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The Voice of Goa — Since 1900 panjim, thursday, march 3, 2011 postal reg. no. Goa 101 pricE rs. 3.00
Goa’s Heartbeat: Losing virginity was absolutely a terrible experience Pg 4 Let us believe neither half of the good people tell us of ourselves, nor half the evil they say of others. — J Pettit Senn
Business: Hike fuel prices or raise subsidy — Basu Pg 13
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Sports: Pak wants to avoid Pg 16 playing in India
Underdogs Ireland propelled by Kevin O’Brien’s fastest ever World Cup century (50 balls) stunned England by 3 wickets in a Group B World Cup match in Bangalore on Wednesday. Ireland won with five balls to spare as they finished on 329 for seven after England, who had made 327 for eight, had been cruising when they reduced the non-Test playing Ireland to 111 for five.
Gorbachev gets highest state honour Former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev, who was instrumental in the demise of the Communist state in the early 1990s, was Wednesday decorated with Russia’s highest state honour by President Dmitry Medvedev. Gorbachev, who was the architect of perestroika and glasnost in former Soviet Union that led to landmark political reforms, was honoured with the tsarist-era order of St Andrew on his 80th birthday. – PTI
E-stamping to cover Indian states in 3 yrs The e-stamping facility is projected to cover all states in the country over the next three years, a top official said. “It is projected that e-stamping facility will be effective in all the states over next three years,” Chief Commissioner of Customs, Gujarat Zone, Lipika Majumdar Roy Choudhary said. – PTI
Ireland cricketers Trent Johnston (left) and John Mooney celebrate after scoring the winning runs in the Cricket World Cup 2011 match between England and Ireland at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore on Wednesday. (Report on page 16)
Pak minister shot dead PTI ISLAMABAD, MARCH 2
Pakistan’s Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian and vocal critic of the controversial blasphemy law, was Wednesday shot dead by Taliban militants as he drove out of his mother’s house here, nearly 2 months after Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer was killed for opposing the harsh statute. Three to four gunmen ambushed the car of 42-year-old Bhatti, the only Christian member of the Pakistan Cabinet, at about 11.20 am local time and indiscriminately fired at him while sparing his driver, police said. He was hit by at least 20 bullets in the face, chest and stomach. Bhatti, a Catholic, was attacked shortly after he drove out of his mother’s house close to his official residence.
Parents demand modification of grading system for HSSC exam HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 2
With the final examination for the Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSSC) scheduled on March 7, the parents have again revived their demand for modification of grading system for this academic year. Several parents have suggested that final marks at the time of declaring the results should be higher of the two obtained by the candidate namely internal assessment (20 per cent) plus board performance (80 per cent) or board performance (100 per cent). The parents have said that
the students were not having level playing field as this is the first year of grading for SSC and HSSC exams and also the implementation of the grading itself was marred with lacunas. A parent said that they had met Education Minister Atanasio Monserratte in a group and were relying on the assurance given by him that he will adopt some positive approach towards the grievances. “We had met him earlier in June 2010. Again we have made to him a representation in the last week of January, where he assured us that he will do something positive but nothing has
come so far,” a lady parent said. The aggrieved parents have said that there are major flaws in the implementation of the grading system for HSSC. The parents claimed that the circular on grading issued in June 2009 stressed more on grading pattern and very little mention was made about the 20 per cent internal assessment scheme. The parents also strongly pointed out that the portion of some of the subjects was made available late like for economics portion was given on June 14, 2010, Mathematics June 22, 2010, English Language I and Cooperation on June 19, 2010,
accountancy on August 21, 2010 and Hindi Language II on August 27, 2010. “The mid-term tests had begun in the month of July itself, when syllabus for few subjects was not made available for the students,” the parents lamented. The parents alleged that text books for the subjects like French, Secretarial Practice, Biology and Konkani were not available for the students. “There is no uniformity in the system as papers for internal assessment are set by different institutions on their own so some students have to answer easy (Continued on page 10)
Defiant Gaddafi warns West of ‘bloody war’ PTI CAIRO, MARCH 2
