Thousands of teachers in Oklahoma and Kentucky rallied on Monday to demand more funding and better pay.

Demonstrators were inspired by a nine-day strike last month that won West Virginian teachers their first pay-rise in four years.

Walkouts have closed schools in Oklahoma and Kentucky. Teachers are primarily protesting changes in pension benefits.

Footage has emerged of six Melbourne police officers assaulting a man during a welfare check requested by the man’s psychologist.

The video was captured by the home owner’s own security cameras, which he installed after a burglary.

The man didn’t take the footage of his own assault to the police, stating he had no faith that the police would investigate fairly, and has instead taken his case to Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission.

Child protection advocates are calling for a dramatic shake up of the system after it was revealed that in the last five years more than 12 people convicted of child sex crimes and assault have obtained a ‘working with children check’ in Victoria.

Offenders have won the right to work with children through legal challenges at Victoria's highest tribunal, in circumstances that advocates say drastically undermine Australia’s child protection system.

Over $12,000 has been raised for vision impaired Queen Street Mall busker, Graham Pampling, a local icon who has busked 6 days per week for the last 30 years.

The GoFundMe campaign was set-up to support Mr Pampling after a recent hip replacement put him 11 weeks out of play.

The campaign was also set-up to support his financial troubles and raise awareness that this year marks Mr Pampling’s 30th year of busking in Brisbane.

The owner of Rankins on the Mall which has been slated for demolition, has started an online petition to save his shop.

The owner of the Queen street mall news agency, Ross Peterson, is determined to save his business which has been open for 35 years.

Peterson says the petition has already received over 1000 signatures since it launched last Thursday.

Winnie Mandela, South African anti-apartheid campaigner and former wife of Nelson Mandela, has died at age 81.

Winnie has been hailed as a mother of the ‘new’ South Africa and a ruthless ideology prepared to sacrifice laws and lives in pursuit of revolution.

Her spokesman says she died after long illness, which had her in and out of hospital since the start of the year.

Hours after is was announced, Israel has suspended a deal with the United Nations to resettle thousands of African migrants in Western nations, an ongoing issue that has divided Israel for over a decade.

Originally, the migrants were to be expelled, however Israel will now resettle half the migrants, while the rest remain in the country.

The deal is now on hold and Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu will meet residents of South Tel Aviv to discuss a solution today.

A vegan trend is taking hold in Australia, according to market research firm Euromonitor International.

The research predicted Australia is the third fastest growing vegan market in the world and the packaged vegan food market will be worth $215 million by 2020.

Sydney dietitian, Nicole Dynan, said both social media and the hype around gut- and micro-health have been a big influence in the Veganism trend.

Tropical cyclone Iris is expected to reach category three by Wednesday as it moves along the Queensland coast.

A cyclone warning has been issued from Ayr to Mackay with heavy rain and gale force winds.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she is comfortable with preparations made by authorities and urges people to take care on the roads.