Today is Monday, September 26, the 269th day of 2011. There are 96 days left in the year.

1687 ― Parthenon destroyed in war between Turks and Venetians

1789 ― Jefferson appointed first secretary of state, John Jay first chief justice 1907 ― New Zealand becomes a dominion

1957 ― Musical ``West Side Story," opens on Broadway

1960 ― Longest speech in U.N. history (4 hours, 29 minutes, by Fidel Castro)

1969 ― Beatles release ``Abbey Road" album

1973 ― Concorde flies from Washington, D.C. to Paris in 3 hours and 33minutes

1984 ― Britain and China initial agreement return Hong Kong to China in 1997

1984 ― U.S. President Ronal Reagan vetoes sanctions against South Africa

1988 ― Canada’s Ben Johnson stripped of his 100-meter gold in Seoul Olympics failing drug test