Three injured after "terrorist-related" stabbing in London, & more in News in 5.

– With AAP.

1. Three injured after “terrorist-related” stabbing in London.

A man has been shot and killed by police in south London after stabbing two people in “terrorist-related” stabbings.

“As part of a proactive Counter Terrorism operation, armed officers were in immediate attendance and shot a male suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. A third person also received minor injuries – believed to have been caused by glass following the discharge of the police firearm,” Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Lucy D’Orsi said in a statement.

Police found a device strapped to his body and cordons were put in place, but it was quickly established as a fake.

Police received reports of the stabbings around 2pm local time on Sunday.

One of three victims, a man, is being treated for life-threatening injuries. One woman has non-life threatening injuries and another woman has minor injuries.

Witness Karker Tahir told Sky News undercover police officers chased a man down the neighbourhood’s main commercial street.

“They kept telling him ‘stop, stop’,” Tahir said.

“But he didn’t stop, and then I saw that they shot him three times. It was horrible seeing it.

“The man was on the floor and it looked like he had something which police said may be a device.

“Police came to us and said ‘you have to leave the shop because he has a bomb in his bag’,” Tahir added.

Street pastor Richard Mustonen-Smith, 59, said he was in shock.

“I’ve been here all my life,” he said. “We’re always getting accidents down here, but not this.”

The attack took place a little over two months after two people were stabbed to death near London Bridge by a man who had recently been released from prison.

He had been serving a 16-year sentence for plotting a terror attack.

British authorities on November 4 reduced the national terror threat level to “substantial”, meaning an attack is considered likely.

That is the third-highest level in the UK’s five-step alert system and marks the first time the threat level has been so low since August 2014.

Streatham MP Bell Reberio-Addy said police have assured her Sunday’s attack was an “isolated incident”.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson praised emergency workers, while London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged community resolve in the face of another attack.

“Terrorists seek to divide us and to destroy our way of life,” he said.

“Here in London we will never let them succeed.”

2. Everything we know about the Sydney crash that killed four children.

Four children have been killed by an allegedly drunk, speeding driver just around the corner from home at Oatlands in Sydney’s north west. @tiffgenders #9News pic.twitter.com/3UcKYfhDGx

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) February 2, 2020

Samuel William Davidson, accused of the manslaughter of four children who were hit by a four-wheel-drive in Sydney’s northwest, has been refused bail.

The 29-year-old – a builder and the son of a retired NSW police detective – was behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi ute which struck seven children who were riding bicycles on a footpath in Oatlands on Saturday night.

Davidson was arrested after returning a positive roadside breath test which allegedly recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.15, three times over the legal limit.

His case was heard on Sunday at Parramatta Bail Court, where he was charged with 20 offences including four counts of manslaughter, dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm, negligent driving and drink-driving. Davidson was not present in court, was refused bail and will reportedly reappear on April 2 at Parramatta Local Court.

Three of the children killed in Saturday night’s incident near Parramatta were siblings and the fourth was a member of their extended family. The group of seven children had been riding on the footpath on their way to buy ice cream when the 4WD mounted the kerb and hit them, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

Police believe Davidson and a friend left their Oatlands home on Saturday night to get money from a service station and were returning home when the crash happened. Before the crash, he reportedly drove through a red light and was seen on the wrong side of the road.

“Yesterday, I lost three of my children,” Daniel, the father of the three children, told media on Sunday morning. The fourth child killed was 11-year-old Veronique Sakr.

“I had a cousin, Bridget, she lost her daughter as well. I don’t know what to say. I’m numb, probably that’s how I feel at the moment.

“All I just want to say is please, drivers, be careful. These kids were just walking innocently, enjoying each others’ company, and this morning I woke up – I have lost three kids.

“Please, just, make sure you love your loved ones, your kids especially.”

His 13-year-old son Anthony, 12-year-old daughter Angelina and nine-year-old daughter Sienna were killed.

“That was my full-time job. I say full-time father, part-time worker. They were my priority. And now they’re gone,” he said in a statement.

Emergency services were called to Oatlands before 8pm on Saturday, but four of the children died at the scene, police said.

A fifth child, 10, was taken to The Children’s Hospital in Westmead in a critical condition. Two girls, aged 10 and 13, were taken to hospital, both in a serious but stable condition, a NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said.

A local described how residents tried to save the children.

“People ran over and were doing CPR until the paramedics got here,” the witness said.

“One woman was screaming out ‘save them, save them’.”

NSW Ambulance Acting Superintendent Andrew McAlpine said paramedics had arrived to a horrific scene.

“When the first crews arrived on scene they were met with carnage, a very, very difficult scene with a lot of chaos,” he said.

Police said the family were at the hospital with relatives.

NSW Police Assistant Commissioner Michael Corboy said the incident was one of the worst he’d seen in his career.

“Tragedies do occur, but in my time in policing, this is one of the most tragic, involving young children dying in a very tragic circumstance,” he said.

“It is hard to imagine the grief that the family is going through at the moment.”

3. Agriculture Minister Bridget McKenzie resigns over sports rorts scandal.

Bridget McKenzie has given Prime Minister Scott Morrison her resignation as agriculture minister over sports funding decisions she made in her previous portfolio as sports minister.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison made the announcement at a press conference in Canberra after receiving a departmental report that said Senator McKenzie breached ministerial rules in the so-called sports rorts scandal.

