Iraq confirms pending US handover of Abu Ghraib News
Iraq confirms pending US handover of Abu Ghraib

[JURIST] Confirming earlier US military statements [JURIST report], Iraqi human rights minister Bakhtiar Amin told reporters Thursday that the US will hand over control of Abu Ghraib [JURIST Hot Topic news archive], and three other prisons west of Baghdad to Iraq's interim government. Amin calls the agreement to turn over control of the infamous prison an important sign of Iraq's new sovereignty. Abu Ghraib was the center of a scandal that revealed the mistreatment of Iraqi inmates last April. While the majority of detainees will remain at the prison, an army official stated the US would probably transfer its high security detainees to Camp Cropper, a US facility near Baghdad's airport. No date for the transfers has been set. The Guardian has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Benito Mussolini becomes Prime Minister of Italy

Fascist leader Benito Mussolini became Prime Minister of Italy on October 31, 1922 after being appointed by King Victor Emmanuel II. Mussolini came to power after his paramilitary "blackshirts" marched on Rome to take control of the country's government. Italy would be under Mussolini's authoritarian rule until 1943, after which he was arrested and subsequently freed by the Nazis. Mussolini would rule a breakaway republic in Italy's north until his execution by anti-fascist partisans in 1945. Learn more about Benito Mussolini.

Nevada admitted to US after telegraphing Constitution

On October 31, 1864, Congress admitted Nevada as the 36th state in the US. With President Lincoln coming up for re-election and looking for support for his proposed 13th Amendment to the Constitution, Nevadans had moved quickly to meet the legal requirements for statehood, ultimately sending the entire text of the proposed state constitution to Washington by telegraph, creating in the longest—and most expensive—telegram on record to that date.

India PM Indira Gandhi assassinated

On October 31, 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by two security guards, precipitating riots throughout the country.