Man’s three-day ordeal in frigid wilderness

Lost hope ... Craig Johnson cried as he recalled hearing rescue helicopters flying past him. Picture: ABC USA Source: Supplied

A MAN in Alaska says it is a miracle that he survived for three days in the wilderness, freezing cold and stalked by a wolverine.

Craig Johnson was part way through a 129-kilometre journey in remote northern Alaska when his snowmobile crashed through the ice, leaving him soaking wet, freezing and forced to proceed on foot, US ABC reports.

Mr Johnson first crawled towards the thicker parts of the ice as his snowmobile sank. "I almost gave up ... But I couldn't give up. I had to do it for my boys, my family," he said. "I think it's a miracle that I'm alive."

Remote ... Craig Johnson was rescued after three days lost in the Alaskan wilderness, as temperatures plummeted. Picture: ABC USA Source: Supplied

He was on his way to visit family when the accident happened.

The 38-year-old walked 48 kilometres seeking help while being stalked by a wolverine. "You could hear it on the ice, just playing with me, toying with me," he said.

Wolverines look like small bears, but have a formidable reputation for being fearless, vicious and voracious. Although they feed mostly on the carcasses of dead animals, they are not fussy eaters and have been known to hunt creatures far larger than themselves, including caribou.

Mr Johnson says warning shots failed to deter the predator.

Predator ... Wolverines have a formidable reputation for being fearless, vicious and voracious. Picture: Wikimedia/Zefram Source: Supplied

Eventually, he came across a wooden box and took shelter, crying as he recalled hearing rescue helicopters flying past him. "That third night when they passed right by me — not even 200, 300 yards [183-274 metres] — that's when I lost hope," Mr Johnson said. "I just laid back down in that box I was in. It just felt like that was an open grave for me."

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As temperatures dropped to minus-37 degrees Celcius, a search team drew close to Mr Johnson, led by his cousin Clifford Benson.

Mr Benson said the wind and snow obscured nearly all signs of Mr Johnson, but then he heard him yelling.

Shelter ... Craig Johnson could hear rescue helicopters pass him by from the wooden box he too refuge in. Picture: ABC USA Source: Supplied

"If Clifford didn't saw me, that was going to be my last night," said Johnson. They were going to bring me home in a body bag."

Mr Johnson is currently in hospital being treated for frostbite. His own father died in 1998 after he fell through the ice and drowned.

Survivor ... Craig Johnson is being treated in hospital for frostbite. Picture: ABC USA Source: Supplied

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Sledging war on pitch ‘out of control’

Wisden India editor, Anand Vasu thinks a war is looming between the Indian and Australian cricket sides after a heated Day three at the MCG.

Former Test quick, Trent Copeland believes the Australia-India sledging war is good for the game.

David Warner has an injured forearm and an injured thumb. Source: News Corp Australia

FOLLOW the live coverage of day four of the third Test at the MCG.

Showers are expected in Melbourne, with a top temperature of 26C.

Play starts at 10.30am AEDT. Continue the conversation on Twitter @jaibednall

Scroll to the bottom of the page for blow-by-blow coverage.

LIVE SCOREBOARD: AUSTRALIA vs INDIA THIRD TEST

7pm — SLEDGING 'OUT OF CONTROL'

Mitchell Johnson angrily reacts to being given a send-off by the Indian team late on day four. Source: Getty Images

AUSSIE Test great Ian Healy believes the bad blood between the two teams in this series has gone too far.

Tensions threatened to explode yesterday when Mitchell Johnson hit Virat Kohli while trying to run him out and continued on day four.

David Warner engaged with several of the Indians in the field during his quickfire 40 and Ishant Sharma gave Shane Watson a send-off when he was out for 17.

Mitchell Johnson also turned back and gestured angrily at the visitors after he was dismissed late in the day.

Healy says it's time for it to stop.

"I reckon it's out of control," Healy said on Channel 9.

Wisden India editor Anand Vasu agreed, describing the situation as a "time bomb ticking away".

"It's a matter of time before someones crosses the line and gets either really personal about someone's family or even worse — you have something racist," Vasu said.

"And then you're going to have a real problem on your hands."

But former Aussie Test quick Trent Copeland believes sledging is good for the game.

He said it was good to see professional athletes showing emotion and has enjoyed the way Kohli has stood his ground — on and off the field.

"I think it's very good for the game and I think Virat Kohli, since he's come to Australia, has been great the way he's held himself in the media and particularly on the field," Copeland said.

You can hear more from Vasu and Copeland in the video player above.

Australia lost steady wickets on day four to finish 7/261 at stumps.

The home side's lead is 326, setting up a tantalising final day tomorrow.

Shaun Marsh (62 not out) is playing a key role in the Australian innings, bringing up his half century with a six down the ground off Ravi Ashwin.

But how long Steve Smith decides to bat on tomorrow remains to be seen.

Continue reading for all the highlights from today's play and rejoin us for live coverage tomorrow.

6.25pm — JOHNSON'S HITTING DOESN'T LAST

Mitchell Johnson clubbed two boundaries but was out for 15. Source: Getty Images

INDIA is three wickets away from having a very gettable target to chase after dismissing Mitchell Johnson for 15.

The Aussie tailender attempted to hook a short delivery from Mohammed Shami but didn't connect well and lobbed up a catch to Ajinkya Rahane at midwicket.

Australia is 7/234 with a lead of 299 runs.

Ryan Harris has joined Shaun Marsh (44 not out) at the crease and survived a big shout at the beginning of his innings.

6.10pm — MARSH RIDING HIS LUCK

Shaun Marsh is playing a key innings for Australia. Source: Getty Images

SHAUN Marsh is enjoying the type of innings a batsman needs to escape a form slump.

The Aussie No. 5 has been slightly lucky to make it to 42 not out in the second innings — sending one shot in the air just wide of gully, narrowly missing his stumps with a french cut and then dodging an LBW decision when he failed to play a shot.

But he's adding key runs to Australia's lead, which now stands at 286 runs.

Mitchell Johnson is four not out. The score is 6/221.

5.35pm — HADDIN GOES, PRESSURE ON TAIL

Brad Haddin became the latest Aussie batsmen to be caught down the leg side. Source: Getty Images

AUSTRALIA will once again rely on its tail to dig the side out of trouble after Brad Haddin's wicket left the score 6/202.

Haddin (13 from 27 balls) was involved in an extremely slow partnership with Shaun Marsh (28 from 67 balls) which stole the momentum from Australia's innings.

The lead is currently 267 runs — still well short of a target the home side would feel comfortable defending.

Mitchell Johnson has joined Marsh at the crease.

4.55pm — BURNS FAILS AGAIN

It hasn't been much of a debut test for Joe Burns. Source: Getty Images

JOE Burns has completed a forgettable debut Test by falling to Ishant Sharma for nine.

The 25-year-old, who made 13 in the first innings, poked at a ball that bounced a bit more than expected and sent an edge through to MS Dhoni.

The Indians built pressure with some tight bowling following the tea break and earnt their reward.

Shaun Marsh (15 from 35 balls) has become bogged down and Australia's plans to start attacking the Indian bowlers must remain on hold until the total (5/176) is a little higher.

Australia's middle order frailties have been exposed as India mounted a stirring fightback with the ball at the MCG.

4.20pm — ASHWIN BOWLS ROGERS

Chris Rogers has failed to convert another half century into a big score. Source: Getty Images

RAVI Ashwin is continuing his strong match for India, picking up Chris Rogers's wicket for 69.

The Indian offspinner (2/17) had Rogers play the ball onto his own wicket to leave Australia 4/173 at tea.

The home side still has some work to do with the lead at 238 runs but Shaun Marsh has looked good so far and is 14 not out.

Joe Burns is eight not out in his second Test innings.

Rogers has bounced back to form after a slow start to the series.

It's typical of the Aussie opener, who averages under 25 in the first two Tests of series but 56 in tests three and onwards.

You can look at it two ways. Rogers does just enough to save his place in the side each series — or once he's figured out an opposition he takes advantage.

India claimed the wickets of Shane Watson and Steve Smith in quick succession to give themselves some hope before tea at the MCG.

3.40pm — SMITH'S WICKET A GAME CHANGER

Steve Smith fell cheaply on day four. Source: News Corp Australia

AUSTRALIA'S attention has turned from worrying about when to declare to posting a defendable score after the fall of Steve Smith.

Smith fell to a well-planned Indian trap on 14, glancing a Umesh Yadav ball to Ajinkya Rahane at leg slip.

It leaves Australia 3/131 and in need of at least 150 more runs to start feeling safe.

With out of form Shaun Marsh and debutant Joe Burns the last of the recognised batsmen, there's still work to do.

3.30pm — ROGERS NEGOTIATING THE NERVOUS FIFTIES

The runs have dried up for Chris Rogers since he posted his half century. Source: Getty Images

CHRIS Rogers has posted his fourth consecutive 50 in the series to all but book his place for next year's Ashes.

The opener's last four scores are 55, 55, 57 and 53 not out — and he appears determined to go further today.

Since reaching 50 off 81 balls, Rogers has scored just three runs from 16 deliveries.

Steve Smith is 12 not out. Australia is 2/127 with a lead of 192 runs.

2.50pm — WATSON FALLS FOR 17

Shane Watson will face renewed calls for his head after failing today. Source: News Corp Australia

SHANE Watson has departed early in the second session to leave Australia 2/98.

