Wellington - A group of Indians who disappeared in New Zealand while reportedly on their way to Australia to see the Pope began going home on Sunday, news reports said. 

About 40 young Indian men who joined a Catholic pilgrimage to the World Youth Day festival in Sydney that was scheduled for a week-long transit stop in Auckland, paid immigration fraudsters in Delhi half a million rupees believing that they were buying permanent residence in New Zealand. 

The men, mainly from the Punjab region, abandoned their Catholic family hosts as soon as they realized they had been taken for a ride and went to ground after failing to check in for their scheduled flights to Sydney on Tuesday. 

New Delhi, July 20 : Nine attempts have been made by the government of the day to secure a vote of confidence since 1979.

Of these nine attempts, six have been unsuccessful and three successful, which speaks volumes about the import of coalition politics in the Indian context in the last three decades.

In 1979, Chaudhary Charan Singh was the first Prime Minister of the country to be asked to prove his majority after the Congress withdrew its support to his government. He, however, opted to resign rather than face Parliament.

New Delhi, July 20 : Seven politicians from different parties are emerging as the key movers and shakers ahead of the crucial July 22 vote of confidence moved by the Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government.

They are Amar Singh of the Samajwadi Party, Pranab Mukherjee and Ahmed Patel of the Congress, Sharad Pawar of the National Congress Party, Mayawati of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Prakash Karat of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and N. Chandrababu Naidu of the Telugu Desam Party.

Srinagar, July 20 : Kashmir has a bumper crop of plums this season and farmers hope that the total turnover will be around 500 metric tones.

"Last year it was only 2 to 2.5 thousand tones because of adverse weather conditions and this year the target is 500 metric tones," said M S Qasba, Director, Department of Horticulture.

"This year the crop has been very good because snowfall took place at the right time. The plums are juicy and very sweet this year," said Zahoor Ahmad, a plum dealer.

Kashmir, known for its meadows, pine forests and snow-capped peaks, is popular for its fruits and dry-fruits as well.

Srinagar, India- At least 12 Indian soldiers

The government of India has given nod to set up eight new IITs in the country at a cost of Rs6080 crore. The total numbers of IITs will be 16 in India following this announcement.