COMMUNITY NEWS

Cheryl Braganza, Montreal Woman of the Year, finally gets her due
24 Oct: The Gazette (Canada). Cheryl Braganza, a native of Mumbai has lived in Montreal since the 1960s… the Montreal Council of Women will honor her Woman of the Year for 2008… Braganza is a gifted artist as well as a musician…She is pleased to be the first woman of South Asian origin to be honoured by the council… 714 words. Click here.
For the Cheryl Art Gallery click here.

US: Deepa Fernandes discusses immigration
24 Oct: Yale Daily News. Author and host of WBAI’s “Wake Up Call” Deepa Fernandes, along with Kica Matos and Alicia Camacho held a 90-minute discussion on American immigration practices. . .All three echoed the view that America’s current immigration policies were excessively harsh, overly focused on law enforcement and in urgent need of repair… 525 words. Click here.
For a GVUK profile of Deepa click here.

Indiana: Vito Carvalho, Chef at A Taste of India
24 Oct: Post-Tribune (USA). … There are nearly 300 Indian and Indian-American physicians in the Merrillville area. Every Saturday there seems to be a party in the restaurant thrown by an Indian doctor. Chef -- Vito Carvalho of Goa -- is very talented and experienced. He used to work for a Five Star hotel in Bombay… Click here.

Lloyd Rayney: A Man In Limbo
25 Oct; The Australian (Magazine) Pages 28-35. More than a year after Corryn Rayney's murder, WA police are yet to charge anyone. Her husband, Lloyd Rayney, a former prosecutor, remains under suspicion. Victoria Laurie reveals how the story is unfolding…Corryn's sister, Sharon Coutinho…Corryn’s father, Ernest da Silva… Corryn was the daughter of a Goan father who fled violence in his adopted home of Uganda…5097 words.
p 28-29. Click here. p 30-31 Click here. p 32-33 Click here. p 34-35 Click here.

Corryn Rayney Murder: New evidence claim
25 Oct: The West Australian. Panel beater Pasquale Minniti and former police officer Arduino Silvestri were remanded in custody last night after a District Court jury found them guilty of corruption over the cancellation of a speeding fine… Minniti gave evidence of his involvement with police and claimed that he had effectively been a police officer “deep under cover” for many years. He claimed to have knowledge that could resolve the unsolved murder of Corryn Rayney. Click here.

Qatar: Eugenia Dias who ‘cared for the dead’ bids goodbye
27 Oct: Gulf Times (Qatar). Eugenia Dias who touched the lives of many over the past three decades by leading a group of volunteers to dress up the dead at the mortuary is leaving Qatar for good with fond memories. Photo + text, 889 words. Click here.

Olympia Rebelo: Vince Cable, the Lib Dems economics expert …
27 Oct. The Guardian (UK). Alarmed by rising house prices and personal debt, Vince Cable saw the recession coming long before his political opponents … he served as Treasury finance officer in Kenya from 1966 to 1968. In Kenya, Cable met his first wife, Olympia Rebelo, a Kenyan Asian of Goanese origin who was not only the mother of his three children (Paul and Aida, who are in their 30s, and Hugo, who is in his early 20s) but instilled in him a still-burning passion for dancing… For photographs and the Olympia Rebelo story, click here.

Tony Fernandes: AirAsia to fly to India Dec 1
27 Oct: IANS. AirAsia, one of the largest airlines in Malaysia, has received the Indian government’s nod for flying to the country, and is ready to take off Dec 1 to Tamil Nadu… AirAsia’s ethnic Indian chief executive officer Tony Fernandes said it took seven years for the airline to reach this stage and with India now in its ‘pocket’, his mission as CEO was complete… 317 words. Click here.
For the GVUK Tony Fernandes Supplement click here.

UK: Hockey scores
27 Oct: Redhill and Reigate Life. Surrey Open League Division 8: O Reigatians III 2, Goan Exiles 5. 1-1 at half time but then Goan's experience showed.

Toronto: Melwyn D’Costa: Help for immigrant job-seekers
27 Oct: Toronto Star. Melwyn D’Costa arrived in Toronto from Mumbai three years ago… no job was in sight. Out of desperation, in 2006, he attended a Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council’s workshop which months later led him to his first “real” marketing job in Canada… 389 words. Click here.

Iowa: Johncy Menezes: It feels like the first time for liquor store owner
27 Oct: Iowa City Press-Citizen. Johncy Menezes, 38, opened the first liquor store in North Liberty in 2006. He has now opened another liquor store in Solon. Menezes came to the U.S. in 2000 from Goa and spent five years working as a bartender on a cruise ship…. 357 words. Click here. Johncy Menezes traces his Goan roots to Chandor

Vancouver: Elections: Troy DeSouza confirmed loser after recount
28 Oct: Vancouver Sun: … Conservative candidate Troy DeSouza terminated the recount when it became apparent that the number of disputed ballots could not bridge the gap between him and Martin… Click here.

