Goan Voice UK: Newsletter. Issue 2008-27. July. 03, 2008

Video: Chriselle Almeida: When Kiran Met Karen premiere

24 Jun: Business of Cinema. When Kiran Met Karen will have its world premiere at the 2008 Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival. .. The film stars Chriselle Almeida and Kelli Holsopple in the lead roles and explores the controversial theme of lesbianism encapsulated by the canvas of South Asian conservatism, lifestyle and existence…The movie will have its world premiere on 12 July. For full text click here.
Chriselle Almeida was born in Bombay. Her mother is Dr Rochelle Almeida (NYU professor and literary scholar) and her father is Llewellyn Almeida, an international banker. She has visited Goa “many many times … my family and I go to the Goan Christmas dance in New Jersey every year …” For her website with video clips, photos, resume etc. click here.

Video: Jeremy Dias: Youth Leadership Award Winner

25 Jun: Canada AM…Jeremy Dias was recognized for youth leadership at the Pride Toronto Gala -- whose awards were last night -- for his extraordinary achievements to queer life… He says, “Well, I grew up in Northern Ontario… I was the only visible minority in my school. And people were just really racist…” Click here.

Judah Deep Pereira excels in ICDL

27 Jun: Mangalorean.com. By Dr Anthony Pais. Judah Deep Pereira, aged 9, is among the youngest persons in the world to pass the International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) certificate examination with an excellent overall grade…His proud parents are Dr. Savio Pereira (ex-Majorda, Goa) and Roshni Pereira from Koramanagala who are currently based in Bangalore. 312 words. Click here.

Newfoundland: Rodrigues Blueberry Wine

27 Jun: National Post. Rodrigues Blueberry Wine. This deep ruby-coloured curiosity comes from Rodrigues, the country's only fruit-only winery…what we have here is a fun summer drink… For text, click here.
Dr. Hillary Rodrigues was born in Tanga, Tanzania, brother of Celino, Raul, Francis, Bernie, Blanch, Olive and Alda. He attended school in Bandra and Arusha followed by “A” levels and Dentistry in the UK. Canada beckoned in 1974. He is married to Marie-France and they have two children, Lionel and Vanessa. For the Rodrigues Winery website click here.

Australia: Carol Furtado: The Merchants of Bollywood

28 Jun: Courier Mail. The Merchants of Bollywood, a musical, is to open at the Gold Coast… The cast are not shy anymore about their bodies or themselves… Carol Furtado has been with the show since the beginning…Her parents weren't overly thrilled when she announced she wanted to dance on stage…They have since softened, as she has become an international jet-setter. The show moves to the UK next … 720 words. Click here.

Dubai: 'Viva San Jao 2008' wows UAE crowd

28 Jun: Mangalorean.com. By Claude Fernandes. Dubai witnessed the "Viva San Jao 2008" (Feast of St. John the Baptist) on June 27…the "Rain Dance" went on till late in the night... The audience was in awe and kept dancing, cheering, applauding, hugging and greeting their friends… 88 photos and text. click here.

Eva & Georgina Fernandes: BORN in Auckland, NZ:

30 Jun: Born Direct. BORN New Zealand has just opened. Please tell your Kiwi friends! Find it at: 347 Remuera Road, Auckland, 1050 NZ Tel 09522 400. BORN also has shops in the UK - London and Bristol. For the BORN website click here.
Eva Fernandes was born in the UK, and her sister Georgina was born in Nairobi. Their parents, Glorio and Antoinette Fernandes live in London and are ex-Nairobi (Eastleigh/Pangani). For an explanation of how Eva ended up in David Beckham’s bed, click here.

UK: Claude Moraes The equality bill
30 Jun: The Guardian. By Claude Moraes MEP, Labour, London. The publication of the government's plan to create a single equality bill heralds a major step forward in tackling some of the remaining entrenched inequalities in the UK…It is to the credit of the government that the breadth and depth of these proposals will go further than our EU neighbours have gone… 223 words. Click here.

Canada: Wayne Fernandes named for Olympic Games

30 Jun: CBC Sports. Wayne Fernandes has had a seven-year struggle to get to the Games…He told Field Hockey Canada. "Qualifying for Beijing is the achievement of a lifetime." Fernandes, a Mississauga, Ont., native, has been dreaming of going to the Olympics since the age of 10. He was one of the 18 selected for the team, which is ranked 15th in the world by FHC and head coach Louis Mendonca (of Thornhill, Ont.). Click here.
Wayne is the son of Ed (ex-Dar-es-Salaam) & Shirley (ex-Uganda) Fernandes; brother of Tara & Joanna

London: Melville Rodrigues: Camerons scores Mayer Brown partner
30 Jun. The Lawyer. CMS Cameron McKenna has made a rare lateral hire, poaching London-based Mayer Brown property partner Melville Rodrigues. Rodrigues specialises in the formation of real estate funds and handling real estate transactions. Camerons head of real estate Edward Benzecry said: "…Melville's arrival is a further step in our strategy to establish a reputation in this area." Rodrigues has been a partner at Mayer Brown since 2000, when he joined from niche property firm McGuinness Finch. 163 words. Click here.
Melville is the husband of Thereza; son of Mariquinha and Marcos Rodrigues (ex Kampala & Mombasa); Brother of Magnus and Mervyn. For a photograph and profile of him click here.

