Merchants robbed off three kilo gold

MADURAI: In a daring heist, an unidentified gang robbed golden jewels weighing three kilograms from two Kerala-based gold merchants after spraying chilly powder on their face in the city, Wednesday. Police said the merchants namely Jothi Rafel (40) and Vinod Kumar (36) from Thrissur came to Madurai in the wee hours. The merchants used to get orders from the local jewel shops to make variety of fancy golden jewels and supply them.

When they were on their way to the house of a bullion trader to supply golden jewels, they were waylaid by a six-member-gang at Sunnambukara Street. The gang members pounced on them and sprayed chilly powder. The gang robbed the yellow metal jewels and managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

The value of the robbed jewels was estimated at around Rs 1.50 crore. On a complaint from the merchants, police registered a case and launched a hunt to nab the culprits.

Merchants robbed off three kilo gold

MADURAI: In a daring heist, an unidentified gang robbed golden jewels weighing three kilograms from two Kerala-based gold merchants after spraying chilly powder on their face in the city, Wednesday. Police said the merchants namely Jothi Rafel (40) and Vinod Kumar (36) from Thrissur came to Madurai in the wee hours. The merchants used to get orders from the local jewel shops to make variety of fancy golden jewels and supply them.

When they were on their way to the house of a bullion trader to supply golden jewels, they were waylaid by a six-member-gang at Sunnambukara Street. The gang members pounced on them and sprayed chilly powder. The gang robbed the yellow metal jewels and managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

The value of the robbed jewels was estimated at around Rs 1.50 crore. On a complaint from the merchants, police registered a case and launched a hunt to nab the culprits.

Leopard attacks woman

MALAPPURAM: A woman from Chunkathara in the district suffered severe injuries after a leopard attacked her. She was attacked while she was engaged in cutting grass in the forests. She has been admitted to the hospital.

Leopard attacks woman

MALAPPURAM: A woman from Chunkathara in the district suffered severe injuries after a leopard attacked her. She was attacked while she was engaged in cutting grass in the forests. She has been admitted to the hospital.

Fire at US n-power plant

WASHINGTON: A fire broke out in a nuclear power plant in Texas in the US, forcing one of two units to be shut down, a media report said Wednesday.

No injuries were reported in Tuesday's fire in the Unit 2 main transformer of the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station near Bay City, 140 km from Houston, Xinhua reported.

Officials said the fire was quickly put out. The unit was automatically taken offline but the other transformer remained in operation. A spokesperson said the fire posed no hazard to the public or to plant workers. The plant with two 1,350-MW generators serves two million users.

Fire at US n-power plant

WASHINGTON: A fire broke out in a nuclear power plant in Texas in the US, forcing one of two units to be shut down, a media report said Wednesday.

No injuries were reported in Tuesday's fire in the Unit 2 main transformer of the South Texas Project Electric Generating Station near Bay City, 140 km from Houston, Xinhua reported.

Officials said the fire was quickly put out. The unit was automatically taken offline but the other transformer remained in operation. A spokesperson said the fire posed no hazard to the public or to plant workers. The plant with two 1,350-MW generators serves two million users.

12 killed in Pak drone strike

ISLAMABAD: A senior al-Qaeda operative is believed to be among 12 people killed in two US drone strikes in Pakistan’s lawless North Waziristan tribal region. Al-Qaeda operative Sheikh Yasin Al-Kuwaiti, his wife and daughter were among eight persons killed when drones fired eight missiles at a house in Haiderkhel village in North Waziristan tribal agency on Tuesday, an unnamed senior security official was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper on Wednesday. Al-Kuwaiti had married the daughter of a local tribesman, the official said. “Eight missiles were fired on the compound he was living in with his family. His house has been turned into rubble,” he added. Unconfirmed reports from the region said the dead included two Uzbek militants. In another strike that took place 15 minutes after the first one, four people were killed and two wounded at Hassokhel village. Local residents said they believed the dead were local militants. Pakistani militants, who control the region bordering Afghanistan, cordoned off the area struck by the drones and took away the bodies and the injured. There has been a surge in drone strikes in North and South Waziristan, with five attacks recorded since the beginning of the year. Mullah Nazir, a pro-government warlord who sent his militants across the border to attack foreign forces in Afghanistan, was killed in a drone strike last week.

