Thursday's news in under 5 minutes.

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

1. Father told police eight-week-old baby’s horrific injuries were caused by an older child who “bounced the baby off the bed and landed on top of her”.

An eight-week-old baby who died after horrific and appalling injuries was kept from medical treatment by her father as he didn’t want child protection authorities to come to his house.

Her parents – charged with her death – have been arrested and her father appeared in court yesterday seeking bail.

Narelle Pears, aged just eight weeks, died in the southern Perth suburb of St James in January.

Her father Tony James Paraha was charged with manslaughter along with the baby’s mother two weeks later.

The court heard that a post-mortem examination had found the baby girl was malnourished, had extensive facial injuries as well as an “irregularity” in the back of her head. She also had multiple skull fractures, “old” rib fractures and was suffering a broken left humerus.

Paraha, 50, interviewed twice by police, claimed that another young child had “bounced the baby off the bed and landed on top of her”.

The court heard Paraha told police the baby was having seizures “for a day or so”, but later “seemed to be coming good” reports the ABC.

Prosecutors said that Paraha had told police he did not seek medical help for Narelle because he did not want child protection authorities to come to his house.

Magistrate Danielle Davies ruled out bail. The 50-year-old father was remanded in custody until he appears in court again in April.

The baby’s mother, 30-year-old Melanie Anne Pears, is being held in a secure facility at Graylands psychiatric hospital.

2. New leads in missing girl case.

Police in Victoria say they are examining new leads in the case of the missing girl whose photograph police released yesterday.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Kelly Grindley told The Herald Sun that information provided was being followed up.

“Investigators will use all of the tools and resources available to us in this search,’’ she said.

“The assistance being provided by the community to help us identify this young girl is very much welcomed and appreciated.

“Investigators are in the process of thoroughly assessing all of the information which has been received.”

Two blurry image of the girl, believed to be aged between four and six, were released nationally by police in a bid for new information.

They are thought to have been taken on Sunday, May 24 last year.

Police believe she is in a well-furnished apartment with modern, large windows, possibly overlooking a city skyline.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers via 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

3. It is not going to get cooler any time soon.

Right across Australia, temperatures are unseasonably warm – and there is no indication we are getting any relief any time soon.

The Bureau of Meteorology has said that in most areas of the country — except for the southern coast of Western Australia and along the central Queensland coast — the mercury has climbed above average in most areas.

Victoria has been suffering a severe heatwave for almost a week with temperature on Tuesday night smashing the previous record of 26.9 degree Celcius, set in 2008.

In the ACT, Wednesday marked more than eight consecutive March days of above 30C.

Sydney has recorded 33 consecutive days above 26C and forecast shows the warm weather is set to continue for at least another week with humidity increasing for the next few days and across the weekend.

“Above-average temperatures are likely to continue for much of the country for the week ahead, at least until next Tuesday, March 15,” the BOM told the ABC.

Brisbane and the Gold Coast will stay around 30C or higher for the rest of the week.

And after that – it gets hot again with Perth forecast to have temperatures above 35C on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of next week.

4. Children’s play centre claim sexual assault allegations were a “scam.”

A children’s playcentre in Perth that was investigated after a family claimed their child was sexually assaulted on the premises have said the allegations were a scam to avoid payment for a party.

WA Today reports that the Beach House Kids Fun Centre in Balcatta was investigated by police after the alleged incident in February.

Owner, Vivienne, told WA Today that a lengthy investigation had failed to uncover any evidence the assault took place.

She said CCTV footage showed the group had been in the centre for less than 30 minutes, and had not yet left their private birthday party room when they reported the assault.

“’From the start we knew nothing happened, they only just walked through the gate and they raised the alarm,” she said.

The family said the little boy was assaulted by a male, prompting police to appeal for witnesses.

“We believe it was a tactic used by this group in order to get a free party for their children. The party food was consumed by their 12 children, yet they still demanded a refund,” Vivienne said.

The centre has thanked their loyal customers on Facebook.

5. Scientists have discovered five ‘Drowned Apostles’ under water.

Scientists from the University of Melbourne have discovered that the “12 Apostles” are actually 17.

The 12 Apostles attract 2.2 million visitors each year to the Victorian coastline.

When 12 Apostles were first named so in the 1920s, there were only nine in the cluster. In 2005 the collapse of one of them reduced it to eight, but scientists have been shocked to find out that there are a further five limestone stacks underwater.

Melbourne University PhD student Rhiannon Bezore discovered the additional Apostles while doing a preliminary scan of some sonar data collected by Deakin University researcher Daniel Ierodiaconou.

Associate Professor Kennedy said it was the first time a find had been discovered.

“Sea stacks are always eroding, as we saw with the one that collapsed in 2005, so it is hugely surprising that any could be preserved at that depth of water,” Associate Professor Kennedy told News Limited.

The five underwater limestone stacks are estimated to be about 60,000 years old.

6. Federal Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro to leave politics at next election and Tony Windsor to run.

Federal Liberal MP Teresa Gambaro has announced that she will not contest her seat of Brisbane at the next election.

In a statement from her office, she wished Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the parliamentary team the best for the upcoming election.

“I look forward to working with the new LNP candidate for Brisbane to win this seat for the LNP,” she said.

Ms Gambaro said it had “been an honour to be the first woman of Italian origin to enter the House of Representatives, and to be the only woman and second Liberal member to be elected to the seat of Brisbane in 115 years.”

Also in politics it is expected that today former independent MP Tony Windsor will announce a challenge to Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce’s seat of New England.

Mr Windsor held New England from 2001, standing aside at the 2013 election, party because of an unspecified medical condition.

Mr Joyce now holds the seat with a comfortable margin of 20 per cent.

Mr Windsor will hold a media conference in Canberra this morning to announce his decision.

7. Maddie McCann “sighting” dismissed as a hoax.

A claim by a man that he had spotted Madeleine McCann has been dismissed as false.

The Sun reported that a search operation was underway. The man claimed he had seen Madeleine, now aged 12, living “in the custody of a woman” in the city of Areguá in Paraguay.

British man Miraz Ullah Ali, a researcher, had said he spotted Maddie in Aregua, about 27km from the capital of Asunción.

The Sun reported that a major search was underway involving four police stations, the anti-kidnapping division, intelligence personnel and Interpol.

However, Inspector Luis Ignacio Arias, of Interpol in Paraguay, told EFE that his office has no “concrete” information on the investigator behind the claims.

8. Baby found in passenger’s bag in airplane.

Airline officials have been shocked to find a baby hidden in a bag belonging to a passenger on board an Air France plane.

Air France has said the 12-month-old traveled with “an adult” on Air France Flight 1891 from Istanbul to Paris on Monday without  valid ticket.

Air France says it requested “the presence of French authorities on the flight’s arrival” to deal with the matter.

9. Matildas finished Asia’s qualifers in top spot.

The Matildas have concluded their Rio Olympic Games campaign with a 1-1 draw against China, bringing them to the top spot.

The Olympic-bound team had a 1-1 draw against China with a late equaliser from midfielder Emily Van Egmond.

The Matildas had won their first four qualifiers following victories over Japan (3-1), Vietnam (9-0), Korea Republic (2-0) and DPR Korea (2-1).

Do you have a story to share with Mamamia? Email us news@mamamia.com.au