Sunday'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. No jab, no pay: Abbott Government closes “religious” loophole for vaccination objections. 

By Susan McDonald

Social Services Minister Scott Morrison has closed a loophole allowing some parents not to vaccinate their children on religious grounds.

The Federal Government had already moved to deny childcare and family tax benefits to parents who claimed a conscientious objection to vaccination.

Last week, Mr Morrison said he only expected a very small number of families to be exempted on religious grounds, if they were registered with their church or similar organisation.

He said there are no mainstream religions that have objections registered and it is believed his latest move follows consultations with religious leaders.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

2. Kings Cross nightclub rapist Luke Lazarus to appeal conviction.

Luke Lazarus, the man found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman behind a nightclub owned by his family, is set to appeal his conviction in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.

Along with an appeal against his guilty verdict, solicitors for Lazarus are also preparing to challenge the maximum five-year sentence handed down by Judge Sarah Huggett.

Lazarus was convicted by a jury in late February for the rape of an 18-year-old woman in an alleyway behind Soho Nightclub. He told his victim that he was a part-owner of the venue, and that he would take her to a VIP area and to meet the DJ. Instead, he led her to an alleyway behind the club and anally raped her.

Judge Hugger described the rape as ‘spontaneous and opportunistic’ and Lazarus as a young man with a sense of ‘power and entitlement’.

Lazarus continues to maintain that the sex was consensual.

3. Police seek to detain 18-year-old man without charge over suspected Anzac day terrorist plot.

Police in Victoria have applied to detain an 18-year-old man without charge after his arrest in counterterrorism raids in south-east Melbourne.

The man from Hampton Park is one of five men who were arrested yesterday in raids across Melbourne.

It is alleged they had been planning to carry out an Islamic State-inspired terrorist attack on Anzac Day next weekend.

Yesterday, another 18-year-old man, Sevdet Besim, of Hallam, was charged with conspiring to commit a terrorist act and appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court.

He did not apply for bail and was remanded in custody until next Friday.

However, defence lawyers told the court Besim would apply for bail at a later date.

Two other men aged 19 and 18 have been released and police say another 18-year-old will be charged on summons.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

4. Trail of human blood found off Great Western Highway in Wentworth Falls

A 300 metre long ‘trail of blood’ has been discovered along a service road adjoining the Great Western Highway.

The pools of blood were first noticed by a Wentworth Falls resident on Saturday afternoon, who called the police.

Forensic examinations have confirmed that the blood belongs to a human, with Inspected Sonya Tabor telling Fairfax Media that the significant volume of blood found suggests a ‘violent incident’.

“We found several pools of blood that were about 15 centimetres in diameter and then a trail that went on for a while,” Inspector Tabor said.

No local hospitals received anyone with corresponding injuries .

Inspector Talbor is urging anyone with information to contact Katoomba police headquarters or CrimeStoppers on 1800 333 000.

5. Concerns over missing 14-year-old girl from Sydney’s west.

Police have appealed to the public for information about the disappearance of a teenager who was last seen in Sydney’s inner city.

Katelyn Simpson, 14, from Kogarah was spotted at Redfern Railway Station at 11:00am on Friday, police said.

Officers said the girl’s mother had been informed her daughter was last seen at Lakemba at 1:00pm on Friday, but police said they have been unable to confirm that at this stage.

Officers said they held concerns for Katelyn’s welfare due to her age.

She is described as being of Caucasian appearance, 160-165 centimetres tall, with black hair with blue tips.

Police said she was last seen wearing black Adidas tracksuit pants, a black Nautica short sleeve t-shirt and pink Nike running shoes.

Officers have urged anyone with information about the girl’s whereabouts to contact Kogorah police or Crime Stoppers.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

6. Mysterious disease leaves 18 dead in Nigeria.

A mysterious disease that kills patients within 24 hours has claimed at least 18 lives in a south-eastern Nigerian town, the government says.

“Seventeen people have died of the mysterious disease since it broke out early this week in Ode-Irele town,” said Ondo state government spokesman Kayode Akinmade.

The disease, symptoms of which include headache, weight loss, blurred vision and loss of consciousness, killed the victims within 24 hours of their falling ill, he said.

Laboratory tests have so far ruled out Ebola or any other virus, Mr Akinmade added.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said it had information on 14 cases with at least 12 dead.

“Common symptoms were sudden blurred vision, headache, loss of consciousness followed by death, occurring within 24 hours,” spokesman Tarik Jasarevic said.

Another WHO spokesman, Gregory Hartl, told AFP that according to a preliminary report, all those affected began showing symptoms between April 13 and 15.

Mr Akinmade said health officials and experts from the government and aid agencies, as well as WHO epidemiologists, had arrived in Ode-Irele to search for answers.

“There is no patient of the disease in any hospital and the disease has not spread beyond the town,” he said.

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.

7. Queensland Government to announce use of cannabis oil in medical trials.

The Queensland Government is due to give the go-ahead to the state’s first medicinal cannabis trials.

The New South Wales Government introduced the scientific trials last year to help treat patients with drug-resistant and uncontrollable epilepsy.

Queensland Health Minister Cameron Dick would not confirm the State Government’s move on ABC News Breakfast, only saying there would be more information available later this morning.

“This is a very important announcement by our Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk,” he said.

“It is an important initiative in our state … [and] we are moving ahead on this.

“We want to be an active participant in the clinical trials that are being conducted in other parts of the nation and we’ll be sharing the Government’s position with the community a little later on.

“This is an important thing for families in our state, particularly for young children with epilepsy.

“A lot of those families see the benefit of the use of cannabis derivatives and it’s something that I want to be a part of, it is something our Premier wants to be a part of, and we are going to be an active partner in taking the next step at clinical trials and their families.”

A version of this story was originally published on ABC.