12 killed in Pak drone strike

ISLAMABAD: A senior al-Qaeda operative is believed to be among 12 people killed in two US drone strikes in Pakistan’s lawless North Waziristan tribal region. Al-Qaeda operative Sheikh Yasin Al-Kuwaiti, his wife and daughter were among eight persons killed when drones fired eight missiles at a house in Haiderkhel village in North Waziristan tribal agency on Tuesday, an unnamed senior security official was quoted as saying by Dawn newspaper on Wednesday. Al-Kuwaiti had married the daughter of a local tribesman, the official said. “Eight missiles were fired on the compound he was living in with his family. His house has been turned into rubble,” he added. Unconfirmed reports from the region said the dead included two Uzbek militants. In another strike that took place 15 minutes after the first one, four people were killed and two wounded at Hassokhel village. Local residents said they believed the dead were local militants. Pakistani militants, who control the region bordering Afghanistan, cordoned off the area struck by the drones and took away the bodies and the injured. There has been a surge in drone strikes in North and South Waziristan, with five attacks recorded since the beginning of the year. Mullah Nazir, a pro-government warlord who sent his militants across the border to attack foreign forces in Afghanistan, was killed in a drone strike last week.

Sensex declines 76 points ahead of earning season

MUMBAI: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday closed 76 points down as investors indulged in trimming their positions ahead of the quarterly earning season. The Sensex ended with a loss of 75.93 points, or 0.38 per cent to 19,666.59. The gauge touched the day’s high of 19,824.06. Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty lost 30.20 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 5,971.50, after rising to 6,020.10. Brokers said the market moved between gains and losses after a drop in software exporting companies, countering a rise in auto and healthcare sectors. Market is likely to be volatile for this remaining week and may also witness profit-booking on rallies, he added. In 30-BSE index kitty, 19 shares declined led by software exporters, consumer durables and metal sectors. A recovery in auto, refinery and drugmaker sectors capped a major loss. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd fell by 1.74 per cent to Rs 1,275.75 and second most heavy and software exporter Infosys by 0.56 per cent to Rs 2,328.20 before its earnings on Friday. The oil and gas sector led by Reliance Industries and auto stocks were in demand on expectations of a hike in product prices. Tata Motors Ltd, owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, jumped by 3.98 per cent to a record high of Rs 326.65 after Credit Suisse Group raised the target price. The FMCG sector suffered the most by losing 1.26 per cent to 5,810.51 as ITC retreated 1.93 per cent to Rs 279.80 and Hindustan Unilever, the biggest household products maker, shed 0.91 per cent to Rs 520.36. In the metal sector, Tata Steel, the biggest maker of the alloy, fell 2.54 per cent to Rs 422.70, while mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corp, fell by 1.04 per cent to Rs 830.90.

Sensex declines 76 points ahead of earning season

MUMBAI: The BSE benchmark Sensex on Wednesday closed 76 points down as investors indulged in trimming their positions ahead of the quarterly earning season. The Sensex ended with a loss of 75.93 points, or 0.38 per cent to 19,666.59. The gauge touched the day’s high of 19,824.06. Similarly, the broad-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty lost 30.20 points, or 0.50 per cent, to 5,971.50, after rising to 6,020.10. Brokers said the market moved between gains and losses after a drop in software exporting companies, countering a rise in auto and healthcare sectors. Market is likely to be volatile for this remaining week and may also witness profit-booking on rallies, he added. In 30-BSE index kitty, 19 shares declined led by software exporters, consumer durables and metal sectors. A recovery in auto, refinery and drugmaker sectors capped a major loss. Tata Consultancy Services Ltd fell by 1.74 per cent to Rs 1,275.75 and second most heavy and software exporter Infosys by 0.56 per cent to Rs 2,328.20 before its earnings on Friday. The oil and gas sector led by Reliance Industries and auto stocks were in demand on expectations of a hike in product prices. Tata Motors Ltd, owner of Jaguar and Land Rover, jumped by 3.98 per cent to a record high of Rs 326.65 after Credit Suisse Group raised the target price. The FMCG sector suffered the most by losing 1.26 per cent to 5,810.51 as ITC retreated 1.93 per cent to Rs 279.80 and Hindustan Unilever, the biggest household products maker, shed 0.91 per cent to Rs 520.36. In the metal sector, Tata Steel, the biggest maker of the alloy, fell 2.54 per cent to Rs 422.70, while mortgage lender Housing Development Finance Corp, fell by 1.04 per cent to Rs 830.90.