Texas: Dentistry: Dr Olav Alvares: Distinguished Service Award

1 Jul: Times of India. Meet Dr Olav Alvares, an American of Goan origin. A distinguished dental educator, researcher and editor, Dr Alvares, is editor of the Journal of Dental Education in US. He has recently been awarded the International Association for Dental Research (IADR) Distinguished Service Award for 2008… 568 words. Click here.
For a profile of Dr Alvares click here.

Genelia D'Souza, the next Bollywood bee

1 Jul: News Track. Born in Mumbai, Genelia moved with her family from Goa to England. But as she bore the dream of becoming an actress, she later shifted back to India to turn her dream into a reality…Her unique speaking quality and bubbly expressions do not fail to sweep you off the grounds…315 words. Click here.

Ohio: Francis Saldanha takes up junior footballers' cause
2 Jul: Daily News and Analysis. Francis Saldanha had offered to help the under-16 Indian football team. He has offered to arrange for a six-week exposure trip to Ohio, West Virginia, where the he runs an ambulatory surgery center in Charlston. The lads are now on the way there for training during which they will also figure in half a dozen matches with university and club teams… 475 words. Click here.

Patricia Rozario: Songstress incomparable
2 Jul: Times of India. Mumbai born Patricia Rozario hails from Assagao Bardez…The journey from a village in Goa to rubbing shoulders with the who’s who of world classical music hasn’t been easy… she hasn’t forgotten her home, returning to Goa every other year… “I love going back because it reminds me of who I really am, the importance of family and friends and the fact that work is one aspect of our lives.” 746 words. Click here.

Leander Paes enters Wimbledon semis

2 Jul: NDTV. Leander Paes and his partner Lukas Dlouhy pulled off an impressive straight sets win over third seeds Andy Ram and Jonathan Erlich to book a semifinal berth in the men's doubles event at Wimbledon Championships. … Click here.
The semifinal will be on Thu. 3 Jul. Centre Court – 3rd (last) game.
Leander Paes was born in Goa on 17 June 1973. In an India Express interview, Leander said, “Grandpa actually designed this home [in Velim] for us. He was quite a man. He came over from Arusha, in Tanzania. He was a great doctor and when the Indians were asked to leave from there, he got a boat with his brother and sailed to Goa.” For the Leander Paes Wikipedia profile, click here.

Shilpa Shetty honoured by London glitterati

2 Jul: Malaysia Sun. Bollywood star Shilpa Shetty invoked memories of the Indian intolerance during a dinner held Tuesday night to celebrate and encourage diversity in Britain…Shilpa won the Global Diversity Award along with British racing driver Lewis Hamilton, A charity auction raised over £63,000 … 440 words. Click here.
The photo of Shilpa Shetty at the venue was taken by Rene Barreto who attended the event with his Maria, his wife, Tony Lewis, Keith Vaz, David Milliband, Nina Wadia, Jimmy Young, Rudolph Walker and a host of celebrities. For the rest of Rene’s photos of the event, click here.

Uganda: Norman Godinho Junior School Reunion

2 Jul.: From Melba Correia: Congratulations to the organisers of the Norman Godinho Junior School Reunion, Toronto, May 17-19, 2008 which was a resounding success and will be a benchmark for other Community get-togethers. 450 attendees from 14 different countries joined in and almost drowned in the sea of nostalgia. The weekend of festivities included a Stage Show, a Gala Dance, a picnic and a golf tournament.
A limited quantity of T-shirts and yearbooks are available and will offered on sale at the Bakuli Reunion in London, 6 July 2008.
For a GVUK supplement with a description of the events by Al Lobo and photographs, click here.

Edinburgh: Herman Rodrigues fined over mouse droppings

2 Jul: BBC. Herman Rodrigues, 47, a former restaurant owner caught with mouse droppings in his Edinburgh premises has been fined £2,700. Rodrigues was banned from managing any food business for six months and will need court permission before he can manage a restaurant again…252 words. Click here.

Video: Keith Vaz fighting to keep his job

3 Jul: The Telegraph (UK). Keith Vaz the head of an influential Parliamentary Committee is fighting to cling on to his position following the leak of a letter to The Daily Telegraph which suggested he could expect to be “rewarded” for backing the Government in a crucial vote on anti-terrorism laws. The Telegraph letter caused a stir during Prime Minister's Question Time. 2m. 28s. Click here. Click here.
For other and latest developments, click here.

