COMMUNITY NEWS

Fred de Sam Lazaro: Executive Producer KTCA, Minneapolis
18 Mar. Minneapolis Star Tribune. Fred de Sam Lazaro writes on "A recent change in attitudes on immigrants" and explains his Goan roots. See: http://www.startribune.com/stories/1519/5299204.html
	On 21 Mar he moderated a Webcast meeting on Immigration. Fred de Sam Lazaro is the executive producer for local documentaries at the PBS affiliate KTCA in Minneapolis/St. Paul. For a videoclip (36:48 min) of Governor Lamm being interviewed by him on US Immigration see: http://tpt.org/smallworld/transcript_lamm.html
Fred De Sam Lazaro was born in Bangalore and his parents are from Margao and Mapuca. He immigrated to the US with his mother in 1975. Fred is married and has three children. He now lives in St. Paul, Minnesota. For a bio of him, see: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/about_bios_lazaro.html

Victor Menezes may face Insider-Trading Lawsuit (Updated) 18 Mar: Bloomberg. Victor Menezes, Citigroup Inc.'s former head of emerging markets may face a federal insider- trading lawsuit over a $29.8 million stock sale 18 days before the world's largest bank announced a $2.2 billion loss in Argentina. For full text, 1385 words, click here. For a profile of Victor Menezes see: http://www.goacom.com/goatoday/2001/dec/coverstoryprofile.html Victor Menezes: his attorney issues statement 18 Mar Reuters. Excerpts: Victor Menezes' attorney Elkan Abramowitz said in a statement: "The transaction Mr. Menezes engaged in is not an example of an executive dumping stock in advance of a problem." Abramowitz added that the exercise of stock options substantially increased Menezes' ownership of Citigroup shares -- stock he still holds. Menezes is cooperating with the SEC's review, Abramowitz added. For text click the link below. http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=7948994 [Victor Menezes is the brother of Ivan Menezes]

Ivan Menezes’ Diageo Receives Six Impact Hot Brand Awards

18 Mar: PR Business Wire. Diageo North America, [ http://www.diageo.com/] has won a total of six Hot Brand awards. 'Diageo is proud to be the only company with this distinction across beer, wine and spirits,' said Ivan Menezes, President & CEO, Diageo North America. 'Distinguishing our brands as growth leaders validates our focus on delivering great experiences to our consumers, and profitable brands to our retail and wholesale customers and value to our shareholders.' Full text click here

UK: Hockey: Goan 3 Sanderstead 2
18 Mar. Croydon Advertiser. Experience told as Goan proved they had too much know-how and skill for Sanderstead. For full text click here

Festival show is seeking players
	21 Mar: The Argus (Brighton). Simon D'souza needs more than 130 musicians for an open-air concert (14 May) as part of the Brighton Festival which will have 180 players. Saxophonist, Mr D'souza, 41 of Hove, is still seeking 36 flute players, 39 saxophonists and 14 trumpet players, 30 percussion players and 15 trombonists. Musicians of all abilities are welcome and will have to attend a minimum of three rehearsals in the run-up to the show.
For more information visit www.thisbeautifulworld.co.uk or email admin@thisbeautifulworld.co.uk For full text of article. 469 words, click here. For a bio of Simon D’Souza click here. Bio: http://harmsy.freeuk.com/j4sd/simon.html For MP3 samples of his work click here. MP3 samples: http://www.souzamusic.co.uk/ [Simon D’Souza is an honorary Goan!]

What Kaggia Stood for is Slowly Dying. By Kilemi Mwiria
21 Mar. Nation (Nairobi). Bildad Kaggia: an obituary. Excerpts: Kaggia was never an ethnic or racial chauvinist, preferring to work with Makhan Singh, Pio Gama Pinto, Jaramogi Odinga, Achieng' Oneko, Joseph Murumbi, J. D. Kali, and Fred Kubai among others.I regret that there are so few Asians in the struggle for the poor like Makhan Singh and Pio Gama Pinto, most having chosen to defend the interests of the rich while exploiting those who make their wealth possible.

