. >> australian police confirmed that three are dead and 4 injured after the 16-hour siege in downtown sydney. the victims included 2 hostages, 38-year-old man in a 38-year-old woman. and the gun man, a 50-year-old man. in a news conference that 17 hostages total had been accounted for. we found out that a police officer suffered a non-life-threatening loan to the face -- wounded to the face that we don't have information on his injury at this point. >> how did the situation unfold? >> the crisis came to an end after heavily armed police lint chocolate cafÉ

>>> breaking news this morning on "world news now" -- the siege in downtown sydney. a gunman takes hostages inside a chocolate shop. >> this is a very disturbing incident. >> all the developments and dramatic pictures during this tense day in australia's biggest city. >>> what bill cosby is saying about the growing sex assault scandal and about his wife as he faces even more fallout. >>> later, taking action. thieves taking packages from front doorsteps. one homeowner fighting back. >> i snapped your picture. i've got your picture. i'm going to call the cops. >> a daring move following a rash of threats. it's monday, december 15th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >>> good morning. i'm reena ninan. >> hello. i'm t.j. holmes. >> a gunman took the hostages at a popular cafe not far from the famed opera house during the middle of monday morning traffic. they ran into the arms of police. australian police believe this man seen moving around behind glass and apparently acting alone is holding several people hostage inside a cafe in the central busine

>>> breaking news this morning on "world news now" -- the siege in downtown sydney. the terrifying ordeal in australia's biggest city. the dramatic developments and pictures coming in. >>> the crisis at sony. hackers releasing more damaging and embarrassing information from the moviemaker. what the company is planning to do today. >>> on the spot. a woman busted for stealing three eggs from the supermarket. what the police officer decided to do. the act of humanity and generosity that you have to see. >>> in "the skinny," barbara walters' most fascinating people of the year. so many headliners and celebrities and only one person topping that list. it's monday, december 15th. >> announcer: from abc news, this is "world news now." >> good morning to you. i'm reena ninan. >> i'm t.j. holmes. we start with breaking news. the tense hostage situation in australia paralyzing downtown sydney. >> several terrified captives managed to escape in two waves, running to the safety of waiting police officers. you can see the terrified looks right there on their faces. >> the hostag

very busy area in downtown sydney.you so much. >> you bet. >> keep it right here on "newsnation." we'll be right back. y tuned... pen. get zero due at signing, zero down, zero deposit, and zero first month's payment on select new volkswagen models. emma, it's simple, when you are in a place like this, the best way to capture the moment is to feel it, even if you can't see it. you pay your auto insurance premium every month on the dot. you're like the poster child for paying on time. and then one day you tap the bumper of a station wagon. no big deal... until your insurance company jacks up your rates. you freak out. what good is having insurance if you get punished for using it? hey insurance companies, news flash. nobody's perfect. for drivers with accident forgiveness, liberty mutual won't raise your rates due to your first accident. see car insurance in a whole new light. liberty mutual insurance. we used to have so many emptymom!ls! that's why we switched to charmin ultra mega roll. charmin ultra mega roll is 75% m

this is a cafe in downtown sydney. i mean, it's hard to imagine a softer target, is it? >> no. i mean there's a randomness to this lone wolf dynamic which is very disturbing and it's, as we've all discussed, a huge challenge for those in the intelligence field and law enforcement. this is sort of the terrorism paradigm going forward and there's no place really that's off limits. >> you know, the sydney police a couple months ago said that they had prevented a random attempt to grab somebody off the streets in sydney and behead them. i'm wondering if you can give us insight as to how many of these lone wolf events are actually stopped and thwarted by authorities around the world every week or every month? i mean is this common? it just doesn't often come to fruition? >> i would -- there are many that are disrupted we won't hear about because they want to protect their methods and intelligence. there's some that we will hear about and some where we -- people will say look, that was a very inept group and they were led into this by law enforcement through an undercover operation.

insurance. >>> and we are continuing to follow breaking news out of sydney, australia, where an armed hostage stand-off in a downtown cafe there has ended. police stormed that cafe to end the seige where a gunman held hostages for more than 16 hours. there are unconfirmed reports out of sydney that two of those hostages are dead along with the gunman himself. that suspect identified as a 50-year-old self-proclaimed cleric, man horan monis. he has a criminal record and has sent hate letters to families of dead australian soldiers. >>> let's come back to u.s. politics. the former florida governor, jeb bush, now taking steps that many are saying shows that he may be moving closer to a 2016 presidential bid. bush says he will real all his emails from his time as governor along with an ebook on policy. he will later give a commencement address to the university of south carolina. in the meantime on friday, 300 former obama campaign staffers signed a letter urging senator elizabeth warren to run for president. so could warren challenge hillary clinton for the nomination or at least force her to move more to the left? let'

