Quicktakes — Jnanapeeth awardee Karanth critical

GUWAHATI: AT least 27 persons, including 23 jawans of the India Reserve Batallion (IRB), were feared killed and several others injured when suspected Kuki militants ambushed a convoy of security personnel in Churachandpur district of Manipur today.

Lanka battle

COLOMBO: Hundreds of soldiers and Tamil Tiger guerrillas are believed killed or critically wounded in a pitched battle in northern Sri Lanka when the militants offered stiff resistance to troops attempting to clear a land route to Jaffna through territory controlled by the LTTE. Unconfirmed reports said 50 soldiers were killed and nearly 600 hurt.

Astronauts return

CAPE CANAVERAL: Space shuttle Columbia’s astronauts returned to earth today following a two-week science mission, an inquiry awaiting them because of a botched satellite release. The shuttle with India-born Kalpana Chawla on board landed a little earlier than sunrise on the runway at Kennedy Space Centre.

Bihar carnage

ARA: At least 45 extremists of the banned Ranvir Sena, private army of land-owners, have so far been arrested as the intensive combing operation continued after 61 persons were massacred by Sena men at Lakshmanpur-Bathe village on Monday.