USA: Boston: Ashley Fernandes’ lawyer seeks dismissal of confession
28 Oct: The Daily Item. The lawyer for Ashley Fernandes, 28, accused of murdering Jessica Herrera, his girlfriend in April has asked a judge to keep the statements he made to police regarding the incident out of his trial which is set for Jan. 13…. Investigators reportedly found photos on a digital camera in which Herrera is photographed before, during and after Fernandes allegedly strangled her to death … Fernandes, who was born in India, but is of Hispanic decent, remains held on no bail at Bridgewater State Hospital. 512 words. Click here.
Ashley Fernandes is reported to have attended the Boston Goan picnic in Summer 2007

The Aldona Association London helps Aged Home in Aldona
29 Oct: Herald. The Aldona Association London (AAL) has recently donated 1,000 pounds (Rs 82,590) to the Home for the Aged at Aldona. The donation was officially handed over to the Home for the Aged by Carmen Fernandes, a representative of the AAL... Click here.

BJP, Shiv Sena seeks dissolution of Goa government
29 Oct: PTI. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena here have requested the state Governor to dissolve the government in view of deteriorating law and order situation in the state… Miscreants are on idol desecration spree in the state with the police failing to nab the culprits, it is claimed. 234 words. Click here.

Albert Pinto Film: London screening on Sun. 8 Nov
Sat, 8 November 2008, 8:00 pm. Screening of Albert Pinto Ko Gussa Kyon Ata Hai at Watermans, 40 High Street, Brentford, TW8 0DS. Starring: Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi, Smita Patil, Om Puri. Albert Pinto is a young flashy Goan Christian who works in a motor garage. Ambitious and assertive, he feels greater oneness with his rich clients than people from within his own class. But things soon change… To book, £7.50, please call Watermans Box Office on 020 8232 1010 or click here.

DEATHS

26 Oct: Vasco, Goa. JOSE VICTOR D'SOUZA. Husband of Mary. Father of Quincy, Lorita and Vincy. Brother of Remy, Arcanjela/Emiterio (Kuwait), Jacinta/Assis (UK). Brother-in-law of Candy/Anton Xavier (France), Emilia/Raymond (UK) and Felix/Ruthi (UK).

26 Oct: Rivona, Goa. JOAQUIM (JACK) D'SOUZA. Husband of Maria. Father of Sarah/Christopher Saldanha (Dubai), Sandra/Walter D'Mello, Samantha/Mark D'Souza (Dubai).

22 Oct. Hamilton, New Zealand. DAPHNE ELIZABETH D’SOUZA (nee Braganza). Wife of the late Dr Alwyn (Joseph). Mother of Clyde, Gavin, Wendyl, Sean and Alwyn. Funeral Mass on Tie. 28 Oct. at 11.00 am. All welcome. Communications to the D’Souza Family, 358 Thames Street, Morrinsville, 3300.

16 Oct. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. LOVETH LUIS FURTADO (Born 1939, ex Nairobi). Husband of Immaculata. Father of Fabio and Bruno. Brother of Ivor/Cecilia (San Diego), Cynthia/Manuel (Toronto), Eda/Richard (Ottawa), Mervy/Kennie (Calgary). Condolences to edda.caldeira@sympatico.ca

16 Oct. Atlanta, USA. DERVENCIO "DERVY" MORAES (aged 78; ex-Zanzibar/Arusha/Moshi /Cuncolim. Hockey & football player/Asst Commissioner of Police/Tanzania). Husband of Iona. Father of Ian/Karen ( GA); Denzil "Danny"/Shirley ( LA); Lisa/Paul Baughman (PA). Brother of Frank/Ira Moraes (Toronto), Sister Elfrida/Moses Fernandes, Livy Fernandes, Jolly /Joe Mazarello; Late Leonida/late Victor. Brother-in-law of Herbert/Jennifer Fernandes, Herman/Deena, Dr Tenny/Joy, Maureen /John Mayne, Late Roland/Elizabeth (UK). Condolences to Ian: imoraes2006@yahoo.com or Herbert: hjf@sky.com

TRAVEL & TOURISM NEWS:

19 things you must know before going to India
23 Oct: The Times (UK). Dara Flynn got scammed, got ill and got bitten in India - here's how not to make the same mistakes… 1087 words. Click here.

