chess Championship in boys and girls category respectively on Sunday.

MARGAO: Varca Sports Club played a rather subdued match but still manage to blank Sai Avatar Anjuna 2-0 to enter the quarter-finals of the Fraxier Trophy soccer tournament organised by Young Strikers Benaulim and being played at St John Baptist grounds, Dando, Benaulim.

MAPUSA: Football Club of Siolim squeezed past host Dunes Sports Club Mandrem by a narrow 1-0 margin to enter the quarter-finals of the Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal Mandrem Silver Jubilee Soccer, played at Mandrem grounds here on Sunday.

VALPOI: The 16-year-old girl who was admitted at the Goa Medical College and Hospital, after she was allegedly fed prasad laced with Ratol by her aunt, died on Sunday.

MARGAO: The Goa Government Pensioners’ Associ-ation has urged the government to release the arrears of 40 per cent fitment weightage benefit to those who retired between January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2000 as granted by the Goa bench of the Bombay High
Court.

PANAJI: A meeting of members of the Goa State Committee on ‘Baby friendly hospital initiative’ was held under the chairmanship of Health Secretary, Mr Rajeev Varma at the Secretariat on Friday.

By Shyam Zambauliker

MARGAO: Hectic activities are going on in various talukas of South Goa particularly in the villages for preparing Lord Ganesh idols. Idol makers are busy to meet the enormous demand for Lord Ganesha idols for the annual event scheduled in the month of September.

MAPUSA: The chairman of Dynprasarak Mandal, Mr Shrikrishna Pokle was on Saturday felicitated on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday. The chairman of the Law Commission, Mr Ramakant Khalap who was the chief guest on the occasion lauded the efforts of Mr Pokle in improving the education scenario at the DMC College since the last six years.

VALPOI: ‘Sattari Patrakar Sang’ had organised Student Counselling and Guidance programme for SSC students of rural areas of Sattari taluka at Sri Ram High School, Khadki-Sattari.

PANAJI: For Goa, mining industry is one of its core strength for its economy and is expected to generate Rs 500 crore royalty revenue for the state during the current financial year as against, around Rs 292 crore in the year 2009-10 after increase of royalty rate midway during last year.

NEW DELHI: India's mining sector is likely to see a slowdown in growth to 8% this fiscal, even as the overall economy is poised for higher growth, the Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council (PMEAC) has said.

NEW DELHI: FICCI Business Confidence Index dipped to 71.9 from its value of 74.8 in the previous survey with Indian Inc sounding a note of caution on its profitability, rising cost pressure and possibility of further increase in key rates by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its Monetary Policy on July 27.

NEW DELHI: Stating that majority of air crashes occur due to human error, the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) today urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to refrain pilots roistering beyond normal duty timing, especially during sunrise and sunset, to avoid recurrence of air accidents.

BY NANDKUMAR KAMAT

IN July 31, the prestigious Dnyanpeeth Award would be conferred by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Ms Meira Kumar on veteran Konkani writer, scholar and philosopher, Ravindra Kelekar, affectionately called ‘Ravindrabab’.

The three major challenges facing the UPA government are: first, bridge the development deficit to reduce sense of alienation existing in the people; second, remove the weaknesses in farm extension services; and third, design a holistic development programme for Maoist-affected areas.

A research conducted by a team of psychologists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and Yale University has come out with an interesting finding that people who sit in soft, cushioned chairs are more willing to negotiate and compromise than those seated in hard, cushion-less and uncomfortable chairs.

Rampant Pollution

THE Environment Minister, Mr Aleixo Sequeira is a good preacher but has not been able to practice so far. The public only hear show cause notices in his press releases, but no action is taken.

BY SHYAM ZAMBAULIKER | NT

MARGAO: Over the past few years, the cyber cafe culture in South Goa has grown manifold, as is evident from the number of cyber cafes that have mushroomed in Salcete.

by ALBERT FERNANDES | NT

POINGUINNIM: The Canacona Fire Station was set up on December 23, 1998, some 12 years ago, with one station sub-officer, four drivers, two vehicles, four leading firemen and seven firemen.

BY MINOO FERNANDES | NT

MARGAO: The road under the bridge, with a subway built by the Konkan Railway Corporation, at a cost of Rs 3 crore, is ready near the level crossing at the Majorda railway station, however, it is yet to be thrown open to the public as it does not have an approach road.

