Monday's news in under 5 minutes.

We’ve compiled the biggest news stories from around Australia and the world – so you don’t have to go searching.

1. Search for William Tyrell receives fresh lead.

Investigators searching for missing three-year old William Tyrell will begin a “fingertip search” of a site in dense bushland between Bonny Hills and Lake Cathie, about 20km from where he vanished, after a new lead in the investigation.

Police have said that the search is for “evidence relating to the disappearance and suspected abduction of William,” Inspector Gary Jubelin told News Limited.

“It is as a result of fresh information received.”

The Daily Telegraph reports that the new search “follows excavation of the Bonny Hills yard of tradesman Bill Spedding’s home in January, and the search of his Laurieton office. Mr Spedding is a person of interest in the case but has denied involvement in William’s disappearance.”

Police have said in a statement that the search is being coordinated by the Homicide Squad with assistance from the Public Order Riot Squad, Operational Support Group, Dog Unit and Water Police.

The Daily Mail reported the search comes just days after Crime Stoppers websites in 26 countries posted a message about William’s abduction.

Anyone with information about William’s disappearance is urged to come forward via Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

 2. Schools at risk of terror attack.

Federal Justice Minister Michael Keenan will today announce 54 schools across Australia which have been identified as being at risk of a terrorist attack, and will be given security guards and closed circuit television systems to help safeguard students.

The $18 million in funding for schools will be to hire security guards and buy security products.

“This delivers on our election commitment to continue assistance to schools at risk of attack, harassment or violence caused by racial or religious intolerance.”

News Limited reports that more than half the schools are Jewish and Islamic.

22 are government and independent schools. 29 of the 54 schools located are in NSW – with the majority being in Western Sydney.

Fifteen schools are from Victoria, four from Western Australia, two are in South Australia one in the Northern Territory and one in the ACT.

3. Toddler killed by fallen tree.

Residents in The Patch in the Dandenong Ranges in Victoria say they are angry that repeated calls to council to remove a dangerous tree were not acted upon.

On Saturday night the tree fell during a storm tragically killing a two-year old boy Eli Marnock who was asleep in his cot at the time.

The 30-metre tree fell onto to the two-storey house on View Road in The Patch at about 9pm.

Yarra Ranges council spokeswoman, Tracey Varley told The Age that council was investigating if it had received requests to inspect the tree. “We have had staff come in to scan our system to see if we have had any reports for that property, but so far we haven’t been able to identify any,” she said. “But we will continue our investigations.”

4. Bali Nine: Jakarta governor, close friend of president Joko Widodo, comes out against death penalty.

By Helen Brown

An influential Indonesian politician and trusted confidant of president Joko Widodo has come out against the death penalty in a rare public announcement.

Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, popularly known as Ahok, is the governor of Jakarta – one of the country’s most high-profile positions.

Mr Widodo is standing by his decision to not grant clemency to drug traffickers on death row including Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran.

But Mr Purnama has asked his close friend to reconsider, saying he disagrees with capital punishment because inmates could change into someone better.

He told reporters during a visit to a detention centre that a life sentence was more appropriate and that executions were not a deterrent.

He also said those who kept dealing in narcotics should not be given leniency.

Mr Purnama said he discussed his views with Mr Widodo when he met with him late last week.

The governor moved into the role when Mr Widodo became president last year.

When leading Jakarta, the two became known for their reformist style and close working relationship.

Chan and Sukumaran are among 11 death row inmates named in the next round of executions.

The pair were sentenced in 2006 for their roles as ringleaders in the so-called Bali Nine drug smuggling ring.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has repeatedly called on Mr Widodo to grant clemency to the Australian pair.

After discussions with the Indonesian president on Wednesday, Mr Abbott said he thought Mr Widodo was carefully considering Indonesia’s position over Chan and Sukumaran’s executions.

But Mr Widodo said on Saturday he was not reconsidering, and reiterated that Indonesia’s stance was clear and there could be no intervention.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC and has been republished with full permission.

 5. Trial of man accused of murdering Morgan Huxley begins.

The trial of Daniel Jack Kelsall begins this week. Kelsall is charged with the murder of Sydney man Morgan Huxley who was found by his flatmate in his apartment in Neutral Bay bleeding and half-naked during the early hours of September 8 2013.

