Today in History: China's population reached 1 billion

The following are some of the major events to have occurred on October 27:

1922 – The Italian government resigned under increasing pressure from the fascist movement of Benito Mussolini.

1982 China announces its population has reached 1 billion plus people.

1986 – Archbishop of Canterbury Robert Runcie, the Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain Methodios, Pope John Paul II and the Dalai Lama pray together for world peace.

1997 – Trading halts at New York Stock Exchange as Dow Jones Industrial Average suffers biggest point drop in history.

1998 – The Social Democrat Gerhard Schroeder was sworn in as German chancellor after beating Helmut Kohl’s conservatives in an election.

1999 – The dress that Marilyn Monroe wore to sing “Happy Birthday, Mr President” to President John F. Kennedy was sold for $1,267,500 — a record for an item of clothing at auction.

1999 – Gunmen open fire in Armenian parliament, killing eight including Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan.

2002 – Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva became the first leftist to be elected president of Brazil.

2004 – First-ever All African Anglican bishops’ conference opens in Lagos.

2006 – Scuba divers in Sydney, Australia set world record for underwater dance class.

2009 – Fisker Automotive announces intention to manufacture the world’s first production plug-in hybrid car.

2017 – Catalonia declares independence from Spain.

(Reuters)