The time is 23:00 (UTC) on June 24th, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.
Philippines
Gloria Arroyo, President of the Philippines, has signed legislation abolishing the death penalty.

United States
Vice President Dick Cheney has condemned the media for revealing a secret US government initiative which has investigated and tracked thousands of bank records and transactions.

free software
After 6 months of development, the Inkscape project released today a new version of their SVG-based GPLed vector drawing program.

sports – football or soccer
A two goal burst from Lukas Podolski in the first 12 minutes put Germany through to the quarter-finals of the Fifa World Cup, Saturday.

sports – formula one
Renault drivers Fernando Alonso and his teammate Giancarlo Fisicella won the front row on the FIA Formula-1 Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on an island in the Lawrence river.

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Wikinews:Briefs/June 24, 2006