BY ROQUE DIAS | NT NETWORK

MARGAO: The government scheme of mid-day meal is proving to be a blessing for school students. In fact, at some places, along with the students, a few teachers also take benefit of this scheme.

BY SUDESH BHOSLE|NT NETWORK

VASCO: The Vasco fire station which falls under the Directorate of Fire and Emergency services of Goa state fire force plays a vital role during contingencies in the port town of Vasco. The fire station has proved to be an efficient department as it attends to each emergency call.

BY ASHOKKUMAR DESAI|NT NETWORK

CANACONA: The seasonal Shacks and tent owners of the Canacona Coastal areas have welcomed the decision of the minister for Tourism, Mr Nilkant Haldankar over the announcement of dates for the allotment of shacks.

By G V Joshi
What is a superstition? A superstition is a belief not based on logic or reason. Superstitions often promise to protect someone from harm or affect either his/her bad or good luck.
For example, opening an umbrella in a house leads to bad luck and wearing a special gemstone or crystal will ward off evil. To avoid a baby being born with a facial birthmark, pregnant women in India don’t go outside during an eclipse.

By A C Tuli
A ghazal, to put it succinctly, is a poetic composition, often in rhyming couplets, expressive of a lover’s feelings and emotions for his beloved. It may also be philosophic in content, dwelling on some eternal truths of human life.

The largest and the most famous of the snake temples in India, the Nagaraja Temple is at the town of Mannarsala in Kerala, where more than 30000 stone snake images are exhibited within its compounds. Local legends claim the temple to be 3000-years-old. But historically we have only records of 800 years for this historic snake temple.

One of the main reasons why sad ghazals were an important part of our films in the past was that their story line very often dealt with problems that the tradition-bound, perennially-cash-strapped, middle-class people face in life.

By Mário Cabral e Sá
Thus ran the headlines of the English papers - “Pandemonium in House over drug news.”
The target is the Home Minister who was absent from the House because of an ailment, may he recover soon.  In his absence, Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat answered the question in his usual calm manner.

By Tomazinho Cardozo
As reported in the local press, recently, the Commissioner for NRI affairs and former Union Minister, Mr Eduardo Faleiro said, “The Sahitya Academy awards should be made available to eminent writers in Konkani whether they write in Romi, Devnagri or Kannada scripts.”

By Marilia Priyanka Fernandes
She washes her hands a hundred times a day to make sure they are clean enough. Even though the skin is peeling off her hands she can’t stop herself. He has to check the lock exactly fifty times before leaving the house or else the anxiety of someone breaking in is unbearable.

By Dr Kasturi Desai
The long awaited monsoon is indeed a blessing to most of us. Regardless of all the precautions we take in the rain, we sometimes cannot avoid getting drenched in this season.

By Khushwant Singh
Not so very long ago, black people in America were called negroes, niggers, blackies, and treated as third-rate citizens only good enough to mix with other blacks.

By Meher Castelino
One of the most fun and entertaining places in the USA is the city of Orlando in Florida. There is a lot to do and it’s great for grownups and kids. The first stop for anyone visiting Orlando is Disney World. Here is where kids have a ball and grownups can go back to their childhood.

By Dr Nandkumar M Kamat
The simplest rule of nutrition is to eat lower down the food chain as this reduces levels of xenobiotics and toxins entering our bodies. Under the microscope of anthropology and nutritional science, genetics and genomics, Goa’s traditional food tells us something unique - the call of Goan genes for seasonal delicacies.

By Nagraj Gollapudi
I will miss facing Murali. He is the most difficult bowler I played against. I am happy that I don’t have to face him again, but at the same time I am disappointed he will not be around anymore in Test cricket.

Film: Salt, Cast: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Directed by: Philip Noyce, Duration: 95 minutes, Rating: *  *  * 

Too Salty  
Film: Khatta Meetha, Cast: Akshay Kumar, Trisha, Filmed by: Priyadarshan, Duration: 148 minutes, Rating: * *

The Panaji centre of the Chinmaya Mission - an international spiritual organisation - will be organising the 15th annual Geeta Gyana Yagna based on the 14th chapter of Shreemad Bhagwad Geeta, from July 26 to August 1, between 6.30 p.m and 8 p.m, at the city Mahalaxmi temple.