Dara Flynn: Top tips for travelling in India
23 Oct: The Times (UK). Best accommodation: The Panjim Inn, Panjim, Goa. Stunning colonial Portuguese-style rooms, with TV, air conditioning and a fridge for roughly 15 pounds per night. Also has a decent restaurant and free internet access. Click here.

Concern over Malaria imported into Europe from Goa
24 Oct: Herald. Jaya Bachchan, wife of film star Big B and MP in Delhi has reported that there have been 19 malaria cases, imported largely from Goa into Europe since December 2006. She has asked whether the government has sounded an alert to public health authorities in the State on malaria affecting tourists visiting the State. The Tourism Dept in Goa is reported to be looking into the issue. 193 words. Click here.

Keith Vaz: Scarlet Keeling effect on British tourist numbers
24 Oct: Navhind Times. Member of British Parliament, Mr Keith Vaz who is visiting Goa on Thursday said that the Scarlet Keeling murder case could have a bearing in the number of British tourists visiting Goa and hoped that justice will take its course and the guilty will be brought to book … Playing down reports of discrimination of people of Indian origin he said that 2.5 million people of South Asia are doing very well in the country… 231 words. Click here.

Saris and St Xavier’s Tomb
25 Oct. ABC (Spain). Among palm trees and sandy beaches are cathedrals and churches built during the XVI and XVII centuries. The Portuguese conquerors left their mark on this corner of India…the Basilica of Bom Jesus harbors the remains of St. Francis Xavier… Catholics were once 70 per cent of the population and now represent only 32 per cent… Click here.

Where to spend Christmas in India?
25 Oct: The Independent (UK). By Hamish McRae. … the two most Christian states in India are Goa and Kerala. Goa is nearer, an hour in a plane. The trouble is that it is the fashionable place to go for Christmas, both for Indians and foreigners. As a result, it was eye-wateringly expensive to find anywhere to stay, even booking three months in advance. Besides, we had been there before, and found that it can bring out the worst in both foreign and local visitors… Click here.

Goa could lose safe tourist destination tag: tourism minister
26 Oct: IANS. Tourists, both from India and abroad, have started raising doubts about Goa being a safe destination, state Tourism Minister Francisco alias Mickky Pacheco has said in a letter to Home Minister Ravi Naik … he has cited the rape of the minor German and the murder of Scarlett Keeling as examples … 192 words. Click here.

Feminine guides to India for foreigners
26 Oct Times of India. Two new travel guides offers tips, anecdotes, warnings and a cultural perspective to the foreign female tourist to India. Both Wanderlust and Lipstick: For Women Travelling to India and A Girls' Guide to India-A Survivor's Handbook are possibly the first guidebooks targeted only at women, which aim to prepare them for the pleasures and pains of the sub-continent. 643 words. Click here.

Goa’s gamble: Six offshore casinos on cards
27 Oct: Economic Times. Goa’s quaint Mandovi River will soon have a line-up of new tourist toys: floating casinos. The country’s beach capital wants to attract foreign tourists from the Arabian Peninsula, as also high-spending Indians who head to Nepal for a good game. The attempt is to recreate the success of Macau in Goa… 488 words. Click here.

Goa tourism slumps. By Bryan D’Sousa, Birmingham
28 Oct: Herald. … Goa is longer featured as a ‘good value winter holiday’ destination in UK newspapers. It seems that all the bad press surrounding Goa has finally hit the UK tourist market…To those people who have banged the drum about the British ‘dregs’, I hope you are proud of what you have achieved… 156 words. Click here.

New Property Investment Opportunity in Arambol Beach, Goa
28 Oct: PR Log. Peace Valley, Arambol (£220,000 to £600,000, landscaped gardens, 9 hole golf course) … 422 words. Click here.

Has Your Dream Goa Home Become a Living Nightmare?
29 Oct: ITV. We are looking for stories for a new primetime TV series. Do you know of any British expats whose home abroad has become a living nightmare? We want to hear about homes bought to start new life abroad that have proven disastrous. Have you had problems with nightmare builders or is the house you’ve ended up with not what you signed up for? If you have VIDEO FOOTAGE of your home then we are definitely interested! Please contact: homes@itv.com

Gatwick- Goa: 7nts - £299; 14nts – 349
29 Oct: Travelpack. Sale ends : 04 Nov 08. Travel date 21 & 28 Nov & 05 Dec 08. Return flights from Gatwick. Bed & Breakfast. www.travelpack.com/

Intoxication main cause of drowning on Goan beaches
30 Oct: Navhind Times. The Surf Life Saving Goa a group has saved 28 persons from drowning in the Goa since October 1, 2008. Interestingly, 75 per cent of the saved persons were under the influence of alcohol… The head of the group, Mr Craig Carnay of Australia said that liquor has very large contributing effects on the drowning of people along Goan beach waters…595 words. Click here.