The No. 3 was drawn forward by Ishant Sharma and sent a thick edge through to MS Dhoni, who caught a low ball cleanly.

Steve Smith has joined Chris Rogers at the crease.

2.05pm — DOES SMITH TRY TO WIN OR DRAW?

Steve Smith has hardly put a foot wrong as Australian skipper. Source: Getty Images

PLAY looks set to resume soon at the MCG, creating a testing situation for Steve Smith in his second match as Australian captain.

Already up 2-0, Australia can win the series by drawing this game — a result they're in a great position to achieve given they have nine wickets in hand and a lead of 155 runs with just five sessions to play.

But no one really wants a draw do they?

Like Michael Clarke did in the first Test in Adelaide, Smith is probably going to have to make a sporting declaration if he wants to win this game.

Deciding when to pull the pin won't be an easy call, but if Chris Rogers (33 not out) and Shane Watson (15 not out) can score quickly when play resumes it will make Smith's job slightly easier.

1.15pm — COVERS ON IN MELBOURNE

Virat Kohli blows a kiss to the crowd during the first session. Source: News Corp Australia

THERE'S been a delay to the start of the second session because of rain in Melbourne.

The covers are on at the MCG with Australia 1/90 in the second innings.

There was some good news in the break, when Michael Clarke revealed he's one week ahead of schedule in his recovery from hamstring surgery.

While you wait, it's 20 years to the day since Shane Warne's hat-trick at this ground in the 1994 Ashes. You can relive it in the video below.

Fox Sports looks back at Shane Warne's famous Ashes hat-trick.

12.30pm — ROGERS PICKING UP THE SLACK

Chris Rogers has played a leading role since David Warner's departure. Source: Getty Images

CHRIS Rogers looks headed for his fourth 50 in as many innings as Australia continues to build its lead at the MCG.

Rogers is 33 not out and with the help of Shane Watson (15 not out) has Australia 1/90 at lunch with a lead of 155 runs.

Rain is expected this afternoon so Australia needs to maintain a quick tempo when play resumes.

12.05pm — WARNER FALLS FOR 40

David Warner was there for a good time, not a long time. Source: AFP

DAVID Warner's quickfire start to the second innings is over after he was trapped LBW by Ravi Ashwin for 40.

Warner played all around a straightening delivery that hit his back leg to leave the score at 1/57.

The Australian lead is 122 runs.

11.15am — WARNER RACES OUT OF THE BLOCKS

David Warner is giving it to India. Source: Getty Images

DAVID Warner has quickly pushed Australia's lead past 100 with a sparkling start to the second innings.

The fiery opener has smashed 31 from 17 balls, including five boundaries, to move the home side to 0/34 from five overs.

He's verbally engaging with the Indians in the field also as the tensions between the two sides continue to bubble along.

By the looks of the following tweet, Warner just couldn't wait to get at the Indians today.

10.40am — INDIA ALL OUT FOR 465

Mitchell Johnson's figures went from 0/133 to 3/135. Source: News Corp Australia

AUSTRALIA has a 65 run first innings lead after Mitchell Johnson quickly killed off the Indian tail this morning.

After removing Umesh Yadav for a duck, Johnson had Mohammed Shami caught at second slip for 12.

It was a wasteful finish for the visitors, given they were 3/409 yesterday. After the end of a 262 run partnership between Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane the last seven wickets fell for just 56 runs.

With showers expected this afternoon Australia will need to score quickly if they want to win this game.

David Warner has opened the batting and so far doesn't look hindered by nasty injuries to his forearm and thumb.

10.30am — JOHNSON STRIKES IN FIRST OVER

Mitchell Johnson and Brad Haddin combined for the second time this innings. Source: News Corp Australia

MITCHELL Johnson has removed Umesh Yadav with the third delivery of day four to leave Australia one wicket away from wrapping up the Indian innings.

Yadav edged a rising delivery through to Haddin to fall for a second ball duck. India is 9/462.

10.15pm — WARNER 'HOPEFUL' OF BEING ABLE TO BAT

David Warner has been in the wars of late. Source: News Corp Australia

DAVID Warner is going to have to push through the pain barrier if he's going to drive the Australian second innings on day four.

The left-handed opener is nursing a badly damaged thumb and an injured forearm after being struck twice in the past few days.

Warner just spoke on Channel 9 and said he was "hopeful" of being able to open the batting after Australia takes the last two Indian wickets.

Warner was hit on the forearm in the nets by Peter Siddle during this Test and said his thumb — which was struck in the Brisbane Test — was still very sore.

But Warner said he was in no doubt for the fourth Test in Sydney, citing his determination to honour fallen teammate Phillip Hughes in his first game back at the SCG.

India resumes today at 8/462, with tailenders Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav at the crease. The visitors trail by 68 runs.

"It was a good fightback from India yesterday, if we took our chances it might be a different story, but that's cricket," Warner said.

India superstar Virat Kohli has blasted Australia and Mitchell Johnson in a scathing attack.

The main talking point overnight continued to be the renewed rivalry between Mitchell Johnson and Virat Kohli.

Kohli was annoyed with being struck by an errant Johnson throw on day three and went on to say he only respected some members of the Australian team.

"It was quite funny listening to his press conference," Warner said.

"When you're out there and give it you've also got to take it. He played well yesterday and deserved to say whatever he wanted to."

23.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Tragic end: ‘I watched my husband die’

A helicopter winched a family to safety after a fire broke out on a ferry travelling from the western Greek port of Patras to the Italian port of Ancona on Sunday, leaving one dead and hundreds stranded. The vehicle passenger ferry Norman Atlantic was transporting 411 passengers, 56 crew-members and 222 vehicles when it caught fire approximately 78 kilometres (48 miles) northwest of the Greek island of Corfu. The Italian Navy said that they have transported the victims and those injured to the southern Italian city of Brindisi. The evacuation operation of those stranded has been hampered due to choppy seas and gale force winds of 90 kilometres (55 miles per hour). Only 149 people have been rescued from the ferry and the blaze is still burning.

The burning ferry "Norman Atlantic" adrift off Albania. Picture: AFP / HO/ GUARDIA COSTIERA Source: AFP

A SURVIVOR of the tragic Greek fire ferry disaster has recounted in saddening detail the events leading up to her husband's death.

Teodora Douli, 56, said she watched her husband die as they tried to swim from the burning ship to a lifeboat.

"We spent four hours in the water," she said on Monday. "I tried to save him but I couldn't. We are dying, we're dying, he told me.

"I watched my husband die," she added in an interview with the Italian news agency ANSA. "He was bleeding through his nose, perhaps because he banged his head on the side of the ship."

Her 62-year-old Greek husband's body was recovered from the water on Sunday as she was flown to a hospital at Galatina near Lecce on Italy's south-eastern heel.

Survived ... a journalist interviews a passenger of the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic. Picture: AP Source: AP

At least five people have died after the ferry caught fire in the Adriatic Sea of the coast of Greece. Four bodies were recovered from the water around the stricken Norman Atlantic on Monday.

Wrapped in blankets and with many of them sporting bandages, 49 of the 478 passengers and crew who were on board the ferry when it caught fire shortly after dawn on Sunday disembarked from the merchant ship Spirit of Piraeus at the Italian port of Bari.

Rescue effort ... passengers being evacuated from the burning ferry Norman Atlantic. Picture: AFP/Marina Militaire Source: AFP

Two dual Australian citizens were on the ferry but no further details are known.

They and other evacuees told how the fire triggered terror and panic, which the crew appeared ill-prepared to deal with.

One of the first passengers off in Bari told reporters he had thought he was going to die as parts of the boat became engulfed by thick smoke as the ferry was travelling from Greece from Italy.

"We did not know what to do. The staff had no idea how to get people off the boat," he said.

"The lifeboats did not work, there was only one of them in the water and none of the crew were there to help people."

Survivors ... passengers and crew of the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, that caught fire in the Adriatic Sea, are rescued from the Italian Navy ship San Giorgio. Picture: AP/Italian Navy Source: AP

All passengers are reported to have been evacuated, with about 60 people, thought to be mainly crew, remaining on the ferry shortly before 12pm GMT (11pm Monday AEDT), nearly 36 hours after the fire broke out on the car deck and left the huge vessel drifting dangerously in high seas off the coast of Albania.

With a second navy boat at the scene and able to provide a landing deck for helicopters, the pace of the evacuation accelerated significantly on Monday.

As fears for those on board receded, questions began to be asked about how the fire started and why it was not contained.

Awaiting assistance ... Italian and Greek rescue crews have battled gale-force winds and massive waves as they struggle to evacuate hundreds of people from the ferry. Picture: AP/Italian Navy Source: AP

Bari prosecutor Giuseppe Volpe announced a criminal investigation that will seek to establish whether negligence contributed to the disaster.

The Italian navy and coastguard worked through the night trying to get people off the vessel that was being buffeted by powerful, bitingly cold winds and huge waves.

Despite their efforts, more than 200 people were still on board at dawn, having spent 24 hours being lashed by sleety rain and gale-force winds and fearing for their lives.

Lost at sea ... Italian coast guards carry the body of a dead passenger of Norman Atlantic into a truck at port of Brindisi. Picture: AFP/ Carlo Hermann Source: AFP

The Italian-owned ship, which was travelling from Patras in western Greece to Ancona in Italy, started drifting off the coast of Albania after the fire put its steering system out of action.

Some of the rescued passengers displayed mild symptoms of hypothermia but doctors treating the evacuees indicated that they were mainly dealing with shock and trauma.

