Today is Thursday, October 29, the 302nd day of 2009. There are 63 days left in the year.
539 B.C. _ Babylon falls to Cyrus the Great of Persia
1787 _ The opera ``Don Giovanni" is produced (Prague)
1863 _ International Community of the Red Cross founded
1923 _ Turkey proclaimed a republic (National Day)
1929 _ ``Black Tuesday," stock market crashes triggers ``Great Depression"
1945 _ First ball point pen goes on sale, 57 years after it was patented
1966 _ National Organization of Women founded
1987 _ Thomas Hearns wins unprecedented fourth different weight boxing title
1988 _ 2,000 U.S. anti-abortion protesters arrested for blocking clinics
1988 _ China announces a herbal male contraceptive