GOA NEWS HEADLINES

Keith Vaz “Goa a bridge between Britain and India”
25 Oct: Times of India. Representing Leicestershire East in the House of Commons may keep Vaz engaged, but the MP finds time to sojourn annually in Goa…But he wants more links between Britain and Goa. “I think Goa has a huge contribution to make. It is really a bridge between Britain and India and I think we must value it much more in the overall infrastructure of India,” says Vaz. 513 words. Click here.

Football: Goa XI beat Leicester
25 Oct: Navhind Times. Goa XI (U-15) emerged victorious in the two match series against Leicester (U-15) … Goa U-15 midfielder Lester Martins was chosen by Leicester coaches to train in Leicester under the Lineker football scholarship programme… 198 words. Click here.

Leicester pronounce Lester as the right player
27 Oct: Times of India. Lester Martins, the lad that won a Leicester City football scholarship could do Goan soccer a world of good if all goes well. His name could help the uninformed pronounce his benefactors name correctly… At their many functions, club officials and players smiled through their club being called ‘Lei-ces-ter’, even by program hosts... 165 words. Click here.

No law and order left in state: Goa PWD minister
27 Oct: MeriNews. Goa PWD minister Churchill Alemao says that due to police apathy there is no law and order left in the state. He said Goa was experiencing the worst law and order then ever before and that the cops seem to have time only for collecting money… 390 words. Click here.

Venita Coelho, writer-activist, is detained by police
27 Oct: IANS. The GBA – (Save Goa Campaign) has criticised the police detention of writer-activist Venita Coelho after she questioned the Moira village head about a project at a village meeting…the police took Coelho to the Mapusa police station, where she was detained for three hours. Coelho, who has written screenplays for several Bollywood films, is a member of the Moira Action Committee (MAC) and the GBA, which have been protesting the rampant illegal construction in the state. 386 words. Click here.
To read Venita’s account of what transpired click here.
The Venita Coelho website is at http://venitacoelho.com/
Venita Coelho may be contacted at Mobile : 9867166057; Residence : 832 2470861. Email : venitacoelho@gmail.com

Flat owners handicapped by law lacuna
29 Oct: Times of India. Unlike other states, Goa does not have a law governing the duties of builders and safeguarding the rights of the owners of flats and apartments. Apartment owners have claimed that this has encouraged builders in Goa to adopt unfair practices … In 1988, a private member's bill had been introduced but it is still before the law department for its opinion. 443 words. Click here.

Weekly Update
30 Oct: Times of India (Goa). Weather: Max =32.4 ; Min = 23.8. Humidity 73% to 93%
Exchange rates £= 80.96; $ =49.70 ; Euro = 64.18

GERMAN RAPE CASE:

German minor rape case: Mother files complaint with police
24 Oct. PTI. The mother of the German rape victim on Friday filed a formal complaint with Goa police accusing Warren, nephew of Public Works Department minister Churchill Alemao of sexually exploiting her daughter…. relevant evidences are also being provided said her lawyer, Aires Rodrigues. 219 words. Click here.

Video: German girl rape: High Court steps in
25 Oct: NDTV. There has been a blow to the Goa government in the state's latest scandal. The High Court has intervened in the alleged rape of a 14-year-old German girl and has demanded a report on the case. It has issued notices to the state government and the police. 1m. 34s. Click here.

Solve German rape case, its affecting tourism: Minister
26 Oct: Indian Express. Goa's Tourism Minister Francisco Pacheco on Sunday asked State Home Minister Ravi Naik to take the alleged German girl rape case to its logical conclusion as the case is affecting state's tourism industry. 418 words. Click here.

Goa government has no plans to hand over German rape case to CBI
26 Oct: ANI. The Goa government on Sunday said that it has no plans of handing over of the alleged rape case of a German minor to the Central Bureau of Investigation. 199 words. Click here.

German rape case: High Court to check on the police investigations
27 Oct: UNI. The High Court’s Goa has directed Goa’s Advocate General Subodh Kantak to give copies of the investigation papers, regarding the sexual assault on a German minor girl in a sealed envelope… This is not a question of suffering of an individual but has an effect on the society as a whole, Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice S A Bobde have said … 216 words.Click here.

