Briefly nation

Fifteen years after he was caught for illegal possession of a leopard skin in 1995

Poacher Sansar Chand convicted

New Delhi: Fifteen years after he was caught for illegal possession of a leopard skin in 1995,a court here convicted notorious poacher Sansar Chand,holding him guilty of violation of the Wildlife Act. The judgment was pronounced by the court of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Special Acts Digvinay Singh on Saturday and the sentence is scheduled to be announced on August 25. He might face jail sentence from one to six years besides a fine, said Saurabh Sharma,Wildlife Trust of India lawyer,who assisted the prosecution led by Atiq Ahmed.

2 militants killed in Manipur encounter

IMPHAL: Two suspected militants were killed in an encounter with security forces at Tairenpokpi village in Senapati district,officials said on Sunday. The security personnel recovered a AK-56 rifle,gun,11 shells,a .32 pistol with 120 ammunition from the militants after Saturday nights encounter,they said.

55-year-old widow holds swayamwar

AHMEDABAD: Bhanumati Rawal,a 55-year-old widow deserted by her children,selected her partner by holding a swayamwar here on Sunday. Bhanumati from Anand district selected Rajendra Rawal,in mid-fifties,from Mansa in Gandhinagar,as her partner out of the 36 persons participating in the swayamwar. Being old should not stop you from living your life. At this age I decided not to hide from the society but face it, said Bhanumati. The swayamwar was organised by NGO Vina Mulya Amulya Seva.

Former Arunachal CM summoned

ITANAGAR: Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang has been summoned by the Special Investigation Cell SIC to appear before it on August 24 for interrogation in the multi-crore scam related to public distribution system. The SIC constituted by the state government has started the trial into the over Rs 1,000 crore scam under the supervision of Gauhati High Court. The state exchequer suffered a loss of Rs 500 crore due to the scam.

India 78th best country: Newsweek

NEW YORK: India ranks 78th on the Worlds Best Countries list compiled by Newsweek magazine,which placed nations on the basis of health,education,economy and politics. China is ranked 59th while Bangladesh and Pakistan has been placed at 88th and 89th spots respectively. Japan,South Korea and Singapore are the only three Asian countries in the top 20. The top four positions go to Finland,Switzerland,Sweden and Australia.

Bus washed away in flood waters,2 dead

SOLAPUR: A Maharashtra State Road Transport bus was washed away in flood waters killing the bus driver and the conductor in Akkalkot taluka on Sunday. According to the police,the driver failed to judge the intensity of the water flowing over the bridge between Qazikanbas and Kini village in Akkalkot tehsil and tried to cross it. One person,Shantayya Swami 43,had a close shave.