The crew, headed by Italian skipper Argilio Giacomazzi, 62, were expected to be the last off, in keeping with maritime tradition.

Struggled to breathe ... a woman is conveyed by paramedics to a hospital in southern Italy. Picture: AP/Max Frigione Source: AP

The fire broke out before dawn on Sunday on a car deck of the ferry, carrying 422 passengers and 56 crew members. Passengers huddled on the vessel's upper decks, pelted by rain and hail and struggling to breathe through the thick smoke, passengers told Greek media by phone.

"We are outside, we are very cold, the ship is full of smoke," passenger Giorgos Stiliaras told Greek Mega TV.

He recalled people being awakened by "the smell of burning plastic" and that the heat from the fire felt like the floors were "boiling."

Rescue efforts ... passengers of the Italian-flagged Norman Atlantic, that caught fire in the Adriatic Sea, disembark from a ship in Bari Harbour. Picture: AP Photo/Luigi Mistrulli Source: AP

Dotty Channing-Williams, mother of ferry passenger Nick Channing-Williams, said she had managed to speak to her son before he and his Greek fiancee were airlifted to safety. In an interview with The Associated Press from her home in Newbury, Britain, she said she had complained to her son that there was no information available for families.

"He said 'Well, it's an awful lot worse for us because we're actually standing out here in the pouring rain, and thunder and lightening, and we really just don't know exactly what's going to happen."'

The president of the Brindisi Port Authority, Hercules Haralambides, said the passengers were still out on deck after midnight, but that blankets had been provided by rescue crews from the Brindisi-based St George navy ship, which was leading the rescue. Medical personnel had also boarded to check on passengers and crew, the navy said.

In the dark ... passengers pleaded by mobile phone live on TV to be saved from the burning ferry Picture: AFP/Guardia Costiera Source: AFP

The ferry was last inspected by the Patras Port Authority on December 19 and six "deficiencies" were found, but none were so grave as to keep it in port, according to the report on the European Maritime Safety Agency's website.

The deficiencies involved a "malfunctioning" fire door as well as "missing" emergency lighting and batteries and defective "watertight doors."

The ship manufacturer, Carlo Visentini, was quoted by the ANSA news agency as saying that only one of the 160 fireproof doors was found to be problematic in the inspection and that it was located above the fire zone. Visentini said the problem was fixed immediately to the satisfaction of the inspectors.

Minister of Shipping Miltiadis Varvitsiotis speaks to journalists during a press conference in Athens. Picture: AFP/ STR Source: AFP

Passengers described scenes of terror and chaos when the fire broke out as they slept in their cabins.

"They called first on women and children to be evacuated from the ship," Vassiliki Tavrizelou, who was rescued along with her 2-year-old daughter, told The Associated Press.

"Ships could not approach us because of the rain and winds," Tavrizelou said in a telephone interview from Lecce. "We were at least four hours on the deck, in the cold and rain."

She recalled the ship alarm going off and seeing fire from her cabin. "Then we heard explosions," she said.

The ship, run by a Greek ferry company, was packed with holiday-makers and truck drivers making the popular transport run between Greece and Italy.

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QZ8501: Your questions answered

Indonesias search authority said its preliminary assessment is that AirAsia Flight 8501 is likely at the bottom of the sea. WSJs Ramy Inocencio speaks with Southeast Asia bureau chief Patrick McDowell.

A man looks at a map showing the search area for missing Malaysian air carrier AirAsia flight QZ8501 outside the crisis-centre set up at Juanda International Airport in Surabaya. Picture: AFP / Manan Vatsyayana Source: AFP

Why did the plane fly into bad weather?

The last communication with the aircraft indicated the pilots were looking to avoid severe weather by changing altitude and deviating from their flight path. Experts have suggested the aircraft should not have flown into bad weather and would have had ample warning from long range on board equipment to avoid it.

TONY ABBOTT: AirAsia 'not like' MH370 or MH17

RELATIVES SPEAK OUT: AirAsia pilot was a 'caring man'

Why was there no distress message?

A pilot's first priority is to fly the plane and ensure the safety of those on board. It is also possible the aircraft experienced an electrical failure rendering communications impossible.

Search planes and ships from several countries were scouring Indonesian waters over which an AirAsia jet disappeared. Picture: AP /Trisnadi Marjan Source: AP

Why did the electronic locator transmitter (ELT) not alert search and rescue authorities to the aircraft's whereabouts if it crashed?

ELTs are normally considered reliable devices that operate on battery power and are automatically activated when an aircraft crashes into water or on land. They are fitted in the tail of the aircraft alongside the flight data recorder. At a press conference, Indonesia's Transport Safety Committee chief Tatang Kurniadi suggested the ELT could be broken, or the plane was down in mountains and the signal was blocked.

Could the plane have stalled?

That is possible in the circumstances and there are indications the plane's flight speed had slowed, suggesting it may have been approaching a stall. Depending on the weather, experts have said the aircraft should have been able to recover from a stall because of its height and on board default systems.

If the plane crashed, what are the chances of anyone surviving the impact?

Given the aircraft's altitude at its last communication with Air Traffic Control, at more than 36,000 feet, it is likely any crash would have been very high impact. The chance of survivors would be virtually nil.

Radar image showing planes around AirAsia flight QZ8501 when it went missing. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

How long will it take to find the aircraft?

The search area is 124,000 square kilometres, twice the size of the search area identified for MH370. The one advantage is the Java Sea is fairly shallow with an average depth of about 40m. More than 20 aircraft and vessels are assisting with the search, including a Royal Australian Air Force P3-Orion.

Planes fly that route all the time. Why hasn't this happened before?

That will not be known until the aircraft is found and the flight data recorder recovered, revealing exactly what occurred. Aircraft have been brought down in bad weather before, most notably the Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in January 2009. Bad weather, and poor decisions by the flight crew were found to have resulted in the crash into the Atlantic Ocean. Despite good information about the location of the crash, it took two years to find and recover the A330 and the 228 people on board who lost their lives.

Does this mean airlines from this region are unsafe?

No. Australia's Civil Aviation Safety Authority has been helping to train air regulators in Indonesia for the last six years in an effort to improve standards. AirAsia has an excellent safety record, and has carried 220 million passengers in the last 13 years.

PM Tony Abbott doesn't believe the disappearance of AirAsia flight QZ8501 is a mystery or an atrocity.

What do we know about AirAsia Indonesia?

The airline has never been involved in a serious crash, and has never lost a life, or an aircraft. It is the Indonesian franchise of the Malaysian-based AirAsia which was recently named the world's best low cost carrier at the World Travel Awards. AirAsia Indonesia flies to destinations throughout South East Asia and to Darwin and Perth in Australia.

Who was the pilot and what was his flying record?

Indonesia's Captain Iriyanto (one name only) was well regarded in his local community of Sidoarjo and was considered a very experienced pilot. Before becoming a commercial airline pilot, Captain Iriyanto flew F-16 fighter jets in the Indonesian air force. He had over 6000 hours of flying experience on A320s, and more than 20,000 hours of flying experience in total.

What about the other crew?

French copilot Remi Emmanual Plesel, 45, had logged 2275 hours of flying time. Other crew members included Oscar Desano who tweeted his condolences and concerns after the MH370 and MH17 tragedies.

AirAsia has never been involved in a serious crash, and has never lost a life, or an aircraft. Picture: AP/Joshua Paul Source: AP

Who else was on board?

The passengers included 149 Indonesians, three South Koreans, one Singaporean, one Malaysian and one man from the United Kingdom.

The crew included six Indonesians and a Frenchman (copilot Plesel).

Is there any link between this incident and MH370 or MH17?

Some experts have noted similarities between this incident and MH370, in that both aircraft disappeared from radars relatively early into their flights. But authorities remain confident QZ8501 will be found within the region in which it disappeared. Although piracy is an issue in the Java Sea, there is no suggestion the aircraft was shot down like MH17.

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The absolute worst songs of 2014

Embattled singer Redfoo speaks to Kiis FM's Kyle and Jackie O in a 14-minute interview about his controversial new song Literally I Can't. Courtesy KIIS FM.

Award winning ... Redfoo is responsible for two of the worst 14 songs of 2014. Source: Getty Images

THESE are the 14 worst songs of 2014 — which have come from the likes of Redfoo, Paris Hilton, Aronchupa, Meghan Trainor and Psy.

1. Play-N-Skills featuring Redfoo, Lil Jon and Enertia McFly — Literally I Can't

Enough oxygen has been wasted discussing this waste of electricity. There is one positive to this repulsive discharge. Being the face of a song (now with a too little, too late disclaimer saying it's a parody) that tells women who won't drink alcohol on the command of men to 'shut the f--- up' could see Redfoo piss away his future on G-rated family TV show The X Factor.

Worst bit: the `music' is almost as ghastly as the lyrics.

2. Psy featuring Snoop Dogg — Hangover

What happens when a one-hit wonder doesn't realise they're a one-hit wonder? This. Truly, truly awful, there's not even anything resembling a tune or melody here. It also proves that Snoop Dogg will jump on anyone's song for the right cashish.

Worst bit: the total lack of a tune

3. Paris Hilton — Come Alive

Now being paid to be a DJ (she's always known her way around a deck) the world was not exactly waiting for Paris Hilton to return to music. As with most things she does, she was the weakest link in her own song. And there's more digital tweaking going on with her voice than a Redfoo and Will I Am boxset.

