RUSH HOUR: The stories you need to know today

A SIMPLE gesture from one man during a snowstorm has melted the hearts of a city.

Good morning, and welcome to our morning news coverage. We will be bringing you the best of what’s happening this morning, so you can get across the news quickly.

9.40am

American anti-vaccination campaigner Dr Sherri Tenpenny has cancelled her speaking tour of Australia due to safety and security concerns.

Dr Tenpenny was due to speak in Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Melbourne and Gold Coast, however a number of venues had cancelled because of complaints from the public.

In a statement posted on Facebook, Dr Tenpenny said that “pro-vaccine extremists had made continual, anonymous threats of vandalism and violence” and that organisers could no longer guarantee the safety of attendees.

Post by Dr. Tenpenny on Vaccines.

9.20am

There were some cool photos taken of the storm in Perth overnight.

Continued lightning this morning is disrupting flights from Perth Airport with travellers advised to check on delays with their airlines.

Amazing photo of the #PerthStorm pic.twitter.com/hvyVtGSLJX

— Tiffany Wertheimer (@TiffWertheimer9) January 28, 2015

Departures lounge at #perth airport number of flights grounded due to lightning @9NewsPerth pic.twitter.com/GU6vQNQXmY

— Scott Cunningham (@cunninghamscott) January 28, 2015

Photo of Perth storm by Gary Parris Photography

Fave shot so far. When edited it's going to be a sweet pic! #perthstorm #perth #lightning @weather_wa @TheWAWG pic.twitter.com/t3ziM2EGxr

— ben clark (@Pasteurfan) January 28, 2015

@Perth_Today my friends photo of the storm #missperthstorms #stunning #happeningnow pic.twitter.com/GkLgHjX1dW

— Sally-Anne Tarpy (@SallyTarpy73) January 28, 2015

Summer storm over Perth. First time photographing lightning while simultaneously being devoured by mozzies! pic.twitter.com/IV8ELmcq6l

— Jarad Finneran (@JazPeterFinn) January 28, 2015

9am

Kurdish flags are now flying over Kobane after Kurdish fighters finally drove out Islamic State jihadists from the Syrian border town in a major strategic victory.

Pulverised buildings, heavily armed fighters roaming otherwise deserted rubble-strewn streets: the ferocious battle for Kobane has left the Syrian border town in ruins, according to a team of AFP journalists who arrived there Wednesday.

Kurdish forces recaptured the town on the Turkish frontier from the Islamic State group on Monday in a symbolic blow to the jihadists who have seized swathes of territory in their brutal onslaught across Syria and Iraq.

Kurdish fighters walk through the wreckage in the center of the Syrian town of Kobane. Picture: AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC

A Kurdish fighter walks with his child in Kobane. AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC

Wreckage left by fighting between the Kurds and Islamic State. AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC

A Kurdish fighter walks through a wrecked building. Picture: AFP PHOTO / BULENT KILIC

8.40am

Jordan says it is willing to agree to a prisoner swap with Islamic State in order to save the life of a Jordanian pilot.

IS, in a video released on Tuesday, threatened to kill airman Maaz al-Kassasbeh and Japanese hostage Kenji Goto unless Iraqi female suicide bomber Sajida al-Rishawi is freed within 24 hours.

“Jordan is ready to release the prisoner Sajida al-Rishawi if the Jordanian pilot is freed unharmed,” Jordanian state television quoted a government spokesman as saying on Wednesday.

However, releasing the would-be hotel bomber linked to al-Qaeda would run counter to the kingdom’s hard-line approach to the extremists.

Jordanian pilot Maaz al-Kassasbeh (left) may be swapped for Sajida al-Rishawi (R). Picture: AFP PHOTO / HO

It is unclear what would happen to Japanese hostage Kenji Goto if al-Rishawi is released. Picture: AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko

8.20am

A Perth man has been found guilty of murder for scaring a taxi driver to death.

Grant Lindon Collard was found guilty on Wednesday for the kidnap and murder of Lindsay Terrance Ferguson, 67, who died on April 24, 2013 while driving the accused around Mandurah.

Collard was found guilty of two counts of kidnap and one count of murder.

The jury was told Collard was drug-affected and his behaviour was so frightening that he caused Mr Ferguson to have a fatal heart attack.

Perth taxi driver was ‘scared to death’ by passenger.

8am

California health officials on Wednesday declared electronic cigarettes a health threat that should be strictly regulated like tobacco products, joining other states and health advocates across the US in pushing back against the fast-growing device.

The California Department of Public Health report says e-cigarettes emit cancer-causing chemicals and get users hooked on nicotine, although there is still more research to be done on the immediate and long-term health effects.

“Without action, it is likely that California’s more than two decades of progress to prevent and reduce traditional tobacco use will erode as e-cigarettes re-normalise smoking behaviour,” the report says.

An e-cigarette smoker in east London. Picture: John Stillwell/PA Wire

7.40am

Supporters are preparing a candlelight vigil for Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan in Sydney tonight as hopes fade the Bali Nine duo will escape an Indonesian firing squad.

Organiser and Archibald Prize-winning artist Ben Quilty will be joined by singer Megan Washington and actor David Wenham at the Music for Mercy vigil in Martin Place on Thursday evening from 7-9pm.

