• Deloitte [corporate website], once Parmalat's primary accounting firm, has said that it may settle with the bankrupt Italian dairy. Parmalat filed a $10 billion lawsuit against Deloitte [JURIST report], among others, to recoup money it says it lost through fraudulent accounting. Deloitte's CEO, William Parrett [corporate profile], said in an interview that his company did not commit fraud against Parmalat but would settle if it would save Deloitte money in the long run. Reuters has more.
  
  
• Boeing [corporate website] confirmed that is under investigation by the US State Department [official website] for selling planes equipped with motion-sensor devices to China. The devices are on a list of technology with possible military applications that US manufacturers are not allowed to export to China. The Seattle Times has reported that Boeing faces up to $47 million in fines for the transactions. Reuters has more.

• The Florida Supreme Court has found that the Florida Public Service Commission [official website] acted properly and followed the state legislature's will to provide a means to open the local phone service market to competition when the Commission approved a 2003 plan allowing for the largest phone rate increase in state history. State Attorney General Charlie Crist [press release], the AARP, and the legislature's phone consumer advocate argued that the plan would not guarantee consumer benefits, which were also contemplated by the legislature. In its opinion [PDF text] the court disagreed writing, "The commission cites extensive evidence supporting its findings that beneficial competition will result from the commission's grant of the petitions." The rate increase has been on holding pending this decision. AP has more.
  
  
• The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled [text] that under state law, sexually violent offenders who have been released from prison can be committed to mental hospitals even if their recent act was not a dangerous sexual offense. According to the opinion, instead of the state having to prove the offender committed a dangerous sexual offense for commitment to a mental hospital, mental health experts, juries and judges must weigh the offender's entire history to decide whether he is dangerous under state law. The state law [text] provides that offenders who are determined to be sexually violent can be committed to a mental hospital after their prison term ends. AP has more.
  
  
• A lawsuit has been filed in a Sacramento Superior Court [official website] seeking an injunction against California's Mega Millions multi-state lottery game [gaming website]. The petition is challenging the unilateral actions of the California Lottery Commission in joining the multi-state lottery game without obtaining the legislative approval required under Proposition 37. Proposition 37 [Hasting's Law Library text] was passed by voters in 1984 and deals with the state's lottery. California's Mega Millions lottery game is two weeks old. The Sacramento Business Journal has local coverage.

The Islamic Human Rights Commission utterly condemns this attack, but now we appeal that there should be no further victims as a result of reprisals.... IHRC is advising Muslims not to travel or go out unless necessary, and is particularly concerned that women should not go out alone in this climate...In the event of being attacked, IHRC urges victims not to retaliate and to report the matter to the police and appropriate authorities.

• BREAKING NEWS ~ US terror threat elevated after London bombings
• BREAKING NEWS ~ Blair says it "reasonably clear" London blasts were terror attacks
• BREAKING NEWS ~ Many injured in London blasts; bombs suspected; PM to speak

• Twelve Indonesian soldiers convicted of killing civilians in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok port area [official website in Bahasa Indonesian] in 1984 had their convictions overturned Thursday in appellate court. The High Court decision overturned a human rights court conviction last year, finding that there was insufficient evidence to prove that the shootings, which resulted in 23 civilian deaths, were intentional as opposed to accidental. The decision is likely to raise concerns about traditional courts having appellate review of the newly established human rights courts, an issue already fiercely debated during their initial implementation. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Indonesia [JURIST news archive]. BBC News has more.
  
  
• Bahama Tom Nyandunga, the recently appointed special envoy from the African Union [official website] assigned to assess the current situation in Zimbabwe following nearly two months of "Operation Restore Order", has been roundly dismissed by government officials in Harare, and has said that his entire mission is in danger of failing before it even begins. Nyandunga, a member of the AU Commission on Human and People's Rights [official website], was sent to Harare last Thursday, but has been denied diplomatic credentials by the Zimbabwe government [official website] and has reportedly informed superiors that they must decide whether to pressure Zimbabwe or simply withdraw the mission. The tension places Zimbabwe in an awkward situation, as Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe [Wikipedia profile] has routinely depended upon the AU to blunt criticism from western nations regarding internal affairs in Zimbabwe. Experts have suggested that pressure by G8 nations and the potential prize of massive debt relief may cause the AU to alter its traditional defense of Mugabe's actions as internal politics. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Zimbabwe [JURIST news archive]. Zimbabwe's Financial Gazette has local coverage.
  
  
• Women marched in protest Wednesday against politicians in the Kenyan Parliament [government website] whom they accused of tampering with the affirmative action clauses in the draft constitution regulating the number of women delegates in Parliament. The current draft, agreed to at the Bomas constitutional meetings, set the number of required women members of Parliament at 1/3 of all available seats. Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee and the Parliamentary Consensus Group moved to have the clause introduced as controversial, which would put it on a list of items requiring separate approval before being included in the draft constitution. Women members of Parliament and several women's organizations vowed to exert political influence to see the draft constitution defeated if the clause was not left untouched. JURIST's Paper Chase has continuing coverage of Kenya [JURIST news archive]. Kenya's Daily Nation has local coverage.

• BREAKING NEWS ~ Blair says it "reasonably clear" London blasts were terror attacks
• BREAKING NEWS ~ Many injured in London blasts; bombs suspected; PM to speak

First, on a tube train between Aldgate East and Liverpool Street; second, on a bus in Woburn Place; third, on a tube train between Russell Sq and Kings Cross and fourth on a tube train at Edgware Road station. As yet we do not know who or which organisations are responsible for these criminal and appalling acts.

• BREAKING NEWS ~ Many injured in London blasts; bombs suspected; PM to speak

Tony Blair will be making a live, televised statement on the crisis at midday. Sir Ian Blair, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, has told the BBC that there have been six explosions so far today, one on a bus. In what is clearly intended to be a calming message, he asks that Londoners stay where they are, do not call the emergency services unless there is a life-threatening situation, and promises there will be more information.

• UK government emergency page
  
• London Metropolitan Police news page
• London Transport news
• 10 Downing Street
• UK Home Office
• UK Resilience
• Mayor of London
• London Prepared
• London Strategic Emergency Plan
• Royal London Hospital