Is Instant Messaging secure?
	21 Mar: Oakland Tribune. Francis deSouza, chief executive officer of IMLogic says, "The number of security threats has exploded in the last year. There's been a huge growth of viruses, worms and spam in the consumer instant messaging network in January and February.” Check out www.IMlogic.com and go to the company's Threat Center, and you'll see a few low and medium threat risks in 2004 but a surge in the first two months of 2005.
For full text see: http://www.insidebayarea.com/searchresults/ci_2615613 For a profile of Francis deSouza see: http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/FrancisdeSouza.htm

Tanzanite: Mystery of the stone
21 Mar: The East African. There is no conflict as to where the tanzanite is found in the world. But there is still no consensus as to who 'discovered' the gemstone. A special report from Arusha. Excerpts: The government officially recognises Jumanne Ngoma as the person who discovered the precious stone. But two other prospectors, Ali Juuyawatu and Manuel d'Souza, are frequently mentioned as others who could possibly have discovered the gem. D'Souza, a Tanzanian of Indian origin, was a prospector in the wilds of Tanzania who later worked with Juuyawatu in the mining business, further confusing the issue of who discovered the stone. Another explanation given is that d'Souza, a tailor, was led to a deposit of tanzanite by Maasai tribesmen including Juuyawatu. Full text, 1422 words. at
http://www.nationmedia.com/eastafrican/current/Features/topmagazine21032005.html
For the Manuel d’Souza supplement see: http://goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/ManuelDSouza.html

DEATHS

20 Mar. THE HONOURABLE SHAFIQ ARAIN (former High Commissioner for Uganda to London) Beloved husband of Leana (nee Godinho). Father to Mona, Selma and Sasha. Grandfather to Casim. He died peacefully and suddenly in his home in Spain.
The burial will be held at 2pm on Thursday 24th March at Kensal Green Cemetery, Harrow Road, London W10 4RA. Any enquiries should be made to the Funeral Directors 020 7313 6920. If desired donations can be made to Heart Failure Research, Royal Brompton Hospital, London SW7.

20 Mar: Taleigao, Goa MENINO FERNANDES. Husband of Fatima. Father of Ashley (UK) and Walter.

18 Mar. Hendon, London, UK. JOSEPH (JOE) ALFONSO (ex-Esso, Nairobi). Husband of Leonilda. Father of Tracey. Brother of Ida, Xavier and Juni. Funeral mass on Tuesday 29 Mar. at 10:00am at Our Lady of Dolours Church, 4 Egerton Gardens, Hendon, London NW4 4BA followed by burial at Hendon cemetery. After the funeral we will have the wake at Cheshir Hall. Donations in lieu of flowers to the Little Way Association. traceymfa@msn.com for details and condolences

17 Mar: Anjuna, Goa. FRANCIS XAVIER D’SOUZA (born 1903, ex-EAR&H, Mombasa). Husband of late Maria Arcangela (Candida). Father of late Milly, Polly (Alex)/Angela, Faustina (Tina) /Hubert and Dora/Paul (all in the U.K.).

17 Mar. Barkingside, Ilford Essex. PETER F. CALDEIRA (ex-Nairobi). Husband of late Rosy. Father of Christa/Dennis, Bella/Sylvester, Greg/Tilda, Doris/Clifford, Vince/Zelia & Neves, all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The funeral service will be held on Fri. 1st April at 11am, at St. Augustine’s Church, Cranbrook Road, Barkingside, Essex. Condolences to nca33@hotmail.com

17 Mar: Agassaim, Goa. ARTIMISA CANDELINA DO REGO. Wife of late Nicolau Rodrigues. Mother of Lourenco, Joaquina Bernardo/Ana Francisca (UK), Cruz/Maria. Anthony de Agassaim, Socurina Ruzadin/late Jose D'Costa, Rosalin/Alvaro.

15 Mar: Mapusa, Goa. JOSE ANTONIO REBELLO. Husband of Antonetta. Father of Joseph/Lucy, Josephine/late Carlos Esteves, Angelina/Anthony Pires, Agnelo/Dorothy Rebello (London), late Judith, Maria/Satiro D'Souza (London).

