Historical timeline for October 24

The world's longest sea crossing, the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, opens for public traffic.

A French surveillance aircraft flying to Libya crashes on takeoff in Malta, killing all five people on board.

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.

A driver deliberately crashes into the Oklahoma State Homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring 34.

The China National Space Administration launches an experimental lunar mission, Chang'e 5-T1, which will loop behind the Moon and return to Earth.

"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.

Chang'e 1, the first satellite in the Chinese Lunar Exploration Program, is launched from Xichang Satellite Launch Center.

Hurricane Wilma makes landfall in Florida, resulting in 35 direct and 26 indirect fatalities and causing $20.6B USD in damage.

Arsenal Football Club loses to Manchester United, ending a row of unbeaten matches at 49 matches, which is the record in the Premier League.

Concorde makes its last commercial flight.

Deep Space 1 is launched to explore the asteroid belt and test new spacecraft technologies.

The Toronto Blue Jays become the first Major League Baseball team based outside the United States to win the World Series.

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.

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.

The government of Poland legalizes the Solidarity trade union.

In Iceland, 90% of women take part in a national strike, refusing to work in protest of gender inequality.

Northern Rhodesia gains independence from the United Kingdom and becomes Zambia.

An oxygen leak from an R-9 Desna missile at the Baikonur Cosmodrome triggers a fire that kills seven people.

Nedelin catastrophe: An R-16 ballistic missile explodes on the launch pad at the Soviet Union's Baikonur Cosmodrome space facility, killing over 100 people, including Field Marshal Mitrofan Nedelin.

The United States Air Force starts the X-20 Dyna-Soar crewed space program.