Cops: 1 son escapes as Fla. dad kills family, self

A 13-year-old boy ran through a garage to escape his family's slaughter at the hands of his father, who then took his own life on their front lawn, authorities said.

Investigators said Monday they had not found any suicide note, and a motive for the killings late Sunday remained unclear. They said Troy Ryan Bellar, 34, shot and killed his wife, Wendy Bellar, 31, and their 5-month-old and 8-year-old sons before killing himself outside their home in Lakeland, located between Tampa and Orlando.

Another son, 13-year-old Nathan Bellar, was pursued through the garage by his father, evaded several gunshots, and made it safely to a neighbor's house. The boy was being …

Little Batavia has big weapon in Fisher

Not only are the western suburbs loaded with powerhouse boys'soccer programs (six teams among the Chicago Sun-Times' pre-seasontop 16) but this area also looms as one of the deepest in the state.

The west standard-bearer should be Batavia, with its version of the "Young Guns" looking for a sequel to last season'squarterfinal finish. With a trio of experienced underclassmen ledby sophomore Mike Fisher (40 goals), Batavia should once again blazea victorious trail across the west.

In hot pursuit of Batavia will be physically imposing NapervilleNorth, which will be seeking its fifth straight Du Page Valley title.

Defending West Suburban Gold champion …

Viktor Bout files new appeal against extradition

BANGKOK (AP) — Accused Russian arms trafficker Viktor Bout filed a last-ditch appeal Friday to try to stall his extradition to the United States, where he faces terrorism charges.

Bout's lawyer, Lak Nittiwattanawichan, said the Criminal Court has not said whether it will agree to hear the appeal.

The effort would appear to lack legal standing, since the court's ruling Tuesday that Bout is seeking to appeal said prosecutors, rather than the defense, had the right to appeal.

The court's dismissal Tuesday of additional charges against Bout cleared the way for a previous ruling allowing the extradition to proceed. The earlier decision said the extradition must take place …

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NATO has picked Britain's ambassador to Kabul to be its new civilian representative in Afghanistan, who will administer reconstruction efforts and act as a counterpart to the military commander, U.S. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, officials said Tuesday.

Two diplomatic officials speaking separately said ambassador Mark Sedwill has been appointed to the post. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

Sedwill, 45, served as a UN weapons inspector in Iraq in the 1990s. He has been ambassador to Kabul since April 2009.

NATO spokesman's office said it could not confirm the report, but Secretary-General Anders Fogh …

Djokovic eases into us semis

Tennis: Third seed Novak Djokovic, above, saw off Spanish veteranCarlos Moya 6-4, 7-6 (9-7), 6-1 to book his US Open semi-final spot.

The 20-year-old edged a tight first set by breaking serve at 5-4.

The Serb then survived a set point in the second-set tiebreakbefore winning it with a brutal forehand.

A downcast Moya was broken in the first game of the third set andDjokovic hit cruise control to wrap up the match.

Djokovic will meet Spain's David Ferrer in the semi's aftersweeping aside Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela 6-2, 6-3, 7-5.

golf: Former Open champion Lawrie was at Muirfield Primary School,Mastrick today to highlight the work at the school to …

Mmm, mmm, delicious

All-natural soup really is good food

While there may not be any scientific studies proving that soup will help you live to a ripe old age, really good soups are chock full of healthful "anti-aging ingredients," such as hearty vegetables, beans, and whole grains. And it sure does taste good, too.

The simplicity of soup

Sometimes anything more complicated than opening a can is out of the question. The solution? A whole crop of Campbell's alternatives that prove soup really is good food. Natural soups come in a huge variety of forms and flavors: ready-togo stocks for your own recipes, creamy bisques and chowders, and bean-packed single servings to tote to work and …

Treasury: Support for mortgage giants needed

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Congress needs to quickly approve a support package for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to make sure the two mortgage giants maintain their critically important role in housing finance.

Paulson said Tuesday that the continued operations of Fannie and Freddie _ which guarantee or own almost half of the home mortgages in the country _ would be "central to the speed with which we emerge from this housing correction."

Paulson made his comments in a speech in New York in which he again sought to reassure Americans that despite the recent turmoil, the nation's banking system is fundamentally sound.

Treasury …