Update:
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra has been evacuated amid reports of a “suspicious package”.
Fairfax Media reports ACT Police is investigating the suspicious package which was located in the canteen this afternoon.
“About 1.45pm, ACT Policing received the report of the suspicious package at DFAT on John McEwen Crescent,” police said.
“ACT Policing provided a coordinated response and cordoned the area as a standard safety precaution.”
“Evacuations are underway at DFAT and road closures implemented.Members of the AFP Bomb Response Team are in attendance.”
1. Sydney Siege
Police have stormed the Sydney Lindt Café where a 19-hour siege came to an end in the early hours of this morning.
A hail of bullet fire and gun grenades were used. Three people have died including the gunman, four have been injured.
The gunman has been named as Man Haron Manis. NSW Police Comm Andrew Scipione said that police acted after they heard gunshots inside the building just before 2am.
Police have confirmed 17 hostages were inside the Cafe.
The Prime Minister has said that the National Security Committee of cabinet would meet early this morning.
For more:
- Injuries: There are three people confirmed dead in the gunfire. A policeman was shot in the face. For more go here.
- NSW Police Comm Andrew Scipione has commended the actions of our police saying “They have saved lives.” For more on this go here.
- The gunman has been identified as a self-described cleric, Man Haron Monis aged 50 who came to Australia as an Iranian refugee. For more on him go here.
- For details on the exclusion zone and traveling through the city of Sydney today go here.
- The Prime Minister has released a statement saying “Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the hostages.” For more go here.
- For the reaction of Islamic leaders go here.
- To read of how Australians have fought back against Anti Islamic sentiment go here.
- For one man’s brief encounter of the gunman before the siege go here.
2. Teenager killed by shark attack
An 18-year old from Mossman in far north Queensland has been attacked by a shark and killed in front of friends at the Rudder Reef, north of Port Douglas yesterday.
18-year old Daniel Smith was spearfishing with two of his friends who had used a tinny to get to the reef.
The teenager was not airlifted by QLD Ambulance Service because the chopper was available.
Queensland Ambulance Service spokesman Greg Thiedecke told The Cairns Post that Daniel’s injuries were so severe he was unlikely to have survived even if a chopper had been able to reach him.
3. Babies babies everywhere
Data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has shown that for the first time in five years there has been an increase in births.
307,474 women gave birth to 312,153 babies in 2012.
The average age of mothers is up to 30.1 years compared to 29.5 ten years ago.
42 per cent of women giving birth in 2012 had their first child.
The report showed that the rate of teen births is falling, down to 3.6 per cent compared to 4.6 per cent in 2003.
The perinatal death rate was 9.6 per 1000 births, with a devastating 7.2 stillbirths per 1000 births.
4. Dangerous fire conditions
By ABC
The Country Fire Authority (CFA) has forecast dangerous fire conditions for Tuesday as a fire burns out of control near the Victorian-NSW border.
Lightning from a band of storms moving across central and north-eastern Victoria sparked at least 12 fires on Monday.
Top Comments
Just the facts, Jack!
Despite the sad events, I have to say that Virginia Trioli's interview with his lawyer this morning was breathtakingly unprofessional. She was so out of her depth and really inappropriate and offensive, trying to make his lawyer responsible, and also coming to swift conclusions pre-interview 'in her view' as if she were a witness, rather than sticking to facts.
I felt similar (and I really like Virginia Trioli) and felt the lawyer was very professional and eloquent....