UK: How Savio Azaredo’s sauces are currying favour

4 Jun: Croydon Guardian. Savio’s sauces from the Curry Tree range are 100% natural and additive-free. His company Purity Trading Ltd is the sole UK distributor… You will find his products in shops ranging from Budgens to Partridges (grocers to the Queen) and he is in discussion with Harvey Nichols and Waitrose… For full text click here.
Savio lives in Norbury and is the husband of Pamela (Daughter of Concy Fernandes) and father of Ryan & Luke.

Toronto: Meeting on Goa Property – 6 July
6 Jul: IGO Meeting. Sunday, July 6th, 2008 at 2.30pm. at the Eatonville Library, Etobicoke. A warning call to those who have property in Goa or considering investing there…Members of the IGO have just returned from Goa and have witnessed first hand the tangled web of bureaucracy, hassle and frustration that is now an integral part of the property administration process. Kindly e mail Myra Tavares at mtavares2@rogers.com or almathias@rogers.com to confirm your attendance, so that seating can be arranged. Click here.

2 Jul: Mombasa, Kenya. AGNELA DA SILVA. Wife of the late Joe Da Silva. Mother of Donovan Da Silva. Sister in law to Tony/Shashi, Mary and Remiza/Sebby. Aunt of Anthony, Anita, Billy/Aliya, Pinky, Domnic, Lino, Victor and Isabella. Condolences to donovandsilva@yahoo.com Info from Maureen de Souza, Mombasa.

Thomas & Bridget Coelho: Death and Wedding Anniversary.

29th June, 2008 – A year ago on this special day, you were laid to rest with your beloved wife. Only the Almighty could have chosen this most wonderful moment in time, YOUR WEDDING ANNIVERSARY, to join you together again. A marriage made in heaven. All our words cannot express, the joy you’ll gave us through the years. And even though we try so hard, your memories still bring us to tears. For a short tribute from their children click here.

29 Jun: Agacaim, Goa. RUI PALHA. Husband to Lydia (De Souza). Father to Shirlene/ Bosco, Sean/ Andrea. Brother to late Noemia/late Aloysius de Sales, Julieta/late Antonio Fernandes, late Dr Paulino/Maria Aurora (Portugal). Brother in law to Sr Thecla (UK), Linda/Tony (Nairobi), Tony/Belinda (Canada), Sana/Jennifer (Mombasa). Funeral will take place on Monday 30th June 2008. Holy Mass at St Joseph's Catholic Church, Tudor, Mombasa on Monday 30th June 2008 at 5.30 P.M. Condolences to Mm.Goa@Licindia.Com (Lydia). Info from Maureen de Souza (Mombasa).

28 Jun: Arossim, Goa. ROSALINA FERNANDES. Relict of late Domingos. Mother of Luis, Hermegildo/Sela (Swindon. UK), Silvestrina (Silvy)/John.

28 Jun: Carona, Goa. ANDREW ALVARES. Husband of Rita. Father of Mary/Lawrie Coutinho (Canada), Fr Christopher (Mumbai), Stanny/Blossom.

27 Jun: Seraulim. Goa. ANTONIO FERNANDES. Husband of Ernestina. Father of Edwin/Manuri (Delhi), Sandra/Agnelo (Canada), Zeferino/Jennifer, Gorette/John (Dubai) and Jaime/Olfie. Brother of Apolonia/late Pascoal, Filomena/late Ben, Assu/late Cyril, Rock (London) and Manu/Chris (London).

25 Jun: Nairobi. CAESAR AZAVEDO. Husband of Bertha. Father to Allan/ Stella, Daryl/ Nicky and Errol/Jenipet. Loving Brother to Ida (Nakuru). Joe, Robert, Theofila, Celsa & the late Natty, Mina, William, Flora, Felix & David. Funeral on Tuesday 1st Jul. at Don Bosco Shrine. Viewing 1.00-2.00 pm. Mass at 2.00 pm followed by the burial at Langata cemetery. No flowers please – cash donations to Goan Welfare Society, Nairobi. Condolences to jenipetazavedo@yahoo.com

22 Jun: Canada: ELLIS FERNANDES (ex-Mumbai). Husband of Jennifer. Father of Andrea and Bradford.

Nuvem, Goa. ANTONIO FRANCISCO FERNANDES. Husband of Christina. Father of Hilario and Vilma/Albino (Germany).

It's perfect time to buy extra-hot property in exotic India
11 June 2008: The Sun (UK). The Indian government is encouraging the real estate boom and therefore will do whatever it can to make it happen…it is only recently that the laws were changed making it easier to invest in Indian property…A report by property consultants Jones Lang LaSalle estimates that Euro 7billion foreign investment will be injected into the Indian real estate sector in the next 12 to 18 months…Irish-based specialists Kuvera India www.kuveraproperties.com is an excellent place to start if you are considering buying property in India…Goa is a particularly popular place for those in search of a place in the sun. But there are strict rules relating to the sale of freehold property to foreigners… Do not trust anyone who says there are ways around the legalities and do not try and cut any corners…862 words.

