"EXPOSITION 2004" PHOTO FEATURE: A small photo feature on the Exposition of the Sacred Remains of St Francis Xavier which opened at Old Goa on November 21. Please Check at http://goacom.com/goanow/exposition/Exposition2004.htm

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Newsline Canada

St. F.X. Feast in Mississauga, Canada
By: Tim de Mello
December 4th 2004 saw the celebration of the St. Francis Xavier Feast at the St. Francis Xavier Church in Mississauga. This is the fourth year that the Friends of St. Francis Xavier have hosted this celebration. The hard work of the President, Francis (Frank) Fernandes and his wife Lucy together with the whole committee paid off. The whole event was well organized. For full text click here

Toronto Goan Seniors Holds Their Inaugural Christmas Dinner Dance By: Uvy Lopes
Click on the picture to enlarge
The Toronto East Goan Seniors Assn. held their first ever Christmas dinner dance on December 4th. It was a resounding success with about 200 members in attendance. The president, Claude Gomes, in his speech stated "what began as a somewhat tentative concept has, in seven short months, blossomed to a splendid reality. Todayover 280 of our members are now bound by a common vision …and we stand ready to individually bring forth our gifts, talents and our dreams so that our new born Assn. can emerge as the vital, vibrant institution we all know it can be.". For full text click here

Toronto Star To Present South Asian Entertainment Trade Show
Original Publication Date: Saturday December 4, 2004
The first annual South Asian Arts & Entertainment Industry Trade Show presented by Toronto Star will take place on May 1, 2005, as a kick off to South Asian Heritage Month at the Marriot Airport Hotel.
"It has been born out of a need to create a professional space for those affiliated with the arts and entertainment industry to network and connect with each other," says one of its main architects Abhishek Mathur. He says very often, he has been approached by a mainstream band to find a tablachi or an actor trying to breakthrough into mainstrea. "There is a need for us to connect the people in the creative field and this would be one place they can meet," he says. He feels that as South Asians make rapid strides in mainstream and ethno-specific areas of the arts, their representation, and presentation needs to take on a professional image thus allowing for better knowledge creation, evaluation and assimilation in these very competitive industries. For full text click here.

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News Clips from Goa
by Joel D'Souza & Fred Noronha

DGP Amod Kant relieved

On November 25, the government relieved Director General of Police, Amod Kanth, and directed DIG Muktesh Chander to take charge as the head of the police department. Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said that the government was not interested in the service of Kant had virtually challenged the government authority and in such a situation the government was not prepared to take any chance since the prestigious IFFI was just two days ahead. The outgoing DGP expressed his sadness at how his tenure was prematurely cut short.

IFFI 2004 over
	December 9 signalled curtains for the ten-day IFFI Goa 2004, with the official concluding ceremony held at the Kala Academy auditorium at 5.30 pm for which the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Jaipal Reddy, was the chief guest. The highlight was the awards (Golden Peacock, Silver Peacock and Special Jury Award) presentation ceremony. For full text click here.

Tragic death of Dempo player

Sports lovers in Goa were shocked to hear of the tragic end to the Federation Cup football tournament, when 25-year-old Brazilian striker Cristiano de Lima Junior (24) died on December 5 soon after helping Dempo Sports Club record their maiden title victory with a 2-0 victory against Mohun Bagan in Bangalore. After putting the ball past the Bagan goalkeeper Subrata Paul, Junior leapt in the air and Bagan goalie Subrata Paul also leapt apparently to thwart the Brazilian.For full text click here.

Kite festival

A colorful three-day Goa Kite Carnival was inaugurated by Tourism Minister Matanhy Saldanha at Panjim’s Miramar Beach, on December 10 evening. The Kite Festival, organised and conceptualized by Ajay Prakash, CEO of Nomad Travels and the Nomad Heritage Trust, has been very popular since the last two years. Kite fliers from the US, the UK, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Singapore, Germany and Australia, besides from several states from across India are participating in the event which will last till December 12.

70,000 pilgrims visit Old Goa
Massive crowds of pilgrims thronged Old Goa to pay homage to St Francis Xavier throughout the day on Sunday. According to Exposition Commission, Bosco George, around 70,000 pilgrims attended the masses both, in the morning and evening. More than 50,000 of them stood in a queue to kiss the sacred relics, which have been kept for veneration at Se Cathedral. A large number of pilgrims had also come from other states.