BY PRATIMA ACHREKAR | NT NETWORK
Our world begins with our parents. As we grow, the teacher plays vital role in moulding and shaping our personalities. We have all been deeply influenced by a teacher at some stage of our lives. The teacher’s ideals have influenced who we are today.

BY CLARA A RODRIGUES | NT NETWORK
They are not alone; the hill is spotted with trekkers. Mounting a difficult climb on Goa’s hills, the contours of two figures make their way to the top. It is a grandfather-grandson duo trying to wrap bonds around fleeting time by conquering as many peaks as possible.

By His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Guru Pournima is held on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Ashadh when devotees around the world celebrate their devotion for their spiritual master, and rejoice in their relationship with Knowledge.

By Ranjana Kakodkar
As our country continues to sprint forward at supersonic speed in an attempt to achieve supremacy in every sundry field you can imagine companies world wide are spreading their tentacles across the saath samundar, all the way to cities and towns across India, enticed by the allure of a mega success story in the making.

Chef SK Raj of Palette Hotels recommends
Now ‘drumstick’ can refer to many things….a tool for playing drums, a brand of ice cream, a leg of chicken, a video game character found in Daddy Kong racing, a chewy candy made by Swizzle Matlow, even a film made in the year 1955.

WASHINGTON: The US has said it wants Pakistan to implement UN curbs against three key financers who raised money for the Taliban and Haqqani network, a day after slapping sanctions on the leaders of these outfits.

WASHINGTON: Pakistan has gained atomic capabilities through “international deception” and “clandestine procurement” networks, eminent US lawmakers have said, while warning that the continuation of ‘secretive’ Sino-Pak nuclear ties is setting a wrong precedence for others.

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani anti-terror court Saturday adjourned for a week the trial of LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and six other suspects charged with involvement in the Mumbai attacks as the judge was away to attend an official meeting.

ISLAMABAD: India and Pakistan should demilitarise the Siachen glacier as the troop deployment on the snowy heights has become a burden on the exchequers of the two countries, President Mr Asif Ali Zardari has said.

PANAJI:  The Goa State Information Commission has issued two notices on the public information officer of the Entertainment Society of Goa, Mr Rohit Wadkar and the first appellate authority of the ESG, asking them to appear before the Commission for a hearing on July 26, at 10.30 a.m., with regards to the second appeal filed before the Commission by the winner of the state film award and noted Goan film maker, Mr Augie D’Mello.

LONDON: The British Goan Festival here on Sunday will see the launch of a book on Goan diaspora experiences. And first-time author Selma Carvalho, who has lived in Dubai, the US and now Britain, insists she is simply “a Goan”.

BY JOAO SOUSA M
PANAJI: The old age homes in the state utterly lack basic facilities for developing capabilities of the inmates and have simply been performing the task of provider of food and shelter.
The state has around 80,000-90,000 senior citizens of which nearly 15 per cent live in 63 old age homes as many Goans migrate to other countries for jobs and better prospects and have nobody to take care of their aged parents, which forces them to shift  their parents to  old age homes.

PANAJI: A written reply to the House by the Minister for Revenue, Mr Jose Philip D’Souza informs that a total of 22,85,927 sq mts of land in North Goa and 13,35,950 sq mts of land in South Goa is in possession of Indian Armed Forces - the Navy, the Army and the Air Force.

BICHOLIM: Residents of Sanquelim and Bicholim are apprehensive of occurrence of floods due to incessant rains that are lashing the area since a couple of days. The water of Valvanti river in Sanquelim and Bicholim river was flowing above the danger mark on Saturday and government machinery has been alerted to handle any eventuality in event of floods. However, the situation is under control.

PERNEM: The National Highway 17, which passes through Poroscadem in Pernem taluka has developed large cracks which is making motoring on it a difficulty. Moreover, there have also been mudslides on this stretch of road with the mud covering more than half the road, reducing the carriage way so much, that only one four wheeler can pass by at a time.

POINGUINNIM: Students of St Anne's Institute, Agonda-Canacona, planted nearly 150 Casuarina saplings on the Agonda beachfront, and in the school precincts this week, to mark the Vanamahotsav celebration in the school. The casuarinas were supplied by the forest department.

CHANDIGARH:  A local court on Saturday issued arrest warrants against IPL franchise Kings XI Punjab co-owners actress Preity Zinta and industrialists Ness Wadia and Mohit Burman for failing to appear before it on a complaint accusing them of not filing its balance-sheets and annual returns.