India clamping down on foreigners living in Goa
26 Jun: The Daily Telegraph (UK). Scores of British homeowners across Goa face the prospect of eviction from their properties following a government investigation into their purchases…These unfortunate Brits are caught in the crossfire between greedy politicians and equally rapacious property developers…Mounting xenophobia and a movement by locals against outsiders colonising their state, is also working against them … 287 words. Click here.

Novaturas to Offer Direct Flights from Vilnius to Goa
27 Jun: Baltic Business Daily. Lithuania's tour operator Novaturas will offer travellers to buy direct flights to the Indian resort area of Goa, Novaturas said on Friday. This year the company is planning five flights to Goa…

Problems faced by foreigners registering a car in Goa
27 Jun: Herald. Title: Awkward RTO. A British national who attempted to register his car in Goa was asked to provide proof of ownership of a house in his name and an Indian Voter ID card. He was advised to “move around in a taxi” instead… 211 words. Click here.

Foreigners get the Goa jitters; British High Commission Worried
27 Jun: Times of India. Foreign nationals who had 'legally' invested in property in Goa are worried over the growing resentment against foreigners … Goa’s law minister says that those who have complied with all the formalities should have reason to worry…The British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai is concerned about the problems their citizens are having in the state… A large number of Britishers are being cheated by developers selling properties on the internet… 865 words. Click here.

CRZ scanner on foreigners
28 Jun: Times of India. On the one hand the Enforcement Directorate, Mumbai, is investigating illegal purchases of land by foreigners in the state. On the other, the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority (GCZMA) is examining whether structures constructed by foreigners are in violation of CRZ rules and the Environment Protection Act…463 words. Click here.

Lovers spurned: Several European women duped in Goa
30 Jun: Times of India. …Incidents of European women who share a live-in relationship with young Indian men complaining about being financially duped and violence in the relationship are common… Police officials admit that live-in relationships between elderly European women and younger Indian men is a common feature in the coastal belt…554 words. Click here.

Govt asked to freeze properties bought by foreigners
2 Jul: Navhind Times. The Enforcement Department has asked the Goa government to freeze the sale and or transfer of properties bought by the foreigners in violation of the Foreign Exchange Maintenance Act, 1999. The ED has frozen the four properties in Morjim village bought by M/s True Axiz Resorts Pvt Ltd, a Russian company. 462 words. Click here.

Kitesurfing in Goa
2 Jul: North-West Evening Mail (UK). Eric Harris, and his wife Jane are based in the Isle of Wight but they now spend most of their time in India where Eric works mainly in the Bollywood industry, doing stills for movies and freelance shoots for the actors and actresses. … The dream for Eric is to teach kitesurfing to the stars in Goa. He said: “Cricket is and always has been a religion there, and soccer is becoming popular. It’s my dream to get them into watersports, particularly kiting… click here./p>

‘Furnish particulars of tenants to police’
2 Jul: The Hindu. As part of security measures, the Goa Government has directed landlords and owners of houses and property intending to rent out accommodation to do so after furnishing particulars of the tenants to the police. 173 words. Click here.

Mumbai Mania: Travel Feature
2 Jul: The Daily Mail (UK). There’s much more to Bollywood than traffic jams and cheesy musicals. Jemina Sessions jets in for a sizzling taste of the high life…Click here.

Marvellous Mumbai
3 Jul: The National (UAE). In some ways, Mumbai is just a bigger, smellier, dirtier version of London: the trains are packed, people spit in the street and property prices have gone through the roof. But this city of 16 million people – India's largest – is much more chaotic, cosmopolitan and exciting than that…782 words. Click here.

UAE: India-bound tourists hit by Visa delays
3 Jul: Xpress News (UAE). Travellers for Indian destinations have run into some turbulence with the Indian Consulate pleading that visa processing will take at least seven days from the date of application in the light of the holiday rush…three days was been the norm before… applications have shot up from an average of 400 daily to around 700 since the second week of June ... 295 words. Click here.

Goa: Cyber cafés told to insist on customers’ identity
3 Jul: The Hindu. The Goa government has ordered owners of cyber cafés located in the jurisdiction of north Goa district to allow customers to use the facilities at the cafés only after they establish their identity…The documents to be produced for identification are identity cards, ration cards, driving licence, passport or credit card with photo, said the Government Order. Click here.

Win a pair of return tickets to India
26 Jun: STA. The prize is 2 return economy flights to India from London on JET Airlines. Travel is subject to availability and date restrictions apply. Prize is non-transferable. Applicable taxes and surcharges will need to be paid by the winner. Click here.

New Zealand: Win a week of romance and relaxation in Goa
1 Jul: C4 TV. To celebrate the release of the hilarious new comedy The Love Guru we are searching for New Zealands own Love Guru. Tell us your number 1 dating tip and how it helped you find your significant other....and we could be sending you for a week of romance and relaxation in Goa… Entries close Thursday July 17th. Click here.