German rape case: Police submit case papers to court
28 Oct: Navhind Times. The Goa police on Monday submitted the files relating to the investigation into the case of alleged rape of minor German girl, to the High Court… The counsel for the girl’s mother, Mr Aires Rodrigues confirmed that the girl was willing to give her statement. He has also alleged that one of the politicians involved was in Delhi trying to get the top police officials in Goa transferred. 536 words. Click here.

Advertisement slanders German rape victim in Goa
28 Oct: IANS. An advertisement in the Herald (Goa) newspaper has created a controversy for allegedly defamatory references to a minor German rape victim, and a child rights panel is planning legal action. The half-page advertisement is supported by 390 named individuals. The advertisement claims that the victim was “romping with men of older age at Goan night clubs”... 255 words. Click here.

Corruption proof against Churchill soon, says Aires
29 Oct: Herald. Aires Rodrigues has announced that Utt Goenkara is in the process of compiling details and that soon it would come out with evidence against PWD Minister Churchill Alemao for alleged corruption. 259 words. Click here.

German rape case: Salcete women claim Warren Alemao is innocent
30 Oct: Navhind Times. Two separate press conferences, one addressed by ladies and other “The Youth of Salcete” condemned Mr Aires Rodrigues for dragging Mr Warren Alemao into the alleged rape case of a minor German girl … once the press meet was over, the organisers burnt the effigy of Mr Aires Rodrigues on the road… Most of the ladies blamed the mother of the girl for sending the child alone at social functions when she knew very well that her child was a minor. 412 words. Click here.

Mother of German 'rape victim' to take minister to court
30 Oct: IANS. The mother of a 14-year-old German girl will move court against minister Churchill Alemao for slandering the reputation of the victim through an advertisement … "Not only is the advertisement released by Mr Alemao slandering the reputation of the child, it is also contempt of court," the German mother's counsel advocate Aires Rodrigues told reporters at a press conference Thursday. 325 words. Click here.

Rape of Western Girls in Goa
30 Oct: The Hamilton Spectator (Ontario, Canada). … The incidence of rape of western girls in Indian tourist towns such as Goa keeps increasing. It is said to be the result of a growing "I can do anything I want" attitude and diminishing social inhibition among youths. Click here.

AIRES RODRIGUES ATTACK:

Aires Rodrigues: The Oct 13th Attack and My Miraculous Escape
23 Oct: GoaNet. Aires writes, “In the over 30 years of social activism, I have had, on many occasions, to bear the brunt of attacks, from police lathi charges at student and language agitations to stones and eggs during the Cuncolim anti-pollution agitation. But the brutal cowardly assault, the 13th October night, on Prajal Sakhardande and myself will be the one to remember for the rest of my life… 894 words. Click here.

Aires Rodrigues Attack: 3 accused identified
24 Oct: Navhind Times. The police have identified three main accused in connection with the attack on social activists, Mr Aires Rodrigues and Mr Prajal Sakhardande. They are Zenito Barretto, Sandeedp Vaigankar and Shabbir Gujarati. A car, bearing number GA-01-C-6105 from Merces has been attached … 145 words. Click here.

Aires Rodrigues Attack: Cops say 6 accused confess crime
25 Oct: Times of India. Goa police claimed to have cracked a case of assault on social activist Aires Rodrigues with the confession of six accused…the police have not been able to ascertain the motive behind the offence. 173 words. Click here.

Police disclose intricate details of attack on Aires
25 Oct: Navhind Times. The superintendent of police, Mr Bosco George, revealed that Sandeep Vaigankar was the mastermind behind the attack and was assisted by another four, who were hired by Zenito Barretto, who in turn, was contacted by a person, yet to be arrested… 11 persons were taken into custody and out of these five have confessed to their involvement in the attack… more information will follow … 400 words. Click here.

Aries Rodrigues – Churchill Alemao: Verbal Duel
25 Oct: Times of India. Aires Rodrigues first accused Alemao of harbouring Rohit. Alemao questioned Rodrigues’ moral probity, marital history and the nature of Rodrigues’ relationship with the German girl’s mother. Then Rodrigues accused Alemao’s nephew Warren of complicity in the German girl case … Churchill promised to file a defamation case against Rodrigues and the girl’s mother… Rodrigues then called Alemao a host of bad names including ‘smuggler’ … It was Alemao’s turn to heap personal abuse on Rodrigues and even accused him of duping people in Canada… 528 words. Click here.

Goan NGO seeks CBI probe into assault on its activist
26 Oct: Daily News & Analysis. Utt Goenkara, an NGO in Goa, has demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the assault on its spokesperson Aires Rodrigues, an advocate representing a German woman who has charged the son of the Goa education minister of raping her daughter… 328 words. Click here.