NEW DELHI: In a dramatic turn of events, the Gujarat Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi on Saturday announced resignation of his Minister of State for Home, Mr Amit Shah, allegedly involved in the 2005 staged killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh, but the Congress termed it “too little, too late”.

NEW DELHI: CBI on Saturday told a Delhi Court that there was no sufficient evidence against former Union minister Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riot case.

NEW DELHI: Seeking the cooperation of States in dealing with Left-wing extremism, Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh Saturday asked the Planning Commission to design a holistic development programme for Naxal-affected areas.

captaion: The newly announced Goa team for Santosh Trophy display their new Kingfisher jersey at a function held in a city hotel on Saturday. Coach Mariano Dias and other officials are also seen.  Nandesh Kambli | NT
photo: sp1

KOLKATA: Kerala and Assam maintained their winning streak to keep their pre-quarterfinal hopes alive in the 64th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy on Saturday.
In other matches of the day, the Railways brightened their last-16 chances with their second consecutive win, while Mizoram picked their first victory in cluster VIII fixtures.

MARGAO: Young Strikers Benaulim scored an impressive 4-1 victory over St Rock’s Youth Club Majorda on Saturday to enter the quarter-finals of the 25th Fraxier Trophy Soccer tournament being played at St John Baptist grounds, Dando Benaulim.

PANAJI: Salgaocar who were in drop zone in the first phase of the I-League, put their best performance in the second phase to finish sixth in the I-League, have recruited 19 players to strengthen their team for the upcoming season.

MAPUSA: Parish Youth Nuvem beat Sodiem Siolim Sports Club 4-3 via tie-breaker to make it to the finals of the Parish Youth Vagator Soccer 2010, organised by PY Vagator and played at Ozran grounds, Vagator on Saturday.

PANAJI: In the 1st semi-finals played on Saturday Navelim defeated United Club of Saligao 2-1 to book a place in the finals scheduled on August 5.

PANAJI: Anurag Mhamal beat Pranav Zantye in the 4th rounds and Akhilesh Rai in the 5th round to lead the boys category with 5 points out of 5 rounds. Niraj Saripalli who beat Suyan Belurkar in the 5th round is on 4.5 points after 5 rounds. Pranav Zantye, Rohan Ahuja, Akhilesh Rai, Omkar Damle are on 4 points after 5 rounds.

A few months after her sister Isabel was embroiled in a porn clip controversy which was being circulated in her name but actually featured her  lookalike, Katrina Kaif is now the target of a similar online craze. Not surprisingly, Kat’s hopping mad about the video.

Mimoh will now be known as Mahakshay. Vikram Bhatt, who is relaunching Mithun Chakraborthy’s son in Haunted, has decided to go in for a name change.

Ashutosh Gowariker’s ambitious project Buddha has been put on hold. The filmmaker was on the hunt to find the right actor to play the lead role. However, after failing to finalise someone to play Buddha, Ashu has decided to take a break from the casting process.

Sanju ensures Maana has a happy b’day, gets friends to spend time with his wife and even leaves behind a janamdin ka tohfa
Sanjay Dutt won’t be in town today as wife Maanayata (who is expecting twins) turns 32.

PANAJI: Signalling a new turn in the Dempo Corporate Group’s involvement in Goan youth sports promotion, Chairman Mr Shrinivas V Dempo announced a number of measures designed to make the oversight of the unique Dempo Goodwill Brand Ambassador Scheme more participative. Mr Dempo was speaking at the first meeting of the Scheme’s Sports Committee at Dempo House, the Group’s headquarters in city.

DUBAI: India may have flopped in the opening Test against Sri Lanka but opener Virender Sehwag held on to the number one spot, while Sachin Tendulkar gained a place to be seventh in the latest ICC rankings for batsmen issued on Friday.

LEEDS: Pakistan need another 40 runs on Saturday to register a historic victory over Australia at Leeds.

KOLKATA: Delhi registered their second consecutive win beating Uttar Pradesh 2-0 to inch closer to pre-quarterfinals of the 64th National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy at Khardah Stadium on Friday.

PANAJI: Espanyol, Panjim defeated Young of Fatorda 4-3 in the finals of All-Goa Joga competition organised by Don Bosco Oratory in association with SpaceKraft Media Solutions at Don Bosco’s Oratory, here.