Worst bit: she actually thinks she can sing. She probably thinks she's an amazing DJ too though.

4. Nicki Minaj — Anaconda

It's come to this Nicki. From highly skilled rapper to suspiciously autotuned singer. And when the best idea for music your team can come up with is sampling Baby Got Back for a second-hand novelty hit about your backside then there's a danger your career is quite literally behind you.

Worst bit: the fact that hearing Sir Mix-a-Lot is the least embarrassing part of this song.

5. Jennifer Lopez featuring Iggy Azalea — Booty

This is just sad. Would J-Lo sign on to Hey Look At My Arse: The Movie? No. So why debase your entire career with trash like this, sold purely on the fact people are clicking on to watch you shake your backside.

Worst bit: once again, zero tune. It was a common theme with R&B this year. Thank you Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars etc.

6. Iggy Azalea and Rita Ora — Black Widow

Iggy had such a big hit in America with Fancy and she could have released a tuneless dirge with a chart desperado and it still would have got radio play and sales. Oh, she did.

Worst bit: it's a Katy Perry reject — she wrote it and dumped it, probably due to the total lack of chorus. And that tells you all you need to know.

7. Meghan Trainor — Lips are Moving

For about a week Meghan Trainor's All About the Bass was bearable. Nice message, rotten tune. Then Trainor committed the cardinal one-hit-wonder sin — releasing a follow up that's essentially the same song. You can get away with a lot in the slipstream of a major hit, including not fixing something that was broken. If she continues with this 'Sassy Songs The Sound Like They Were From Grease 2' for her album then surely patience will wear out.

Worst bit: only the start, middle and end

8. Redfoo — New Thang

Mercifully even Australia realised this had no right being a No. 1 hit. This was a change of pace for `Foo — more of a slow jam jumping on the saxwagon. However the robotic autotune was irritating even by his standards of heavy autotunage. The product placement — his own and others — also stank.

Worst bit: And those lyrics were turbo douchey — "I'll take ya back to my place, we can skip first base, `cuz a playa like me tryna slide into home plate." Ugh.

9. Beau Ryan featuring Justice Crew — Where You From?

Maybe you need to watch the Sydney NRL Footy Show to find it funny. Which means you also find footballers dressing up hilarious. Chris Lilley was crucified for his cultural piss-takes but once again a footballer gets a free pass in life. And when you have to rely on Justice Crew to sing for you things are dire, although they are the only bearable bit of this song. Can we also point out Justice Crew's contender for worst lyric of the year in their single Rise and Fall ``I could see your voice, but I could never hear it."

Worst bit: well, it's up there with Jacko's I'm an Individual.

10. Anja Nissen, Will I Am and Cody Wise — So Excited

So let's recap here, Anja Nissen wins The Voice by showcasing her impressive diva voice. Her winners' single, written by Delta Goodrem (who knows a thing about showcasing impressive voices) is scrapped by Will I Am. He then dusts this out from the arse end of his hard drive, where Nissen is relegated to guest on her own belated winner's single. His raps are piss-weak even by his level. And even though he's put worse songs into the chart, this one sank like a brick.

Worst bit: the fact he's deliberately autotuning someone who won The Voice for their voice.

11. Katy Perry — This Is How We Do

We were going to go for Birthday, where she used a Wiggles-style basic tune to sing to her audience (who, if you saw her live, are about nine years old) about getting a dude in his birthday suit and pulling out her big balloons. But while the Prism singles are not a patch on the Teenage Dream singles, there's something especially phoned-in about this track, which sounds like everyone involved slammed this down as a rough draft and ran out of time to fix it.

Worst bit: "getting our nails did all Japanesey". Really?

12. Jason Derulo featuring Snoop Dogg - Wiggle

What were we saying about Snoop Dogg? Eight people wrote this song. None of them dared tell each other they were collaborating on turd polishing. And sorry YouTube, 400 million viewers can be wrong. Ask Psy. Or Nickelback.

Worst bit: Snoop got this on the radio "Completely separated, til I deeply penetrate it

Then I take I out, and wipe it off." Hi kids.

13. Weezer — Back to the Shack

The ol' 'Release the worst song you've ever made before you drop a return to form album' trick.

Worst bit: see above

14. Aronchupa — I'm an Albatroz

Clearly being purchased by the people who felt they needed to own What Does the Fox Say.

Worst bit: that chorus where you realise how easy it is to make sh**ty EDM music that's currently taking the place of actual good songs on the radio and in the charts.

23.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

The faces of the plane disaster

Relatives and loved ones of the missing OZ8501 flight bound from the Indonesian city Surabaya to Singapore awaited for news in Juanda airport, Surabaya, Sunday. The Airbus A320-200 aircraft took off from Juanda International Airport at 05:35 am local time (22:30 GMT) and had requested a change in route due to weather conditions before losing communications with Indonesian Air Traffic Control (ATC). The Airbus A320-200 had 155 passengers on board with 138 adults, 16 children and one infant, along with two pilots, four flight attendants and one engineer. Nationalities of the passengers and crew include one from Singapore, one from Malaysia, one from France, three from South Korea and 156 from Indonesia. AirAsia, who have changed their red logo to grey on social media sites, have publicly stated that search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of the Indonesia of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Bob Hartanto Wijaya and Ruth Natalia Made who were on the missing AirAsia flight. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

THEY were a young couple in love with bright futures, who had met at university and planned to marry.

So when Ruth Natalia Puspitasari celebrated her birthday on December 20, she was gifted a trip to Singapore with her future husband and his family.

The beautiful 26-year-old and her boyfriend — toy store owner Bob Hartanto Wijaya — are among the Indonesians on board AirAsia Flight QZ8510.

TONY ABBOTT: AirAsia 'not like' MH370 or MH17

RELATIVES SPEAK OUT: AirAsia pilot was a 'caring man'

The young couple had met at Petra Christian University in Surabaya, Indonesia — the same town their ill-fated flight had taken off from.

Bob Hartanto Wijaya and Ruth Natalia Made who were on the missing AirAsia flight. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

But after graduating, economics student Ms Puspitasari — from East Java — had moved to Guangzhou, China while her beau, who had studied architecture, stayed behind after becoming co-owner of Eka Toys in his hometown of Malang.

HI-TECH SEARCH: Inside Australia's plane joining the AirAsia hunt

Despite the distance, the couple planned a bright future together, with Wijaya's Facebook page boasting beaming photos of the loved-up couple.

Mr Wijaya's family — including his parents and two other relatives — were also on the plane.

Ms Puspitasari's father told Indonesian media he was anxiously awaiting news about his daughter's flight.

The happy couple had plans to marry with a bright future planned. Picture: Facebook Source: Supplied

Meanwhile a 12-month-old is believed to be the youngest passenger to have perished, with her Christian missionary parents, from South Korea.

Park Seong-beom, 37, his wife Lee Kyung-hwa, 36, and baby Yuna were originally from a fishing village 280 miles south of Seoul.

The young family had been living in Indonesia but were travelling to Singapore to renew their visas.

It has emerged that British businessman Choi Chi Man — who lives in Singapore but works in Indonesia for manufacturing firm Alstom Power — and his two-year-old daughter were supposed to be on an earlier flight but it was full.

Friends in the UK have told British media that the Mr Choi had only been able to secure two seats on the earlier flight, so sent his wife and son ahead and booked seats the later flight for himself and their daughter.

Family members of passengers from missing Malaysian air carrier AirAsia flight QZ8501 gather at the airport in Surabaya, East Java. Picture: AFP/ Juni Kriswanto Source: AFP

Mr Choi, who is in his 40s and grew up in Hull, north of London, was believed to be travelling to Singapore for New Year's Eve celebrations with his Singaporean wife and children.

At the Surabaya airport, passengers' relatives pored over the plane's manifest, crying and embracing. Nias Adityas, a housewife from Surabaya, was overcome with grief when she found the name of her husband, Nanang Priowidodo, on the list.

The 43-year-old tour agent had been taking a family of four on a trip to Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia's Lombok island.

"He just told me, 'Praise God, this new year brings a lot of good fortune,"' Adityas recalled, while weeping.

At the Singapore Changi International Airport authorities and charities brought in counsellors and care officers to assist the next-of-kin of those who were in the missing QZ8501 flight, Sunday. Staff from Changi Airport Group, AirAsia and the Indonesia Embassy were also on scene. Flight QZ8501 was an Airbus A320-200 aircraft which took off from Juanda International Airport at 05:35 local time (22:30 GMT) from the Indonesian city Surabaya and was flying to Singapore when it requested a change in route due to weather conditions before losing communications with Indonesian Air Traffic Control (ATC). The Airbus had 155 passengers on board with 138 adults, 16 children and one infant - along with two pilots, four flight attendants and one engineer. Nationalities of the passengers and crew include one from Singapore, one from Malaysia, one from France, three from South Korea and 156 from Indonesia. AirAsia, who have changed their red logo to grey on social media sites, have publicly stated that search and rescue operations are being conducted under the guidance of the Indonesia of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

A distraught bride-to-be told of how her fiance was on the missing AirAsia flight, and was meant to be enjoying his last family holiday as a bachelor, before it vanished.

Louise Sidharta, 25, told reporters at Changi International Airport in Singapore that her fiance, Indonesian entrepreneur Alain Oktavianus Siaun, 27, was on board with his parents and three brothers.

'My fiance was on that flight'

Ms Sidharta was on the way to the airport in Surabaya for the flight to Singapore, where she was supposed to join them, when she heard that AirAsia flight QZ8501 had gone missing, the Straits Times reports.

