Hijacker shot in China after taking foreign hostages

A hijacker armed with explosives took a group of Australian tourists and a translator hostage in China on Wednesday before police shot and killed him, an Australian embassy official and Chinese media reported.
Initially 10 Australians were taken hostage on a tourist bus in the city of Xi'an in northwest China but nine were released soon after, Janaline Oh, spokeswoman for the Australian Embassy in Beijing, told AFP.
"Nine Australian passengers were released and transported to safety and a 48-year-old woman from New South Wales was not released with the rest of the group," she said.
Chinese police agreed to let the hijacker, Xia Tao, change buses and head to the airport before shooting him as he approached the toll station, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported, citing the local public security bureau.
"Chinese security authorities intervened and secured the release of the woman and the Australian government is pleased the hostages are now safe," Oh said.
Xi'an is one of China's most popular tourist destinations, with the main attraction being the Terracotta Army, a collection of more than 8,000 life-size figures dating back to around 200 BC.