Pa. day care center ordered closed after 4 toddlers wander away, are found next to busy road

PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania welfare officials have ordered the closure of a day care center after four toddlers wandered 200 yards away from it and were found by truck drivers along a busy road.

Too much government? Activists strike out for the woods and a route back to America’s roots

LANCASTER, N.H. — He fled the “People’s Republic of Massachusetts” to escape tyranny. Now he strides the campground in a plaid kilt and mirror shades, an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle across his torso, an immense Scottish sword sheathed between his shoulders.

Primary foes line up as potential challengers to senators in Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky

WASHINGTON — When it comes to next year’s primaries, three senators probably are feeling a lot like Rodney Dangerfield: They can’t get any respect.

265,000 people fled Sri Lanka conflict zone, says UN

GENEVA - The UN refugee agency said Monday that 265,000 people have fled the conflict zone in northeastern Sri Lanka in the last several months.

RJD, SP offer support to new UPA government

NEW DELHI - With their vote tally having plummeted, former UPA allies Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Samajwadi Party (SP) Monday sounded chastened as they offered the new United Progressive Alliance government their unconditional support and said they were not interested in being part of the new ministry.

Mamata demands Buddha’s resignation

KOLKATA - After handing West Bengal’s ruling Left an electoral drubbing, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, saying it was democratic ethics to respect and accept the people’s verdict.

Bank guard shot dead while resisting robbery in Delhi

NEW DELHI - A bank guard was shot dead Monday by two armed men when he tried to foil a robbery and save the life of one of the bank’s customers, police said. The robbers fled with Rs.1.8 million cash belonging to a petrol pump owner.

Somnath guns for Karat, says he should step down

KOLKATA - Gunning for Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat’s head for the Left’s electoral mauling, expelled party member and Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee Monday said the ‘needle of responsibility’ points at Karat and he should consider resigning.

Prabhakaran’s death evokes mixed feelings, security tightened in Chennai

CHENNAI - Relief and frank disbelief - as news came in that Tamil Tigers chief Velupillai Prabhakaran had actually been killed, some in this Tamil Nadu capital said it was long in coming and others simply refused to believe it was true.

Celebrations in Sri Lanka as news of Prabhakaran’s death spreads

COLOMBO - LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran’s death, bringing down the curtains on his 25-year-old armed struggle for a separate Tamil state, sparked off celebrations in the island nation Monday.

McGain hopes to make it to Ashes squad

SYDNEY - Australian Test spinner Bryce McGain, who is hoping to make it to the Ashes squad, believes the national selectors are confused about picking Nathan Hauritz over him.

Shocked by poll defeat, Chiranjeevi’s fan commits suicide

HYDERABAD - A fan of Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi has committed suicide following the poor showing by Chiranjeevi’s Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) in Andhra Pradesh elections.

Omar Abdullah lends “unconditional support” to UPA govt.

SRINAGAR - Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said the National Conference (NC) would provide “unconditional support” to the UPA Government.

Chiranjeevi leader of PRP legislature party in Andhra

HYDERABAD - Actor-turned-politician Chiranjeevi was Monday unanimously elected as the Praja Rajyam Party’s (PRP) leader in the Andhra Pradesh assembly.

UPA tally one up after Ladakh MP joins NC

SRINAGAR - The independent MP from Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir joined the National Conference (NC) Monday bringing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) tally to 263 in the newly elected Lok Sabha.

Prabhakaran: From catapult killer to ruthless insurgent (Obituary)

NEW DELHI - His first victims were squirrels and birds, and his first weapon a humble catapult. From such beginnings, Velupillai Prabhakaran — who died ignonominiously Monday — grew to be the world’s most shadowy and ruthless insurgent who at one time lorded over vast areas in Sri Lanka’s northeast.

PM meets Patil, submits resignation of cabinet

NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday met President Pratibha Patil and submitted the resignations of the members of his council of ministers. Manmohan Singh, who also formally stepped down as prime minister, was asked to continue till the formation of the next government.

Independent MP from Ladakh joins UPA

SRINAGAR - The independent MP from Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir joined the National Conference Monday bringing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA) tally to 263 in the newly elected Lok Sabha.

Barcelona beaten by Mallorca, Atletico fourth in Spanish League

MADRID - All seven games Sunday in the Spanish Liga were home wins, completing a weekend that, for the first time in years, saw no away wins at all.

SDF wave hits Sikkim, majority of opponents lose deposits

GANGTOK - With Chief Minister Pawan Chamling’s Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) sweeping the elections, over 64 percent of assembly poll nominees and 70 percent of the candidates for the state’s lone Lok Sabha seat have lost their deposits.

Ministers quit after cabinet meeting, PM to call on Patil

NEW DELHI - All union ministers submitted their resignations to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will give his own letter and that of his cabinet to President Pratibha Patil in the afternoon.

Barca’s trouncing of Real Madrid convinced Ronaldo to stay on at Man U: Fergie

LONDON - Manchester United manager is of the view that Real Madrid’s trouncing by Barcelona in La Liga convinced striker Cristiano Ronaldo to stay on at Old Trafford.

Four killed in Kerala clashes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - Four people were killed in this Kerala capital Sunday after clashes between groups of two communities forced the police to open fire, an official said.

Paswan says not supporting Congress was a mistake

NEW DELHI - After Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Chief Lalu Prasad, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Sunday admitted that not supporting the Congress was a big mistake.

McCullum reported for dissent against umpire’s decision

JOHANNESBURG - Kolkata Knight Riders captain Brendon McCullum has been reported for showing dissent against the umpire’s decision during the Indian Premier League (IPL) match against Deccan Chargers Saturday.

Mamata alleges rigging by CPI-M in West Bengal

KOLKATA - Alleging that the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) had indulged in rigging in several West Bengal Lok Sabha constituencies, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Sunday threatened to move the Election Commission and take legal action against the state’s ruling party.

Five children drown in Delhi

NEW DELHI - Five children between 10 and 14 drowned in separate accidents in the national capital, police said Sunday.

LTTE ends armed struggle; questions remain about Prabhakaran

COLOMBO - Sri Lanka’s Tamil Tiger guerrillas announced dramatically Sunday they were calling off their quarter-century long armed struggle citing the deaths of thousands of civilians as speculation gripped the country that the elusive Velupillai Prabhakaran may be dead.

Kings XI Punjab beat Deccan Chargers by one run in IPL thriller

JOHANNESBURG - Kings XI Punjab skipper Yuvraj Singh’s took his second hat-trick, as his team beat Deccan Chargers by one run in an Indian Premier League (IPL) thriller here on Sunday.

BJP does flip-flop over Advani, blame game begins

NEW DELHI - A day after its humiliating defeat, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Sunday gave conflicting signals about the possibility of its prime ministerial candidate L.K. Advani’s quitting as leader of opposition.