Wednesday'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. Babysitter excused from testifying at an inquest into Chloe Murphy’s death.

A babysitter who stood trial for the homicide of a 10-month-old girl and was acquitted has been excused from testifying at an inquest into her death after her barrister objected on the ground of self-incrimination.

Ketapat Jenkins was found not guilty of child homicide in 2014. She had been accused of shaking Chloe Murphy while she cared for her when her parents, Anthony and Phurithee Murphy went to see a movie.

A panel of experts has told the coronial inquiry that Chloe suffered a fractured skull, significant brain injuries, retinal hemorrhaging and three breaks to her left arm.

The panel agreed that the probable cause of death was very severe “non-accidental” head and forearm injuries, and that they were likely inflicted around 9pm or 10pm on the night she was being babysat.

Jenkin’s lawyer yesterday argued any evidence Mrs Jenkins gave could potentially expose her to another prosecution.

Coroner Jacqui Hawkins said while her evidence would assist the inquiry, there was a risk that any new material that might arise could put Mrs Jenkins at risk of incriminating herself.

The ABC reports that Ms Hawkins said Mrs Jenkins had already provided numerous accounts of the three hours she was with the baby and that Jenkin’s has consistently said that she did not hurt Chloe while she was in her care.

The court heard a telephone intercept of Mrs Jenkins talking to her husband about a different baby falling out of a walker might be raised, and that could provide new evidence that exposed her to further prosecution.

Ms Hawkins said while Mrs Jenkins’ recollection would greatly assist in the inquiry, it was not in the interest of justice to compel her to give evidence.

The inquest continues today.

2. Man charged with spitting in baby’s face.

A man has been charged after he allegedly spat in the face of a baby girl in her pram in Sydney on the weekend.

Police said the 37-year-old man leaned into the four-month-old’s pram in the inner city suburb of Surry Hills and spat on her face before fleeing.

The man wasn’t known to the family.

The man arrested yesterday was charged with several offences, including common assault.

He was refused bail and is expected to appear in Central Local Court today.

3. George Pell says he did not hear of paedophile priest as he was so busy.

On his second day of testimony at the royal commission Cardinal George Pell has faced intense questioning over what he knew about paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale. Cardinal Pell told the commission he didn’t hear about rumours or complaints about the priest as he was busy running the Institute of Catholic Education.

“It’s not a small job,” he said. “I certainly wasn’t plugged into life at the diocese.”

Cardinal Pell’s testimony that “It’s a sad story and it wasn’t of much interest to me” drew gasps from survivors watching the testimony.

Cardinal Pell testified that “the suffering, of course, was real, and I very much regret that, but I had no reason to turn my mind to the extent of the evils” perpetrated by Ridsdale in Victoria in the 1970s and ’80s.

Survivors said they were taken aback by Cardinal Pell’s comments.

“It beggars belief that he could have said he wasn’t interested in hearing about the crimes of my uncle,” abuse survivor and Ridsdale’s nephew David Ridsdale told the ABC.

“We are speaking of moral leaders of towns and cities, and for them to have no interest in such behaviour seems remarkable.”

Cardinal Pell returns to the stand today.

4. Private health insurance price rise to be announced today.

Adding to the already straining family budget private health insurance premiums will rise by another 5.59 per cent on average from next month.

The increase will add more than $200 a year to the cost of family cover.

Health Minister Sussan Ley will today announce the rise, reports News Limited.

News Limited reports that Medibank will lift its prices by an average of 5.64 per cent from April 1. Bupa by 69 per cent. HCF, NIB and HBF by 5.42 per cent, 5.55 per cent and 4.94 per cent. CUA Health will lift prices by 8.95 per cent.

Three million Australians have some form of health insurance but a

survey of 40,000 consumers for the government recently found two-thirds didn’t believe health insurance offered value for money anymore.

5. Senator resigns over same sex marriage.

Labor senator Joe Bullock has announced he will retire from Federal politics citing his party’s position on same-sex marriage.

