FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2008

Today is Friday, September 26, the 270th day of 2008. There are 96 days left in the year.

1687 _ Parthenon destroyed in war between Turks and Venetians

1835 _ The opera ``Lucia di Lammermoor" is produced (Naples)

1907 _ New Zealand becomes a dominion

1934 _ British liner Queen Mary is launched

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, 33 minutes

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

1988 _ Canada`s Ben Johnson stripped of his 100-meter gold failing drug test