Australian police say no contact with hostage-taker in Sydney cafe

Reuters

14 December 2014 at 10:26 pm

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian police said on Monday they had not had direct contact with an armed offender holding an undisclosed number of people hostage at a cafe in central Sydney. "We have moved to a footing that would be consistent with a terrorist event," New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told reporters in Sydney. Scipione said the siege was contained to a single event in Sydney's central business district and that the city remained open for business. (Reporting By Jane Wardell; Editing by Paul Tait)

The Telegraph
Listen: Biden says he is ‘first black woman to serve with a black president’
Joe Biden has said he is “proud” to be the first “black woman to serve with a black president” in one of a series of verbal gaffes as the USA celebrated Independence Day.
NextShark
74-year-old woman dies after being shoved in front of San Francisco train
Corazon Dandan died after being pushed into an oncoming BART train at San Francisco’s Powell Street Station at around 11 p.m on Monday night. The suspect, 49-year-old Trevor Belmont, also known as Hoak Taing, was arrested at the scene and booked into the San Francisco County Jail on suspicion of homicide and elder abuse. Dandan, who was Filipino American, was a dedicated telephone operator at the Westin St. Francis and other hotels.
The Daily Beast
Conservatives Routed in Worst Election Result for 200 Years
LONDON—The Conservatives, the world’s winningest political party, were booted out of power in dramatic style on Thursday after 14 years of chaotic and divisive rule.The Labour Party had secured a landslide victory, ending an era of Conservative rule over Britain that stretches back to 2010; the year that the iPad and Instagram were launched and Lady Gaga wore that meat dress to the MTV music awards.In that time, the Conservatives have cycled through five leaders, each of them dragging the party
Cinema Online
Joyce Chen confirms she has become a mother
The TVB actress shares photos of her and her daughter, not revealing partner's identity
People
Eva Amurri Doubles Down in Defense of Her Wedding Dress Cleavage: 'My 32F Boobs Minding Their Business'
The bride, who wore a corset-style Kim Kassas gown on her wedding day, previously clapped back at trolls who felt “scandalized” by her breasts
The Telegraph
Biden ‘seriously considering’ leaving election race
Joe Biden has for the first time said that he is considering ending his presidential campaign, according to reports.
The Telegraph
Beijing is laughing at the West’s weakness
Russian aggression in Ukraine poses a threat to world peace and stability. China provides material support for Russia’s actions. All this is entirely clear. In Beijing, immediately after a meeting with Xi Jinping in April this year, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that “Russia would struggle to sustain its assault on Ukraine without China’s support”. This included selling huge quantities of machine tools and micro-electronics that would be used in the Russian defence industry.
Hello!
Maya Jama's racy red latex plunge dress is seriously spicy
The Love Island host just raised heart rates around the globe in a seriously sultry red latex dress. See photos
Hello!
Rod Stewart, 79, rocked by shock divorce news: report
In a surprising turn of events Rod Stewart has received some shocking divorce news. See details.
Bloomberg
These flight routes suffer the world’s worst turbulence
A series of incidents that left scores of airline passengers needing medical attention has shone a spotlight on the problem of severe in-flight turbulence.
CNN
9 out of 10 voters say there are important differences between Biden and Trump. Here’s what they see as the biggest ones
If there’s one thing that American voters overwhelmingly agree on, it’s that this year’s presidential election presents a stark choice. In the latest CNN poll by SSRS, 91% of registered voters say they see important differences between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, dwarfing even the 77% of voters who said last fall that there were significant divides between the Democratic and Republican parties. Even among the so-called “double haters” – those with unfavorable views of
INSIDER
How Obama mentored the new UK prime minister to help him tell his story
The leader of the Labour Party, Keir Starmer, has been mentored by Barack Obama. The relationship is likely to continue if Starmer wins the UK election.
The Telegraph
Horrifying moment husband wheels suitcase containing murdered wife from home while carrying child
A husband who strangled his wife in front of her two children and lover on a video call was captured wheeling the suitcase containing her body out of his home.
BuzzFeed
"It Was The Worst Betrayal I Have Ever Experienced": People Are Revealing The Shocking Reason Why They Don't Speak To Their Sibling Anymore
"Once it became clear he was committed to those ugly morals, I told him never to contact me."
INSIDER
I went inside a hidden room where flight attendants sleep on long-haul flights. I was amazed by its small size and comfy beds.
Business Insider's reporter toured a secret room above economy where Air New Zealand flight attendants sleep on long-haul Boeing 777-300ER flights.
Evening Standard
All change: When will Rishi Sunak have to move out of Number 10 — and where could he live next?
With the removal vans on standby, the current prime minister has a portfolio of high-end properties to choose from
The Telegraph
Cristiano Ronaldo accused of ‘ambush marketing’ after wearing £230 smart wristband
Cristiano Ronaldo’s heart-rate data during Portugal’s penalty shootout win over Slovenia has been made public by the maker of a wearable device with whom he has partnered.
The Telegraph
Zelensky U-turns as he invites Russia to attend peace summit without giving up land
Volodymyr Zelensky has invited Russia to the next peace summit despite previously saying it could only join if it relinquished land in Ukraine.
Cosmo
Bikinis, sheer 'fits and hotel robes: Alix Earle nails the Italy holiday wardrobe
We have been loving the Instagram outfit pictures of Alix Earle's bikinis, crochet dresses and hotel robes complete with a hair towel from her holiday to Italy.
Associated Press
Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong asks for a lesser sentence in landmark security case
Prominent activist Joshua Wong asked for a lesser sentence in court Friday after he earlier pleaded guilty in Hong Kong's biggest national security case. Wong was one of 47 activists charged in 2021 under a Beijing-imposed national security law with conspiracy to commit subversion for their involvement in an unofficial primary. The activists were accused of attempting to paralyze Hong Kong’s government and topple the city’s leader by aiming to win a legislative majority and using it to block city budgets indiscriminately.

Latest stories