14 Mar: Leicester: MAURICE ROQUE VINCENT FERNANDEZ (Ex Dar-es-Salaam & Nairobi). Husband of Lydia. Father of Caroline, Carmen, Clifford and Caji. Father in law of Richard. Funeral mass on Wed 23 Mar. 2005 at 10.00.a.m. at Holy Cross Church, Wellington Street Leicester and thereafter burial at Gilroes Cemetery, Groby Road Leicester. Condolences to c.fernandez1@ntlworld.com

HOLIDAY INFORMATION

India: Foreign air fares hit Ground Zero
19 Mar: Business Standard. Air-India Express is offering a Delhi-Abu Dhabi ticket for Rs 2,750. Air Sahara daily flights to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur from May with an introductory round-trip fare of Rs 10,000. For full text click here

Give it a Goa
19 Mar: The Sun (UK). Feature article on Goa with photographs. 647 words. Check the travel section at http://www.thesun.co.uk/

Today’s lesson is how to enjoy fish. By Sue Arnold.
19 Mar. The Independent. On my last night in Goa we had fresh barbecued red snapper on the beach and three days later my mouth still waters at the memory. We saw the fishing boat that went out in the morning come back at dusk and the fisherman who caught it bring it into the restaurant. And half an hour later there it was on my plate, charred crispy skin, succulent fish, a bowl of spicy Goanese dipping sauce. To hell with fish knives. When it’s that good all you need to eat fish is fingers.

My Holidays. By Miranda Seymour
20 Mar. Sunday Times. Miranda Seymour she talks about her holidays, “To switch off from research, to have a proper holiday, I like to go to Palolem beach on Goa, where all the old hippies hang out. You tend to forget about things like washing, just live in a hut under a coconut tree. Marvellous.”
Miranda Seymour is a prolific writer and owner of Trumpton Hall in Nottingham, a 100 room property. For a profile of her see: www.mirandaseymour.com/

India Special: The Best of Goa
20 Mar. Independent On Sunday. The most tourist-friendly state in India, Goa is also the most European, thanks to 450 years of Portuguese rule, an era that has left its mark on the architecture, food and religion.
Best hotels: Park Hyatt; Nilaya
Best restaurants: Venite; Betty's Place
Best sightseeing: Old Goa; Palolem beach; Sakhari Spice Farm; Braganza House, Chandor.
Best shopping: Wednesday in Anjuna.
Best nightlife: Anjuna and Vagator.
428 words. http://travel.independent.co.uk/mideastandasia/asia/story.jsp?story=622657

Goa's tourist taxis. By H. Antao
24 Mar The Navhind Times. Excerpt: Today, the tourist taxis are in complete disorder in Goa. They charge exorbitant rates, which are far much more then the prescribed rates by the RTO at the time of issuing the licence. This over-charging must be stopped or else it will lead to bad tourism. http://www.navhindtimes.com/stories.php?part=news&Story_ID=032424

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

HIV: Blood On Our Hands
18 Mar: The Telegraph (Calcutta). …Wrapped tightly around the suffering of AIDS is the prickly casing of stigma. Remember Dominic D’Souza in Goa who was incarcerated in a tuberculosis sanatorium, under armed guard, when found to be HIV positive? D’Souza represents our collective hysteria with a disease we’re unwilling to talk about in public…
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050318/asp/opinion/story_4449926.asp

Near forgotten, Siddis to meet. By Devika Sequeira
20 Mar: Deccan Herald. Research, cultural exchanges and new educational avenues will help bring India’s 50,000 African descendants out of isolation and economic backwardness. An international conference by The African Diaspora In Asia (TADIA), set for January 2006 in Goa, will for the first time enable an interchange between these isolated groups of African descent who live in the Indian sub-continent. http://67.18.142.206/deccanherald/mar202005/n1.asp

Clams are the call of the season in Goa
20 Mar. New Kerala. With the spring season in full bloom, fishermen in Goa are busy collecting clams from the river. Clams are highly valued as food and a lot of Goan delicacies are prepared with them. Dense clam beds of tisros khube occur in Mandovi and Zuary estuary. The green mussel locally called as 'shinanyos' is abundant at Baga and Betul.
http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=88201