. > is it >>> hostages run to safety in downtown sydney in australia.e are trapped inside a cafe being held by an armed man. the city central's business district is shut down. major buildings have been evacuated >>> you're watching al jazeera, i'm david foster, we are following a developing story live from australia. >>> also - south sudan, we report from mallet

an unknown number of people are being held hostage at a cafe in downtown sydney. here is a live picture. you see the officers standing there. the hostage drama is now in its 13th hour. it started when a gunman entered a cafe, took everyone inside hostage. video by an australian tv station shows people inside with their hands pressed against the glass. two hostages were seen holding up a flag with a declaration of islamic faith that has often been used by extremists. five people ran out of the cafe about six hours into the crisis. police are negotiating with the gunman. they don't believe anyone has been hurt. they have not confirmed the motive is related to terrorism. count on nbc 10 to stay on top of this breaking news as we continue to learn new information. >>> 6:04. today a delaware county family is getting some help from the red cross after fire destroyed their home yesterday. the family of eight was able to escape after the basement of their home on 22nd street in chester caught fire. crews faced some extra obstacles, too, trying put out this fire. one of th

. >> reporter: the takeover of the cafe spread terror through downtown sydney which is normally packed with office workers and tourists. >> a woman shouted out he has a gun, everybody ran away. >> reporter: officers are swarming the streets and iconic landmarks have been evacuated. >> reporter: president obama was among the first of the world leaders to be briefed, the u.s. consulate was evacuated. abc news, washington. >> "good morning america" will have more on hostage situation in australia coming up immediately after this broadcast at 7:00 a.m. >>> happening today, president obama will thank military families for their service and sacrifice. he'll travel to burlington county. this marks the end of the america's combat mission in afghanistan. it is home to active duty, guard and reservists and civilians and family members. >>> a controversial plan to close including in neshaminy. the meeting will disclose plans to close 3 elementary schools and build a large new one. the hearing beginning at 7:00 p.m. tonight. >>> monday one of three teenage girls accused in a violent spree near tem

. >> the takeover of the cafe monday morning spread terror through downtown sydney which is normally packed with office workers and tourist. some customers inside the cafe managed to escape. >> a woman just shouted out, a gun and people start he running like crazy. witnesses saw man with a sawed off shotgun. >> police pushed bystanders to safety. >> he yelled at me to get out. i walked towards him and he grabbed me and ushered me quickly around the corner. >> it is not known how many hostages are inside the cafe. >> we are at this stage continuing to secure and make sure that we're doing all we can to bring this to a peaceful outcome. i have full confidence in the police commissioner and the incredible work of the police force. >> abc news, new york. >> to weather now. another storm reached the bay area tonight. storm clouds have painted the skyline. and now to san rafael, highway 101. now a live look at doppler 7 hd. >> we have seen light rain fall in parts of the north bay's sky 7 or rather live doppler 7 hd showing you light rain as well falling over the peninsula and sfo has had

. >>> australia is in deep mourning following the deadly end of that siege at a cafe in downtown sydney, a flower memorial to the two hostages that died is growing throughout the morning and prime minister tony abbott is talking about the grief. >> the spontaneous shrine that is growing is an expression of innate goodness and dignity is part of the authori part of the australian people. >>> a young boy that became an honorary member of the south jersey fire department has been laid to rest, this is video of aiden rival being sworn in, aiden had lost his battle with cancer and was fighting leukemia since he was 1 years old. they learned of his dream of being a firefighter and his name is on rosters of fire departments around the world and today he gets the honor of a firefighter's funeral. >>> "action news" was at the salvation army community center where volunteers from the radio station mor fm guided parents through a treasure trove of gifts, even small gifts mean so much. >> a secret santa is making this a special christmas for 100 central pennsylvania families. >> my name is keesha c

police now say that hostage situation at a downtown sydney cafe is over. these are live pictures from the scene. officers stormed the cafe just within the last hour. police are not releasing any other details. it is unclear if anyone, including the gunman, was injured, but people were seen being brought out of the cafe on stretchers. up to ten hostages escaped before police stormed in. the motive of this attack is also unclear, but police have identified the gunman as an iranian-born man and two hostages did hold up a flag that has often been used by islamic extremists. >>> now, your nbc 10 first alert weather. >> we are off to a mild start to the workweek. here is a live look. billy penn, center city. we can expect some sunshine today, find out when that will get here. also, more rain is on the way. let's get the timing on both those with nbc 10 first alert meteorologist bill henley. >> the operative word is "some sunshine" and it really depends where you are. clouds are hanging out over the city. this is a live view at the nbc 10 studios, and the clouds

