News Headlines at ALWAYSHOTNEWS.com

07/31/2008		Telstra boosts data quota for Next G
TELSTRA has increased download quotas and reduced tariffs for excess data usage onr its mobile data packs

07/31/2008		Innovation review green paper delayed
A KEY report on Australia`s R&D spend has been delayed by a month but the federal Government is unperturbed

07/31/2008		New book from Harry Potter author
HARRY Potter author J.K. Rowling will publish a book of wizarding fairy tales in December and donate an expected $8 million in proceeds to her charity for vulnerable children

07/31/2008		The Veronicas` wild child in porn site storm
THE Secret Life of The Veronicas was exposed yesterday - literally - after raunchy pictures of a girl believed to be one of the pop twins were splashed over an international porn site

07/31/2008		Share market closes in the black
THE share market closed firmly in the black for the second consecutive day, driven by a positive US lead and higher prices overnight for copper, nickel and oil

07/31/2008		Tiger Airways axes Darwin services
BUDGET airline Tiger Airways has axed its services to Darwin from Melbourne and Singapore, blaming high fuel and operating costs in Darwin for the decision

07/31/2008		US deaths in Iraq lowest yet
ELEVEN US soldiers were killed in Iraq in July, the lowest monthly toll since the American-led invasion of 2003, according to figures provided by the Pentagon

07/31/2008		Israel`s Olmert to step down
ISRAEL faces weeks of political turmoil after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would step down in September in a surprise move that casts a shadow over Middle East peacemaking efforts

07/31/2008		Japan raids company over nukes
JAPANESE police have raided a machine tool maker for exporting equipment without government approval that can be used to make nuclear weapons

07/31/2008		Security tight around Bali bombers
INDONESIA has tightened security at an island prison where the three Bali bombers are being held ahead of their immiment execution, fearing a reprisal attack, a senior official said today

07/31/2008		S Korea rejects clone expert
SOUTH Korea will not allow disgraced cloning expert Hang Woo-suk to resume human stem cell research, it has been reported

07/31/2008		Five dead in China storm
FIVE people were killed and tens of thousands moved to safety as tropical storm Fung-wong lashed eastern and southern China, state media reported today

07/31/2008		Obama backs Tibet
US presidential hopeful Barack Obama has sent a letter to the Dalai Lama backing the rights of the "people of Tibet", a spokesman for the exiled Buddhist spiritual leader said

07/31/2008		Split could pay off for swimmers
SWIMMING`S former golden couple, Stephanie Rice and Eamon Sullivan, could make big bucks for putting their relationship on hold during the Games

07/31/2008		Airlines punished for passenger protests
CHINA will punish airlines whose passengers refuse to disembark or misbehave in protest over problems like delayed flights]]>

07/31/2008		10 zeros taken off dollars as inflation soars
ON the day a loaf of bread sold for two hundred million dollars in Harare, Zimbabwe announced it would issue new bank notes

07/31/2008		Reward for honeymooners gunman
ANTIGUA hotels and businesses have offered a reward for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for shooting a British couple on their honeymoon, killing the woman

07/31/2008		Roar welcome back Prodigal Son
QUEENSLAND have regained the services of star striker Reinaldo after beating out US Major League Soccer club Colorado for the Brazilian`s signature

07/31/2008		Our alien friends and their flying machines
IT`S one of the world`s enduring mysteries ? do aliens exist? And if they do, have they ever paid us a visit?

07/31/2008		Man found guilty of trying to spread HIV
AN HIV-positive man has been found guilty of trying to deliberately infect people with the virus

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Police to drop charge of refusing a test against Cousins
Charge dropped because cops didn`t follow procedure
Cousins the first person charged under new laws

POLICE in Western Australia have apologised to Ben Cousins after an extraordinary error led to a traffic charge against him being dropped.

It is the second charge against the former West Coast Eagles AFL player arising from a traffic stop on October 16 to be withdrawn.

Assistant Commissioner John McRoberts today admitted police got it wrong when they charged Cousins with refusing to undergo a driver drug test after the former star footballer`s vehicle was pulled over in Northbridge.

Cousins was taken to police traffic headquarters where he was assessed by a senior officer, who ordered the test.

But under new legislation which came into force days earlier, only the officer who pulls a driver over can make the assessment.

Cousins was the first person to be charged under the law, which police may seek to amend.

The problem was identified during a review of the police handling of the charges and was withdrawn on legal advice.

"I am more than happy to apologise about the laying of this charge,`` Mr McRoberts said.

"The officers acted in good faith and they thought they were doing the right thing. Unfortunately they got it wrong.``

A drug charge against Cousins arising from the same incident was dropped after police conceded there was no basis for it.

Those charges related to diazepam tablets found in Cousins` vehicle, which is classed as a prohibited substance only in liquid form.

Cousins was sacked by his club and was charged by the AFL with bringing the game in to disrepute after the police charges were laid.

West Coast Eagles spokesman Gary Stocks said the dropping of the charges would not change the club`s decision.

"This development does not change the club position or the decision made to terminate Ben`s contract because of repeated and serious breaches of his agreement with the club,`` he said.

"At the time the decision to terminate Ben`s contract was made, it was emphasised that the decision was not dependant upon results of the police charges and that remains the situation.

"No club official will be available for further comment on this matter.``

The outstanding charge will be withdrawn later today and finalised in court tomorrow.

Cousins` lawyer Shane Brennan said today it was no surprise the second charge against Cousins had now been dropped.

"It was not unforeseen that this would occur, as with the other charge," Mr Brennan said.

Cousins had been caused obvious grief but Mr Brennan congratulated police for admitting their mistake.

"The police were dealing with new legislation, they have reviewed this quickly and I think it`s unreasonable to congratulate them for dealing with this matter quickly and for coming clean," Mr Brennan said.