Oil Spill off Goa’s Coast. By Frederick Noronha

24 Mar: Environment News Service (USA). Coast Guards and other officials in the western tourist region of Goa are struggling to cope with a large oil spill that leaked into the sea after a pre-dawn collision. The slick now extends over an area 3.3 by 1.5 nautical miles off the beaches of this holiday destination. At one o'clock Wednesday morning, the barge Practi, slammed into the 73,000 ton Singapore flagged cargo ship Maritime Wisdom. Full text at http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-23-04.asp

Recent Items of Interest on Goanet by Cornel DaCosta

The build-up for the AVC Red and Black Nite in Kuwait on 7th April 2005, with three bands, makes it sound really exciting. Clearly, those in the Gulf vicinity and at a loose end wouldn't want to miss it.

Discussion on efforts to ban, for Catholics in India, the fictional novel The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown is provided at some length.

If you want to go bananas, do read about bananas and their medicinal properties by Xembuh Moidekar. As he says, "you'll never look at a banana the same way again."

Details of Dr Brian Mendonca's poetry reading in Katmandu bears out my fascination for unusual news on Goanet--a true treasure throve of information for all of us.

A detailed account of a book, Folk songs of Goa: Mando-Dulpod and Deknnies, and its availability, is provided with details of authors Jose Pereira, Micael Martins and Antonio da Costa. It really sounds like a valuable resource.

"Job opportunities by Carlos" provides useful information on the needs of manpower in the booming economy of Ireland. This is definitely helpful for those seeking new pastures. Also by Carlos, is news about Doordarshan planning a TV channel for the Indian diaspora in Britain.

Please visit the Goanet archives at http://www.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet/ To subscribe to Goanet send an email to viviana@goanet.org

IN THE NEWS

Canada: Jetsgone: What's next? By Joseph D'Cruz
16 Mar. Toronto Star. Jetsgo's biggest mistake was that it took too big a bite out of the market share of WestJet and Air Canada, which triggered retaliation, first by Westjet and later by Canada's flagship airline. In the end, Jetsgo was simply too weak financially to survive a protracted battle with its much better-financed rivals. 664 words.
Joseph D'Cruz teaches business strategy and international business at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management. Previously, he was academic director of the Rotman school's Aerospace Executive Management Program. For full text click here.
For a profile and photo of Prof Joseph D’Cruz see
http://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/facbios/viewFac.asp?facultyID=dcruz

Australia: Indians come to learn
17 Mar. The Gold Coast Bulletin. A delegation of Indian lifesavers has arrived on the Gold Coast desperate to learn surf safety strategies. Purushottam Dutt Sharma said “On the island [sic] of Goa alone, whose coastline isn't much bigger than yours, we have 300 drownings every year. India knows nothing about lifesaving and that's what we are trying to change.”

India does not need aid from Britain, say MPs
17 Mar: The Guardian. The British government should review its aid to India, because rapid economic progress indicates that it will become a middle-income country in 10 to 15 years, the Commons international development committee recommends today.
India is the biggest single recipient of aid from the Department of International Development (Dfid): £200m a year at present, estimated to rise to £300m in the medium term.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/india/story/0,12559,1439364,00.html

Axe victim was gay
17 Mar: Daily Star. Police are probing if there were gay links between a beheaded pensioner and his killer. Homosexual Brian Messitt, 67, was butchered in a north London street on Monday. His axe-wielding attacker shouted at him: "You've had this coming to you for 20 years." Police are now examining Mr Messitt's sexual history after it emerged he left his wife and family to live an openly gay lifestyle in a hippy retreat in Goa, India.

BBC: Inquiry calls in Air India case
17 Mar: BBC. Most of the relatives described the verdict as a "travesty of justice" Canadian families of the victims of the Air India jet bombing in 1985 have called for a public inquiry following the acquittal of the two main suspects. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4356981.stm

Air India Flight 182 verdict.
17 Mar: The Ottawa Citizen. 28 people from Ottawa died on Flight 182. Their families are still struggling to cope with the tragedy… Yesterday was a difficult day for the de Souza family. Ronald de Souza, 62, was en route to New Delhi on a business trip. Mr. de Souza was a senior contract administrator for Leigh Instruments, a now-defunct aerospace firm. "I'm just trying to get through the day," said his daughter, Leonie de Souza, fighting tears. She and her mother, Enid, planned to watch the verdict on television at home in Ottawa.