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Obituary

MENDONCA, TONY (Filomeno) (Toronto) - Passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 7, 2004, in his 67th year. Tony will be dearly missed by his loving wife Clara, son Harold, daughter Shirley, daughter Sandra and her husband Donald Coy. It is through our grief that we understand the true blessings of love. Tony was born in Nairobi, Kenya and since that time he has been blessed with many experiences and friendships with people from around the world. Funeral Mass took place on Friday, December 10, 2004 at St.Thomas the Apostle Church, followed by interment at Christ the King Cemetery .
"Tony was a true member and a generous friend of the Toronto East Seniors Goan Association. We offer our sincere condolences to his family. Claude Gomes, President"

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Events
For listing of events in 2004 please click here

Friday, December 31, 2004
Event:	New Year’s Eve 2004
Organised by	The San Francisco Goan Institute’s
Venue	Centennial Hall, Hayward, California
Dress Code	Formal Attire (Jacket and Neck Tie Essential)
“Winter Wonderland Magic” What to expect: Loads of Fun, Gourmet Buffet Dinner, Lots of Excitement, plenty of Nostalgia and Unique Prizes For information on rates etc. Go: www.goacom.com/goa-sf Managing Council - San Francisco

Event:	NEW YEAR'S EVE DINNER DANCE
Organised by	Tony & Pat Fernandes
Venue	At the Splendid & Majestic "65 Claireport Place" - Etobicoke
What to Expect	Cocktails 6 p.m. - Dinner 8 P.M. (Indian & European Cuisine) Midnight table- 2 Wines at each table - Free Champagne at Midnight Sensational Band + D.J. Absolutely open bar (all booze included - Name it, we have it!) Lots of fun & excitement.
Price	$70.00 per person
Tickets	Tony & Pat Fernandes - 905-823-3067 Cynthia & Mike Fernandes - 905-471-0924 Shannon Fernandes - 905-855-2748 Joanne Fernandes - 416-994-6574 For Cocktails/Dinner Menu, pls contact: Cynthia_Fernandes@Atlantic.ca

Sunday June 26th - Sunday July 3rd, 2005
Event:	Zanzibar SJCS Reunion
Organised by	St. Joseph's Convent School (later Tumekuja School), Zanzibar
Zanzibar SJCS Reunion A reunion of former Students of St. Joseph's Convent School (later Tumekuja School), Zanzibar, is planned for the week of June 26 - July 3, 2005 in Toronto, Canada. Initial plans include a dinner dance on Saturday, July 2, a picnic on July 3, a tour of Niagara Falls and a shopping expedition in the Toronto Area sometime during the Reunion Week. If you would like more information and would like to get on the mailing list please write to me asap. Jo Birkmeyer jbirkmeyer@yahoo.com

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People Places and Things

Art Showing – Images from Goa Tuesday, Dec 7th in Toronto

A variety of photographs were on display from the works of three different photographers, including a series of beautiful images from Goa by photographer and film maker Matt Marek. Matt spent the first four month's of 2004 in South India shooting films. He traveled parts of Kerala, Andra Pradsesh, Chennai and Goa. His time spent in Goa was the most meaningful. A majority of this photo essay comes from that area.

Lalita Noronha
	Where Monsoons Cry; Stories (Black Words Press) ISBN: 1-888018-32-1 Trade Paper/240 pp  Like a Bombay version of John Updike, poet and scientist Lalita Noronha has crafted a debut short story collection, that blends elements of Indian traditions with the complexities of American culture. For full text click here.

Santa Claus Live on the Web!
Santa Webcasts LIVE Daily from the North Pole
NORTH POLE and BURNABY, BC, Dec. 8 /CNW/ - Interactive Netcasting Systems Inc. (INSINC) today announced the provisioning of FREE live broadband video access via the Internet to Santa Claus on location at the North Pole.
Effective immediately, Santa will be appearing on the web daily to personally take Christmas requests from around the world. Using the latest in satellite and Internet technologies, Santa will be brought to Internet computers where he will tell stories, take phone calls, play games and interact with children in the comfort of their own home. The live webcast site is located at http://www.chatwithsanta.com .
Claus expressed his delight at being able to be beamed down from the North Pole. "Ho, Ho, Ho I can't wait to chat with all the little boys and girls around the world, Ho, Ho, Ho!"
The North Pole webcasts will be held daily right up until Christmas Eve.
A schedule is posted on the website.

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Health & Wellness

'Oz' Kills Malaria Parasite
Here's good news in the fight against malaria, a disease that puts 40 percent of the world's population at risk and kills up to 3000 children each day. Australian scientists have developed a drug which can kill the malaria parasite.
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations/stories/s1258926.htm

Malaria Hope
Another approach to the scourge that is Malaria comes from Australian and Indonesian researchers who are conducting trials of a "natural" medicine that could help malaria victims recover faster from the deadly disease.
http://www.abc.net.au/ra/innovations/stories/s1258932.htm

685,000 Seniors To Get $85 Million In Tax Credits
From Weekly Voice
Ontario government is taking steps to increase tax credits for seniors with low and moderate incomes for the first time in more than 10 years, John Gerretsen, Minister Responsible for Seniors, said. For full text click here.

Drinking and driving a priority social issue but millions still do it, poll finds Impaired driving by teens a serious problem but relatively few do it
OTTAWA, Dec. 8 /CNW/ - The majority of Canadian drivers believe that drinking and driving is a priority social issue and the most serious road safety issue they face, yet nearly one in five (18%) admit to driving after drinking in the previous month, according to the findings of the Road Safety Monitor (RSM) released today by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF). For full text click here.