The time is 21:00 (UTC) on July 23rd, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.

Indonesia
Indonesian officials have said an underwater earthquake measuring 6.6 on the Richter scale has erupted off the Indonesian island of Sulawesi. At first, officials told residents to flee coastal areas as a safety measure, but they later said there had been no tsunami. According to reports, no damage has been caused.     

United States
While whole blocks of Beirut are leveled to rubble and civilians flee by the thousands, the Bush administration is rushing a delivery of bombs to Israel, according to the New York Times. According to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald the sale of more American arms to the Israeli army will cause anger and might be used to justify Iran supplying missiles to Hezbollah.

Iraq
Saddam Hussein has been rushed to hospital after being on hunger strike for more than two weeks, prosecutors at his trial in Baghdad have announced.    
A report is published by Human Rights Watch on treatment of prisoners in Iraq by US soldiers after the Abu Ghraib prison scandal. It claims torture and other abuses against detainees in US custody in Iraq continues and is authorised and routine.

Thailand
Thailand's king, Bhumibol Adulyadej has endorsed a decree confirming that the new general election will take place on October 15, 2006.

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Wikinews:Briefs/July 23, 2006