Bomb kills Afghan police commander

NEW: Three people are killed in second bombing in eastern Afghanistan, officials sayNEW: At least 18 people are killed in two bombings in Afghanistan, officials sayNEW: Statement: An explosion in southern Afghanistan occurs when a vehicle hits a roadside bombNEW: Among the dead are eight children, according to the Ministry of Interior

Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- A roadside bomb blast Saturday killed 15 people, including eight children, in a volatile province in southern Afghanistan, the Ministry of Interior said.

The explosion followed a suicide bombing hours earlier in eastern Afghanistan that killed a commander of a police force and two others.

The explosion in the south occurred when "a civilian vehicle hit a roadside mine" in the Lahore district of Kandahar province, the ministry said in a statement.

Four people, including a woman, were wounded in the explosion, the statement said.

Once considered a stronghold, the Taliban has been losing its grip on Kandahar in recent months. But it continues to keep its grip on eastern Afghanistan.

Earlier, a suicide bomber detonated explosives outside a police station in the Khost province, killing three people, said Arif Pashton, a provincial council member.

There were conflicting reports about whether a child was among the dead in that explosion.

Pashton said all three killed were police officials but Hedayetullah Hamidi, the acting chief at Khost hospital, said one of the fatalities was a child.

He said 23 people were wounded.

Conflicting casualty reports are not uncommon in the aftermath of an attack.

Among the dead, according to Pashton, is the commander of Khost's quick reaction police force -- a special operations unit.

CNN

Blue Angels commander steps down after subpar performance

The Blue Angels have canceled several performances because of the shakeup in leadership.Cmdr. Dave Koss says he is "voluntarily leaving the greatest flight demonstration team"His decision comes on the heels of a lower-than-normal maneuver during a May 22 performanceThe Navy flight team cancels some scheduled appearances

(CNN) -- The commander of the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels stepped down Friday in the wake of a subpar performance at a Virginia air show this week.

"I performed a maneuver that had an unacceptably low minimum altitude. This maneuver, combined with other instances of not meeting the airborne standard that makes the Blue Angels the exceptional organization that it is, led to my decision to step down," Cmdr. Dave Koss said in a statement, referring to the Lynchburg, Virginia, Regional Airshow.

He will be replaced by Capt. Greg McWherter, who was the flight demonstration team's previous commander.

Air shows have been in the spotlight recently because of concerns over safety.

A pilot performing stunts in an east Florida air show in March died in a fiery crash when the Russian military plane he was flying in broke formation and fell to the ground.

Also in March, engine trouble at an air show in Texas caused a plane to plummet, leaving a white trail behind as it dove toward a wooded area. The two stunt pilots onboard survived.

The Blue Angels have canceled performances at the Rockford, Illinois, Airfest June 4-5 and the Evansville, Indiana, Freedom Festival Air Show June 11-12 because of the shakeup in leadership.

CNN

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Ex-U.S. commander in Iraq may run for Senate in Texas

Updated at 10 a.m. ET

Several news organizations are reporting that retired Army lieutenant general Ricardo Sanchez, a former commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, is close to mounting a bid for the U.S. Senate in Texas.

Politico confirmed that Sanchez, who retired in 2006, appears to have been recruited by Democrats for the race to succeed GOP Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, who is not running for re-election next year.

Sanchez was commander of coalition forces in Iraq at the time of the Abu Ghraib scandal, in which Iraqi prisoners were abused during aggressive interrogations. Sanchez, who now lives in San Antonio, told The Monitor of McAllen, Texas, in 2006 that he was forced to retire because of Abu Ghraib. In his 2008 memoir, he was critical of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war.

Democrats face an uphill battle in Texas, where Republicans hold every major statewide office. Republican John McCain easily won the 2008 presidential campaign in Texas, outpacing Democrat Barack Obama, 55%-44%.

Still, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray placed Texas on her list of six states that her party can win in the 2012 elections. Part of that, she said, is attributed to the changing demographics of the state, which has grown and become more Hispanic since the 2000 Census.

Matt Canter, a DSCC spokesman, had this to say about Sanchez:

General Sanchez has spent his entire life serving our country, and there's no question he would be a strong candidate if he decides to continue to serve his country in the U.S. Senate. He has a tremendous life story, growing up poor, rising to the rank of general in the Army, and bravely leading more than a hundred thousand troops in both Gulf Wars. He would bring a new perspective to the Senate, as well as a proven commitment to our nation's security and the men and women who fight to protect it. He's exactly the kind of independent leader who can win in Texas.

A host of big-name Republicans -- including Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, former Dallas mayor Tom Leppert, and former Texas Railroad commissioner Michael Williams -- are considering running for the GOP Senate nomination in Texas next year.

Brian Walsh, communications director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said today that the GOP looks forward to hearing Sanchez's stance on issues. The NRSC stands ready for a fight.

"Whomever the Democrats ultimately nominate, Republicans can only hope that person campaigns side-by-side with Barack Obama in Texas and national Democrats decide to spend millions of dollars in the Lone Star state," Walsh said.

Sanchez's candidacy was first reported by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The retired officer said he would "neither confirm nor deny" his possible candidacy.

Tags:Kay Bailey HutchisonPatty MurrayRicardo Sanchez .div-wrapper

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