UK: EastEnders: Dan Ferreira can stay in UK
18 Mar. The Guardian. Dalip Tahil who played Dan Ferreira in EastEnders, the BBC TV soap has won a 14-month fight with the government to be allowed to remain in Britain. Tahil endured more than a year of wrangling with the immigration service. He now plans to stay and work in Britain.
[His forced departure from the soap, following the immigration crisis, led to abandoned plots and a hurried rewriting of scripts. Storylines never truly recovered and a decision to axe the family was made last Oct. The remaining four members were seen for the last time on 22nd March. However, it is rumoured that the door had been left open for the family to return at a future date.]

The other side of India
18 Mar: Toronto Star. Letter by Rudy Fernandes of Mississauga. 406 words click here

Keith Vaz: 'Restrict violent games'
18 Mar. Leicester Mercury. Keith Vaz has put forward a bill attempting to restrict the sale of violent video games after the murder of a 14-year-old city boy. This Monday he is due to unveil to the House of Commons a Private Members' Bill compelling the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) to base its classifications on stricter criteria. For full text click here

Goa: Treatment and treats at five-star hospitals
19 Mar. Straits Times (Singapore) The Indian Apollo Group, with hospitals in most of India's big cities, is now building a multi-specialty hospital campus in the Indian beach resort state of Goa, with 250 beds and 150 cottages on the beach.

Air shame lawyer speaks out on racism
20 Mar: Scotland on Sunday. The leading Scottish Asian lawyer convicted of making bomb references during a flight has accused the government of generating fear of ethnic minorities in the UK. Dr Raj Jandoo, an advocate and part-time sheriff, said that since September 11 British Asians could no longer go about their business without arousing suspicion. Photo & text at: http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=299502005

Louis Oppenheim’s death in Delhi
20 Mar: The Mail on Sunday. On 27 Feb. Louis Oppenheim, 18, son of wealthy Swiss investment manager Guy Oppenheim who heads the City [London] firm Notz Stucki died in New Delhi. His friend, The Honorable William Lloyd George, 18, great-great-grandson of former Prime Minister David Lloyd George was found slumped unconscious with him. Indian police believe that they had taken a cocktail of drugs. The pair had been travelling around India and had spent time in Goa before meeting two girlfriends, who were travelling independently and whose families also live in London. The Police officer in charge of the case said, “Why do these kids behave like this? It's always the British kids. Never the Japanese or the Germans or the other nationalities who visit India.” Full text 1,327 words.

A pilgrim’s progress in a foreign language. By Annie Datta
20 Mar: Resemblance of Hindi-Urdu words to Portuguese or vice versa.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/5983_1286512,00430013.htm

Sarasota entrepreneur has both artistic and business vision
21 Mar: Sarasota Herald Tribune, Florida. Excerpts: Jim Morrison a 47-year-old entrepreneur has just published his first book, titled "Nobody." It's a racy thriller that jets readers from New York to Bombay and Goa before concluding in Moscow. At the age of 19 Morrison had spent 6 months, soaking up rays on Goa's white powder beaches and living in a cave. Much of his novel is set in Arambol. 1793 words. For full text click here

UK: Census 2001: Inter-ethnic Marriages
21 Mar: National Statistics. Excerpt: People from south Asian backgrounds were the least likely of the minority ethnic groups to marry outside the group. Just 6% of Indians, 4% of Pakistanis and 3% of Bangladeshis married a non-Asian spouse. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=1090

