2 hostages and the hostage taker are reported to have died after police stormed a Sydney cafe where a number of people were held for 17 hours.
At least half a dozen heavily-armed officers threw flash grenades through an entrance to the building, then went in with their guns raised.
A series of loud explosions were heard.
Moments earlier - at least five more hostages escaped.
Reporter in Sydney, Stuart Cohen, told the Last Word, that the gunman - Man Haron Manis - was well known to the police in Australia:
