Australia's foreign affairs department evacuated over suspicious package: police

Sydney: Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the capital, Canberra, was evacuated on Tuesday after a suspicious package was found in the building's canteen, police said.

Australia is on high alert after heavily armed police stormed a Sydney cafe early on Tuesday morning and freed terrified hostages being held there at gunpoint for 16 hours.

Two hostages and the gunman were killed, police said.