. >> now to the latest on a deadly standoff inside a cafe in downtown sydney australia.ame to an end just after 2:00 a.m. sidney time. terrified hostages sprinterd to the safety of waiting police officers as swat teams moved in with flash bang grenades and guns drawn. when it was all over, three people including the suspected gunman were all dead. abc's karen travelers is keeping up with the story live in washington, d.c. with the full story. karen. >> reporter: good evening sharrie. australian authorities say they heard gun shots and that's when they decided to storm inside that cafe. there were 17 people inside when man monis took them hostage. some were able to escape before the gunfire. others not so lucky. the dramatic nearly 16 hour standoff in sydney ended like this. in a hail of gunfire and flash bangs. three people dead including the lone gunman, four others injured. >> in the past 24 hours this city has been changed by a tragedy that none of us would have ever imagined. >> reporter: the incident began at about 9:30 local time monday morning in the heart of down

but australians are waking up to a big part of their downtown area in sydney now declared an exclusion zone. some areas are shut off. some of the local public transportation in that area has been suspended, all of it making absolute sense. but it will have the residual effect that there will be a fear element, no matter how resilient they are, no matter how much they go on, when they wake up to these types of images and the possibility that terror has struck home, it willing an element of fear for some people. >> and what that means for australia and their own counterterrorism measures, how they take that into account and what this means for them going forward in terms of vulnerabilities. >> well, they have known about this threat now for are some time. they have been monitoring individuals, not just australia, but as well new zealand had a similar problem. and even the magnetic appeal of isis and terrorism has drawn people from as far away places as australia. this has been on the radar for australian officials for some time. i think the immediate concern for officials is whether or n

a sea of flowers now lies in martin place in downtown sydney near the cafe where the hostage drama unfolded. earlier in the day, prime minister tony abbott and his wife came to express their solidarity. numbers of the muslim community also came. >> we are here to show our support, not make a statement. all muslims are for australian -- are for australia and we support that. >> one of the dead was a barrister and mother of three and children. the other was the manager of the cafe. reports say he was killed while trying to grab the gun from the hostage takers. he is being hailed as a hero. >> i can't say enough about it. it doesn't surprise me. he never would have left his staff. >> a memorial service was held at st. mary's cathedral, close to where the siege occurred. these events have deeply shocked australians with people saying they have lost their innocence as a nation stop -- as a nation. >> in the united states, presidential elections are still two years away but jeb bush has announced he's actively exploring the possibility of running in 2016. the son of one president and the brother

>> reporter: milissa, it has been 13 hours now since a gunman stormed the lindt cafe in downtown sydney. we know that five hostages have been able to make it out of that cafe as it is now very late at night in australia, authorities say their plan for the rest of the evening and into the next day is to try and get those hostages, the remaining hostages out of the lindt cafe as safely as possible. they have confirmed that no one has been injured, but remaining tight lipped on how many hostages remain in that cafe building. they have refused to say whether or not the five hostages that we have seen emerge from the building were released by the hostage takers or whether or not those people managed to escape on their own. we are continuing to get more information about what is going on inside. reports suggest that there may be about 15 hostages alive in the cafe have now been switched off. negotiations are under way with the individual that remains in that cafe building. and authorities say that they know who he is, and he is known to police. this all coming at the same time as a number of

emotions are running high in australia following monday's hostage siege in a downtown sydney cafe.re has been widespread commentary online, with messages of condolence flooding into the families of the two people killed by the hostage taker, a heretical islamist who moved to australia in 1996. while it was a time for reflection some took to the web to show solidarity with members of the muslim community. thousands have been posting under ata hashg -- a hashtag responding to people who are afraid the hostagetaking will cause an islamic phobic i -- i slamophobic backlash. they offered to ride with people to work to prevent any form of abuse. many sydney residents follow their lead. as we see from these photos shared on twitter. scores of people from brisbane and melbourne have also shared support with the muslim community, offering anyone who needs company on public transport. they hope these actions will prevent anti-islam sentiment spreading across australia. the twitter handle has a lot of followers in india. it is also pretty controversial. the man behind it tweets extremist prop

in heart of downtown sydney. suspect identified as 50-year-old if man taking over the cafe holding 17 people hostage. authorities say he was a self-proclaimed islamic sheikh and alleged sexual predator well known to them. he made headlines last year when he pleaded guilty to sending angry hateful letters to the family of fallen australian service members. during the standoff 2 hostages seen through wind 0holding up a black flag showing a muslim professional state. several women up load video to you tube saying he was demanding an isis flag and conversation with australia prime minister. >> only asking for flag and phone call and that's it. >> some hostages were able to escape. just after 2:00 a.m. local time the more than 16 hours after it began, the standoff ended. >> i believe at that time if they didn't enter they would have been many more lives lost. >> 3 people dead including the man. officials say it was an isolated incident. the act of one individual. abc news washington. >> he was accused of killing his e