But, on arrival at the airport, she 'browsed the internet and saw the news'.

"My heart knew by then that my fiancé was on that flight."

"We have to stay positive and hope that they (loved ones) could be found soon," she said.

The couple were planning to wed in May next year.

A woman arrives at the relatives' centre at Changi Airport. She is from a maid agency and one of workers from that agency was on-board the flight. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: News Corp Australia

Nearly all the 162 AirAsia passengers and crew are Indonesians, who are frequent visitors to Singapore, particularly for holidays — one of them, Maria Florentina Widodo who graduated from University in 2012.

The plane had an Indonesian captain, Iryanto, who uses one name, and a French copilot, five cabin crew members and 155 passengers, including 16 children and one infant, the airline said in a statement.

"Papa, come home, I still need you," Angela Anggi Ranastianis, the captain's 22-year-old daughter pleaded on her Path page late Sunday, which was widely quoted by Indonesian media.

At Iryanto's house in the East Java town of Sidoarjo, neighbours, relatives and friends gathered on Monday to pray and recite the Koran to support the distraught family. Their desperate cries were so loud, they could sometimes be heard outside where three LCD televisions had been set up to monitor search developments.

"He is a good man. That's why people here appointed him as our neighbourhood chief for the last two years," said Bagianto Djoyonegoro, a friend and neighbour.

23.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Mum throws kids from raging inferno

Emotional moment ... a man stepped in to catch a boy dropped from a burning apartment above. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

A TERRIFIED mother has thrown her children out of a burning apartment into the arms of neighbours below, described by witnesses as a harrowing scene.

Incredible footage shows a little boy coaxed to jump as flames engulfed an apartment complex in Birmingham, Alabama, on Christmas morning.

"The mamma was screaming, 'My kids are in there!' We tried to get in but it was impossible," resident Alex Mareno toldAL.com.

Blaze ... an apartment complex in Birmingham, Alabama, was engulfed by flames on Christmas Day. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

Engulfed ... the fire ignited in an upstairs room before quickly spreading to the downstairs apartment. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

Video shows a neighbour with arms outstretched calling to the young boy to leap.

"Right here. Your mamma said do it. C'mon!" he shouted, as flames ripped up the stairs and through the building.

The mother also reportedly threw her young daughter out of the window to safety.

Authorities said six people were injured, two critically, in the fire which was sparked after someone left food unattended on the stove about 2am local time.

Four of the injured are children believed to be under the age of five.

Rescue ... a mother yelled to a man in the apartment below to catch her young children who jumped from the burning building. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

Incredible catch ... a mother dropped two of her children into the arms of a stranger as their apartment burned. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

'I was in shock' ... the mother tossed her children to safety. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

Birmingham Fire and Rescue Assistant Chief Matt Russell said the fire started in an upstairs unit and quickly spread to the apartment below. Four apartments were destroyed in the blaze.

Neighbour Lakeysha Robinson said someone banged on her nearby building to tell her there was a fire.

Ms Robinson said heard a woman screaming that her children were still in the apartment and begged her to catch her child.

"It was an infant girl, like a newborn,'' she said. "That baby hit my arms hard. She threw down two kids."

Christmas disaster ... the fire which destroyed homes was caused by unattended food left on the stove. Picture: Kerry Jackson Source: Supplied

Authorities said one of the children — believed to be the boy who was trapped the longest — was severely burned, but is expected to survive.

"Obviously no time is a great time for a fire like this,'' fire chief Matt Russell said. "But Christmas is particularly devastating. It's a tragedy and a disaster for those involved."

23.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

One item key to family’s survival

It's feared a Brisbane father and his two young sons are stranded in an isolated area of outback Queensland.

Steven Van Lonkhuyzen and his two young sons were thankfully found alive. Source: Supplied

CLEVER survival tactics by father Steven van Lonkhuyzen have emerged as the key to his family's ultimate survival while trapped in the Australian outback for 10 days.

The father of two boys used a number of methods in an attempt to attract attention as the first pictures of their ordeal were released yesterday.

Mr van Lonkhuyzen used a large, plastic bowl to capture rainwater, a vital instrument in keeping him and his sons, Ethan, 7, and Timothy, 5, alive. By the time the missing trio were discovered, the water was reportedly "dangerously close to depletion".

"They were very close to running out of food when they were found and they had nine litres of water with them in the car that were used up," South West District Acting Superintendent Mick Bianci said.

"[Mr van Lonkhuyzen] mainly focused on trying to keep the two boys entertained, keep them fed, he did ration the food they did have, to make it last longer."

Steven Van Lonkhuyzen, left, with his sons Timothy, 5, second left, and Ethan, 7, third left, speak with farmer Tom Wagner, centre, and a park ranger in the remote Expedition National Park. Picture: Queenland Police Source: AP

Safe at last. The trio pose for a photo after they were found by farmer Tom Wagner. Picture: Queenland Police Source: AP

The Brisbane father and his sons had set off on a road trip to Cairns on December 11, and fears began to set in for the family when they hadn't been seen or heard from for more than a week.

They became bogged on a path in Expedition national Park, 490km northwest of Brisbane on December 11.

They would eventually spend 10 days alone and fighting for survival in remote, rugged bushland.

Along with the plastic bowl, Mr van Lonkhuyzen used tools at his disposal to his advantage, including the car horn, hi-visibility material and a two-way radio.

Unfortunately, the radio's microphone was broken.

"He actually set out some hi-viz towels, spread them out on the ground around vehicle so it could much more visible in case an air search took place," South West District Acting Superintendent Mick Bianci said.

"He lit a fire to put up some smoke to attract anyone who was out there and saw the smoke and he sent out SOSs on the horn of his vehicle, but of course it's remote and isolated. There was no one to hear it."

Rescue crews attempt to free Mr van Lonkhuyzen's Mitsubishi Pajero. Source: Supplied

Mr van Lonkhuyzen used his car horn to send SOS signals. Source: Supplied

Along with his car horn, Mr van Lonkhuyzen used smoke in an attempt to signal for help. Source: Supplied

Mr van Lonkhuyzen said his young sons were aware of the situation that had unfolded but "there was nothing that could be done about it. It was just a matter of waiting".

The boys are recovering in Taroom Hospital while Mr van Lonkhuyzen's Mitsubishi Pajero remains bogged.

Meanwhile, the farmer who discovered the missing family said he "just had to find them".

Tom Wagner had been tending to cattle on his farm about 150km out of the north Queensland town of Taroom when he recalled seeing a vehicle matching description of Steven Van Lonkhuyzen's enter the nearby national park.

Mr Van Lonkhuyzen had last been seen filling up at a petrol station in Miles. Source: Supplied

Mr Wagner said although his grazing property is incredibly isolated, the Taroom community had banded together when they realised the young family could be close by.

After discussing the trio's disappearance with his church group and fellow farmers, something made him remember the white vehicle and it clicked they must been in the nearby national park.

"I realised where they had been and thought they could be in the park next to us," he said.

"It's 100,000 acres of really rough country, it's massive and easy to get lost in.

"I thought, if it was my own kids, just how frightening that would be. I had to go and find them, I just hoped I would find them alive."

The 54-year-old farmer, a father to three adult children, jumped on his quad bike armed with "bickies, water and a few sandwiches" and circled the entrances to Expedition National Park.

Mr Wagner had seen the vehicle on the news, and remembered seeing a similar one on the road to the national park. Source: Supplied

Finding track marks that led to a site where the vehicle had apparently been bogged and managed to get further into the rough bushland, he knew he was on the right track.

Mr Wagner said he was sure he would find the missing family, but was concerned about what sort of state they'd be in.

"I was surprised how good they were," he said.

"They were fairly bright, and just overjoyed when they saw me come up on the quad.

"The boys had their arms up, cheering, and dad was just relieved. They were fairly skinny, and had obviously lost a lot of weight."

Tom Wagner set out to find the family on his quad bike. Source: Supplied

Mr Wagner stayed with the family for hours after they were found, helping them out of the bush until they could be transported to hospital with the assistance of police and park rangers.

He says he'll stay in touch with Mr Van Lonkhuyzen and the boys, who were "pretty pleased" that they had been rescued.

"They didn't want me to leave them. All the little fella wanted was some eggs, so I hope he's got that by now and he should be happy," Mr Wagner said.

Acting Inspector Mick Bianchi has praised Mr Wagner for going out of his way to find the missing boys and father, and praised the family for staying with their vehicle.

"It would have been almost impossible for them to be found if they had wandered," he tells news.com.au.

"We're very grateful to Mr Wagner for going out of his way to go looking for Steven and the boys, and spending a considerable amount of his time with them today."

Mr Wagner said he was glad he changed his plans to go waterskiing at a nearby lake yesterday to look for the family.

"I've obviously been watching the news and I know it was a week of absolute disasters," he said.

"I thought to myself when I was out there, there's been two really horrible things that have happened this week, I hope we're not having three of them.

"It's good to have a good story like that in time for Christmas."

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Internet shames ‘no Muslims’ Outback cafe

A sign that was photographed outside Longreach's Eagles Nest Bar and Grill last week. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

IT may be located in the middle of the bush, but the Eagles Nest Bar and Grill is certainly being talked about.

Hundreds of people have left "reviews" on the outback cafe's automatically-generated Facebook page in response to a sign out the front saying "sorry, no Muslims".

