In History, Today on October 4

Interpol president Meng Hongwei was reported missing, having vanished after a trip to China. It was later revealed that he was detained by Chinese authorities as part of an alleged anti-corruption investigation.

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson for developing cryo-electron microscopy.

Hurricane Matthew makes landfall in Haiti as a Category 4 hurricane, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.

A migrant ship sank off the coast of Lampedusa, Italy, resulting in the death of at least 339 people. This tragic event highlighted the ongoing migrant crisis in the Mediterranean.

Apple Inc. announces the iPhone 4S, featuring the introduction of Siri, a voice-activated personal assistant.

The ACM Programming Contest begins in Harbin, China, marking a significant event in the field of computer science and competitive programming.

WikiLeaks is launched, aiming to publish news leaks and classified media provided by anonymous sources.

SpaceShipOne wins the Ansari X Prize by becoming the first privately built spacecraft to fly to space twice within two weeks.

The second largest cash robbery in U.S. history occurred, wherein an armored car depot in Charlotte, North Carolina, was robbed of $17.3 million by a group led by Loomis Fargo employee David Ghantt.

Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered the storming of the Russian parliament building, ending a constitutional crisis and a standoff with hardline lawmakers.

Pope Paul VI became the first pope to visit the United States, addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

The Soviet Union launched Sputnik 1, the first artificial Earth satellite, marking the start of the space age and the U.S.-Soviet space race.

The United Nations establishes the aid program UNHCR to assist European refugees.

Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini meet at the Brenner Pass in the Alps.

Work on Mount Rushmore begins with the sculpting of the faces of four U.S. presidents.

The Orient Express made its inaugural journey from Paris to Istanbul, marking the beginning of a new era in luxury train travel.

The Crimean War began, marked by the declaration of war on Russia by the Ottoman Empire, following disputes over holy sites in Palestine and Russian expansionism.

The Republic of Texas ratified its constitution.

The Kingdom of Belgium was established after the Belgian Revolution, which led to its independence from the Netherlands.

Mexico adopted a new constitution and became a federal republic, officially known as the United Mexican States.

The Gregorian calendar was adopted by Pope Gregory XIII, replacing the Julian calendar. This day was followed by October 15, 1582, in countries that adopted the new calendar immediately.

The first complete English-language Bible, the Coverdale Bible, was printed.

The Battle of Lake Poyang ended, one of the largest naval battles in history, where the forces of Zhu Yuanzhang defeated the Han forces of Chen Youliang in a struggle for supremacy over southern China during the late Yuan Dynasty.

Lý Nhật Tôn, later known as Emperor Lý Thánh Tông, ascends to the throne of the Lý Dynasty in Vietnam. His reign marked a period of consolidation and cultural development within the dynasty, notably initiating the expansion of Confucian education.

Heraclius arrives by ship from Africa at Constantinople, overthrows Byzantine Emperor Phocas, and is crowned as the new emperor.