it comes after the deadly hostage incident at a cafe in downtown sydney last weekend.tate department issued the worldwide travel alert. u.s. citizens should be aware that terrorist groups can pose unpredictable threats and may target:ywañ hotels, shopping ar and places of worship. >>> the salvation army issues an urgent plea for donation. well, you know that familiar ringing of the bell. well, this year, donations to the red kettle campaign are down 50% of the overall goal. the salvation army is concerned with the level of need on the rise and with only a few days of fund raising left. the money raised helps support 250 community programs in our region. >>> this tree was at the center of a major controversy and tonight, redding's charlie brown christmas tree is at the center of a celebration. the skrauny spruce was lit during a rededication ceremony in penn square. some people in redding kblaned and was topped with a pretzel but city leaders decided to keep it and invited the community to give it a nice makeover. >>> from our delaware bureau, a judge said stockholders

this attack as you know happened in the heart of downtown sydney. ived in australia for seven years now. i'm back and forth to sydney. it's a beautiful place. it's the heart of the financial district, the political district the u.s. consulate only a block from where the attack took place. the australian reserve bank which is the equivalent of the federal reserve across the street. suddenly those buildings and the sydney opera house being evacuated. the police doing everything they could to keep the situation calm and to try to make everything work according to plan. almost 3:00 in the morning there was a turn. something happened and in those final moments police rushed in to the building and what prompted the move. we don't know but we know 11 hostages were out and we've seen four stretchers. that's the state of where we are with that sydney siege tonight. >> sara james, thank you very much for your report l. you were first on the information giving us the identity of this gunman and continued your coverage which has been spot on. thank you very much

new pictures from a cafe in downtown sydney where a number of people are visible in the shop windows waving and holding a black flag with air big text. the banner reads in part there is no god but allah. police evacuated the usually busy shopping area on a monday morning. many roads are closed off and train service has been suspended. more later on this developing situation, as we have it right here. now to "pot barons of colorado". ♪ >>> welcome to colorado. >> the jungle, baby. >> land of the legal weed. >> yeah! >> and home to america's latest billion dollar industry, marijuana. >> this is part of history because what did the end of alcohol prohibition mean to that generation? dynasties. >> i took everything i had, 401s and i.r.a.s and dropped it in to this. >> we're in a once in a lifetime position. >> the demand is higher than the supply. >> we grew close to a thousand percent. >> this year we'll do 12 million. >> i'm talking all chips in. >> i hate to fail. >> we want to be the costco of marijuana. >> in this episode you will step inside the grow rooms, storefronts and cannabis

with now identified who the gunman is who is holding hostages in a cafÉ in downtown sydney.with more. what do we know? one of the newspapers here, as we are going to bed with overnight traditions. islamic -- he has been named as the man still behind this. known tois well police. he is allegedly on bail, charged with accessory to the murder of his ex-wife last year. inefugee who arrived australia in 1996 and also has written to the family of deceased australian soldiers in afghanistan and iraq. all of this is coming out in the last five minutes or so. it is certainly still very much breaking news. of thecription 49-year-old fits the image we have seen of a middle-aged man standing in a cafÉ, the pictures we have seen. been proof of this gunman. >> doesn't seem more like this is a lone gunman acting out on motives,ith his own rather than a suspected terrorist with formal ties to islamic state? >> we would certainly hope so. the police commissioner indicated about four hours ago or so now that they were not concerned that there were other operations going on in sydney and that

there have been claims that bombs have been placed inside the cafe and in the downtown area of sydney. those have not been confirmed. five people have gotten out. they were not released. they actually fled. there has been a massive police effort surrounding this place. the downtown area of sydney has been completely evacuated. police say they are in contact with the man, negotiating with the man. indications are they want to let this play out so there are not any casualties. this is being treated like a terror act. it is not being called terror yet but those references to isis perhaps a lone wolf terror attack but a lone would feel can be as dead -- a lone wolf can be as deadly as the real thing. >> the police say the situation is now a negotiation and they intend to pursue it peacefully. there you can see one of the -- keep in mind initially the, they were not going to confirm the police were -- what the gunman was asking for. he had a flag like an isis flag but asked for an official one. he asked to talk to the prime minister. we know the prime minister has gone on twitter as well b

pass >>> hostages run in downtown sydney australia - others are still trapped inside a cafe held by aman believed to be armed. sydney's central business district has been locked down, major buildings have been evacuated. >>> you're watching jazz rsh, i'm david foster, more on that -- al jazeera, i'm david foster, more on that developing story. in the next 30 minutes - south sudan a year on. we report from m

