Saturday’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. Police believe that William Tyrrell might still be alive – and being held by a paedophile ring.

The search for William Tyrrell continues as police pursue links to a paedophile ring believed to be operating on the NSW mid-north coast.

Police had previously used cadaver dogs and divers in their grim search into the disappearance of the toddler from his grandmother’s home in Kendall late last year.

Lead investigator Detective Inspector Gary Jubelin told The Saturday Telegraph, “We have information that could link William’s disappearance to a group of people suspected of paedophile activity.”

Homicide Squad commander Detective Superintendent Mick Willing has described this new information as a catalyst for a new line of inquiry. He said, “From the moment the paedophile ring was discovered this has become a very fast-paced investigation which is progressing rapidly. That’s all I can say at this point.

“We are pursuing many, many lines of inquiry but what I can say is that there is a team of detectives working very hard. This is a very fast-paced moving inquiry.”

Superintendent Willing added a strong warning: “If you know anything you are implicated. If you are involved you will be charged.”

This news follows yesterday’s heart-wreaching plea of William’s mother for the boy to be returned safely.

2. Chancey Luna found guilty of murdering Aussie baseballer Chris Lane.

By MICHAEL VINCENT

US teenager Chancey Luna has been found guilty of murdering Australian baseball player Chris Lane and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Lane, originally from Melbourne, was a student at East Central University in the town of Ada and was shot in the back while he was jogging on a street in Duncan, Oklahoma, on August 16, 2013.

The jury only took a little over an hour to find 17-year-old Luna guilty of first-degree murder, after a four-day trial.

The jury also sentenced Luna to life in prison without parole.

Lane’s father Peter said he felt no joy over the verdict, but was relieved that the trial was over.

“There’s no sense of joy. Something is behind us, something has moved. The trial was fair,” he said.

“He’s gone for life. He’s now 17 and will not see the free light of day in the free world ever.”

He said he and his family took comfort in the fact that the three boys involved in the shooting would be off the streets.

“I don’t ever think there was ever a motive. Whatever reasons and logics — the senselessness of the whole thing is what permeates,” he said.

“The kid [Lane] was out for a run. He didn’t offend anybody, he didn’t hurt anybody, he didn’t argue with anybody … he just got shot.

“There was no reason. It just happened … if they’d got away with Chris maybe there was somebody else next.”

Lane’s mother Donna said the actions of the teenagers do not represent the Duncan community.

“These three naughty boys, they’re not part of Duncan, Oklahoma,” she said.

“And this naughty boy [Luna], he’s now never going to do this to any other family.”

Luna did not show remorse or provide an explanation for his actions before he was sentenced.

The district attorney said Luna also expressed no emotion at the verdict, nor sentence.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

3. Glenn Lazarus claims Clive Palmer mooted joining his party to the Liberal Party – if he was given a Ministerial portfolio.

Former rugby league player, Glenn Lazarus, has alleged that Clive Palmer pushed for him and fellow PUP senator Dio Wang (WA) to join the Liberal Party and vote with the Coalition in the Senate, earning the government another two guaranteed votes.

While the two extra senators would not have delivered a working majority in the Senate, they would have improved chances of success on a bill-by-bill basis.

The bizarre deal, allegedly hatched with senior Abbott government figures was proposed at a pre-lunch meeting on February 6.

However, the senator has admitted that he “can’t remember” the names of the government ministers allegedly behind the deal.

The 49-year-old rugby league legend said, “I was bewildered and shocked by the whole idea”. “But Clive said it would be a great thing. He said he wouldn’t be around in politics a lot longer, and he wanted to look after Dio and I.”

Government figures have labeled the accusations as fanciful. Mr Palmer added that his party’s future is “very bright”, and that he will contest the next federal election.

Lazarus told the Sydney Morning Herald, “a lot of people have been asking about the real reasons I resigned. So I wanted to give an insight into what was actually going on.”

Senator Wang is yet to respond to the allegations.

4. Five arrested in Melbourne in predawn anti-terror raids.

Five men have been arrested after a major joint counterterrorism team operation in Melbourne.

Two of the men, an 18-year-old Hallam man and an 18-year-old Hallam Park man, were arrested for allegedly planning a terrorist act in Australia, which included targeting police officers.

One man has been arrested for weapons offences and two other men are in custody assisting police with their enquiries, after seven search warrants were executed as part of Operation Rising and a number of properties were searched this morning.

The ABC understands a number of the arrested men attended the Al Furqan Islamic study centre in South Springvale.

Abdul Numan Haider, who was shot and killed by counterterrorism police last year, was also linked to the centre.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

5. Charities cutting international aid programs ahead of the Federal Budget.

By ALISON MCCLYMONT

Australia’s largest international charities are cancelling or scaling back critical programs in the world’s poorest countries ahead of next month’s budget.

The Government has cut $11.3 billion from its budget since it came to office in 2013.

Just over three months ago the Government announced that it would be cutting $1 billion in the forthcoming budget.

But charities have been left in the dark about where the cuts will actually fall.

“The whole of the aid sector is hanging on the edge, waiting nervously for the May budget when it will be revealed exactly which parts of the aid budget will be cut – a bit like a doomsday clock,” ActionAid Australia’s Holly Miller said.

“It’s widely accepted that everything is on the table – nothing in the aid program is safe.”

ActionAid has slashed projects in Afghanistan, is likely to cut programs in Uganda and Kenya in the coming year, and will close entirely by 2016.

Care Australia says its very successful maternal and infant health project in Papua New Guinea, which reaches 22,000 people, is in the firing line.

Other likely hits include programs in Cambodia and Malawi affecting more than 20,000 people.

When the ABC asked Mr Hockey whether there would be further cuts to the aid budget, his office replied: “The Treasurer isn’t engaging in budget speculation.”

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

Do you have a story for Mamamia? Email news@mamamia.com.au