The reviews of the cafe, based in Longreach, a town in Central West Queensland, from several months ago start out fairly optimistic, with customers giving the eatery four and five stars out of five for great food and service.

But on Friday this changed when Helen Day posted a one-star review questioning the sign she saw out the front of the cafe.

"Just a bit surprised to see the sign up "Sorry No Muslims" ... what's that about???" she wrote.

The message was written at the bottom of a sandwich board, which also included the words: "2000 years ago Jesus Christ made headlines turning water into wine...the tradition continues...We turn money into beer (Sorry No Muslims)."

The post was picked up by Facebook group Boycott Halal in Australia? No Way and has now been shared hundreds of times.

Since, the internet has joined forces and its Facebook page has been filled with messages of support for the Muslim community, and disgust at the cafe's discriminatory attitude.

Comments on the page range from disgust to pure outrage. Source: Supplied

"1950 called, they want their segregation back". Source: Supplied

The Courier Mail has requested comment from the Eagles Nest Bar and Grill, but were yet to respond.

Originally published as Internet shames 'no Muslims' Outback cafe

23.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

The one travel hack you should know

By changing your point of sale, you could stand to save hundreds. Source: Getty Images

THE pricing habits of airlines have always been opportunistic at best, and down right predatory at worst. So when the customer happens upon one of those profitable loopholes, take it.

When booking flights online, the price can often be determined by the location from where you are making the purchase — or at least appear to be making the purchase.

This is because it is all about the point of sale and the pricing practices of airliners. The cheaper offers may be due to a specific sale under way that only applies to the local market, a quota of domestic sales, or sometimes the exchange rate can simply work in your favour.

For instance it is often cheaper to buy tickets "in-country" in places such as South America and in Asia than it is to buy those same tickets abroad. The same phenomenon is true for buying train tickets in Europe versus online in English.

Certain airlines often show dearer fares for international paying customers. Source: Getty Images

For one travel writer, the discrepancy in pricing from being "inside" the country to being outside the country led to a domestic flight from Bangkok to be offered at US$30 as opposed to the previously stated price of US$300.

Most people don't realise that some websites, such as Google's ITA, offer an easy way to change the point of sale so you can see if the pricing changes by varying the city. The Googleservice also has a built-in currency conversion to make things that much easier.

However when purchasing the tickets if you are unable to change the point of sale on the companies website, often it pays to go through the airline's home site and convert the currency.

While it can take a bit of fishing around and is there is no guarantee that it will yield hugely profitable results, it is certainly a handy trick to think about the next time you're booking some overseas air travel.

23.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

Sony to release The Interview online

Will be screened. James Franco, left, and Seth Rogen in a scene from the The Interview. Picture: AP Source: AP

SONY'S current plan for The Interview is to release the controversial comedy for free on Crackle, the streaming service it owns, sources said.

US President Barack Obama criticised the studio for being "intimidated by these kind of criminal attacks'' after hackers working for North Korea threatened violence in retaliation for the James Franco-Seth Rogan movie.

Sony pointed out the cancellation came after theatre chains and other streaming sites refused to show the film.

North Korea has warned of strikes against the White House, Pentagon and "the whole US mainland, that cesspool of terrorism".

Not happy ... North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un. Picture: AP Source: AP

The US blames North Korea for the cyberattack that has escalated to threats of terror attacks against US movie theatres and caused Sony to cancel The Interview's release.

Mr Obama, who promised to respond "proportionately" to the attack, told CNN's State of the Union in an interview that Washington is reviewing whether to put North Korea back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism.

Under fire ... Producer Scott Rudin and Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-Chairman Amy Pascal. Picture: Getty Source: Getty Images

Sony chairman Amy Pascal is under fire after a string of her emails were leaked including racist remarks about Mr Obama and unflattering comments about Angelina Jolie.

23.19 | 0 komentar | Read More

IS terrorists in reality TV shaming

Prisoners accused by the Iraqi government of being members of Islamic State confess to their crimes and face victims' families on a reality TV show called In the Grip of the Law. WSJ's Reem Makhoul reports

Facing reality ... Haider Ali Motar, right, performs a scene from "In the Grip of the Law," a reality show produced by Iraqi state TV, as a TV cameraman moves his position in Baghdad, Iraq. Motar was convicted of terrorism charges about a month ago for helping to carry out a string of Baghdad car bombings on behalf of the Islamic State extremist group. Now, the 21-year old is a reluctant cast member in the reality TV show. Picture: AP Photo/Hadi Mizban Source: AP

HAIDER Ali Motar was convicted of terrorism charges about a month ago for helping to carry out a string of Baghdad car bombings on behalf of the Islamic State extremist group. Now, the 21-year old is a reluctant cast member in a popular reality TV show.

In the Grip of the Law, brings convicted terrorists face-to-face with victims in surreal encounters and celebrates the country's beleaguered security forces. The show, produced by state-run Iraqiyya TV, is among dozens of programs, cartoons and musical public service announcements aimed at shoring up support for the troops after their humiliating defeat last summer at the hands of the Islamic State group, which now controls about a third of the country.

Ahmed Hassan, a reality show host, centre right, stands next to Haider Ali Motar, as the TV crew films "In the Grip of the Law," a reality show produced by Iraqi state TV, in Baghdad. Picture: AP Photo/Hadi Mizban) Source: AP

On a chilly, overcast day last week, the crew arrived at the scene of one of the attacks for which Motar was convicted, with a heavily armed escort in eight military pick-up trucks and army vehicles. Passing cars clogged the road to watch the drama unfold, but were quickly shooed away by soldiers.

After being pulled from an armoured vehicle, a shackled Motar found himself face-to-face with the seething relatives of the victims of the attack. "Give him to me — I'll tear him to pieces," one of the relatives roared from behind a barbed wire barrier.

Confessions of a terrorist ... A new reality show aims to shame terrorists. Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied

A cameraman pinned a microphone on Motar's bright yellow prison jumpsuit as he stood alongside a busy Baghdad highway looking bewildered by his surroundings.

"Say something," the cameraman said to him.

"What am I supposed to say?" a visibly panicked Motar asked.

"It's a mic check! Just count: 1,2,3,4 ..."

Once the cameras were rolling, the show's host Ahmed Hassan quizzed the still-shackled prisoner. When Motar was confronted by one of the victims, a young man in a wheelchair who lost his father in one of the attacks, the convict began weeping, as the cameras rolled.

A TV crew member attaches a lavaliere microphone on Haider Ali Motar's yellow prison costume, as Motar performs a scene from "In the Grip of the Law." AP Photo/Hadi Mizban Source: AP

Iraq has seen near-daily car bombs and other attacks for more than a decade, both before and after the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops at the end of 2011. But the central message of the show, the filming of which began last year, is that the security forces will bring perpetrators to justice.

"We wanted to produce a program that offers clear and conclusive evidence, with the complete story, presented and shown to Iraqi audiences," Hassan said. "Through surveillance videos, we show how the accused parked the car, how he blew it up, how he carries out an assassination."

Name and shame ... This TV host interviews terrorists on their motives. Picture: Supplied. Source: Supplied

The episodes often detail the trail of evidence that led security forces to make the arrest. Police allow the camera crew to film the evidence — explosive belts, bomb-making equipment or fingerprints and other DNA samples.

"We show our audiences the pictures, along with hard evidence, to leave no doubts that this person is a criminal and paying for his crimes," Hassan said.

All of the alleged terrorists are shown confessing to their crimes in one-on-one interviews. Hassan said the episodes are only filmed after the men have confessed to a judge, insisting it is "impossible" that any of them are innocent.

"The court first takes a preliminary testimony and then they require a legal confession in front of a judge," Hassan explained. "After obtaining the security and legal permission, we are then allowed to film those terrorists."

Anger ... A man expresses his anger at Haider Ali Motar, as they perform a scene from "In the Grip of the Law," a reality show produced by Iraqi state TV, in Baghdad, Iraq. Picture: AP Photo/Hadi Mizban Source: AP

Human rights groups have long expressed concern over the airing of confessions by prisoners, many of whom have been held incommunicado in secret facilities.

"The justice system is so flawed and the rights of detainees, especially those accused of terrorism (but not only) are so routinely violated that it is virtually impossible to be confident that they would be able to speak freely," Donatella Rovera, of Amnesty International, said in an email.

"In recent months, which I have spent in Iraq, virtually every family I have met who has a relative detained has complained that they do not have access to them, and the same is true for lawyers."

In a September statement, Amnesty cited longstanding concerns about the Iraqi justice system, "where many accused of terrorism have been convicted and sentenced to long prison terms and even to death on the basis of 'confessions" extracted under torture."

Such concerns are rarely if ever aired on Iraqi TV, where wall-to-wall programming exalts the security forces. Singers embedded with the troops sing nationalist songs during commercial breaks. In another popular program, called "The Quick Response," a travelling correspondent interviews soldiers, aiming to put a human face on the struggle against the extremists.

Hated ... "Give him to me — I'll tear him to pieces," one of the relatives of the victims roared from behind a barbed wire barrier. AP Photo/Hadi Mizban Source: AP

Iraqi forces backed by Shiite and Kurdish militias, as well as U.S.-led coalition air strikes, have clawed back some territory following the army's route last summer, when commanders disappeared, calls for reinforcements went unanswered and many soldiers stripped off their uniforms and fled. But around a third of the country — including its second largest city, Mosul — remains under the firm control of militants, and nearly every day brings new bombings in and around the capital.

