It was a heartwarming story for legions of pet owners and animal lovers around the world.Pope Francis, talking to a distraught boy whose pet had died, declared there was a place in heaven for the creatures we share our lives with.
Dozens of hostages were trapped inside a central Sydney cafe on Monday, with local television showing some being forced to hold up a black flag with white Arabic writing in the window, raising fears of an attack linked to Islamic militants.
Several proposed new gun laws await the new Texas legislature when it opens next month, including one to allow open carrying of handguns in public and another providing a sales tax holiday for firearms purchases.