Goa stormstruck
	Sudden cyclonic winds accompanied by rain and thunder lashed several parts of Goa on April 20 causing havoc with nearly ten fishing trawlers capsising off Mormugao Harbour and hundreds of trees uprooted, damaging a number of houses and cars, blowing the roof-tops and disrupting the electric supply in many parts of the state.

Konkan Fruit fest
The annual Konkan Fruit Fest will be held from May 6 to May 8, 2005, at the IFFI promenade along the Mandovi river near Inox. The festival, which is presented jointly by government agencies, academic institutions, NGOs and entrepreneurs from all over the Konkan region, will have on display a variety of mangoes, besides the lesser known fruits.

Konkani Cinema Day
The Konkani cinema producers on April 24 urged the state government to provide all financial assistance to produce standard Konkani films and appealed to the people to promote Konkani films by patronising them. They also urged the government to provide a special slot for screening Konkani films during the ensuing IFFI 2005 and decided to make a documentation of all Konkani films produced till date and preserve it for posterity. Participating in the Konkani Cinema Day (Konknni Cholchitr Dis) organised by the Dalgado Konknni Akademi at the TB Cunha hall, Panaji, producer Rico Rod, chief guest, narrated the difficulties by him while producing Konkani films. Another producer Rajendra Talak pointed out that during the last 55 years there was a gap and no good Konkani films could be produced. On the occasion, the portrait of Al Jerry Braganza, who is regarded as the father of the Konkani cinema, was garlanded.

Govt yet to decide on 'Goa evening' at Cannes Festival
Although the Union information and broadcasting ministry has asked the state to organise 'Goa evening' at the Cannes International Film festival beginning from May 14, the state administration is yet to take a decision on it. Thus there is uncertainty over Goa's participation at the Cannes Festival.

"Music is the language of love"
"Music is everything for me. Music is the language of love," says Leo D'Souza, a self-taught musician who has been blowing glorious sax to entertain music buffs for several years, initially in East Africa and since 1971 performing in Goa with different popular bands and eventually doing a superb duo on the hotel circuit now...His father took him to East Africa where he resumed studies at Dr Ribeiro Goan School. Leo and his good friend Anthony D'Souza rigged up their first band "Rhythm Kings".

The Queen Ketevan mystery
The finding of an inscription and long bone fragments in the ruins of the Augustine complex here have raised hopes among archaeologists and heritage lovers of solving the mystery of the 17th century remains of Queen Ketevan of Georgia being buried here. The Queen's remains were brought from Shiraj to Old Goa by Augustinians in the 17th century. "Inscription on tiles were found near the second window of Gospel side and long bone fragments near the second window of Epistle side. We are yet to send it for analysis, but there are possibilities that the bone fragments could be that of the hand of the queen. We can make a statement only after proper study and evidence," said N Taher, Site Manager at the World Heritage Day programme at Augustine Tower, Old Goa, on April 18.