Appeals court upholds dismissal of FBI translator case on state secrecy grounds News
Appeals court upholds dismissal of FBI translator case on state secrecy grounds

[JURIST] The US DC Circuit Court of Appeals Friday upheld a lower court dismissal [JURIST report; PDF memorandum opinion] of a case brought by fired FBI translator Sibel Edmonds [advocacy website] alleging security lapses in the FBI's translator program. The lower court had said that Edmonds' case could reveal government secrets and harm national security as contended by Justice Department lawyers [NYT report] who had invoked an unusual "state secrets" privilege to bar it. The New York Times 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.