Hunt on for missing Indian student in New Zealand (Lead, Changing Dateline)

October 14th, 2009 AUCKLAND - The family of missing Indian student Srikanth Rayadurgam prayed today for his safe return, but is prepared for the worst. Rayadurgam's sister Padam and her husband Nagesh Kakanoor spent the morning at the Ganesh Hindu Temple at Papakura in south Auckland.

October 12th, 2009 WELLINGTON - New Zealand police searching for a two-year-old girl who disappeared in an Auckland suburb a week ago found a child's body in a drain Monday night, police said. The parents of Aisling Symes, who was last seen Oct 5, were told of the discovery although it was not immediately confirmed that the body was of their daughter, Inspector Gary Davey told reporters.

October 12th, 2009 NEW DELHI/AUCKLAND - The Indian Government on Monday said it was in touch with the New Zealand Government and its High Commission in that country over investigations related to a missing 23-year-old Indian-origin student, even as his relatives suggested that he could have been a victim of a racist attack. Indian High Commission officials also said that they were actively collaborating with the New Zealand authorities on the matter.

October 9th, 2009 WELLINGTON - Indian student Srikanth Rayadurgam has been missing ever since he withdrew cash from an ATM in the New Zealand city of Auckland over a week ago, and his family now fears the worst. The family of the 23-year-old is desperately looking for him after the Auckland University of Technology student went missing Oct 1, TVNZ reported Friday.

September 30th, 2009 WELLINGTON - More than 6,000 people were reported homeless Wednesday in South Pacific island states as the official toll from the huge earthquake and tsunami that ravaged the region climbed past 110. Authorities in Samoa, where at least 20 villages and several tourist resorts were wiped out, reported 83 confirmed deaths and said 3,000 people required shelter after every house on the southern coast of the main island Upolu was destroyed or badly damaged.

September 12th, 2009 WELLINGTON - Two India-born men have been appointed senior officials of the India-New Zealand Business Council, a body set up to promote trade between the two countries. Prominent Auckland-based businessman Wenceslaus Anthony will be the new chairperson of the council, while Wellington-based New Zealand-India trade specialist Raga D'Silva will be the new deputy chairperson.

July 20th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Indian Army chief General Deepak Kapoor arrived Monday in the US on a week-long visit for talks with top military officials including Defence Secretary Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen. On his first visit to the US as the Indian Army chief, Gen.

June 18th, 2009 Australia, NZ to study Antarctic whalesWELLINGTON, New Zealand — Australia and New Zealand announced Thursday a non-lethal whale research expedition to the Antarctic, a direct challenge to Japan's research program that kills up to 1,000 whales a year. The six-week expedition, to set sail in a New Zealand ship early next year, will prove that whales can be studied without killing them, the two governments said in a joint statement.

June 9th, 2009 GUWAHATI - A twin-engine Indian Air Force (IAF) AN-32 cargo aircraft with 12 defence personnel on board went missing Tuesday after it took off from a forward air base in the northeastern state of Arunachal Pradesh bordering China, officials said. While the IAF has declared the plane to be "missing", no contact with it had been established with it till 10 p.m., eight hours after it went missing off the radar screens, and it is feared to have crashed, other officials said.

June 3rd, 2009 WELLINGTON - Indian students based in Australia may opt to go to neighbouring New Zealand if the racially motivated attacks Down Under don't stop. Education New Zealand chief executive Robert Stevens said he had been in touch with the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise office in India yesterday, urging the office to market New Zealand and Australia as "totally different societies".

April 9th, 2009 CHANDIGARH - Indian students continue flocking to New Zealand for higher education and the number has increased by 300 percent in the last six years, says a diplomat from that country. 'India is a big market of talented students for us.

April 9th, 2009 WELLINGTON - A 78-year-old Indian immigrant, who is said to have lived by the principles of Mahatma Gandhi, has been beaten to death in a road rage incident in New Zealand. Jasmatbhai Pancha Patel died in Auckland Hospital Wednesday afternoon, a day after he was pulled out of his car and beaten following what witnesses described as a minor vehicle collision in suburban Mount Albert.

April 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Hundreds of students, clutching brochures and study certificates, thronged the day-long New Zealand Education Fair held in the capital Sunday. Parents with their children, groups of school-going teenagers and graduates sauntered through the stalls put up by 25 participating institutions and universities.

April 4th, 2009 WELLINGTON - India took a 182 run lead against New Zealand in the first innings of the third and final Test against New Zealand here Saturday. Replying to the Indian total of 379, New Zealand were shot out for 197 on the second day of the Test.

February 24th, 2009 AUCKLAND - The New Zealand cricket team has roped in former India coach John Wright to help them prepare for the series starting Wednesday. Wright, a former New Zealand captain, was India's first overseas coach and also guided them to the final of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa.