Civilians, not Tigers, our concern, says India
Pranab meets Rajapakse
Colombo/New Delhi, January 27
As India’s fears mounted for Tamil civilians trapped in the war zone in Sri Lanka, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee tonight held urgent talks with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse.

Editorial: End of LTTE

Arrest warrants against Prabhakaran again Colombo: A Sri Lankan court has reissued arrest warrants against elusive LTTE supremo V Prabhakaran and three others in connection with the assassination of former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. — PTI

Venkataraman dead
Seven-day state mourning, Beating The Retreat cancelled
New Delhi, January 27
Former President R Venkataraman died following a multiple organ failure here today. The 98-year-old veteran leader — who was admitted to the Army’s Research and Referral Hospital here on January 12 with complaints of Urosepsis, a toxic condition caused by the extravasation of urine into bodily tissues — passed away at around 2.30 pm.

Nation page: RV — A copybook President

Former President R. Venkataraman 1910-2009

US cuts terror aid to Pak
Islamabad, January 27
The US deducted $55 million under its reimbursement programme for expenses incurred by Pakistan on the war on terror after American auditors raised objections to a claim submitted by the country. (Details in World page)

World page: ‘We are not your enemy’

RBI keeps rates steady, cuts growth forecast
Mumbai, January 27
The RBI in its monetary policy review for the last quarter of the current financial year has left all key rates unchanged. The apex bank today announced that the bank rate, repo, reverse repo and the cash reserve ratio would be maintained at current levels.

Business page: Industry disappointed
Editorial: RBI opts for status quo

Satyam names bankers
Hyderabad: The fraud-hit Satyam Computers today announced appointment of Boston Consulting Group as its management adviser and Goldman Sachs and Avendus as investment bankers to assist in the revival process and assured the anxious employees that their salaries would be paid on time. (Details in Business page)

14 kg of heroin seized from Samjhauta
Amritsar, January 27
Custom sleuths seized 14 kg of heroin, worth Rs 70 crore in the international market, brought from Lahore by four Indian nationals, including two women, on the Samjhauta Express at the Attari Railway Station yesterday. They had been caught following a tip-off from intelligence agencies. They boarded the train from Lahore, a custom official said.

Five convicted in German tourist rape case Chandigarh, January 27 Additional District and Sessions Judge Raj Shekhar Attri today convicted five persons in the infamous German tourist rape case. The accused, Manvir Singh Jolly, Pankaj Punia, Harpreet Singh Dalli, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhi and Sompal, were convicted under Sections 376 2(g) (gang rape), 473 (display of a fake number plate) and 363 and 366 (kidnapping) of the IPC.