pass >>> hostages run in downtown sydney australia - others are still trapped inside a cafe held by a man believed to be armed. sydney's central business district has been locked down, major buildings have been evacuated. >>> you're watching jazz rsh, i'm david foster, more on that -- al jazeera, i'm david foster, more on that developing story. in the next 30 minutes - south sudan a year on. we report from mallakal coming back to life leaving thousands dead. >>> the former vice president again defends the c.i.a.'s torture techniques >>> now, the latest developments out of australia - hostages still held in a sydney cafe. and that and the security forces action and response to that brought much of the central business district to a stand still. in the last two hours, we have seen two hostages running from the building. not known if they escaped or were released. a little earlier three others made it out through the fire exit. no idea at the moment how many people are inside. police will not say. some have been seen with hands pressed against the windows. 9:45 in the morning when it was

>> ukee, 8:08 right nowment memorial is quickly growing at downtown sydney at the site after deadly hostage stand-off. three people were killed, including the gunman, when police stormed that cafe in sydney's financial district yesterday. cbs news core upon dent susan macinnis with more. >> people of sydney are outraged. >> just terrible. it is horrifying. it is hard to comprehend. a travesty. >> australian prime minister tony abbott and his wife laid flowers, near the lindh chocolate cafe in downtown sydney where the 16-hour siege began on monday and ended early tuesday, when police stormed the store, killing man moon he is, but not before two hostages died. >> several escaped, four were injured, including a policeman. well known to authorities as having violent criminal history, meant at instability, extremist views. free on bail, monday, he had been charged as accessary to his ex-wife's murder. but monis wasn't on terror watch list. >> all outraged, at this guy was on the streets. >> authority stress the gunman acted alone, and was not part of a larger terrorist plot. susan macinnis, "ey

heavily armed teams of police stormed the lindt clock late cafe in downtown sydney where a gunman hadeen holding 17 hostages. the police action came just moments after a group of hostages began running from the building. >> they made the call because they believed at that time if they didn't enter there would have been many more lives lost. >> reporter: seeks news confirms the suspect is a iranian born man mon this a self described cleric. one of the captives listed the gunman's demands. mon this could be seen in grainy video pacing back and forth. the 50-year-old had a lengthy criminal record and was already known to authorities. he had asked for an isis flag to be delivered to the cafe. >> it is an isolate the incident. do in the let this incident bring about any loss of confidence about working or visiting in our city. with the act of an individualism a handful of hostages escaped the cafe earlier in the standoff. after it was over others were carried out on stretchers. two died along with the gunman. police are counseling family members not far from the crime scene. craig boswell

in heart of downtown sydney.ct identified as 50-year-old if man taking over the cafe holding 17 people hostage. authorities say he was a self-proclaimed islamic sheikh and alleged sexual predator well known to them. he made headlines last year when he pleaded guilty to sending angry hateful letters to the family of fallen australian service members. during the standoff 2 hostages seen through wind 0holding up a black flag showing a muslim professional state. several women up load video to you tube saying he was demanding an isis flag and conversation with australia prime minister. >> only asking for flag and phone call and that's it. >> some hostages were able to escape. just after 2:00 a.m. local time the more than 16 hours after it began, the standoff ended. >> i believe at that time if they didn't enter they would have been many more lives lost. >> 3 people dead including the man. officials say it was an isolated incident. the act of one individual. abc news washington. >> he was accused of killing his ex-wife

sydney, australia. you're looking at video shot moments ago from the lindt chocolate shop in martin place, a big pedestrian mall downtown in sydney's central business district. it's a possible spot for tourists and also people going to work. you think, you know, monday morning there. there is very little information at this time. what we don't know, how many possible hostages are there? how many people could be holding them at this point in time? the new south wales police tell us this. let me read you this quote. "all we can confirm at this time is that there is a police operation taking place. we are recommending that no one goes near that area. we're trying to establish exactly what is happening. we also have an affiliate, news 7 on the ground in sydney, they say there are two gunmen involved. and cnn cannot independently confirm that. we're getting new information coming from our affiliate. our affiliate on the ground telling us that around 9:44 a.m. local time, remember, it's monday morning there, a woman right there in sydney's central business district saw a man with a blue sports bag. she thought it was a gun. s

