8 February 2026 (MIA)

1924 – The first execution by gas in the United States took place at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City.

1968 – Three college students were killed in a confrontation with highway patrolmen in Orangeburg, S.C., during a civil rights protest against a whites-only bowling alley.

1974 – The three-man crew of the Skylab space station returned to Earth after spending 84 days in space.

1978 – The deliberations of the Senate were broadcast on radio for the first time as members opened debate on the Panama Canal treaties.

1980 – President Jimmy Carter unveiled a plan to re-introduce draft registration.

1989 – 144 people were killed when an American-chartered Boeing 707 filled with Italian tourists slammed into a fog-covered mountain in the Azores.

1992 – The 16th Olympic Winter Games opened in Albertville, France.

1994 – The Untied States of America recognised the Republic of Macedonia.

1996 – The Republic of Argentina recognised the Republic of Macedonia.