Weekly News Roundup

© Jeremy Story Carter Mark James pushed to reopen the inquest into his mother's death.

The Victorian Coroner has reopened the investigation into the 38-year-old cold case of Maria James. Maria’s murder was subjected in the ABC podcast series- Trace.

A coronial inquest in 1982 found Maria James was murdered by “a person unknown”. Ms James was stabbed to death at the back of her Melbourne bookshop in 1980.

New evidence was uncovered by the podcast series and the coroner’s re-investigation is only possible because of new laws passed in October.

###

As Queensland’s bushfire threat eases, authorities are warning people to remain on high alert, with hot and dry conditions forecast to continue into next week and 100 fires still burning.

Currently fires in Deepwater, Tinnanbar and North Stradbroke Island pose the greatest risk, with thousands of people forced from their homes during the worst of the blaze with firefighters battling up to 200 bushfires during the unprecedented six-day emergency.

A “leave now” warning remains in place for Deepwater, while a “keep watch” warning has been placed on a number of areas including Dalrymple Heights, Winfield, Carmila and Captain Creek.

###

A new study links Paleo diet to heart disease

Eating more red meat under the Paleo diet paired with a lack of whole grains results in higher levels of a biomarker linked to heart disease.

In the world first study, researchers compared the gut health of 44 people on the Paleo diet with that of 47 people on a traditional Australian diet.

The Paleo diet involves eating meat, vegetables, nuts and limited fruit, while excluding grains, legumes, dairy, salt, refined sugar and processed oils.

Researchers at Perth’s Edith Cowan University measured blood levels of trimethylamine-n-oxide (TMAO), an organic compound produced in the gut, and found more than twice the amount in those on the Paleo diet.

High levels of TMAO has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.