Summary of the Day ✨ 24 October (24/10)
The world’s longest sea crossing, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, opened to public traffic while China also launched an experimental lunar mission Chang’e 5-T1 to orbit the Moon. Tragedy struck as a French surveillance aircraft crashed in Malta killing all five aboard, Islamic State terrorists attacked a Pakistani police academy killing 59 cadets, and a driver deliberately crashed into an Oklahoma homecoming parade killing four people and injuring dozens.
Historical Events 📜
- 2018: The world’s longest sea crossing, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, opens for public traffic.
- 2016: A French surveillance aircraft flying to Libya crashes on takeoff in Malta, killing all five people on board.
- 2016: Three heavily armed terrorists from the Islamic State – Khorasan Province open fire on and eventually suicide bomb a police training centre in Balochistan, Pakistan, killing at least 59 cadets and injuring more than 165 others.
- 2015: A driver deliberately crashes into the Oklahoma State Homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 34.
- 2014: The China National Space Administration launches an experimental lunar mission, Chang’e 5-T1, which will loop behind the Moon and return to Earth.
- 2008: “Bloody Friday” saw many of the world’s stock exchanges experience the worst declines in their history, with drops of around 10% in most indices.
- 2007: Chang’e 1, the first satellite in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, is launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.
- 2005: Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida, resulting in 35 direct and 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage.
- 2004: Arsenal Football Club loses to Manchester United, ending a row of unbeaten matches at 49 matches, which is the record in the Premier League.
- 2003: Concorde makes its last commercial flight.
- 1998: Deep Space 1 is launched to explore the asteroid belt and test new spacecraft technologies.
- 1992: The Toronto Blue Jays become the first Major League Baseball team based outside the United States to win the World Series.
- 1990: Italian prime minister Giulio Andreotti reveals to the Italian parliament the existence of Gladio, the Italian NATO force formed in 1956, intended to be activated in the event of a Warsaw Pact invasion.
- 1986: Nezar Hindawi is sentenced to 45 years in prison, the longest sentence handed down by a British court, for the attempted bombing of an El Al flight at Heathrow Airport.
- 1980: The government of Poland legalizes the Solidarity trade union.
Famous Births 👶
- 1999: Amon-Ra St. Brown, American football player
- 1998: Daya, American singer
- 1997: Bron Breakker, American wrestler
- 1997: Claudia Fragapane, English gymnast
- 1997: Raye, British singer-songwriter
- 1996: Jaylen Brown, American basketball player
- 1996: Rafael Devers, Dominican baseball player
- 1996: Océane Dodin, French tennis player
- 1996: Garrison Mathews, American basketball player
- 1996: Kyla Ross, American gymnast
- 1995: Vincent Leuluai, Australian rugby league player
- 1995: Ashton Sanders, American actor
- 1994: Krystal Jung, American-South Korean singer, dancer, and actress
- 1994: Tereza Martincová, Czech tennis player
- 1994: Sean O’Malley, American mixed martial artist
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2025: Sirikit, Queen Mother of Thailand (born 1932)
- 2024: Amir Abdur-Rahim, American basketball player and coach (born 1981)
- 2024: Abdelaziz Barrada, Moroccan footballer (born 1989)
- 2024: Jeri Taylor, American screenwriter (born 1938)
- 2022: Leslie Jordan, American actor, writer, and singer (born 1955)
- 2021: James Michael Tyler, American actor (born 1962)
- 2018: Tony Joe White, American singer/songwriter (born 1943)
- 2017: Fats Domino, American pianist and singer-songwriter (born 1928)
- 2017: Robert Guillaume, American actor (born 1927)
- 2017: Girija Devi, Indian classical singer (born 1929)
- 2016: Bobby Vee, American pop singer (born 1943)
- 2016: Jorge Batlle Ibáñez, Uruguayan politician, former president (2000-2005) (born 1927)
- 2015: Michael Beetham, English commander and pilot (born 1923)
- 2015: Alvin Bronstein, American lawyer and academic (born 1928)
- 2015: Margarita Khemlin, Ukrainian-Russian author and critic (born 1960)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Anthony Mary Claret - Christian feast day:
Eberigisil (Evergitus) - Christian feast day:
Five Martyrs of Carthage (Felix and Companions) - Christian feast day:
Luigi Guanella - Christian feast day:
Magloire of Dol - Christian feast day:
Martin of Vertou - Christian feast day:
Proclus of Constantinople - Christian feast day:
Rafael Guízar y Valencia - Christian feast day:
Senoch - Christian feast day:
October 24 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - Food Day (United States)
- International Day of Diplomats
- United Nations Day, the anniversary of the 1945 Charter of the United Nations (International)
- World Development Information Day
- World Polio Day