Senator Bullock told Perth Now that as he opposes same-sex marriage it is at odds with Labor’s policy.

“How can I tell people to vote for a party that is denying its parliamentary members a conscience vote on same sex marriage?” Senator Bullock told PerthNow.

“I couldn’t do that, so I resigned.

“I told (Labor leader) Bill Shorten that three weeks ago. He said it was a principled decision and that he understood. That’s a sentiment shared by all Labor members I have spoken to.

“I have stood up for the principles I have always stood up for.”

6. Schools ask parents to stop dropping children off early to avoid before school care.

Parents have been reprimanded for dropping their children to school as early as 7.45 – an hour before official supervision begins with many doing so to get to work on time.

Primary principals say they are concerned about the safety of students when teachers aren’t on duty.

The Herald Sun reports that Werribee Primary has asked parents in their newsletter to make sure their children were supervised.

“There has been an increasing number of students arriving at school early and playing in the playground unsupervised, causing concern for their welfare,” said the newsletter, from Term 4 last year.

Education Department spokesman Simon Craig told The Herald Sun the school day was generally between 8.30am and 3.30pm and that supervision was provided for a minimum of 10 minutes before and after a school’s set times.

Parents were responsible outside of the school’s yard duty hours.

7. 60 Minutes crew attacked in Sweden.

A crew filming for 60 Minutes have been assaulted during the filming of a 60 Minutes story on the European refugee crisis while in Stockholm.

Swedish news have reported that a “group of masked men” attacked the producer and camera operator who were, along with Liz Hayes, filming and interviewing immigrants at Rinkeby Square.

A local reporter wrote that one man deliberately drove over the cameraman’s foot. A bottle was also thrown at a camera and a cameraman “was beaten right across the chin so that a tooth [came] loose,” Sjunnesson wrote.

60 Minutes released a statement to Fairfax Media saying “In a suburb of Stockholm yesterday they were confronted by a group who objected to them filming,”

“There was a series of scuffles and the police were called. The 60 Minutes cameraman and producer were slightly injured but filming continued with police at the scene.”

8. Company becomes first to introduce ‘period policy’.

A company in the UK has introduced a “period policy” aimed at giving women time off when they have their period.

Coexist, a community interest company in Bristol employs 31 staff, with only 7 men. It says the plan is to “tap into its employees’ natural cycle to create a happier and healthier working environment”.

Director Bex Baxter told The Bath Chronicle “As a manager of staff I have seen women really suffer with their periods and I have found them doubled over in a lot of pain.

“They feel guilty and ashamed for taking time off and often sit at their desks in silence not wanting to acknowledge it. It started from there and we thought we had to see what we could do about it and try and break the last great taboo.

“Nothing like this has been done in the UK before, we believe, and if it has, it has been very small.”

“Many companies are male-dominated and encourage long hours but there is a misconception that taking time off makes a business unproductive,” she said.

“This is not about employees taking more time off but working more flexibly and efficiently around their menstrual cycle and encouraging a work-life balance.

“When women are having their periods they are in a winter state, when they need to regroup, keep warm and nourish their bodies. The spring section of the cycle, immediately after a period, is a time when women are actually three times as productive as usual.”

9. America prepares for crucial ‘Super Tuesday’ vote.

Later today millions of Americans across 12 states will go to the polls on the largest single day of voting during the US election process.

Voters in a dozen state will have their say on who they want as the Democratic or Republican candidate for president, more than on any other day during the nomination process. Most states will hold a primary election and a few, such as Minnesota, will hold caucus meetings.

After her big win in South Carolina, where she took 86% of the black vote, Hillary Clinton is expected to do well. Bernie Sanders will win in Vermont, his home state (around 85% of Democrats there are expected to support him).

In the Republican race, the polls suggest Ted Cruz will come first in his native Texas, and that Donald Trump will win pretty much everywhere else.

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