Quilty, who befriended Sukumaran, 33, and Chan, 31, over art classes at Bali’s Kerobokan prison, says he hopes the vigil will send a message.

A lawyer for Sukumaran and Chan says their legal team won’t stop trying to get their sentences commuted, amid fears the pair could be executed soon.

Usually, prisoners are notified three days ahead of the sentence being carried out by a firing squad.

Former inmates and friends of Myuran Sykumaran bring a painting to support the Australians in Kerobokan jail. Picture: Lukman S.Bintoro

7.20am

If you are not a fan of the selfie stick there’s a new way to indulge in a bit of narcissim - mini drones that are programmed to snap photos and videos of you from all directions.

According to The Australian, consumer drones were all the rage at this month’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which can be pre-programmed instead of being flown manually. These autonomous drones can take off to follow a set flight path or follow you, maintain a certain distance, height or nominated angle for the best snaps and video.

Parrot Mini Drone. Picture: SUPPLIED

7.10am

As pressure mounted on Prime Minister Tony Abbott to dump Peta Credlin, senior ministers have now come out in support of his chief of staff saying the Coalition would not be in government without her.

Yesterday public attention over Mr Abbott’s “Knightmare” saga turned to Ms Credlin, but MPs’ anger remained firmly on the PM, who made the decision to grant a knighthood to Prince Philip without consultation.

Cabinet ministers were last night united in saying that the government could not have formed without Ms Credlin. Social Services Minister Scott Morrison told The Daily Telegraph Ms Credlin had made an “extraordinary contribution” to the government’s success.

Meanwhile the Seven News ReachTEL poll of 3,700 people nationwide has found more than 70 per cent opposed the knighthood. The PM’s approval ratings have slumped nearly 10 per cent, down to 22 per cent.

RELATED: Who could replace the PM?

Tony Abbott with his chief of staff Peta Credlin during the 2013 election campaign. Pictue: Gary Ramage

7am

An Australian has been filmed taking on a monster wave in Hawaii during a freak swell that generated 15m waves.

Queenslander Mark Visser took on the infamous break ‘Jaws’ and told The Courier Mail the most confronting part was sitting and waiting as the monstrous waves reared before his eyes.

RIDER ON THE STORM: Sunshine Coast surfer Mark Visser takes on an ocean giant at Jaws in Hawaii during a phenomenal swell event last week. Picture: SUPPLIED

6.50am

Three members of a former Perth family have been found “hacked to death” in their ​South African home.

A fourth family member has been critically injured and a fifth has reportedly been taken away by the police.

Businessman Martin van Breda, 54, his wife Teresa, 55, and their son Rudi, 22, were found dead in their home in an exclusive golf-course estate home ​at Stellenbosch, near​ ​Cape Town, ​yesterday morning, local time.

The couple’s daughter Marli, 16, is in a critical but stable condition with serious head injuries and their 20-year-old son Henri is assisting police and being questioned, South African media are reporting.

Police spokesman Andre Traut said no arrests have been made at this stage.

Three members of the van Breda family are dead and another is fighting for life following an axe attack in their South African home. Picture: Facebook

6.40am

A Playboy model whose father killed himself after seeing photos of his 18-year-old daughter posing nude says she is haunted by his suicide.

Loredana Chivu stripped off for the Romanian edition of Playboy magazine and said her father stopped speaking to her.

“When he found out what I had done he cut himself off from the world and tried to isolate me as well from the rest of the family,” she said.

“I thought he would get over it and I never expected he would do something like kill himself.”

6.10am

An inquest into the Lindt cafe siege opens in Sydney today and is expected to attract a large international and local media contingent.

The inquest will try to determine how gunman Man Haron Monis and two hostages, Katrina Dawson and Tori Johnson, died. It will also look to establish whether the deaths could have been avoided.

The BBC, CNN and The New York Times, are expected to attend. News.com.au will also be reporting on the proceedings, click here for our updated coverage once the inquest starts at 10am.

No witnesses will be called, but counsel assisting will outline the scope of the inquest and the results of inquiries to date. Lawyers representing police officers, the victims’ families, and other interested parties have been invited to apply to take part. The inquest is expected to adjourn until later in the year.

A gunman took hostages at Lindt cafe in Martin place last year.

6am

A simple gesture from one man during a snowstorm has touched the hearts of a city.

A social media campaign using the hashtag #whoshoveledthefinishline was launched to find the man who shovelled snow off the Boston marathon finish line after his simple gesture was captured and posted to Twitter.

The man in the photo taken by Phillip Hillman was described as a local hero and has since been identified as a nearby bartender Chris Laudani.

“I only did it to send a message…I love the Boston marathon and everything it stands for, the finish line doesn’t deserve to be covered in snow.” Mr Laudani told Boston Magazine.

Powerful photo, taken by my friend @PhillyIdol1017 - let's find the guy in the photo! #whoshoveledthefinishline pic.twitter.com/HO9WrxeHnI

— Gabrielle Daniels (@AroundTownGabby) January 28, 2015

@fox25news @sbain09 it was no other than Chris Laudani, a bartender here!

— BackBaySocialClub (@BackBaySocial) January 28, 2015

The Boston area has been buried in more than two feet (half a metre) of snow and lashed with hurricane-force winds this week.

The marathon is the oldest in the world and an iconic race known around the world. In 2013 it was the site of a bombing that killed three people and injured more than 200 participants.