Friday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve rounded up all the latest stories from Australia and around the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Parents of William Tyrell speak out: “Just give him back.”

The distraught parents of missing New South Wales three-year-old, William Tyrrell, have made a heart-wrenching plea for his safe return seven months after their beautiful boy went missing.

In a 22-minute interview which they have made public they have begged for his return.

“Just give him back…give him back. “Take him to a church, take him to a police station, take him to a school. “Give him to someone…give him back,” William’s mother has begged.

The video does not identify the mother and father, police have stressed that the parents are not, nor have ever been suspects.

They have also shared some family photos of their beloved boy in the hopes someone, somewhere can finally give them the peace they so very much need.

For more read this post here. 

2. State and territory leaders to back Federal Government’s National Domestic Violence Order scheme at COAG.

Today it is expected that State and territory leaders meeting at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting will agree on a national scheme to help domestic violence victims.

The Prime Minister has said that reducing the spiralling rate of domestic violence is one of the government’s priorities.

The Government has called for COAG to adopt a national Domestic Violence Order scheme that would mean a protection order issued in one state would apply across the country.

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill told the ABC  his government will participate.

“We think there is some sensible co-operation that could protect women from violence, from partners that might have criminal records from other jurisdictions … or criminal intelligence from other jurisdictions that may be useful to be shared to be protective of women,” Mr Weatherill said.

“So we think there is an information exchange issue that could be grappled with.”

The ACT’s Attorney-General Simon Corbell said while it was an important step he wanted federal help to pay for the changes.

“Police and court-based data bases will need to be modified to accept the relevant information from other jurisdictions so that police and the courts are aware of orders made in other places,” Mr Corbell said.

“I think that should be a shared responsibility between the state, territory and Commonwealth.”

3. Malaysia Airlines MH370: Search for missing aircraft to double.

The families of the passengers on missing aircraft MH370 have welcomed news that the search are will be doubled if the plane is not found by the end of May.

Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss has announced that authorities will ensure the search is thorough.

“Clearly the important thing in finding the aircraft is to try and develop a plausible explanation for why this disaster has occurred

The ABC reports that a joint statement from Mr Truss, Malaysian transport minister Liow Tiong Lai and his Chinese counterpart, Yang Chuantang said:

“Should the aircraft not be found within the current search area, ministers agreed to extend the search by an additional 60,000 square kilometres to bring the search area to 120,000 square kilometres and thereby cover the entire highest probability area identified by expert analysis. ”

“Ministers recognise the additional search area may take up to a year to complete given the adverse weather conditions in the upcoming winter months.”

4. Former PM Kevin Rudd hustling for the head honcho gig at the UN.

Fairfax Media reports that former PM Kevin Rudd is campaigning for the post of United Nations secretary-general.They cite the publication this week of “The Future of U.S.-China Relations Under Xi Jinping”, written by Mr Rudd during a year at Harvard University as being seen  as part of an “undeclared job application process.”

In an interview with Fairfax Media, Mr Rudd did not deny his interest in the job. He said he took the “utterly pragmatic” position that it was Eastern Europe’s turn to take over leadership of the United Nations when Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon steps down on December 31, 2016.

5. TIME releases its 100 most influential people of 2015.

TIME has released its annual list of the 100 most influential people of 2015.

And not just one of the covers, THE COVER. Kanye tops the list as the most influential person of 1015.

TIME editor, Nancy Gibbs defended the controversial decision saying the entire list is comprised of an “anthem to interaction, the convergence that occurs when a good idea goes viral” of which the Kardashians and Kanye are a part of. “So when we were debating whom to approach to write for this issue, we looked for people who could speak to their subject’s influence in all its dimensions.”

For more read this post here.

6. Warning that regional schools may close.

The Australian reports that the National Catholic Education Commission has warned that should the federal government push ahead with school funding increases based only on inflation and enrolment fluctuations schools in regional areas will be forced to close.

The National Catholic Education Commission has said its real funding will fall by 30 per cent while costs are expected to rise by 54.7 per cent by 2025, assum­ing that funding is indexed at the average CPI rate of 2.8 per cent.