Deputy prime minister Michael McCormack will step in as agriculture minister.

In January, Scott Morrison ordered his department secretary to look into the handling of the $100 million sports grant program, and particularly a $36,000 grant Senator McKenzie made when she was sports minister awarded to a Victorian shooting club of which she is a member.

Senator McKenzie said in a statement that she also intends to resign from her position as deputy National Party leader, while adding that she accepts the finding of the report made by the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet.

“I have always taken my role as a Minister of the Crown very seriously and I understand that the community expects parliamentarians to abide by the highest standards,” she said.

“I maintain that at no time did my membership of shooting sports clubs influence my decision making, nor did I receive any personal gain.

“However, acknowledge that my failure to declare my memberships in a timely manner constituted a breach of the Prime Minister’s Ministerial Standards.”

The scandal came to light after a damning report by the Audit Office over how the sports grants were doled out in the run-up to the federal election.

4. Koala "massacre" to be investigated by the Victorian government.

Koala "massacre" to be investigated by State Government https://t.co/8g9zTsmXCk

— ABC News (@abcnews) February 2, 2020

The alleged killing and starvation of koalas in southwest Victoria is under investigation after several animals were put to vet care on Friday.

Environmental group Friends of the Earth said a koala "massacre" has occurred during the logging of a bluegum plantation near Cape Bridgewater.

According to the animal activists, hundreds of koalas were killed or injured during logging activities.

"A logging harvest was completed in late December 2019, where reports came in about the plight of hundreds of starving koalas," Friends of the Earth claims.

"A couple of days ago people apparently witnessed the bulldozing of many dead koalas into slash piles."

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning said they were extremely concerned about reports of animals showing signs of starvation and injury.

The department also confirmed an investigation was ongoing.

"If this is found to be due to deliberate human action, we expect the Conservator Regular to act swiftly against those responsible," a DELWP spokesman said.

"DELWP was onsite on Friday. A number of animals were removed and were assessed and are now being cared for by local rehabilitation volunteers."

Killing, harassing or disturbing wildlife can attract a penalty of up to $8000 and an additional fine of more than $800 per head of wildlife.

"We need to understand did this occur, were the spotters in place, and will the mandatory reporting be followed," Shadow Attorney-General Edward O'Donohue said.

"It's deeply disturbing, the report of numerous deaths of koalas, particularly on the back of the bushfires."

Koalas are at risk of being listed as endangered following the bushfires, with habitats lost across Australia.

5. Novak Djokovic wins eighth Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic has overcome illness, a mid-match meltdown and an inspired Dominic Thiem to claim a record-extending eighth Australian Open crown.

In a titanic battle laced with controversy and drama, Djokovic overturned a two-sets-to-one deficit for the first time in a grand slam final to deny Thiem a maiden major with a 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 victory on Sunday night.

Djokovic is the first man in the 52-year open era to win grand slam titles in three different decades, and just the second in history after Ken Rosewall snared majors in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

His 17th career slam also leaves the super Serb just three behind all-time majors leader Roger Federer and propelled the 32-year-old back to world No.1.

But he had to fight tooth and nail - and the chair umpire - for this one as Thiem threatened to shatter Djokovic's aura of invincibility at Melbourne Park.

The flashpoint in the final came after the ninth game of the second set.

Incensed at receiving two time violations on successive points, Djokovic fired a forehand way over the baseline to drop serve to fall behind 5-4 before venting his frustrations at the changeover.

In an ugly exchange that had social media aflutter with calls for the Serb to be disqualified, Djokovic tapped Damien Dumusois on his shoe twice while marching to his chair.

He then sarcastically congratulated the French official.

"You made yourself famous in this match. Great job. Especially in the second one. Great job. You made yourself famous. Well done," Djokovic said before leaving the court for a clothes change after Thiem served out the set.

Perhaps still rattled, and seemingly suffering physically, Djokovic double-faulted on his first serve upon the resumption and quickly slumped to a 4-0 deficit in the third set as Thiem appeared to seize control.

The titleholder finally snapped a run of six straight games, only to call for the tournament doctor when trailing 4-1, complaining of feeling ill.

Djokovic required more treatment - and a pill - after dropping the set to find himself in deep trouble.

But, displaying the championship qualities that have him challenging Federer and Rafael Nadal as tennis's so-called GOAT - greatest of all time - Djokovic broke Thiem in the eighth game of the fourth set to force a decider.

Runner-up in the past two French Open finals to Nadal, Thiem dropped serve again in the third game of the fifth set as Djokovic surged to a 3-1 lead.

One of the most ruthless finishers in tennis, Djokovic refused to relinquish his advantage, finally subduing Thiem's challenege after three hours and 59 minutes.

In thwarting Thiem's valiant quest to become Austria's first-ever Australian Open champion, the 32-year-old also extended the big three's run of grand slam triumphs to 13 since Stan Wawrinka won the 2016 US Open.

Djokovic, Nadal or Federer have also now won 14 of the past 15 Australian Opens.

Feature image: Getty.