Iraqi soldiers enter besieged refinery...35 killed in Afghan attack...Stormy weather in Texas

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraqi soldiers have surrounded and entered the country's biggest oil refinery, which has been besieged for days by Islamic State militants. The top military commander in the province says ground forces entered the refinery at Beiji (BAY'-zhee) today, days after Islamic State militants carried out a large-scale attack and briefly took over a small part of the sprawling complex. The refinery accounts for a little more than a quarter of the country's entire refining capacity.

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan (AP) — An Afghan official says at least 35 people have been killed and 125 wounded in a suicide bombing in the eastern city of Jalalabad. It happened outside a bank where a crowd of soldiers and civilians had gathered to receive their monthly salaries. The Afghan president says the Islamic State group has claimed responsibility.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is urging the European Union to do more to help Italy cope with rapidly mounting numbers of refugees. Towns in Sicily are running out of places to shelter the waves of desperate people making their way across the Mediterranean on smugglers' boats. More than 10,000 have arrived in Sicilian ports just this week. Since the start of 2014, nearly 200,000 people have been rescued at sea by Italy. The pope met with Italy's president today.

HOUSTON (AP) — More thunderstorms are forecast for parts of Texas today. Parts of the state were pounded yesterday with high winds and heavy rains, and funnel clouds were reported in South Texas. Lightning was blamed for an explosion yesterday at an oil tank in Karnes City, south of San Antonio, that sent flames more than 100 feet into the air.

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — A man who was driving through Ohio with four caged puppies on the roof of his minivan says he didn't think he was doing anything wrong. He was taking the 3-month-old puppies on a 300-mile trip to his wife's family in Pennsylvania. But the sight sparked dozens of calls to 911 centers in northeastern Ohio. The Akron Beacon Journal reports that police didn't charge the man, but educated him on proper transportation of animals. The puppies appeared shaken, but otherwise fine.

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