“Without sustainable funding, fees will increase, schools could close and the quality of education will be compromised,” the NCEC’s submission says.

“This will impose additional pressure on government schools when students transfer out of Catholic schools to government schools because they are unable to afford higher fees.”

NCEC executive director Ross Fox told The Australian “in the budget papers last year, there were only six months in the forward estimates that gave a glimpse of life without the Gonski money.

“Now we will have a year-and-a-half and the danger is that the trajectory of the assumptions will get further away from what we need. The situation will become more acute and more important to us.”

7. Mother arrested after playing drunken twister with teenagers.

A mother-of-five has been arrested after throwing a wild, naked Twister party for her teenage daughter and her friends.

35-year old Rachel Lehnard is reported to have provided alcohol and marijuana to her 16-year old daughter’s friends before joining them in a game of naked Twister.

The night is said to have ended with Lehnard having sex with an 18-year old guest and a suggestion daughter’s boyfriend had unconsensual sex with Lehnard.

Lehnardt was arrested on two counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and was released on $3,200 bond.

According to 13 News Now Lenhardt since lost custody of her five children, ages 4, 6, 8, 10 and 16.

8. No human remains uncovered at former Ballarat orphanage site, police say.

By ABC

No human remains have been found during a search at the site of a former orphanage at Ballarat, Victoria Police have said.

Police began searching the site on Monday for children’s remains after concerns were raised by former orphanage residents.

Phylis Read and Edith Orr raised the issue at a Ballarat Council meeting in 2013, when plans to redevelop the site were being discussed.

The site was once home to the Ballarat Orphanage, the Ballarat Children’s Homes and Damascus College and sold to developers in 2011.

The orphanage, which closed in 1968, had a history of sexual and physical abuse.

Ms Read, who spent time as a child at the orphanage, said it was common practice for children to be buried at the site.

“When I first came in as a small child, when we were small children, it was just usual. There was none of this no one knowing or not allowed to talk about. It was just normal,” she said.

Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) vice-president Frank Golding, who lived at the orphanage, said it was common for children to “disappear” overnight.

But in a statement released today, Victoria Police said “no human remains have been located during the search and there will be no further police activity at the site”.

“Victoria Police has been liaising closely with The Coroners Court, The Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine and the Government as part of their investigations,” it said.

“The investigation has now been finalised.”

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

9. Redhead banned from school for hair that’s too bright.

A natural redhead who enhanced her hair colour has been told she can not return to classes at her UK school ‘Trinity School’ in Cumbria until she tones down her hair colour.

The Telegraph reports that Emily Reay, 17, has had the “vibrant ginger hair for the last three years”.

But on her return lessons following the Easter Break she was ordered to tone it down after being told it was inappropriate or to not return to school.

Her mother told The Telegraph “The school’s uniform policy clearly states no unnatural hair colours, like blue or green. Is ginger not a natural hair colour?” she added.

The school’s response: “All sixth form students are issued with information about what is acceptable or unacceptable at the start of the academic year.

“The vast majority of parents are very keen on our high standards.”

10. And meanwhile in an Australian school, a girl suspended for wearing the wrong shoes…

Her mother Anne Parker said that Riley wore casual soft leather lace-ups rather than black leather lace ups.

McClelland College principal Amadeo Ferra  ]told The Herald Sun Riley needed to purchase the proper shoes.

“Our students are expected to wear black leather lace-up shoes. Shoes with a flat sole — ‘skate-style shoes’ — are not acceptable,” Mr Ferra said.

11. Justified outrage after Freddo Frogs downsized.

There has been justified outrage this morning after a startling revelation.

Freddo, already a tiny frog, has gotten smaller.

The Herald Sun reports that Cadbury has shaved 20 per cent off Freddo — but the recommended retail price has not dropped.

The basic treat is 12g, trimmed from 15g.

It’s a shock to realise that just two years ago Freddos were 20g.

Cadbury’s global parent company, Mondelez, blamed higher costs telling The Herald Sun “We’re making a change to the size of the product because of manufacturing cost increases that we can no longer absorb.”

Oh Freddo now we are just going to have to eat two of you.

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