Terminally Chaotic Bus Stands

27 Jun: Times of India. Crater-sized potholes, knee-deep flooding, stinking, overflowing septic tanks, bad lighting and a severe shortage of buses, are just some of the issues that haunt the major bus termini in the state… click here.

Goa: Communal clash in Margao, curfew imposed
27 Jun: Curfew was imposed in Margao on Friday after Hindus and Muslims clashed following an eve-teasing incident…171 words. Click here.

Missing IT engineer found dead in Goa
27 Jun: Times of India. The nude and decomposed body of Meghana Subhedar a 28-year-old software engineer has been found on Goa's Candolim beach… sources said the post-mortem conducted on her body suggested foul play. 193 words. Click here.

Another Scarlett-like case baffles Goa Police
28 Jun: NDTV. Goa Police are up against a case that is eerily similar to the Scarlett Keeling case. They found the body of 28-year-old Meghna Subedar in a highly decomposed state on a Goa beach on Thursday… Dr Mohan Subedar, the girl's father suspects that drug mafia could be involved and has filed a missing complaint. He says that he has examined the body himself and the injuries have been caused by a blunt object, possibly with the intention to cause grievous injuries… 258 words. Click here.

Margao witnesses mob violence over eve teasing
28 Jun: Navhind Times. Margao witnessed a tense situation on Friday evening and police were compelled to resort to a lathi charge after members of a religious group started shouting slogans and indulged in riots…15 people have been arrested for riots…Trouble started on Friday morning over an issue of eve teasing… 495 words. Click here.

Margao returning to normalcy
29 Jun: Navhind Times. The Margao bandh passed off peacefully on Saturday barring a couple of incidents as life seemed to be returning to normalcy in the town. 595 words. Click here.

Body washes up in Goa, lies unattended
29 Jun: Times of India. A regular visitor to Goa was shocked on Saturday when she saw a dead body washed ashore at the Baga beach and lie on the beach for at least 2 hours in the afternoon before the police came… A restaurant operator in Baga said: "The locals', who were always ready to help tourists in trouble, think twice these days due to police repercussions after Scarlett Keeling's murder." 230 words. Click here.

Goa piano ‘thief’ found to be Nazi war fugitive
29 Jun: The Telegraph. Johann Bach, an 88-year-old German trying to sell a stolen 18th-century piano in Goa has turned out to be a Nazi war criminal on the run. He allegedly oversaw the killing of 12,000 Jews and was arrested on Friday on the Goa-Karnataka border… He had fled Germany after World War II and settled in Argentina, then Canada and Bulgaria before settling down in Goa two years ago… 454 words. Click here.

Asian (con)Fusion: Nazi war criminal found in Goa. Really?
30 Jun: The Independent (UK). It always seemed too good to be true. Buried in the middle of one the Indian papers this morning was a report claiming that an 88-year-old Nazi war criminal called Johann Bach had been arrested in the jungles of Goa by German and Indian intelligence officers… As it turns out the entire affair was a hoax set up by the website Pen Pricks, a blog that routinely criticises the Goan media for its reporting…465 words. Click here.

Doctors blame garbage for illnesses
30 Jun: Navhind Times. Dr Suzette Menezes, former HoD, pathology, Goa Medical College and Hospital says that the accumulation of garbage leads to an increase in the number of flies who are carriers of diseases …518 words. Click here.

Official: Goa rated the highest level of corruption in India
30 Jun: Zee News. The 'India Corruption Study 2007' found that about one-third of Below Poverty Line (BPL) households in the country bribed officials …According to the survey Rs 8,830 million was paid in bribes last year by those living below the poverty line … Overall Goa rated the highest level of corruption - “alarming”… For text, 282 words, click here.
For the report, 32 pages, click here.

Residents fix meet to drive away paramour
1 Jul: Herald. Residents from Kalay-Sanguem have fixed a meeting on July 6 at 10 am to take measures to drive away the alleged paramour of Carmelina …Manuel Rodrigues (51) had murdered his wife Carmelina, after suspecting her of infidelity and having caught her red handed with her alleged paramour…At the informal meeting, the villagers are reported to have decided to chalk-out plans to drive away the alleged paramour out of the village… 228 words. Click here.

Goa recorded max inflation in May
1 Jul: Herald. Goa recorded the maximum increase in inflation all over the country in May, when the All India Consumer Price Index showed an increase of 7 points in the Goa centre… This was mainly due to increases in the prices of rice, fresh fish, poultry, goat meat, snack foods and synthetic sarees. Click here.

Goa may face drinking water shortage: study
1 Jul: Herald. A study has warned that sea water may further advance into Goa’s rivers turning their water salty and causing a serious drinking water shortage...273 words. Click here.

Woman serial thief strikes in Panaji again
3 Jul: Times of India. Jacqueline Ballantyne, who has allegedly robbed three shops in Goa, may have struck once again. Police suspect that Jacqueline is behind the Rs 90,000 heist at a Caranzalem showroom. Cops said Jacqueline, aged 24-25, approaches a newly-inaugurated showroom, secures a job by providing a false name, wins the owner's trust and then decamps with expensive goods. 226 words. Click here.