UK: Guardian Poll: Survey of Britain's ethnic communities
21 Mar: The Guardian. The Race Manifesto. A Guardian poll has revealed that 58% of Britain's ethnic minority support Labour (down from75% in 2001); 23% Liberal Democrat and 14% Conservative. One in five of Britain's ethnic minority voters say that they considered leaving Britain because of racial intolerance. Only 39% of ethnic minority voters see themselves as "fully British" and more than half say they have been a victim of name-calling or verbal abuse. For this and the related sections in the Guardian go to
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/election/story/0,15803,1442386,00.html
1. Want my vote?
2. Vox pop: 'Racism is learned behaviour and we have to unlearn it'
3. The action plan: what the political parties should sign up to
4. Leader: An inclusive manifesto
For the poll in full (pdf. 59 pages) see
http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Politics/documents/2005/03/21/ICMrace.pdf

Canada: Ipsos-Reid Poll: Survey of Racism in Canada
21 Mar: PR Direct. A new poll is challenging the view of Canada as a tolerant and open society as 17% of Canadians report being the victims of racism. 7 per cent would not welcome someone of another race as a next-door neighbour, 13 per cent said they would never marry or have a relationship with a person of another race, and 15 per cent (3.4 million Canadians) said skin colour makes a difference in their workplace. 13% believe that racism has decreased in their community over the past five years, 65% say it has neither increased nor decreased and 17% indicate that it has been on the rise. The survey shows Muslims and Arabs are the most likely to be victims of racism, followed by Aboriginals, Blacks, East Indians, Asians, Jews and Hispanics. More details at: http://www.prdirect.ca/en/view_release.aspx?TrafficID=2245

Speed dating comes to India
22 Mar: BBC News. Busy, rich and single Indians find a new way to romance
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4371463.stm

Biggest Indian liquor maker guzzles rival
23 Mar: Reuters. Vijay Mallya, Chairman of United Breweries (UB) announced the take over of rival Shaw Wallace in a US$300 million deal. The deal will make UB the world's second-largest spirits maker after Britain's Diageo Plc.
http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?storyID=7969371&type=businessNews

Tryst with tinseldom
23 Mar: The Hindu. Dorothee Wenner is a freelance writer, filmmaker and curator for the Berlin International Film Festival. She says, “I plan to do a film on the hippies, many of whom came to Goa from Germany between the 1960s and the 1980s. Interestingly, quite a few of them are important decision makers today. I hope the film will be an eye-opener on the subject.” 813 words.

Daily Telegraph: Letters: Dumped laws
24 Mar. The Daily Telegraph. I have just returned from Goa, where elections were being held. No alcohol could be sold in bars or even shops on the day before the polling, on the polling day or on the counting day. In view of the expected low turnout in our forthcoming election, perhaps we ought to adopt the reverse. Polling booths should be placed in bars and pubs and, once one had marked one's X on the ballot form, one would be entitled to a free drink. By Neville Pollard, London N8

Melbourne: Larry Mendonca: Curry's cold but costs are red-hot
	24 Mar: The Age (Melbourne). In Dec 2003 the County Court fined Larry Mendonca's company, Candolim Pty Ltd, $21,000 plus costs for breaching health standards in restaurant Rajah Sahib (rough translation: "weevils in the vindaloo"). Even his dear old mum, Deonisia, was slugged $200. Since then, ol' Larry has split with his wife and gone on an invalid pension, living among the mice and other beasties at the old restaurant at 375 Queen Street. He had lodged an appeal but has now withdrawn it.
For a background to the case see http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/supplement/Larrymendonca.html For the Rajah Sahib website and photos of him with Cliff Richard and other celebrities see http://www.rajahsahib.com.au/8.html

31 Mar. New York, Rockefeller Plaza. Sotheby’s auction. 7 paintings by Francis Newton Souza (1924 - 2002). Lots 244-247, 260, 261 & 268. Estimated selling price varies from $5,000 to $40,000. Details at http://www.christies.com/promos/mar05/1492/overview.asp

UK: TV HIGHLIGHTS By Mafalda de’Sa

Television

Tues. 29/3: FilmFour: 3.40am (109mins) Salaam Bombay!
Compassionate Drama. An eleven year old Indian boy accidentally ends up in Bombay instead of his village and his innocence is exposed to the world of drugs and prostitution... Hindi dialogue with subtitles.

