Monday's news in just 2 minutes.

1. Queen Elizabeth II will today sign a charter in support of gay rights and gender equality. It’s the first timethe Queen has openly expressed her views on gay rights in her 61 years on the throne. The Commonwealth Charter the Queen is signing reads: “We are implacably opposed to all forms of discrimination, whether rooted in gender, race, colour, creed, political belief or other grounds.”

2. One of the men who was accused of gang raping and murdering a  student in New Delhi three months ago, has reportedly hung himself in jail. Ram Singh was driving the bus the 23-year-old year old was travelling on when she was raped and tortured. Five other men are still on trial.

3. In an interview with 60 Minutes last night, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said his views on homosexuality and abortion have changed in recent years. Speaking to journalist Liz Hayes, Mr Abbott said: “I’ve certainly said some things which I wouldn’t say now. I said some things which I believed then which I don’t believe now.”

You can read more of that interview here.

4. Labor ministers will today make an announcement about strict new tests for graduating teachers. As part of the National Plan for School Improvement, from 2016 aspiring teachers will face numeracy and literary tests (in which they’ll need to place in the top 30 per cent of the population) upon graduation and have provide a written statement about why they’re suited to the profession before they start uni.

5. There have been reports that Oscar Pistorius – the Olympic sprinter who has been charged with the premeditated murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp – is on the verge of suicide. Pistorius’ friend Mike Azzie told the BBC: “He has no confidence in his tone of voice and he is just a man that is almost like someone that is walking around in circles and doesn’t know where he is going…. I would say that, just speaking to him, that he is a broken man and that I would go as far to say that he would be on the verge of suicide. It really worries me.”

6. This year’s Logies will be a battle between duo Hamish Blake and Andy Lee. They’re both been nominated for the Gold Logie for their show Gap Year and Caravan of Courage. They’ll be up against Adam Hills (ABC), Asher Keddie (Ch 10) and Carrie Bickmore (Ch 10) and Steve Peacocke (Ch 7).

7. Today marks the two-year anniversary of the devastating tsunami that struck coastal areas of Japan killing more than 19,000 people.