8 October 2004

Anti-government protests calling for free and fair elections began in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Yemen War: A funeral in Sanaa was hit by two consecutive airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition, leaving 143–155 civilians dead and more than 525 injured.

At Linate Airport in Milan, Italy, Scandinavian Airlines Flight SK686 collided on take-off with a Cessna Citation II business jet, killing 118 people.

A new airport for Oslo, Norway, opened at Gardermoen, replacing a smaller one at the same location that had served as a backup to the city's previous main airport at Fornebu.

The Croatian Army and Croatian Defence Council launched Operation Southern Move, their last offensive in the Bosnian War.

Demonstrations organized by the Weather Underground known as the Days of Rage began in Chicago, aimed at ending U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Major League Baseball pitcher Don Larsen threw the only perfect game in World Series history.

Three trains collided (aftermath pictured) at Harrow & Wealdstone station in London, killing 112 people and injuring 340 others.

The Indian Air Force was founded as an auxiliary air force of the British Royal Air Force.

World War I: After his platoon suffered heavy casualties during the Meuse–Argonne offensive in France's Forest of Argonne, American Corporal Alvin York led the 7 remaining men on an attack against a German machine gun nest; 25 German soldiers were killed and 132 captured.

The Great Chicago Fire (pictured), began and proceeded to destroy much of the city's central business district, killing 300 people and leaving 90,000 others homeless.

In the American Civil War, the Battle of Perryville was fought west of Perryville, Kentucky.

The Council of Chalcedon, a Christian ecumenical council, opened, and went on to repudiate the Eutychian doctrine of monophysitism and set forth the Chalcedonian Creed.

Second Nagorno-Karabakh War: Azerbaijan twice deliberately targeted the Church of the Holy Savior Ghazanchetsots of Shusha.

About 200 Extinction Rebellion activists block the gates of Leinster House (parliament) in the Republic of Ireland.

In the wake of Hurricane Matthew, the death toll rises to nearly 900.

The 7.6 Mw Kashmir earthquake leaves 86,000–87,351 people dead, 69,000–75,266 injured, and 2.8 million homeless.

A twin engine Cessna and a Scandinavian Airlines System jetliner collide in heavy fog during takeoff from Milan, Italy, killing 118 people.

U.S. president George W. Bush announces the establishment of the Office of Homeland Security.

Upon the expiration of the Brioni Agreement, Croatia and Slovenia sever all official relations with Yugoslavia.

First Intifada: Israeli police kill 17 Palestinians and wound over 100 near the Dome of the Rock.

Poland bans Solidarity and all other trade unions.

Australia's Ken Warby sets the current world water speed record of 275.97 knots at Blowering Dam, Australia.

Franklin National Bank collapses due to fraud and mismanagement; at the time it is the largest bank failure in the history of the United States.