Facts and Events That Happened in This Year
Jack Ruby's gun, which was used to kill Lee Harvey Oswald, sold for $220,000 in an auction.
Mikhail Gorbachev resigned from his position as Prime Minister of the Soviet Union.
A Palestinian couple was convicted of first-degree murder for the honor killing on their daughter.
Kazakhstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
The Belavezha Accords signed.
Romanian Constitution comes into force.
The Commonwealth of Independent States was formed by the leaders of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.
Ukraine elected its first President since the nation gained its independence from the Soviet Union.
Muslim Shi'ites release last US hostage Terry Anderson (held 6½ years).
Pan American World Airways ceased operations.
STS 44 Atlantis 10 was launched into space.
Indonesian soldiers shot and killed over 200 people in a funerary march and pro-independence protest at the Santa Cruz cemetery in Dili, East Timor.
Turkmenistan declared independence from the Soviet Union.
American independent adventure movie 'My Own Private Idaho,' starring River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves, was released.
Dubrovnik was attacked from the land, the sea and the air by the Yugoslav National Army (JNA).
A military coup put an end to the government of Jean-Bertrand Aristide, Haiti's first democratically-elected President.
American rock band 'Nirvana' released their second album called Nevermind.
Linus Torvalds released the first version of the Linux operating system kernel for free on the Internet.
Nirvana released their lead single, 'Smells like Teen Spirit,' which is often dubbed the 'anthem for apathetic kids' of Generation X.
Tajikistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
The republic of Macedonia Declares its Independence From Yugoslavia.
The United States announced its recognition of Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania's independence as individual countries after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Uzbekistan declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
Kyrgyzstan declares its independence from the Soviet Union.
Azerbaijan officially declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
Moldova declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
Michael Schumacher Makes His Formula One Debut.
Belarus declared its independence from the Soviet Union.
Ukraine separated from the Soviet Union, marking this day as Ukraine’s Independence Day.
Latvia gains full independence from the Soviet Union.
Estonia claimed its independence from USSR.
Race riots break out in the Crown Heights area of New York city.
North Carolina, US, was hit by hurricane Bob.
The Warsaw Radio Mast in Poland malfunctioned and collapsed.
Greek-owned cruise ship 'Oceanos' sank off the coast of South Africa due to uncontrollable flooding.
US and USSR sign Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty.
Metallica released their single 'Enter Sandman.'
American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer admitted to murdering 17 people.
Brioni Declaration is signed.
The Warsaw Pact, a defense treaty between 8 communist countries, is formally disbanded in Prague.
Court TV was launched on American cable television.
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake dubbed the 'Sierra Madre Earthquake' occurred in South California and caused around $40 million in damages.
Yugoslav troops invade Slovenia.
Sonic the Hedgehog was released for the Sega Genesis in North America.
The German parliament moves to Berlin.
Drug lord Pablo Escobar handed himself into the police.
The second-largest volcano eruption of the 20th Century happened in the Philippines.
Boris Yeltsin becomes Russia's first President.
The last episode of David Lynch's original Twin Peaks aired.
NASA's STS-40 became the first spaceflight with three women to be launched into space.