A defiant Muammar Gaddafi Wednesday refused to give up power as he warned against any foreign intervention, saying it will lead to “a bloody war” in which “thousands of Libyans would die”. “We will not accept American intervention. This will lead to a bloody war and thousands of Libyans will die if America and NATO enter Libya,” Gaddafi said at a public gathering for the first time since the two-week-old uprising began, an event aired live on state television. Digging in his heels, he claimed that the anti-regime protests were part of a “conspiracy” to grab the oil resources of Libya. “We will fight to the end, to the last man, the last woman ... with God’s help,” he said while describing the two-week long protests as being orchestrated by only a minority who were being propped up by “foreign forces, foreign media”. “Millions of Libyan people support me. They say they are ready to die for me,” he said during the over one-hour address which saw his supporters frequently cheer with chants of: “God, Muammar and Libya.” As his forces went on an offensive to wrest key cities from the rebels, 68-yearold Gaddafi joined his loyalists at a ceremony to mark 34 years of “people’s power”, accusing al-Qaeda of being behind the rebellion. Gaddafi, who had assumed the country’s charge 41 years ago through a coup, had proclaimed “people’s power” on March 2, 1977. In his address, he repeatedly underlined that there is no question of
Now, admission to ITIs online HERALD REPORTER PANJIM, MARCH 2
Entire schooling cycle of the student taking admission in State’s Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) will go online from the current academic year onwards. The sources from State department of craftsman training told Herald that new software called SDCT software will be commissioned which will feed the entire data of the student, pruning any possibility of cheating or forgery. The student will be provided with the unique ID number, which will continue to be his identity throughout the course.
A woman offers abhisek in Panjim on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivratri which was celebrated with traditional pomp and fervour across the state. Photo by Rozario Estibeiro
Lord Desai cleared Gaddafi son’s ‘plagiarised’ PhD thesis HERALD CORRESPONDENT LONDON, MARCH 2
Saif-al-Islam, 38, embattled Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s son and, till recently, spokesman for the regime and its public face globally, may have plagiarised the thesis on the basis of which the prestigious London School of Economics (LSE) awarded him a PhD in 2008. LSE authorities confirmed that they are inquiring into allegations of plagiarism surrounding the thesis. Also in the eye of the storm is his referee, one of the two examiners who conducted the viva voce at which young Gaddafi supposedly defended his thesis – none other than Lord Meghnad Desai, Labour
Saif Gaddafi
Meghnad Desai
peer, former LSE professor and eminent economist, now settled in Loutolim and who was a speaker at the prestigious D D Kosambi Festival of Ideas held recently at Kala Academy. The accusations are that the Libyan government pledged £1.5million (Rs11 crore) as a do-
nation to LSE shortly after Saif al-Islam, Colonel Gaddafi’s son, completed his PhD. Of this, £300,000 (Rs22 lakh) was paid and the rest was pending. This, say critics, was ‘speed money’ for the PhD. The specific charge is that the (Continued on page 10)
The Info Tech Corporation Goa (ITG) is likely to purchase this software, which will streamline the entire system in ITIs. The software is developed by Verna-based NE Technologies Pvt Ltd. Department sources stated that the firm has already shown demo of the software and formal contract commissioning it in the system would be signed shortly. The software will have entire data of the student right from his admission to the ITI till he passes out from the institution. The information will be fed into the system as and when it is (Continued on page 10)
him quitting as he is not a President. “To step down from what? I am just a symbol. Power is in the hands of the people,” he said. “This is a conspiracy to grab our oil resources.” Amid growing international isolation, Gaddafi called for the United Nations and NATO to a “set up fact-finding committees” to find out how people were killed and what had happened in Libya. He accused the UN of passing resolutions condemning Libya based on “false reports” and he challenged the world body to investigate. He blamed the foreign forces for the events in Libya, saying it was “a conspiracy” to colonise the country and seize its oil resources. “Don’t trust the foreign media”. The message of defiance came as the Libyan strongman unleashed his force of heavily armed mercenaries who stormed the rebel-held oil exporting terminal town of Brega, with the US warships taking up positions off the north African country’s coast.
Verdict on CVC appointment today The SC will pronounce its verdict on March 3 on petitions challenging the appointment of P J Thomas as Central Vigilance Commissioner. — (PTI)
That's about your future, now what about mine? Can you do something for 90 years and above?