In brief: Bomb hits convoy of Afghan officials

KABUL, Afghanistan – A convoy carrying senior Afghan officials was hit by a bomb Sunday in northern Afghanistan, the third time in three days prominent Afghan politicians were attacked. Unlike the previous two bombings, no one was killed.

There have been no claims of responsibility from the Taliban or other insurgent groups.

In Sunday’s attack, the bomb was detonated by remote control, leaving little doubt that the official convoy was the intended target, said Mahmood Haqmal, a spokesman for the provincial government. He said two men had been arrested in connection with the attack, but had no details about their possible role.

The convoy was carrying the minister of higher education, Obaidullah Obaid, and the Baghlan governor, Munshi Abdul Majid. Traveling with them were two members of parliament and the head of the Baghlan provincial council. None of the officials was hurt in the explosion, but two policemen escorting the convoy were injured.

Astronauts lift off for space station

BAIKONUR, Kazakhstan – A Russian Soyuz craft launched into the morning skies over Kazakhstan on Sunday carrying three astronauts on their way to the International Space Station, where they will quickly start preparing for a frenzy of incoming traffic.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, Russian cosmonaut Yury Malenchenko and Japan’s Akihito Hoshide are set to travel two days before reaching their three colleagues at the permanent space outpost.