. >> the 9 takeover spread terror through downtown sydney normally packed with office workers and tourists. >> a woman shouted "he has a gun," and everyone ran like crazy. >> armed officers are swarming the secrets and several landmarks have been evacuated. >> state department released a statement saying hearts and prayers go out to those hell hostage -- held hostage. matt? >>> thank you. uber is criticized for hiking prices during the siege in sydney officially tweeted that it increased fares to encourage more drivers to pick up passengers near the stand off. after outbreak sprouted, they backed down and said they would offer free rides from the area. >>> police are investigating a shooting that left three people injured at 10:00 last night in pittsburg. three people were taken to the hospital with wounds. though word on the suspects or what led us to the shooting. >> country leaders are calling a police officer in san jose to be fired for threatening remarks post on his twitter page. the officer's tweet were those protesting deadly police brutality saying if anyone feel they cannot breat

outcry hit social media and uber responded by promising free rides and refunds for people fleeing downtown sydney. our coverage of this story continues in "nightly news" in 20 minutes. we have a report from sydney. brian williams has more on the background of the lone gunman and his possible motivation. ♪ got to get free got to get freedom ♪ >>> another loud and emotional demonstration in the east bay. this time demonstrators close down streets and briefly disrupted operations at the oakland police department. i'm jody hernandez in oakland where now a nighttime gathering is about to get under way. >>> i'm robert handa live in san jose. controversial tweets from a police officer have the department scrambling to control community anger. >>> it's been talked about over 20 years. tonight it's millions of dollars closer to becoming a reality. why the feds could be the key to an earthquake warning system here in california. >>> crimes going unreported at sea. >> the more i delve into it, the more i realize there's a darker side. >> three years ago we started asking questions. now a major new developme

at 9:45 police are called to the lindt chocolate cafe in downtown sydney. the busy heart of the business district in australia's biggest city. 17 hostages inside. they're forced to hold up a flag showing the islamic declaration of faith written in arabic. one after another hostages stand in the window at gunpoint, some for hours. others later post the gunman's demands on social media. he wants an isis flag and to talk to the australia prime minister. as the news spreads, air traffic over sydney is diverted. there are evacuations, the sydney opera house, the u.s. consulate, which issued an emergency warning to americans. and directly across from the cafe, the channel 7 newsroom, where a police sniper takes up a position. >> we saw some chilling scenes as the gunman forced these hostages up against the glass window. >> reporter: the gunman is spotted through the window, later identified as iranian-born man haron monis, a sheikh on bail facing murder charges of his ex-wife. six hours into the crisis, three hostages escape. 9:00 p.m. the cafe lights go out. the

>>> hostages run to safety in downtown sydney, australia, others are trapped in a cafe, held by an armed men. the city central business district is in lock down, major buildings have been evacuated. we'll be live in sydney for a moment. this is al jazeera live from do doha. also ahead - the battle for libya - 16 die in violence near the border with tunisia >>> no trains or planes, belgium grind to a stop as a 24 hour strike gets under way >>> we begin in australia where an armed man is holding an unknown number of people hostage inside a cafe in central sydney. this is the scene in martin place, which has been in lock down since this siege started at 9:45am local time. it's 10 o'clock at night, and much of the area remains cordoned off. we'll be live in sydney with correspond andrew thomas in a moment. first a look at how the events unfolded. >> reporter: this woman is running from the scope of a hostage taking in sydney. a number of people have escaped from a cafe where they were held near martin place station. others were trapped inside, and have been all day. prime minister tony abbot

the sea of flowers in downtown sydney grows every hour. >> an act of humanity just because of what happened. >> reporter: just a block from the cafe where the 16-hour siege ended early tuesday. many australians watching it live. the lindt cafe is so close to the newsroom of channel 7, one of australia's biggest broadcasters, that the network set up cameras facing the windows so police could watch and snipers perched in the balcony with this vantage point as the hostage crisis unfolded. one sniper watched and waited for hours along with cameraman greg parker who captured unforgettable images of terrified hostages standing at the window at gunpoint. >> it was genuinely horrible. in 20 years, you know, it's very rare to come across such upsetting footage. >> reporter: his camera even picked up the police sniper's words when they both heard a single shot. the hostage down was tori johnson, the cafe manager, killed as he reportedly tried to wrestle the weapon from the gunman. >> it doesn't surprise me. he was never going to leave. he never would have left his staff there. >> reporter: katrina da

a gunman took several people hostage inside a cafe in downtown -- downtown sydney. brian flores has more information about the man believed to be responsible. >> it remains a very tense situation. it's in the early-morning hours in sydney. we continue to watch the live news feed from this cafe in sydney. it appears another hostage has managed to escape. that brins the total number who escaped to six. at this point, they continue to have some type of contact with the gunman, authorities do, and they hope this ends peacefully. we understand that authorities know who the gunman is. through several media reports he's identifieded at 51-year- old man monice. he's a self-described cleric. he has a criminal history including reports of being accessory to murder of his ex- wife and say he's originally from iran. it remains unclear if he has ties to isis or if a lone wolf. police say he entered the normally busy cafe during the morning rush hour roughly around the 9:30 a.m., local time there and took an unknown number of hostages. we also understand that of a they escaped, h

