On September 28

The Sycamore Gap tree in Northumberland, England, was illegally felled.

War in Somalia: Somali National Army forces and their AMISOM and Raskamboni allies launched an offensive against Al-Shabaab in the latter's last major stronghold of Kismayo.

A protest held by 50,000 people in Conakry, Guinea, was forcefully disrupted by the military junta, resulting in at least 157 deaths and over 1,200 injuries.

Typhoon Xangsane passed Manila on its way to causing more than 300 deaths, mostly in the Phillippines and Vietnam.

Pope John Paul I died only 33 days after his papal election due to an apparent myocardial infarction, resulting in the first year of three popes since 1605.

An attempted robbery of Spaghetti House, a restaurant in Knightsbridge, London, turned into a six-day hostage situation.

Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the Canadian ice hockey team defeated the Soviet team in the Summit Series.

Whaam!, now considered one of Roy Lichtenstein's most important works, debuted at an exhibition held at the Leo Castelli Gallery, New York City.

Fernando Rios, a Mexican tour guide in New Orleans, was killed in an instance of gay bashing.

Scottish biologist and pharmacologist Alexander Fleming (pictured) discovered penicillin when he noticed a bacteria-killing mould growing in his laboratory.

A team of U.S. Army Air Service aviators landed in Seattle, Washington, to complete the first aerial circumnavigation of the world.

Philippine–American War: Filipino guerrillas killed more than forty American soldiers in a surprise attack on the town of Balangiga on the island of Samar.

The Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire from Spain was drafted in the National Palace in Mexico City.

In the Battle of Tinchebray in Normandy, the invading King Henry I of England captured his brother Robert Curthose.

William the Conqueror and his fleet of around 600 ships landed at Pevensey, Sussex, beginning the Norman conquest of England.

The Eastern Roman armies under Constantius II defeated those of the usurper Magnentius at the Battle of Mursa Major.

Pope Pontian (pictured) resigned after being exiled to Sardinia, becoming the first pope to relinquish the position.