Tues. 29/3: BBC 2: 9.00pm(60mins) The Headmaster and the Headscarves: This World
In France the banning of religious symbols has become law, a move that has outraged the country’s 15 million Muslims. This thought provoking film follows a group of veiled girls at a Paris school, who are resisting the law in defiance of their headmaster. The girls risk expulsion and could forfeit vital exam qualifications, but the Head believes the school should be a bastion against a rising tide of Islamic fundamentalism.

Tues. 29/3: BBC 2:11.20pm(60mins) Spice Trade: Emma goes to Bollywood
In the first of two life swaps former Spice girl Emma Bunton moves to India to be in a Bollywood movie, while Indian starlet Sameera Reddy comes to London for a role in Casualty. How will both fare?

Radio

Mon. 28/3: BBC Radio 4: 8.00pm(30mins) Salaam Mr Mayor
Mohammed Ajeeb became Britain’s first Asian Lord Mayor when he was elected Lord Mayor of Bradford in 1985. Twenty five years on, reporter Zaiba Malikon looks back at reactions then and asks how much has changed in local politics and community relations.

Thu. 31/3: BBC Radio 4. 8.00pm (30 mins) Countdown to Killing.
Jenny Cuffe in Gulu, northern Uganda, where an international team of peace negotiators are trying to resolve a conflict which has lasted 18 years. Thousands of children have been abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army, turned into rebel soldiers and forced to commit atrocities on their own people

Thurs.31/3: BBC Radio 4: 11.30pm(30mins) Blyton in Bombay
A trip to Mumbai to investigate the effects of a steady and persistent diet of Enid Blyton. With Shebana Coelho. (Producer Shebana Coelho).

See http://www.lanfranc.com/lanfranc_location_2000.pdf for help in locating Archbishop Lanfranc School, Croydon

Sun. (Easter) 27 Mar. G.O.A. Strictly Come Dancing at Lola Jones Hall, Greaves Place, Tooting. Jive and Freestyle Disco Competition. Dark Star in attendance. Further details from - Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 - 8771 4457, Bernie Gracias 020 - 8723 1322

Sun. 17 Apr. YLGS El Shaddai Fundraising Dance. at Bishop Thomas Grant School. Starts with Holy Mass at 12.00 followed by Dancing & Slave/Talent Auction. Music provided by Breakthru, Maz & Co and Guava Groove! Food & Drink will be on Sale. Special Guest Speaker, Keith Vaz MP. Contact Alison Braganza at events@ylgs.org.uk or on 07799 586793. For Tickets, Info & updates check the flyer at http://www.ylgs.org.uk/images/elshaddai.gif

Sun. 24 Apr. 5.00pm - The Asian Chaplaincy. Konkani Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady & St Christopher's Catholic Church, 32 High Street, Cranford, Middlesex

Sun 1 May. Saligao Association Feast of Mae De Deus at Bishop Thomas Grant School.

Sun 1 May. Cortalim Feast/May Ball at the Irish Centre, Pretoria Road, London N17. Contact: Maria Dourado-Alfonso 020 - 8803 5146

Sun 8 May. Rocky’s Trook Tournament at Jessie Duffet Hall (Formerly Wyndham Hall), Wyndham Road, London SE5. Please contact Rocky on 020 7274 3585

Sun. 8 May 12:15pm - 8pm. Assolna, Velim & Cuncolim Union (AVC) Annual Feast at Bishop Thomas Grant School, Streatham. Dancing to Mariano & his band + Disco & great Goan cuisine + excellent raffle prizes. Contact Uniece Barros 020 8672 0807, Alba Fernandes 020 8656 3305 or Colin Almeida 020 8687 1470 calmeida@lycos.co.uk

Sun. 15 May. Margao Union UK celebrates the Feast of the Holy Spirit at St. Edmund’s Church Hall, Croyland Road, Edmonton, N9. Mass at 12.30pm followed by a get-together. Music by Nitelife. Limited tickets. First come first served. Contact: Bella - 020 8372 1253, Rosalind – 020 8767 8652, Lucas – 020 8967 7471, Xavy – 020 803 5146. Tickets £ 10 (including snacks and buffet).

FOR LATER EVENTS SEE http://www.goanvoice.org.uk/