Aires Rodrigues Attack: Lie Detector Test for Main Suspect
26 Oct: Times of India. Sandeep Vaigankar, the main accused in the attack on Aires Rodrigues will be subjected to a lie detector test and brain mapping… Police officials said Sandeep would now be taken to Mumbai for the tests. Click here.

I am ready to sacrifice my life for Goa: Aires
26 Oct: Navhind Times. A couple of politicians should be wiped off from the Goa’s political scenario, in order to cleanse the politics in the state, said Mr Aires Rodrigues, here in Ponda during a meeting organised to express support to him to fight for justice… “I am ready to sacrifice my life for Goa and to fight for justice”, Mr Rodrigues said… Click here.

Anti-Rodrigues ad published in local daily
28 Oct: PTI. An anti-Aires Rodrigues advertisement being published in O Herald, a local daily signed by 390 people… "Many of the signatories in the advertisement are bogus. This is a handiwork of Alemao," Rodrigues said this afternoon. The advertisement released in local English Daily O Herald accuses Rodrigues, who is also a social activist, of blackmailing people in the guise of activism. It has also commented on the personal life of Rodrigues... 355 words. Click here.

Aires Rodrigues Attack: Utt Goenkara demands Monserrate’s arrest
28 Oct: Herald. …Utt Goenkara General Secretary John Lobo said since Sandeep Vaigankar, a very close aide of Monserrate had confessed to the police of his involvement in the assault, the role of the role of the Education Minister had to be investigated … 167 words. Click here.

Aires Rodrigues Attack: Police confirm assailants and recover weapons
29 Oct: Navhind Times. The police have recovered the weapons allegedly used in the assault on Mr Aires Rodrigues. Sources say that the weapons include a rod and a koita. Police also confirmed that the arrested persons are the ones who had actually assaulted Mr Aires Rodrigues… 357 words. Click here.

IN THE NEWS:

Sonia Shirsat: Fados from Goa
17 Oct: Diario de Noticias (Portugal). Sónia Shirsat is an Indian fadista who performed in Lisbon for about a week at the Museu do Oriente. Shirsat is an unusual name here but relatively commonplace in Goa where she was born. The fact that a young Indian came to Lisbon to sing fado may cause some surprise, but fado has a tradition in Goa… Text 532 words in Portuguese. Click here.

Church-goers are generally happy
24 Oct: IANS. Church-goers were 30 percent less likely to be depressed in their lifetime than non-church going people, according to a new research… Researcher Joanna Maselko of Temple University said involvement with the church provides the opportunity for community interaction, which could help forge attachments to others, an important factor in preventing depression… 262 words. Click here.

UK: Disgraced Dr Raj Persaud quits as consultant
24 Oct: The Guardian (UK). The disgraced celebrity psychiatrist Dr Raj Persaud has left his job at a leading hospital four months after being convicted of dishonesty by a disciplinary tribunal… Persaud, 49, married with two children, admitted nine cases of plagiarism… Photo and text, 549 words, at the link below.
Dr Persaud is married to a Goan and is a regular visitor to Goa. Click here.

German teen rape: Show cause notice served to Goa govt
25 Oct: Navhind Times. The High Court has asked the Goa government to file a reply as to why the investigation into alleged rape of a German girl by two minister’s kin should not be handed over to a specialised agency….The reply has to be filed by October 27 … 255 words. Click here.

Canada: Ethnic voters are switching from Liberals to Tories
27 Oct: Globe & Mail (Canada). The Conservatives won six new heavily ethnic ridings that were once Liberal strongholds, a trend they say proves their efforts to woo this vote have borne fruit…The Conservative party is touting this as a “major breakthrough,” noting that support for the Liberals among new Canadians is no longer guaranteed… 715 words + Comments. Click here.

Former star footballers for intra-Gulf Goan tournament
27 Oct: Gulf Times (Qatar). The first ever nine-a-side Intra-Gulf Goans invitation football tournament, organised by the Goan Welfare Association will be held on Oct 31…10 teams will be vying for honours - three teams from the UAE, two teams each from Bahrain and Kuwait and two teams from hosts Qatar will be seen in action. 538 words. Click here.

Government to help overseas Indians trace their roots
28 Oct: Times of India. The ministry of overseas Indian affairs is planning to launch a project for the people of Indian origin to trace their roots… an overseas Indian can submit an application along with a fee of Rs.20,000. the ministry will forward the application to Indiaroots with an advance of Rs.6,000 for tracing the ancestry within three months… 146 words. Click here.