Goa Police: Bosco George.
3 Jul: Times of India. Bosco George, SP North Goa is an amicable cop but if need be, can sting like a bee. He speaks about the rise of crime in Goa… 654 words. Click here.

Meghna: “Goa cops did nothing for over 15 days”
3 Jul: Mumbai Mirror. I lost my daughter due to police negligence. Had they acted swiftly I could have probably seen my daughter alive,” says a distraught and angry Dr Mohan Subedar. 930 words. Click here.

Weekly Update
3 Jul: Times of India. Exchange rates £ = 86.11; $ = 43.19; Euro = 68.52
Weather: Max = 30.6; Min = 25.1. Humidity 79 % to 95 %. Few spells of rain or thunder showers.

Scarlett Keelings’s mother awaits visa nod
26 Jun: Hindustan Times. The Goa government can't make up its mind on letting in Fiona MacKeown, mother of the British teenager Scarlett Keeling who was murdered in the state in February this year. The Indian High Commission in London had referred Mackeown's visa application to Delhi about three weeks ago. Before taking a call on the points raised by the high commission, the Union home ministry had sought a reaction from the state government.

UK Government urged to take action over Scarlett case
27 Jun: Western Morning News. The mother of murdered teenager Scarlett Keeling has called on the British Government to speak out against the Goan authorities' handling of her daughter's death…This week Torridge and West Devon Tory MP Geoffrey Cox tried to arrange the meeting with the Secretary of State, saying Mrs MacKeown "was eager to meet with David Miliband to discuss the situation with the ongoing investigation into Scarlett's murder". She will meet Foreign Office Minister Lord Malloch-Brown on July 7, in London…370 words. Click here.

Anglo Indians, Cotton Mary ... and the Bombay of those days
22 Jun: GoaNet Reader. Last week Ronald Francis of Toronto regaled us with his Bombay reminiscences of the 60s and 70s (check out the Photo Gallery on this page). This week he features the Anglo-Indians who bring many of his Bombay childhood memories to mind. He writes “In the 1960s, Byculla, where I lived, was the Anglo-Indian core of Bombay. There were their institutions and neighborhoods, like … the Shelter (which was an orphanage of pretty girls) where we hung out a lot… 3,416 words. Click here.

Audio: Marry Me (30 min)
23 Jun: BBC Asian Network Report. From Salsa dancing to speed dating Adil Ray explores British Asians' attempts to find a suitable partner… 30 min. Click here.

UK scraps bonds for visitors. Indians relieved
25 Jun: Times of India. The British government has scrapped a controversial proposal to introduce financial bonds for people visiting their relatives…visitors will be allowed to stay for a maximum of six months…Under a new system permanent residents in Britain will have to become licenced sponsors before their relatives can be allowed to visit…If sponsors fail in their duties, they face a ban on bringing anyone else into the UK, or fines of up to £5,000 pounds or imprisonment… The government also introduced a new low-cost three-month group visa for tourists…278 words. Click here.

UK: Drug dealer with Goa connection jailed for ten years
27 Jun: The Argus (Brighton, UK). A dying man has been sentenced to ten years in jail for drug dealing in the UK. Benjamin Zarins, 29, who is suffering from pancreatic cancer, has been told he may die within four months…The court heard in the year before his arrest he had transferred £66,000 to a bank in Goa…261 words. Click here.

Wings Of Hope Goa Project
27 Jun: Times Educational Supplement (UK). ..On a recent visit to Northwood College, a girls' school in Middlesex, I found huge enthusiasm for Wings of Hope, a charity supporting children in the developing world….Many Northwood girls are involved - one team is supporting an orphanage in Goa in India. Some have even been to the House of Lords to give a presentation.
For details of the Goa project click here.

Mumbai: Save the last dance for me
28 Jun: Daily News & Analysis. Way back in 1951 Joao Joaquim Rodrigues, fondly called JJ Rodrigues, set up Mumbai's first certified Ballroom and Latin American dancing institute - the JJ Rodrigues cours de danse…And it wasn't long before Mumbaikars from all strata of society started flocking to his apartment-cum-studio in a tree-lined Colaba lane… It is still going strong after 58 years. 693 words. Click here.

Students can now work for 2 years in UK
29 Jun: Times of India. Indian students in British universities can now work in the UK for two years after completing their courses, instead of one year as allowed earlier. 125 words. Click here.

Video: Mumbai: ‘Miracle’ in church

29 Jun: Times of India. Thousands of believers flocked to St Michael's Church in Mahim following reports of a picture of Jesus Christ 'bleeding' from the heart…The Catholic Church, however, said it is not regarding this as a miracle… Fr Donat D'Souza of St Michael parish said the darkening of the stain could be caused by moisture… 0.35s. Click here.

