The time is 18:00 (UTC) on July 9th, 2006, and this is Audio Wikinews News Briefs.

Russia
A Russian passenger plane has crashed after landing at Irkutsk Airport, in Siberia and upto 150 people are feared dead in the crash.

India
India's most sophisticated Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile to date, the Agni III was test-fired off the Orissa coast earlier today.

India
Communal tensions have risen in Mumbai as the Shiv Sena (which is widely perceived as a Hindutva party) protested against the vandalism of a statute of Meenatai at Shivaji Park. Meenatai was the wife of Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and a social worker.

United States
At around 7PM July 8 Governor of New Jersey Jon Corzine signed a 30 billion USD budget for the fiscal year that began July 1.

United Kingdom
In a speech regarding social justice tomorrow, Conservative leader David Cameron is expected to call for better understanding of teenagers who wear "hoodies".

India
Manvendrasinh Singh Gohil, the 40-year-old son of the erstwhile Maharajah of Rajpipla, was disowned by his formerly royal family for coming out as a gay man.

France
Two small girls, who were reported as kidnapped on saturday in the French western town of Bouillé-Ménard (Maine-et-Loire), have been found safe in their village.
New Zealand
An elderly man's body has been found floating in the water near Owhiro Bay quarry car park, by a man walking alone.

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Wikinews:Briefs/July 9, 2006