MAPUSA: Candolim Sports Club advanced into the semis of the Sarvajanik Ganesh Utsav Mandal Silver Jubilee Soccer, organised by Dunes Sports Club Mandrem, with a comfortable 2-0 win over Baina Sports Club, played at Mandrem grounds on Friday. Both the goals came in the first session of play.

MARGAO: Betalbatim Sporting Club recorded a solitary goal victory over a fighting Curtorim Gymkhana in the inaugural match of the 25th Fraxier Trophy Soccer tournament organised by Young Strikers Benaulim and played at St John Baptist grounds Dando, Benaulim on Friday.

PANAJI: Canacona Sports Academy has called its 10th Annual General Body Meeting on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at Shradhanand Vidyalaya, Poinguinnim, Canacona, at 10 am.

PANAJI: The Public Works Department Minister, Mr Churchill Alemao on Friday told the Goa state legislative assembly that a House committee would be formed by Monday to go into all issues related to widening of National Highways 4A and 17 passing through the state.

MARGAO:  The beleaguered former tourism minister, Francisco Xavier Pacheco alias Mickky was arrested by the Margao town police on Friday in a case of forgery and cheating, even as he was remanded to 14-day judicial custody in the Nadia death case.

PANAJI:  The ad hoc House committee 2010 on public works, panchayats, transport and ports administration, in its first report of demands has expressed utter shock at gaming vessels, casinos and boat cruises releasing all kinds of waste into the Madovi river causing severe water pollution. 

PANAJI: The government has set December 2010 as the deadline for releasing the Regional Plan 2021, in a phase-wise manner.
Coming out with this information, the Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat said that the taluka plans for the RP 2010, pertaining to Pernem, and Canacona would be released in the notified form within next 15 days.

PANAJI: The Chief Minister, Mr Digambar Kamat on Friday informed the House that the government has issued 100 show cause notices to various owners of the plots in  industrial estates of the state, who have failed to commence industrial activities on their plots within the stipulated deadline.

MAPUSA: Work on the new Siolim coastal security police station is behind schedule. The work of building this station began in 2008, it is more than two years now, and the project has still not been able to see the light of the day.

MAPUSA: The Mapusa Asilo hospital has been in the news for the wrong reasons. While sometime back it was a case where a lady from Anjuna bled to death soon after delivery, on Friday, coincidentally, another woman from the same constituency was injured when a heavy wooden wall frame fell on her head, while she was sitting.

MARGAO: The Cuncolim Citizens Action Front (CCAF), demanded that a plant at the Cuncolim Industrial Estate be closed down immediately, as the management is not serious about dealing with the hazardous waste produced by it.

GANDHINAGAR:  In a big blow to the BJP government in Gujarat, junior Home Minister, Mr Amit Shah, a close aide of Mr Narendra Modi, was on Friday  charged with murder by the CBI in the Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case and may face arrest after he was denied anticipatory bail.

WASHINGTON: The US has said it would vote against an exemption for China to sell two civil nuclear reactors to Pakistan at the Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting, in a new move to step up pressure to get the controversial deal annulled.

ISLAMABAD: Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, who has acknowledged his force is “India-centric” due to unresolved issues between the two countries, will continue playing a key role in shaping foreign policy after the three-year extension granted to him as Pakistan’s Army chief.

BEIJING: A Chinese court has extended by two months the detention of 21 Indians, who were captured from the southern city of Shenzhen in January this year on charges of smuggling diamonds worth USD 7.3 million.

UNITED NATIONS: Israel is urging Lebanon and the international community to prevent two ships from sailing to Gaza from a Lebanese port to break Israel’s blockade of the Hamas-ruled Palestinian territory. It warned that the vessels will be stopped.

NEW DELHI: India and the US on Friday signed a Counter Terrorism Initiative that includes steps to check financing of terror activities, joint probe in cases of bomb blasts besides cooperation in cyber and border security.

CHANDIGARH: Pakistan-based Sikh militants, supported by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), might carry out bomb blasts in New Delhi before the Commonwealth Games, the Punjab police has alerted.

NEW DELHI: The Foreign Secretary, Ms Nirupama Rao has met the Union Home Secretary, Mr G K Pillai against the backdrop of apparent differences between the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Home Affairs in connection with the Indo-Pak talks.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday began final hearing to examine the alleged violation of forest and environment laws by Uttar Pradesh government in the construction of statues and memorials for Dalit leaders at a park in Noida near here.