London: Met. Police Race Row
29 Jun: The Sunday Times. A dossier of at least 30 allegations of discrimination and political in fighting at the top of the Metropolitan police and the Home Office has been compiled by the senior Asian officer at the centre of Scotland Yard's latest race row…1392 words. Click here.

Text + Video: Fine, jail for UK hosts whose guests overstay
30 Jun: CNN-IBN. New proposals announced by Britain to regulate visitors and their visas place new burdens on hosts, and new responsibilities on their guests…if their guests do not return in time, the hosts in Britain could face a fine of £5,000 or even up to 14 years imprisonment….1m.30s. Click here.

Glastonbury: Goan Fish Curry
30 Jun: The Guardian…Glastonbury had its own official banners and of course there were the innumerable banners of the market stalls, selling everything from ham rolls to herbal ecstasy. Hard to pick a favourite, but we liked the Goan fish curry counter that touted for business with a flag of Nemo, the plucky clownfish. Click here.

Video: Canadian TV: A World of Difference

1 Jul: CBC. Neelima Pratap left Toronto for India to pursue her dream of helping people. In Goa she's done more - giving a group of street children Grace, a school that aims to give them hope for a life their parents never had… 12m. 14s. Click here. [Info from Boogie Viegas via GoaNet].
For the account by Cedric Monteiro - Producer - on the story behind the story of Giving Hope. Click here.
For more on Grace School, click here.

Abu Dhabi: A plateful of tasty kokum
2 Jul: The Nation (UAE). Konkans is a new Abu Dhabi restaurant … kokum is rarely used outside of the Konkan region, so its appearance at this Mangalorean/Goan restaurant in the traffic- clogged backstreets of Abu Dhabi is a rare and welcome phenomenon… Photo and text, 636 words. Click here.

Violet D'Souza: Migrant domestic helps in Britain at risk
2 Jul: Daily News and Analysis. The case of Violet D'Souza, a maid harassed for wages by Liz Hurley in February brought pressure on the government to tighten wage laws for migrant domestic staff…A study by Oxfam and campaign group Kalayaan found that 10 percent of them reported sexual abuse, 26 percent physical abuse and 72 percent psychological abuse from bosses… For text, 605 words, click here.
For the Kalayaan website click here.

‘We aim to link 300 Indian schools with UK schools’
2 Jul: Times of India. The India-UK round table established in April 2000 has set up the UKIERI (UK-India Education Research Initiative) …By 2011 the initiative aims to link 300 Indian schools (government funded and private) with 300 UK schools. The round table has also been pushing the idea of mutual recognition of qualifications as well as health issues and collaboration in science… 466 words. Click here.

Goan Voice (UK) readers and especially those seeking reading material in Konkani may wish to know that, "the only standard Konkani language monthly magazine published in Goa has approximately a readership of 40,000 in Goa, Mumbai, Mangalore, Gulf States, Canada, UK, USA, Australia and other countries. It has on board, prominent guest writers covering social, cultural, arts, among other issues with an encouraging attitude of promoting new talents." For more information, please click here.

Ranjan Solomon provides an insightful analysis of the recent communal tension in the city of Margao, Goa. In his article, Margao Needs Peace with Freedom and Justice, he illustrates how the riots in Sanvordem, two years ago were close to being repeated in Margao. The city was effectively 'closed' by the police over the last week-end. Such communal disorders have complex explanations and it is worth reading this article to make some sense of the underlying tensions between fringe political groupings that can generate explosive circumstances from time to time.

Have folk remedies for illnesses in Goa decreased at all with the advent of modern medicines? It would be interesting to hear the opinions of GV(UK) readers to this question that has been prompted by an interesting article titled Superstitions and Cures by John Monteiro. He describes his cure from a strange illness with the use of red hot chillies rubbed all over his body as a child and his feelings of "being burned alive" to achieve a successful cure to which he is grateful to this day!

Tony de Sa has supplied Goanet a Link to Goa's Liberation. Tony thinks that the material may have appeared on Goanet before but when I read it, I was absolutely fascinated by what Tony provided. It appears in three sections and to check it out, click here. As the issue of Goa's conquest or liberation in 1961 is pretty significant to some, this material should provide even more controversy.

Finally. sleepy Goa does have its share of excitement from time to time and this quote perhaps explains why so many Israelis may be found in Goa. "An 88-year-old Nazi war criminal identified as Johann Bach was air-lifted to Berlin after he was tracked down to the Goa-Karnataka border by German and Indian intelligence agencies on the basis of information provided by an Israeli group involved in the search for war criminals and investigations in Goa." For details of this and other stories, provided by Goanet News Service, please click here. However, moments before the dispatch of this column, there was fresh news to say that, the above story may have been a hoax. By next week on GV(UK), we will have discovered more about this unusual story and it should be worth waiting for!

TRAVEL: Great Adventure People. Travel Channel 2
Fri 4th July 23:00 to 00:00. India is vibrant, intoxicating, dramatic and above all, unforgettable.