that was in september, that earlier plot to supposedly go ahead and behead somebody right in downtown sydney. mr. chairman, i want you to stand by. i have more questions, especially how this could impact here in the united states, copycat attacks, other inspirations. stay with us. much more on the breaking news right after this. she inspires you. no question about that. but your erectile dysfunction - that could be a question of blood flow. cialis tadalafil for daily use helps you be ready anytime the moment's right. you can be more confident in your ability to be ready. and the same cialis is the only daily ed tablet approved to treat ed and symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently or urgently. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long term injury, get medical help right away for an

in heart of downtown sydney. suspect identified as 50-year-old if man taking over the cafe holding 17 people hostage. authorities say he was a self-proclaimed islamic sheikh and alleged sexual predator well known to them. he made headlines last year when he pleaded guilty to sending angry hateful letters to the family of fallen australian service members. during the standoff 2 hostages seen through wind 0holding up a black flag showing a muslim professional state. several women up load video to you tube saying he was demanding an isis flag and conversation with australia prime minister. >> only asking for flag and phone call and that's it. >> some hostages were able to escape. just after 2:00 a.m. local time the more than 16 hours after it began, the standoff ended. >> i believe at that time if they didn't enter they would have been many more lives lost. >> 3 people dead including the man. officials say it was an isolated incident. the act of one individual. abc news washington. >> he was accused of killing his e

the warning follows that deadly hostage incident at a cafe in downtown sydney earlier this week. the alert says that u.s. citizens should be mindful that terrorist groups can pose unpredictable threats and they're likely going to target hotel shopping areas and places of worship. >>> pennsylvania is clearing the way for home delivery of beer. it's actually been legal for some time. but a new ruling by the liquor control board has sparked interest in the law. yesterday the board issued a statement outlining exactly how it works. here's the deal. businesses can deliver up to two six-packs to a home, but they need to buy a special license to do it. and the customer has to pay by credit card before the delivery is made. wine and liquor delivery are not allowed. >>> next, a little boy from new jersey had a very important request of santa, that his soldier mom would make it home for the holidays. straight ahead, we'll see his christmas wish come true. >>> today the eagles will press on as they square off against the redskins in a late-season saturday matchup. right now the birds are re

australian prime minister tony abbott and his wife laid flowers near the lint chocolate cafe in downtown sydney where the 16 hour siege began monday and ended early tuesday, when police stormed the store killing moonas, but not before two hostages died. fifteen were freed, including several who escaped. four were injured, including a policeman. the 50 year old moonas was well known to authorities, as having a violent criminal history, mental instability, and extremist views. free on bail monday, he had been charged as accessary to his ex-wife's murder. but moonas wasn't on a terror watch list. >> we're all outraged at this guy was on the street. >> reporter: authorities stress the gunman acted alone and not part of larger terrorist plot. susan macinnis, cbs-3 "eyewitness news". >> back home, new information this morning on triple shooting in glenolden delaware county. the publish reports say an ex-police officer is the suspect in a shooting that left a woman dead and a teenage girl injured. chopper three hd was over the scene on the 600 block of glenfield avenue shortly after 9:00 last night. t

follows that deadly hostage incident at a cafe in downtown sydney, australia, earlier this week. the alert says u.s. citizens should be mindful that terrorist groups can pose unpredictable threats and are likely to target hotels, shopping areas and places of worship. >>> an arrest in a deadly hit and run in mobility. authorities are holding christian puentes. he drove off after hitting a man two weeks ago. a second vehicle ended up running over the man a short time later and he died. police say he told his mom he hit a pole and then quickly got the car fixed. >>> armed robbers caught on tape targeting grocery stores in north philadelphia and brewerytown. police believe the same suspects are mind all of the crimes. take a look. in all seven cases, the crooks cover their faces and used handguns to threaten workers at neighborhood grocery stores. got away with money and cigarettes. in one holdup, they also stole a handgun from a worker. no one was hurt. >> our grandkids come in. and it's concerning to me, because what if my grandkids come in and something happens? >> reporter: polic

is in the central business district of sydney australia, you are looking at the podium where tony abbott is addressing the media. breaking news is happening downtown in sydney. 13 people are held against their will at at chocolate shop, we don't know by whom the affiliation, how many are involved. hundreds of armed police and federal officials are surrounding the area, trying to get the situation under control. this is in martin police in the central business distribute. as soon as tony abbott speaks, we take you live as we continue to follow the breaking news >>> turning to other news for a moment, an american who crossed into north korea was presented to the media. >> i would like to offer sincere apologies. for not only violating laws and bound rits, but entering as i did in a foolish way. >> 39-year-old arturo of el paso texas entered the country through china to convey information to the north korean government. he went on to criticize the north korean government. his mother said her son tried to enterpreviously but was deported and spent time in a psychiatric hospital. he was not in kust and his status is unclear. >> in a few hours police in