Back at the makeshift barricade set up for "In the Grip of the Law," security officials insist they are nevertheless sending a message of deterrence.

"Many of these terrorists feel a lot of remorse when they see the victims," said the senior intelligence officer overseeing the shoot, who declined to be named since he often works undercover. "When people see that, it makes them think twice about crossing the law."

23.18 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pakistan to execute 500 terrorists

Pakistan says it has resumed executions of prisoners in the wake of a Taliban massacre at a school that left at least 132 students dead. Mana Rabiee reports.

PAKISTAN plans to execute around 500 militants in coming weeks after the government lifted a moratorium on the death penalty in terror cases following a Taliban school massacre.

Six militants have been hanged since Friday amid rising public anger over the slaughter in the north-western city of Peshawar, which left 149 people dead including 133 children.

After the deadliest terror attack in Pakistani history, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ended the six-year moratorium on the death penalty, reinstating it for terrorism-related cases.

Grief ... Mourners attend the funeral of students killed in the Taliban attack on a school that killed 148 people, mostly children, in Peshawar. Picture: AP Photo/Mohammad Sajjad Source: AP

"Interior ministry has finalised the cases of 500 convicts who have exhausted all the appeals, their mercy petitions have been turned down by the president and their executions will take place in coming weeks," a senior government official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

A second official confirmed the information.

Of the six hanged so far, five were involved in a failed attempt to assassinate the then-military ruler Pervez Musharraf in 2003, while one was involved in a 2009 attack on army headquarters. Police, troops and paramilitary Rangers have been deployed across the country and airports and prisons put on red alert as the executions take place and troops intensify operations against Taliban militants in north-western tribal areas.

Remembers ... Pakistanis attend a candlelight vigil around portraits of the victims killed the Taliban attack. Picture: AP Source: AP

Mr Sharif has ordered the attorney general's office to "actively pursue" capital cases currently in the courts, a government spokesman said.

"Prime Minister has also issued directions for appropriate measures for early disposal of pending cases related to terrorism," the spokesman said without specifically confirming the plan to execute 500.

Pakistan has described Tuesday's bloody rampage as its own "mini 9/11", calling it a game-changer in the fight against extremism.

Mother's tears ... a grieving woman cries on the premises of an army-run school in Peshawar, where her son Ali was killed during the massacre by Taliban militants. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

The decision to reinstate executions has been condemned by human rights groups, with the United Nations also calling for it to reconsider.

Human Rights Watch called the executions "a craven politicised reaction to the Peshawar killings" and demanded that no further hangings be carried out.

Pakistan began its de facto moratorium on civilian executions in 2008, but hanging remains on the statute books and judges continue to pass death sentences.

Before Friday's resumption, only one person had been executed since then — a soldier convicted by a court martial and hanged in November 2012.

Massacre ... Chairs are upturned and blood stains the floor inside the Army Public School auditorium after 133 children were gunned down by Taliban gunmen. Picture: AP Source: AP

Meanwhile, Afghan security forces have launched an operation against militants in an eastern province seen as a rear base for the Pakistani Taliban.

Pakistan's army chief met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul in the aftermath of the school attack in the Pakistani city of Peshawar which killed 149 people, mainly children.

The army chief sought Mr Ghani's support in defeating the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP).

TTP leader Mullah Fazlullah is believed to be hiding in Afghanistan's Kunar province, which borders Pakistan's restive tribal areas.

Mother murdered ... student Mohammad Baqair was injured but survived the attack. His mother, a teacher at the school, was killed by Taliban gunmen. Picture: AP Source: AP

Kunar has been the scene of fierce fighting between local forces and the Afghan Taliban for the past 10 days.

"Afghan security forces have launched a joint anti-militant operations in several parts of Dangam district of Kunar province," Dawlat Waziri, deputy defence ministry spokesman, told AFP.

"So far in the operation, 21 armed insurgents have been killed and 33 others wounded," Mr Waziri said, adding that seven security personnel were wounded.

Kunar governor Shujaul Mulk Jalala said more than 1500 Afghan Taliban fighters attacked remote villages in Dangam.

Taliban offensive ... Female Pakistani police commandos at a police training centre in Nowshera, in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

Mr Jalala said Pakistani Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba militants were also battling Afghan security forces in Dangam.

Pakistan has repeatedly asked Afghanistan to capture and hand over Fazlullah. Each nation has long accused the other of allowing militants to shelter in the border region and launch bloody attacks that threaten regional stability.

The Afghan Taliban have stepped up their attacks as NATO wraps up its combat operations, which end on December 31.

A follow-up mission of about 12,500 US-led NATO troops will stay on to train and support Afghan security forces.

Aftermath. a Pakistani army officer stands in front of a wall riddled with bullet marks inside the Army Public School after it was attacked by Taliban gunmen. Picture: AP Source: AP

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‘The heart beats strong in this city’

The former partner of Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis is in custody after her bail was revoked.

THE hundreds of floral tributes for the Sydney siege victims will be removed and a marquee erected ahead of a forecast for rain.

Notes, messages and cards will be preserved when the existing sea of flowers at Martin Place is taken down and composted today.

Nation remembers ... a woman arrives with a bouquet of flowers to add to the floral tributes left in Sydney's Martin place. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

NSW premier Mike Baird said the flowers were being removed after consultation with the families of the victims, and that they will be including in future plans to establish a permanent memorial.

THE PHOTO THAT STOPPED SYDNEY

"Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the floral memorial," wrote Mr Baird.

"The memory of this spontaneous outpouring of love will live with me forever as a powerful reminder of the heart that beats strong in this city," he wrote on Facebook.

Parts of the tribute for Lindt cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson will remain under a marquee.

The removal of parts of the memorial has been designed to preserve the messages and not to discourage people from paying their respects at Martin Place, a spokeswoman for the NSW premier said.

Memorial ... the families of victims Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson were consulted over the decision to remove many of the flowers ahead of wet weather, officials said. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

An army of volunteers from the Red Cross, Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service will help collect the flowers while chaplains remain to counsel visitors.

Condolence books will also be available at the Sydney Opera House and NSW Parliament House until the end of January.

Tributes..,people look at the flowers left outside the Lindt cafe in Sydney's Martin Place, one week after a siege at the cafe which saw two hostages and the gunman killed. Picture: AFP Source: AFP

The online condolence book remains available for signing.

They will be bound in several volumes and the Johnson and Dawson families will each receive a copy.

A permanent memorial will be discussed with the families once they are ready.

Financial donations in memory of the two victims have been directed to mental health organisation beyondblue and The Katrina Dawson Foundation.

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Dictionary’s pick for word of the year

Word of the year ... before the word culture exploded, we used to talk about 'society' a lot. Picture: AP/Richard Drew Source: AP

A NATION, a workplace, an ethnicity, a passion, an outsized personality. The people who comprise these things, who fawn or rail against them, are behind Merriam-Webster's 2014 word of the year: culture.

The word joins Oxford Dictionaries' "vape," a darling of the e-cigarette movement, and "exposure," declared the year's winner at Dictionary.com during a time of tragedy and fear due to Ebola.

Merriam-Webster based its pick and nine runners-up on significant increases in lookups this year over last on Merriam-Webster.com, along with interesting, often culture-driven — if you will — spikes of concentrated interest.

POPULAR LINGO: Oxford Dictionaries name 'vape' word of the year

You said it ... 'Culture' joins Oxford Dictionaries' 'vape,' the act of smoking an electronic cigarette. Picture: AFP/Kenzo Tribouillard Source: AFP

In the No 2 spot is "nostalgia," during a year in the US of big 50th anniversaries pegged to 1964: the start of the free speech movement, the passage of the Civil Rights Act, the birth of the Ford Mustang and the British Invasion heralded by the landing of the Beatles on American soil for the first time.

Nostalgia was followed by insidious, legacy, feminism and a rare multiword phrase that can be looked up in total, in a foreign language at that: the French "je ne sais quoi."

The Massachusetts-based dictionary giant filters out perennial favourites when picking word of the year, but does that formula leave them chasing language fads?

Anxiety ... 'exposure' was declared the year's word of the year at Dictionary.com during a time of tragedy and fear due to Ebola. Picture: AFP/Kenzo Tribouillard Source: AFP

"We're simply using the word culture more frequently," said Peter Sokolowski, editor at large for Merriam-Webster. "It may be a fad. It may not. It may simply be evolution."

Mr Sokolowski noted that the reasons words are looked up aren't just about not knowing what they mean. Sometimes, he said, we seek inspiration or a way to check in on ourselves. Of an estimated 100 million lookups on the website each year and a similar number on the company's app, culture enjoyed a 15 per cent year-over-year increase.

Percentage-wise, it doesn't sound like much, but the raw number in that stratosphere is large, Mr Sokolowski said. He wouldn't disclose actual numbers, though, citing the proprietary nature of that data for a company still privately held.

Lexicography ... Merriam-Webster based its pick of word of the year and nine runners-up on significant increases in lookups in 2014. Picture: AP Photo/Stephan Savoia Source: AP

Mr Sokolowski is a lexicographer, not a mind reader, so his observations about why any single word takes off in terms of lookups is well-informed but theoretical.

"The word culture's got a cultural story. We have noticed for years that culture has a cyclic spike every year at around Labour Day. That is to say back to school time during the month of September, so we've been watching this word spike at that time for years," he said. "In recent years we've seen similar spikes at the end of semesters during final [exams]."

