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Protected from the ocean by a nature-made low wall of rocks the calm turquoise waters of the natural pools at Carapacho on Graciosa stay at a pleasant temperature practically all year long if the currents are too strong for a safe swim.) While this village in the southeast is more popular during the thermal season, typically from May to September, visitors head to Termas do Carapacho It is believed that the water in both the natural pools and the thermal baths has healing properties A native of the Azores, Sandra Henriques is the author of the Lonely Planet’s new Pocket Azores. The newly formed Vasco Goans Association (VGA) in the UK celebrated the feast of their patron St Andrew at the St Anselm’s Church Southall with a Mass and a social gathering on November 30 A number of people hailing from Vasco and others parts of Goa who are settled in the UK attended the event The celebration began with a Eucharistic celebration led by Fr Stephen Dias of the Pilar Society Fr Stephen highlighted the significance of St Andrew in proclaiming Jesus to people.  The priest later blessed holy pictures of St Andrew which was presented by the VGA VGA President Teodoro Colaco announced the formation of the new association and its visions.  Manuel D’souza (for the choir sound system) Clifford Fernandes (for sponsoring snacks and refreshments) and all who attended the Feast Mass.  the people proceeded to attend the Dine and Dance event at the Saffron D’or Banquet Hall at Lady Margaret Road Southall.  Music consisting of traditional Goan songs and modern hits was provided by the bands ‘Royal’ VGA President Teodoro Colaco said the purpose of forming the association was bring together the Goan diaspora who emigrated from Goa in search of better prospects acceptable ideas and inclusive efforts of people who have a common goal to continue our Goan culture The VGA has its prime objective to preserve Konkani language theatre/drama Colaco hoped that all members and well-wishers would be united and work together towards the success of the VGA UK is open to all those who hail from Mormugao Taluka and invited people from this area to join as members of VGA A number of games like housie and a raffle and spot prizes were conducted at the gathering the function was sponsored by various organisations and individuals The buffet included traditional Goan cuisine and other popular dishes The VGA General Secretary Fraizer Fernandes thanked all sponsors for their generosity towards the event as well as the enthusiastic participation of the guests He said the VGA looks forward to continuing this tradition in the years to come.  The VGA felicitated a number of Goan personalities on the occasion in recognition of their outstanding services in the UK Mayor of Swindon Imtiyaz Shaikh was felicitated for his achievements in the UK and his contributions to the welfare of the Goan community in the UK.  Vasco Goans Association committee members along with the seven guests who were felicitated at the event.Tommy Alfonso (Junior Nelson) was felicitated in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the Konkani Tiatr while Felicidade P Rebelo (Felcy) was also honoured for her services Lourence Gomes was felicitated for his achievements in football while Lanisha and Delisha Vaz were honoured as melodious Konkani stars Secretary to the High Commissioner at the High Commission of India) was felicitated for his outstanding contributions to the Goan community in the UK and ensured Goa’s presence in the Indian High Commission and international platforms Deeply committed to Goan values and identity while also balancing his professional duties with social and religious commitments Barreto was honoured as a beacon of Goan heritage Zeferino Barreto was honoured for his supportive services and as a dedicated committee member of the year 2024 All those felicitated thanked the VGA for the felicitation and assured all possible support in future The newly-formed VGA committee comprises of Teodoro Colaco (President) Fraizer Fernandes (General Secretary) Pritam Gaonkar (Treasurer) Bertrand Fernandes (Sports Secretary) and Zeferino Barreto (Social Secretary) The Cultural Executive Committee Members are Lloyd Fernandes The Sports Committee Members are Dionisio Fernandes The Social Executive Committee Members are Ernesto Carvalho Socoor Marcel Joseph and Cliffer Fernandes Professor Renata Medina da Silva and doctorate student Amanda Simão Dias strengthen partnership and develop new research projects with the Swedish university The partnership between PUCRS and Linnaeus University (LNU) has become continuously stronger over the years New unfoldings and connections have led to the development of research projects in the field of environmental microbiology in addition to student and professor mobility between both institutions professor and researcher from the School of Health and Life Sciences Renata Medina da Silva and doctorate student from the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology Amanda Simão Dias went to Linnaeus University with the incentive of PUCRS’s CAPES-PrInt Program Professor Renata went on a work mission, in May, to consolidate the research partnership and to broaden cooperation possibilities in different fields of knowledge. The professor has a connection with the university since 2018 and, now, she develops studies with LNU’s Centre for Ecology and Evolution in Microbial Model Systems the PUCRS researcher could take part in the work routine of Dr Farnelid’s group and set in motion a joint project Renata is advisor of the doctorate student Amanda Simão Dias who is taking her sandwich doctorate through the PUCRS-PrInt Program at LNU the three researchers were able to meet to discuss Amanda’s experiments The PUCRS doctorate students is assessing the profile of marine bacteria’s resistance to antibiotics for her thesis on the impact of the consumption of these medications in the marine environment The doctorate student Amanda is spending one semester in professor Hanna Farnelid’s researcher center at LNU the student from the Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Biology is assessing the expression of some resistance genes in marine bacteria in different conditions (change of nutrients and temperature) trying to come close to a more “natural” condition found in oceans and seeing if the expression of these genes is somehow altered when in an environment that is more similar to the original the LNU laboratory provided an opportunity for sequencing the genome of these bacteria The doctorate student explains that genomic sequencing in Brazil is expensive but in Sweden it is more common and accessible the opportunity has added a lot in Amanda’s academic journey and provided important data for future research carried out at PUCRS’s Laboratory of Immunology and Microbiology and the result can be studied in various approaches “Sweden is a calm and safe country that invests in scientific research and is concerned with the future of the environment and the impact we are causing in it because of this I can confirm there is no country that is more aligned with my research goals than Sweden I am very satisfied with my research and I thank my advisor the PRINT program and CAPES for the opportunity of expanding my research and adding impact to it,” highlighted the researcher professor Renata was able to discuss new potential partnerships with other researchers from the same LNU research field in microbiology like professors Karin Holmfeldt and Catherine Legrand the PrInt program and the goals of all its PCIs to the person in charge of the University’s internationalization department this offered a rich exchange of information and a diagnosis regarding new potential research partnerships between PUCRS and LNU Renata was able to participate in a seminar of papers by doctorates from LNU’s department of Biology and Environmental Sciences which broadened her knowledge on projects the university is developing in the areas of biodiversity and ecology The professor also gave a lecture for professors and students from this same department general information on the country and the state of Rio Grande do Sul and research projects she develops in the University in the field of environmental microbiology “The work Mission at Linnaeus University I took part in through PUCRS-Print was an excellent and fruitful experience because it promoted the maturing of the PUCRS’s relationship with LNU an important understanding of its great disposition and structure to welcome foreign researchers and students and the creation of new opportunities for colleagues and students from PUCRS who wish to interact with this excellent and welcoming Swedish university,” concluded Renata PANAJIThe Association of Senior Citizens of Taleigao organized “Seniors Have Talent” contest recently at the St Michael’s Community Centre Antonio Barreto and Jasmina Pereira were declared winners in the singing competition Remedios Simão Dias with a personally contrived instrument Linda Diniz Braganza on the keyboard and João Pedro Viegas on the harmonica emerged winners The singing and instrumental music were judged by Cezar D’Mello while the poetry recitation was evaluated by Dr Glenis Mendonca Eurico Noronha proposed the vote of thanks.