TRAVEL: Travel India Top 5 Forts. Travel Channel 2
Wed 9th July 18:00 to 18:30. India's forts, which have stood their ground for centuries, are the surviving witnesses to these stories of heroism on and off the battlefield.

COOKERY: Indian Food Made Easy. UKTV Food
Wed. 9th July 20:30 to 21:00. Food writer and chef Anjum Anand is on a mission to show how simple it is to cook healthy Indian cuisine. Other episodes at the same time Thu. & Fri.

TALK SHOW: Night Waves. BBC Radio Three. Also online

Wed. 9th July. 21:45 to 22:30. Matthew Sweet talks to British-Indian writer Edna Fernandes about her book The Last Jews of Kerala, which tells of the last surviving members of a 3000-year-old community. For the Edna Fernandes website with bio, book extracts, etc. see www.ednafernandes.com/

TRAVEL: Travel India Top 5. Travel Channel 2
Wed. 9th July. 22:00 to 22:30. Top Five Beaches. In this episode we end up in Goa where we enjoy the full moon rave parties and sprawling flea market.

TRAVEL: Earthwalkers. Travel Channel
Thu. 10th July. 08:00 to 08:30. Bangalore. Today it is known as Asia's silicon valley and is one of India's fastest growing cities; with a large population of young professionals the city has acquired a vibrant, cosmopolitan feel.

TRAVEL: Globe Trekker. Travel Channel 2
Thu 10th July. 22:00 to 23:00. South India. Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

CONSUMER: Rekha Home Designs. QVC
Fri 11th July. 15:00 to 16:00. The colour and vibrancy that personifies India is represented in this beautiful range of Indian Inspired Quilts. Rich and diverse, they're embellished with sari material, mirror work and motifs.

SOLD OUT! Sun 6 Jul: Bakuli (Uganda) Reunion. 10th anniversary of the reunion at Archbishop Lanfranc School. SOLD OUT

Sun. 6 Jul. The Aldona Association will be celebrating the Feast of their Patron, St. Thomas at St.Edmund's Church Hall Croyland Road, Edmonton N9 7BZ on 6 July 2008. Mass will commence at 12.00pm followed by dancing to the music of Maz 'n'Co. Ticket cost includes snacks and a meal, Members £10.00, Guests £12.50 and children 5-16 yrs £6.00. You can download an application form from our website: www.aldonalondon.org.uk or email: aldonalondon@hotmail.com. For further details contact Jude-020 8360 4102, Les-020 8440 8832 or Tino-0162 8680 529.

Sun. 13 Jul. G.O.A. Golf Open at Blue Mountain Golf Course, Bracknell. Further details from: Jacinto D'Silva 020 - 8723 1233, Menino Mascarenhas 01784 211832

Sun: 20 July. Tivim Feast. Mass will be celebrated at 1.30 pm at 185 St Boniface Church, Mitcham Road, Tooting followed by an afternoon of celebration and dancing to the sounds of "Nite Life" at St Boniface Church Hall. Further details from Norma Menezes Rahim on 020 8771 4457.

Sun. 27 Jul. G.O.A. Goan Festival in conjunction with Goan Organisations at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon. Starts with Holy Mass at 12.15 pm. Contact: Herbert Fernandes 01277 651052, Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022. For stall applications: Bernie Gracias 020 – 8723 1322.
A coach is being arranged from Harrow Wealdstone/Edgware. Price £7. Departure 10.30 am. Book Early To Avoid Disappointment. For further details contact: Amelia Gomes 020 8861 2073

Sat. 2 Aug. 7 pm. Swindon. Konkani Dramatic Association UK presents John D'Silva's 25th Silver Jubilee production tiatr, "NATTOK" Charlie Chaplin from Goa coming to London with his best performance artistes. Plus artistes from UK. Wyvern Theatre, Swindon. Ticket: £12.00 or £10.00 in advance. Contact: Xavier 0179 3325686/ 07961560935. For the flyer click here.

Sun. 10 Aug. 12 noon. Wembley. Konkani Dramatic Association UK presents John D'Silva's 25th Silver Jubilee production tiatr, "NATTOK" Charlie Chaplin from Goa coming to London with his best performance artistes. Plus artistes from UK. Copland High School, Cecil Avenue, Wembley. North London. Ticket: £12.00 or £10.00 in advance. Contact: Damacian 02083761609// 07940501196, Francis 07908591759, Anthony 02084529406// 07988896904. For the flyer click here.

Sun. 17 Aug. 3 pm. Croydon. Konkani Dramatic Association UK presents John D'Silva's 25th Silver Jubilee production tiatr, "NATTOK" Charlie Chaplin from Goa coming to London with his best performance artistes. Plus artistes from UK. Archbishop Lanfranc High School, Mitcham Rd. Croydon. Ticket: £12.00 or £10.00 in advance. Contact Judy Pacheco 02087632606// 07949403741. For the flyer click here.