Uganda: Goa at the Diwali Festival
28 Oct: New Vision (Kampala). Speke Resort Munyonyo turned into one big kitchen on Sunday as the Indian community celebrated Diwali Day … 26 tents representing different parts of India…People made a beeline for the purely meat-eating Indian Catholic community tent. The pork sorportel, chicken masala and kebabs were the biggest attractions…An elder from the Goa region of India lamented that Diwali has become a materialistic festival… 366 words. Click here.

Devi Noronha: Outdated ideologies belong in past
28 Oct: Sydney Morning Post. Racism and homophobia are outdated ideologies. When I hear someone use the word "wog", I feel my innards sink to my boots and I feel like asking, "What rock did you crawl out from under?" … Racism, sexism, ageism and homophobia are forms of discrimination that represent the same model of oppression … 370 words. Click here.

Fiona case adjourned to November 5
29 Oct: UNI. Goa Child and Woman Development Director has adjourned the case involving the mother of slain British teenager Scarlett Keeling, Fiona Mackeown, till November 5. 222 words. Click here.

INDIA: ANTI-CHRISTIANITY VIOLENCE:

Video + Text: Nun tells of brutal rape by Hindu mob in India
25 Oct: The Times (UK). [Name withheld] aged 29, a Roman Catholic nun who says that she was raped and paraded half-naked through the streets by a Hindu mob in eastern India emerged from hiding yesterday for the first time to make an emotional public appeal for justice… For text, 619 words, Click here.
For a link to the NDTV video clip of the nun’s first hand account (15m. 48s.) click here.

Pope decries killing of Christians
27 Oct: Herald. Pope Benedict XVI decried the killing of Christians in India and appealed today for political and religious leaders to defend them… He called on leaders to “spare no effort” so that “honest and loyal citizens can count on adequate protection” from national authorities. 148 words. Click here.

Orissa Government Speeds Up Action After Raped Nun's Press Meet
27 Oct: UCAN. The Orissa state government has decided to expedite the case of a Catholic nun's rape after she addressed some 250 reporters and 30 television camera crews at a press conference in New Delhi… A day after the nun met the press, Orissa Chief Minister convened a meeting in the state capital and directed officials to speed up the case… 591 words. Click here.

UK: Petition the Prime Minister to Condemn the religious violence in India
27 Oct: We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Condemn the religious violence in India and call on the Indian government to stop the violence and address its causes. Deadline to sign up by: 17 Nov. 2008. You must be a British citizen or resident to sign the petition. Ask your friends to alert their contacts. To sign the petition go to the link below. Click here.

Indian parliament discusses anti-Christian violence
28 Oct: UCAN. India's home minister promised the government would enact a law to check sectarian violence in the country, when he replied at the end of a day-long discussion on violence against Christians… 647 words. Click here.

India: the fight is on for pluralism
28 Oct: The Guardian (UK). …Violence against religious minorities is nothing new in India. In 2002, around 2000 people, mostly Muslims, were massacred in Gujarat in one of the worst religiously-motivated attacks known in recent times. Anti-Christian violence is nothing new either, the fact is that on average at least three anti-Christian attacks have been reported each week for several years now. 796 words + Comments. Click here.

Fr. Bernard Digal, Orissa Victim, Dies
29 Oct: Asia News. Fr. Bernard Digal has died more than two months after being brutally beaten by Hindu fundamentalists the night of August 25… On Saturday, October 25, a feverish Fr. Digal was taken to St. Thomas Hospital in Chennai, in Tamil Nadu; the doctors operated on him to remove a blood clot from his brain, caused by the beating on the night he was attacked. However, he went into a coma and died. 443 words. Click here.

GOANET HIGHLIGHTS
BY CORNEL DACOSTA

Goanet has received many responses to the alleged rape of a nun in the recent upheavals in Orissa. All the indications are that the issue will receive very full coverage in the Goan/Indian press as well as on Goanet. There is also the allegation of the rape of a young German girl in Goa by the son of a Goa Minister and this and other sensational cases to do with foreigners visiting Goa, must surely mar the good name of Goa and reduce the number of tourists wanting to make Goa a holiday destination.

Although Goanet is not supposed to engage in news not relating to Goa/India, the American election on November 4, 2008, has captured the imagination of many and there has been discussion of this on Goanet. Some have objected to this kind of intrusion into Goanet. However, as we now live in a globalised world, it is difficult to see how issues on Goanet can be confined to a limited part of the world. Without a doubt, the next incumbent of the White House in America will have an impact on India as well as on most other countries. Minimally, the USA and India have had an increasingly close political relationship over strategic matters, including developments in the nuclear field and while some on Goanet may not wish to discuss the USA election, large numbers in India will be glued to their TV sets on Nov 4. Indeed, I can recall being in India, and how excited fellow Indians were on Nov 4, 2000, when the counting of votes to choose between Gore and Bush proved to be a very close thing and ever so many Indians simply had a good laugh when the physical counting of votes seemed to be so difficult for the Americans on the night of the election.