the siege began at 9:45 yesterday morning at the popular cafÉ in a busy shopping mall in downtown sydneyoon after the black flag favored by islamic militants was pressed up against the cafÉ window by the people trapped inside. streets in the neighborhood were closed and many offices evacuated. monis was seen pacing. he appeared to be wearing a bandanna with arabic writing that read, "we are your soldiers, o prophet mohammed." >> i'm one of the many hostages here in the cafe in martin place. >> reporter: in a series of online videos, the hostages listed monis's demands. he wanted an isis flag to be delivered to him and to be put in contact with the australian prime minister. monis threatened that bombs would be set off if his demands were not met, but no explosives were found when police moved in. we did learn the identity of te two hostages who were killed. one whereas a 38 year old lawyer mother of three and 34 year old store manager johnson. he's been considered a hero because he was killed while apparently trying to wrestle a gun from the shooter. >> for us in australia. thank you. da

at the lindt chocolate cafe in the heart of downtown sydney. the gunman identified as man haron monis taking 17 hostages, their hands pressed against the windows of the cafÉ. live tv broadcasting this chilling image, hostages raising a black islamic flag. police descend, building evacuated. the downtown area on lockdn. while inside the cafe, the gunman in plain sight. then, near lly five hours into e standoff, three men burst from the cafe, sprinting to safety. later, two women. running for their lives. and then, the hostage videos began. the gunman, demanding an isis flag and a chance to speak with the australian prime minister. he's only asking for a flag and a phone call and that's it. >> reporter: just after 2:00 a.m., another hostage running to safety, dropping to the ground. then five more. 15 minutes later -- the raid. >> oh -- >> oh -- >> they're going in as we speak now. >> they made the call because they believed that at the time that if they didn't enter there would have been many more lives lost. >> reporter: the hostages, finally f

. >> reporter: these pictures from downtown sydney. in a soef shop in the busy business district of the capital city. police are closing down busy streets and evacuating nearby buildings. australian tv airing this image. people, patrons, inside the kaf fay holding a black flag with arabic writing. others holding their hands up against the window. >> there are policemen at the edge of the foy ya, and he yelled at me to get out. and he grabbed me and i beat him quickly around the corner. >> one of the gunmen, the gunman. wearing a white shirt and a black headline with white writing on it. >> reporter: new south wales police saying they are responding to a separate incident at the opera house. >> the people are ushered away. they are all marshaled back towards the city end. >> reporter: no further details at this time. gloria rivera, abc news, washington. >>> thank you. australian prime minister convened a meeting of his national skusht committee issuing this statement. it reads this is obviously a deeply concerning incident but all austr

the sea of flowers in downtown sydney grows every hour. just a block from the cafe where the 16-our siege ended early tuesday, many australians watching it live. the lindt cafe is so close to the newsroom of channel 7, one of australia's biggest broadcasters, that the network set up cameras against the windows and police watched as the hostage crisis unfolded. one sniper watched and waited for hours along with cameraman greg parker who captured unforgettable images of terrified hostages standing at the window at gunpoint. >> it was genuinely horrible. in 20 years, rare to come across up footage. >> reporter: they even picked up the words. the hostage down was tori johnson, the cafe manager, killed as he reportedly tried to wrestle the weapon from a dozing gunman. >> it doesn't surprise me. he was never going to leave. he never would have left. >> reporter: katrina dawson also died, a lawyer said to have shielded her pregnant friend from the gunfire. the reporter learned of her debt on the air. >> katrina dawson who i know and she's the mot

dozens were arrested in a plot to behead somebody in downtown sydney. apparently the police were pleased with how the operation went. but the events that we are seeing now are unnerving. as i mentioned, it is taking place directly opposite one of australia's major television studios and in the streets were -- where are the original for attempt was to take place. -- terror attempt was to take place. at this stage, it is a matter of wait and see. paul allen, reminding viewers that ahead of this there had been a crackdown in australia. we cap we know right now, these are the two recap what we know ecapt now, these are -- to r what we know for you right now, this is martin place in the business district in sydney. there is a siege under way. you can see highly tactical police have moved in and there are reports of "the people -- reports of up to 20 people inside. two gunmen reportedly holding them all hostage. today instance earlier during the short-lived siege, one hour in, one of the hostages had to hold up a flag that appears to be linked to isis. a tran