The Bengali cultural association, Panaji as part of the year long celebrations to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore organised a function called Rabindra Jayanti 2010 at Dinanath Mangueshkar hall, Kala Academy recently.

RAMESH SAVAIKAR | NT NET WORK
BICHOLIM: Devotees of Vithal and Rakhumai celebrated Ashadhi Ekadashi with traditional fervour, enthusiasm and gaiety by performing religious rituals. The day began with devotes keeping a fast on this auspicious day and offering prayers to Lord Vithal, seeking blessings for a prosperous and happy life.

By Meher Castelino
The head seat at the board table is no longer reserved for the male of the species. There are many contenders for it from the fairer sex too. In fact, the female high-powered executive is not a rare sight as she jets around the world, perfectly dressed and ready to take the right decisions

By Odette and Joe Mascarenhas
Suprabhatam…well that is the word for good morning, and it was really a good morning after a super meal at the Café Azul the night before. You see there is a Malabar festival on at the Café Azul, and I love festivals because there is so much variety and research put in for a particular cuisine.

MUMBAI:  In choppy trade, the Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark today closed with a moderate gain of 18 points as investors indulged in profit-booking, tracking the weak European trend.

SAO PAULO: Brazil will soon start producing sugarcane-based bio-fuel, which will be used in commercial vehicles from 2011. The sugarcane-based fuel will be produced in collaboration with an American biotech company and German auto giant Mercedes-Benz.

GENEVA: The World Trade Organization called on Friday for countries to work together more closely in trade in natural resources—an area often seen as exempt from many international commerce rules.

PANAJI: Endosurg.10: SILS, a 3-day national hands-on course and workshop in single incision laparoscopic surgery was recently held at Apollo Victor Hospitals- Margao, said a press release.

PANAJI: SBA Infotech Pvt. Ltd., an e-governance company has launched www.taxeworld.com for e-filing of income tax returns. The website is designed to provide easy and quick web based solutions for filing of income-tax returns and facilitates generation of xml file, view ITR and upload with or without digital signature.

PANJIM: In line with Sesa Goa’s Corporate Social Responsibility philosophy and its commitment to promote health related activities in and around its business area, a Quadriceps exercise bench was donated by Sesa Goa to Keshav Seva Sadhana School for special children, Bicholim.

MUMBAI: A $430 million (Rs.2,000 crore)loan agreement to improve the suburban railway system of the city was signed here Friday.
Representatives of the central and state governments, the Mumbai Railway Vikas Corporation and the World Bank signed the agreement. The World Bank had last month sanctioned the loan for the second phase of the Mumbai Urban Transport Project (MUTP)  project.

MUMBAI: Leading public sector lender State Bank of India (SBI) acting through its London Branch, successfully priced at New York yesterday an offering of $1 billion of senior unsecured bonds due 2015.

CHANDIGARH: At a time when the Centre is planning to provide foodgrain to BPL families at subsidised rates through the Food Security Act, over 24,000 tonnes of wheat have got damaged in Punjab due to poor handling at the godowns.

MARGAO: A ray of hope for workers, who have acquired skills at their work place and are deprived of a formal certificate, earn lower wages and are generally exploited by their employers. But their contribution to GDP cannot be ignored.

BY INDER MALHOTRA
NO twist or turn in India-Pakistan negotiations surprises anyone. But what has happened after the foreign ministers’ talks in Islamabad last week is more than usually bizarre. In effect, what Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr Shah Mehmoud Qureshi, has done is to excel his past performance and raise the ante so much as to queer the pitch for the present at least.

SOHRABUDDIN’S ghost haunts the Gujarat Minister of State for Home, Mr Amit Shah and Chief Minister, Mr Narendra Modi. In November 2005, the state anti-terror squad killed Sohrabuddin and his wife Kauser Bi allegedly in a fake encounter on the outskirts of Ahmedabad.

TWO years after the media first exposed it, the Goa government has woken up to its social and political commitment and accepted the fact that 10 out 11 cruise boats operating in the waters of the Mandovi were disposing various types of garbage and waste directly into the river.

Let’s have a Constructive Discussion
THIS monsoon session, we request our honourable members to please note that the Legislative Assembly is a sacred democratic institution. Do not desecrate it by un-parliamentary actions and behaviour. Please debate to the point and brief questions and enlightening answers should be the norm.