From Francis Rodrigues, Goanet has received an informative article titled 'Pope Suspends Indian Bishop.' According to the article, Pope Benedict XVI suspended Bishop John Thattumkumal over a major controversy when the Bishop adopted a woman he had met on a pilgrimage. Reports indicate that this is the first time that such an extreme step has been taken by the Catholic Church in India.

Finally, there is a suggestion that this 'Goanet Highlights' column be broadened under a new title, to include information from other Goan related websites. This could include items from Goenchim Xapotham, NewDiaspora, and websites that generate news from expats resident in Goa but without lengthening the column. If this idea takes off, it is likely to do so in the New Year 2009. Opinions from Goan Voice (UK) readers are welcomed regarding this proposition.

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TRAVEL: Globe Guides. Travel Channel
Sat. 1st Nov. 20:30 to 21:00. Monthly guide to festivals visits the beaches of Goa

DRAMA: Sharpe's Peril. ITV1
Sun. 2nd Nov. 21:00 to 22:30. First of a two-part drama. India 1818 and Sharpe and Sgt Major Patrick Harper escort Marie-Angelique Bonnet in bandit-plagued India. Part 2 is at the same time on 9th Nov.

COOKERY: Market Kitchen. BBC 2
Mon. 3rd Nov. 14:15 to 15:00. Hardeep Singh Kohli tells how he got on when he introduced British food to India.

NEWS: Asian Network Report. BBC Radio Asian Network
Mon. 3rd Nov. 18:30 to 19:00. An Asian Network report on volunteering opportunities for young Asians.

DOCUMENTARY: Bombay Railway. BBC 4.
Tue. 4th Nov. 00:00 to 01:00. Chef Jagdish Paul Raj runs a successful catering business on the train to Goa and is trying to expand his business.

TRAVEL: Paul Merton in India. five
Wed. 5th Nov. 21:00 to 22:00. Paul Merton in Mumbai

FILM: The Warrior. Channel 4
Thu. 6th Nov. 01:20 to 03:00. Asif Kapadia's double-BAFTA winning debut film stars Irfan Khan as Lafcadia, a warlord's warrior in ancient India

TRAVEL: Panasia. Travel Channel
Fri. 7th Nov. 10:00 to 10:30. Goa. Sian Richards captures the sights, sounds and flavours of Goa, home to magnificent beaches, imposing churches, and some of the friendliest people in Asia. She also finds out how to prepare Goa's aromatic seafood curry and washes it down with feni, a local spirit distilled from cashew fruit.

FORTHCOMING

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

Sat. 1 Nov. G.O.A. French Shopping Extravaganza. Contact: Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 – 8771 4457, Bernie Gracias 020 – 8723 1322

Sun. 9 Nov: G.O.A. EGM/AGM at Archbishop Lanfranc School, Mitcham Road, Croydon at 2pm – OPEN TO MEMBERS ONLY

Sun. 16 Nov. Navelim Feast at Bishop Thomas Grant School, Belltrees Grove, SW16 2HY. Music by Rainbow End. For tickets contact Vincent Fernandes 020-8764-8780; Violet D’Silva 020-8642-3283; Loy Rebello 020-241-9246 or Selwyn Ferrao 0208-933-8362.

Sun. 30 Nov. G.O.A. Feast Of St Francis Xavier at St. Boniface Church, Tooting Broadway, London SW17. Contact: Alfred Rebello 020 – 8337 8022

Sat. 6 Dec. G.O.A. Xmas Pantomime – Peter Pan at Fairfield Halls, Croydon – 2pm. Contact: Norma Menezes-Rahim 020 – 8771 4457, Bernie Gracias 020 – 8723 1322

Sun. 7 Dec. North London Goans invite you to celebrate the Feast of St. Francis Xavier at Woodside High School Hall (Formerly White Hart Lane School, Opp. New River Sports Centre), White Hart Lane, Wood Green, London, N22 5QJ. Holy Mass at 12:45pm.Followed by a social gathering. Music by LEVEL 4
For tickets contact any of the following: - Tony Gomes 020 8245 1364, Seby D'Silva 020 8245 5463, Joe Telles 020 8443 1014, Oboe Noronha 020 8340 0439, Cos Fernandes 020 8888 8659, Meredith Soares 020 8803 4173, John Fernandes 020 8881 4579, Frank Mendes 020 8888 1400 or Bernadette Dias 020 8361 9417

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