But traffic throughout the year indicates that culture is a "chameleon," Mr Sokolowski said. "When you put it next to another word it means something very different. For example, 'consumer culture' or 'rape culture,' which we've been reading about lately."

There's the "culture of transparency" in government and business, and "celebrity culture," and the "culture of winning" in sports, he noted. "It's a word that can be very specific, like 'test prep culture,' or it can be very, very broad, like 'coffee culture.'"

Corporate culture ... a standout reference to culture that caught Peter Sokolowski's eye is from a new book, How Google Works. Source: Supplied

One standout reference that caught Mr Sokolowski's eye in The New Yorker magazine's December issue is from a new book, How Google Works, which includes a description of a software fix by a few engineers that made ads more relevant on the search engine:

"It wasn't Google's culture that turned those five engineers into problem-solving ninjas who changed the course of the company over the weekend," wrote the authors, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and former head of product development Jonathan Rosenberg.

"Rather it was the culture that attracted the ninjas to the company in the first place."

Before the word culture exploded, Mr Sokolowski said, "we used to talk about 'society' a lot. Certain groups are taking 'society' out of their names now. It seems to be receding. Part of that seems to be because it's elitist. We're using the word culture more frequently in that place."

Not all lookup spikes are quite that complex. The reason "je ne sais quoi" landed at No 6, for instance, is "dead simple," he said.

'Insidious' ... lookups of the word spiked when a Texas hospital released a statement on the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first confirmed Ebola patient in the United States. Picture: AP/Wilmot Chayee Source: AP

A US fast-food drive-in chain named Sonic, known for TV spots featuring two goofy dudes eating in a car, had them munching on boneless chicken wings in September.

"I've finally found myself a wingman," goofy guy No 1 says of the chicken wings he hopes will make him a chick magnet.

"Oh right," sneers goofy guy No 2, "gonna give you that certain je ne sais quoi."

Responds No. 1: "Jenna said what?"

They mine the word play a couple more times, but you get the picture.

"Since September when this ad came out this word has been close to the Top 10 or in the Top 10 of our lookups almost every single day," Mr Sokolowski said.

Fast-food aside, he called this year's list a relatively sober one.

Insidious, for example, received a bump early in the year when a new trailer was released for Insidious: Chapter 3, a prequel in the horror film franchise Insidious, out in June. The word surfaced in a big way again, on October 8, when a Texas hospital released a statement on the death of Thomas Eric Duncan, the first confirmed Ebola patient in the United States.

The statement spoke of his courageous battle and the hospital's profound sadness when he "succumbed to an insidious disease, Ebola."

Rounding out the Top 10 are innovation, surreptitious, autonomy and morbidity.

"This is a fairly sober list. It was a fairly sober year," he concluded.

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Martin Place cafe siege: Police name gunman

Sydney remains in the grip of terror tonight. Up to 15 hostages are being held at gun point in the heart of the city.

Several people appear to have fled from a Sydney cafe where up to 50 hostages are being held by a gunman.

Staff and customers hold up what is believed to be a jihadist flag up against the window of the Lindt cafe. Source: Channel 7

The latest live news coverage and commentary from Australia's No. 1 media company. Stream 1

• Numerous hostages have left the Lindt cafe in Martin Place
• Police stormed the cafe and multiple shots were fired
• It is unclear what prompted the police to go in

LIVE: TWO people have reportedly been killed - one believed to be the gunman - in the Martin Place cafe siege after police stormed the location. As a result, the Lindt cafe siege is over.

Sky News reports at least four hostages have been injured, perhaps three critically, but their condition is unknown. Two of those required CPR at the scene. Meanwhile, a police officer has been injured with an amount of blood streaming from his head, Sky reports.

Hostages run for their lives Source: AP

Sky said there were unconfirmed reports of two fatalities, one of which is believed to be the gunman. Some of the injured have been taken to St Vincent's hospital.

Shortly before 2.45am (AEDT), police confirmed the siege was over.

Hostages fled from the Sydney cafe where a gunman had been holding an unknown number of people for more than 16 hours.

An Associated Press photographer near the scene heard a loud bang and saw five or six hostages running out of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in downtown Sydney early this morning.

A hostage being carried out Source: Supplied

A group of hostages ran from central Sydney's Lindt cafe where a gunman was holed up with as many as 15 others.

Television footage initially showed a man running from the eatery with his arms raised, shortly after 2am (AEDT), before being patted down by police and escorted to safety.

Minutes later, two more men and two women raced outside and were directed away by police.

Their escape was followed by 10 seconds of rapid gunfire as heavily-armed police stormed the cafe in numbers, managing to release others.

A woman, apparently middle-aged, was carried from the scene injured.

A second volley of shots erupted before the cafe filled with police and paramedics.

A number of stretchers were wheeled into the building, however, it was unclear how many people may have been injured.

According to unconfirmed reports aired by Sky News, at least four people were injured.

There was no word on the fate of the gunman, earlier identified as 50-year-old self-styled sheik Man Haron Monis.

Meanwhile, a bomb disposal robot was sent into the cafe by police.

More hostages make a run for it. Source: Supplied

A man in a white shirt came out of the cafe first with his arms raised. He dropped to the floor and was searched by police before being whisked away.

A man emerges from the cafe. Source: Supplied

Police have authorised the naming of 'Sheik' Man Haron Monis, who is a self-styled preacher of Islamic State on bail for accessory to murder, as the gunman who was holding 15 terrified hostages in Sydney's Lindt cafe.

Haron was also charged this year with indecent and sexual assault of women in 2002. Monis was hit with an additional 40 charges in October.

The 49-year-old, originally from Iran who now lives in southwest Sydney, had previously sent offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers, calling them murderer, The Daily Telegraph says.

He had a sawn-off shotgun and was a fringe Islamist, The Australian and Sky News reports.

'Sheik' Man Haron Monis Source: News Corp Australia

'Sheik' Man Haron Monis leaves Downing Centre Court after pleading guilty to sending offensive letters to families of dead Diggers. Source: News Limited

'Hate sheik' Man Horan Monis and girlfriend Amirzh Droudis granted bail

- with AAP

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Hostages flee Sydney city siege

Sydney remains in the grip of terror tonight. Up to 15 hostages are being held at gun point in the heart of the city.

Several people appear to have fled from a Sydney cafe where up to 50 hostages are being held by a gunman.

Staff and customers hold up what is believed to be a jihadist flag up against the window of the Lindt cafe. Source: Channel 7

The latest live news coverage and commentary from Australia's No. 1 media company. Stream 1

• Numerous hostages have left the Lindt cafe in Martin Place
• Police stormed the cafe and multiple shots were fired
• It is unclear what prompted the police to go in

LIVE: TWO people have reportedly been killed - one believed to be the gunman - in the Martin Place cafe siege after police stormed the location. As a result, the Lindt cafe siege is over.

Sky News reports at least four hostages have been injured, perhaps three critically, but their condition is unknown. Two of those required CPR at the scene. Meanwhile, a police officer has been injured with an amount of blood streaming from his head, Sky reports.

Hostages run for their lives Source: AP

Sky said there were unconfirmed reports of two fatalities, one of which is believed to be the gunman. Some of the injured have been taken to St Vincent's hospital.

Shortly before 2.45am (AEDT), police confirmed the siege was over.

Hostages fled from the Sydney cafe where a gunman had been holding an unknown number of people for more than 16 hours.

An Associated Press photographer near the scene heard a loud bang and saw five or six hostages running out of the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in downtown Sydney early this morning.

A hostage being carried out Source: Supplied

A group of hostages ran from central Sydney's Lindt cafe where a gunman was holed up with as many as 15 others.

Television footage initially showed a man running from the eatery with his arms raised, shortly after 2am (AEDT), before being patted down by police and escorted to safety.

Minutes later, two more men and two women raced outside and were directed away by police.

Their escape was followed by 10 seconds of rapid gunfire as heavily-armed police stormed the cafe in numbers, managing to release others.

A woman, apparently middle-aged, was carried from the scene injured.

A second volley of shots erupted before the cafe filled with police and paramedics.

A number of stretchers were wheeled into the building, however, it was unclear how many people may have been injured.

According to unconfirmed reports aired by Sky News, at least four people were injured.

There was no word on the fate of the gunman, earlier identified as 50-year-old self-styled sheik Man Haron Monis.

Meanwhile, a bomb disposal robot was sent into the cafe by police.

More hostages make a run for it. Source: Supplied

A man in a white shirt came out of the cafe first with his arms raised. He dropped to the floor and was searched by police before being whisked away.

A man emerges from the cafe. Source: Supplied

Police have authorised the naming of 'Sheik' Man Haron Monis, who is a self-styled preacher of Islamic State on bail for accessory to murder, as the gunman who was holding 15 terrified hostages in Sydney's Lindt cafe.

Haron was also charged this year with indecent and sexual assault of women in 2002. Monis was hit with an additional 40 charges in October.

The 49-year-old, originally from Iran who now lives in southwest Sydney, had previously sent offensive letters to the families of dead Australian soldiers, calling them murderer, The Daily Telegraph says.

He had a sawn-off shotgun and was a fringe Islamist, The Australian and Sky News reports.

'Sheik' Man Haron Monis Source: News Corp Australia

'Sheik' Man Haron Monis leaves Downing Centre Court after pleading guilty to sending offensive letters to families of dead Diggers. Source: News Limited

'Hate sheik' Man Horan Monis and girlfriend Amirzh Droudis granted bail

- with AAP

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