Today in History.

On Nov. 1, 2009, Afghan President Hamid Karzai's challenger, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from an upcoming runoff election, effectively handing Karzai (pictured) a victory.

Today is Saturday, Nov. 1, the 305th day of 2014. There are 60 days left in the year. This is All Saints Day. A reminder: Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. local time Sunday. Clocks go back one hour.

Today's Highlight in History:

On Nov. 1, 1952, the U.S. exploded the first hydrogen bomb, code-named ''Ivy Mike,'' at Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands.

On this date:

In 1604, William Shakespeare's tragedy ''Othello'' was presented at Whitehall Palace in London.

In 1765, the Stamp Act went into effect, prompting stiff resistance from American colonists.

In 1861, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln named Maj. Gen. George B. McClellan General-in-Chief of the Union armies, succeeding Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott.

In 1870, the U.S. Weather Bureau made its first meteorological observations.

In 1944, ''Harvey,'' a comedy by Mary Chase about a genial fellow named Elwood P. Dowd and his friend, an invisible six-foot-three rabbit, opened on Broadway.

In 1968, the Motion Picture Association unveiled its new voluntary film rating system: G for general, M for mature (later changed to GP, then PG), R for restricted and X (later changed to NC-17) for adults only.

In 1979, former first lady Mamie...