Police storm Sydney cafe, ending hostage situation

Shortly after 2 a.m. Sydney time, reporters claimed to have seen 6 hostages running out of the building with their hands in the air. A seventh reportedly also fled the building, according to ABC's live coverage. A minute or two later, police blew a door to the store open with a shotgun. They fired live ammunition into the store and threw at least three stun grenades inside.

At least one person was taken away on a stretcher. Police have confirmed that the siege is over. A bomb detection robot is reportedly now in the Lindt Cafe. The hostage situation had gone on for 16 hours, The New York Times reports. Go to ABC for more live coverage. --Lauren Hansen

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Lauren Hansen produces The Weekâ€™s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.