He’d been stabbed 28 times.

Kelsall has been accused of following Huxley home in an attempted liaison but then stabbing the 31-year-old to death.

Kelsall is also charged with indecent assault and aggravated break and enter. He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

 6. Russians march to honor Boris Nemtsov.

Tens of thousands have turned out for a memorial march in Moscow after the murder of prominent Russian opposition figure Boris Nemtsov.

The former deputy prime minister and fierce critic of the Kremlin was shot as he walked home with his partner on Friday night.

He was just 200 metres from the Kremlin.

At the march Russians held placards declaring “I am not afraid.”

President Vladimir Putin has vowed to pursue those who killed Nemtsov, calling the murder a “provocation.”

 7. PM climbing back in polls.

With further leadership speculation mounting this week the Prime Minister has been presented one small piece of good news – a Fairfax-Ipsos poll published yesterday puts the coalition at its best position since last October 2014- almost neck-and-neck with Labor in two-party terms at 49-51.

Labor leader Bill Shorten remains preferred prime minister, but his margin has been dropped from 16 points to five.

Fairfax Media reports that Malcolm Turnbull has a 20 percentage point lead over Mr Abbott among all voters (39 to 19) and deputy leader Julie Bishop is ahead of the Prime Minister 24 to 19.

8. Racist attack leads to arrest.

A man has been charged after a disgusting racist rant was caught on camera in a fast food restaurant in South Australia.

The 19-year old man was filmed on Friday afternoon in a Hungry Jack’s restaurant.

The man is captured saying “I want it made by a white person” and then saying “I refuse it”.

A fellow customer says “What’s wrong with a Chinese guy making your burger?”

The man says “Everything. You don’t belong here, do you?”.

The man is asked to leave the store by a female staff member.

“At least I’m born here c—. Where do you come from, f—ing Africa and Asia? Disgusting.”

The tirade continues, but a customer intervenes throwing the man out, saying, “ We are all f—ing Australian. As the man leaves he says “F— off, I’m Australia you c—,”

The man was arrested soon after and bailed to appear in court on March 26.

You can see the awful encounter here.

Warning this video contains offensive and racist language.

 9. Woman has phone returned via Facebook.

A Melbourne woman, Nicola Shelton, who had her mobile phone stolen in Byron Bay has been shocked to see a selfie of a man uploaded to her Facebook page. The woman shared the selfie – which was then futher shared 20,000 times saying that she believed the man was the thief.

The man then got in touch with Nicola.

For more read this post here. 

10. Doctor blames C-sections for obesity epidemic.

A top British medical expert has blamed C-sections for the obesity epidemic saying that before medical intervention babies who would have previously died by natural childbirth are living.

Dr Edward Archer told The Mail on Sunday “When a mother is inactive and obese, their baby grows massive. The baby can’t get through the birth canal, and the doctor has to perform a C-section

“That allows both the mother and foetus to survive, when previously they would have died.”

11. Australian deaf childrens’ language skills take over hearing peers.

A study out today shows that deaf and hearing impaired children who receive early invention services in some cases can actually develop language vocabulary and speech skills that are better than their typical hearing peers.

The study collected by six early intervention agencies and consolidated and analysed by First Voice reveals that 83 per cent of deaf preschool children had better or average vocabulary skills compared with typical hearing children. Almost 78 per cent had better or average language skills and 73 per cent had speech in the normal range or better.

Jim Hungerford, CEO of The Shepherd Centre said this is a remarkable outcome for deaf children and their families.

“We live in an era where most people still equate deafness with just signing. However, the reality is most deaf children are taught to listen and speak, attend mainstream schools and live productive lives well integrated into the hearing world. The results and outcomes of this research are truly remarkable.”

12. Peppa Pig teaches toddler first words – and Mum and Dad aren’t happy.

A family in the UK have been shocked after their toddler started swearing after playing with a Peppa Pig toy.

The Mirror reports that the toy, the Peppa Pig Fun and Learn Tablet when pressed, instead of saying “find the odd one out”, says “f*** you? odd one out”.

Oh Peppa!

The toddler’s parents say the boy now says ‘mum’, ‘dad’, ‘please’, ‘thank you’, and sadly ‘f*** you “

The toy’s manufacturer has not responded to the family’s query.

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