Sardine swap lifesaver

Swapping red meat for “forage fish”, such as sardines, herring and anchovies, could save up to 750,000 lives a year in 2050 and significantly reduce the prevalence of disability from diet-related disease, new research suggests.

Red meat consumption has been linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and bowel cancer, while foraging fish are rich in omega 3s, which may help prevent coronary heart disease.

Researchers from the Queensland University of Technology, University of the Sunshine Coast and Japan created four different scenarios, each representing a different pattern of forage fish allocation globally – discovering Australia could avoid about 30-40 per cent of deaths from ischaemic heart disease.

The prosecutors pursuing Sam Kerr over alleged racial abuse have been granted a delay in submitting case papers.

Barristers for the Crown Prosecution Service have been given an additional two days to lodge case documents containing evidence as well as witness statements of two police officers, one of whom alleges the Matildas captain racially harassed him when he tried to mediate an argument over a taxi fare in Twickenham, London.

The prosecution was due to lodge the case papers with Kerr’s legal team and Kingston Crown Court on Tuesday, local time, but requested a two-day extension until Thursday.

The prosecution had until Tuesday to respond in documents outlining how it intends to prove Kerr committed the alleged racist offence on January 30 last year.

Last week Kerr’s legal team, led by senior UK criminal barrister Grace Forbes, filed its skeleton arguments – that Kerr did not intend to racially abuse a police officer, and that there had been an abuse of process after it took almost a year for her to be charged.

Kerr, 30, who plays for Chelsea in England’s Women’s Super League, has been charged with using insulting, threatening or abusive words that caused alarm or distress to the officer.

Kingston Crown Court heard in March that Kerr denies the charge. Judge Judith Elaine Coello said then she understood Kerr’s defence would be that her intention was not to harass the officer.

Kerr’s legal team is due to return to court on April 26 .