The 1990s

1991 35 years ago

A powerful tropical cyclone struck Chittagong, Bangladesh, killing at least 138,000 people and leaving up to 10 million

The 1991 Bangladesh cyclone was a catastrophic tropical cyclone that was one of the deadliest tropical cyclones in recorded history, and one of the most powerful cyclones in the In…

A powerful tropical cyclone struck Chittagong, Bangladesh, killing at least 138,000 people and leaving up to 10 million

1991 35 years ago

In Major League Baseball, Rickey Henderson broke the record for stolen bases on the same night that Nolan Ryan broke his

Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), …

In Major League Baseball, Rickey Henderson broke the record for stolen bases on the same night that Nolan Ryan broke his

1991 35 years ago

Time magazine published the article "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power" by Richard Behar criticizing the Church of Sc

Time is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to every other week. It was first pu…

Time magazine published the article "The Thriving Cult of Greed and Power" by Richard Behar criticizing the Church of Sc

1991 35 years ago

A fire and explosion at a fireworks factory in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, killed 26 people

The Bright Sparklers fireworks disaster occurred on 7 May 1991 at 3:45 pm MST in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia. A massive explosion at the Bright Sparklers fireworks factory cau…

A fire and explosion at a fireworks factory in Sungai Buloh, Malaysia, killed 26 people

1991 35 years ago

U.S. president George H. W. Bush delivered a speech in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev warning against independence…

George Herbert Walker Bush was the 41st president of the United States, serving from 1989 to 1993. Bush was the 43rd vice president of the United States serving under Ronald Reagan…

U.S. president George H. W. Bush delivered a speech in the Ukrainian parliament in Kiev warning against independence…

1991 35 years ago

The World Wide Web was opened to the public.

The World Wide Web is a global interconnected information system that enables content sharing over the Internet. It facilitates access to documents and other web resources accordin…

The World Wide Web was opened to the public.

1991 35 years ago

Breakup of Yugoslavia: With the local Serb population boycotting the referendum, Croatians voted in favour of independen

After a period of political and economic crisis in the 1980s, the constituent republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia split apart in the early 1990s. Unresolved i…

Breakup of Yugoslavia: With the local Serb population boycotting the referendum, Croatians voted in favour of independen

1991 35 years ago

Former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu

Rajiv Ratna Gandhi was an Indian politician and pilot who served as the prime minister of India from 1984 to 1989 for two terms. He took office after the assassination of his mothe…

Former Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated by a suicide bomber in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu

1991 35 years ago

The Israel Defense Forces began Operation Solomon, a covert operation to bring thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel (ev

The Israel Defense Forces, alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym Tzahal (צה״ל), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service bra…

The Israel Defense Forces began Operation Solomon, a covert operation to bring thousands of Ethiopian Jews to Israel (ev

1991 35 years ago

Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, California; she remained a captive until 2009

On June 10, 1991, Jaycee Lee Dugard, an eleven-year-old girl, was abducted from a street while walking to a school bus stop in Meyers, California, United States. Searches began imm…

Eleven-year-old Jaycee Dugard was kidnapped in South Lake Tahoe, California; she remained a captive until 2009

1991 35 years ago

More than 150 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were massacred by members of the military in the village of Kokkadichcholai

Sri Lankan Tamils, also known as Ceylon Tamils or Eelam Tamils, are Tamils native to the South Asian island state of Sri Lanka. Today, they constitute a majority in the Northern Pr…

More than 150 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians were massacred by members of the military in the village of Kokkadichcholai

1991 35 years ago

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines deposited large amounts of particulate matter into the atmosphere, eno

Mount Pinatubo is an active stratovolcano in the Zambales Mountains in Luzon in the Philippines. Located on the tripoint of Zambales, Tarlac and Pampanga provinces, most people wer…

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines deposited large amounts of particulate matter into the atmosphere, eno

1991 35 years ago

An eruption of Mount Pinatubo (pictured) in the Philippines deposited large amounts of particulate matter into the atmos

The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines' Luzon Volcanic Arc was the second-largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, behind only the 1912 eruption of Novarupta …

An eruption of Mount Pinatubo (pictured) in the Philippines deposited large amounts of particulate matter into the atmos

1991 35 years ago

The first instalment of the video-game series Sonic the Hedgehog was released in North America

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game series and media franchise created by the Japanese developers Yuji Naka, Naoto Ohshima, and Hirokazu Yasuhara for Sega. The franchise follows Son…

The first instalment of the video-game series Sonic the Hedgehog was released in North America

1991 35 years ago

Croatian War of Independence: As the Yugoslav Army moved into Osijek, Croatia, a civilian attempted to halt them by plac

The Croatian War of Independence was an armed conflict fought in Croatia from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence f…

Croatian War of Independence: As the Yugoslav Army moved into Osijek, Croatia, a civilian attempted to halt them by plac

1991 35 years ago

Yugoslav Wars: The signing of the Brioni Agreement ended the Ten-Day War between SFR Yugoslavia and Slovenia.

The Yugoslav Wars were a series of separate but related ethnic conflicts, wars of independence, and insurgencies that took place from 1991 to 2001 in what had been the Socialist Fe…

Yugoslav Wars: The signing of the Brioni Agreement ended the Ten-Day War between SFR Yugoslavia and Slovenia.

1991 35 years ago

Shortly after taking off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 caught fire and crashed, killing all…

Jeddah is the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and the country’s main commercial center. Located in the Hejaz region along the Red Sea coast, it is the largest city…

Shortly after taking off from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Nigeria Airways Flight 2120 caught fire and crashed, killing all…

1991 35 years ago

American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after police discovered human remains in…

A serial killer is an individual who murders three or more people, with the killings taking place over a period of more than one month in three or more separate events. The Federal…

American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was arrested in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, after police discovered human remains in…

1991 35 years ago

Soviet Special Purpose Police Unit troops killed seven Lithuanian customs officials in Medininkai in the most serious…

OMON is a system of military special police units within the National Guard of Russia. It previously operated within the structures of the Soviet and Russian Ministry of Internal A…

Soviet Special Purpose Police Unit troops killed seven Lithuanian customs officials in Medininkai in the most serious…

1991 35 years ago

An explosion on the Greek cruise ship MTS Oceanos (pictured) ruptured its hull, causing it to sink off the east coast…

MTS Oceanos was a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship that sank in 1991 when it suffered uncontrolled flooding. Her captain, Yiannis Avranas, and some of the crew fled the shi…

An explosion on the Greek cruise ship MTS Oceanos (pictured) ruptured its hull, causing it to sink off the east coast…

1991 35 years ago

British computer programmer Tim Berners-Lee posted a public invitation to collaborate on a system of interlinked,…

A programmer, computer programmer or coder is an author of computer source code, or someone with skill in computer programming. The professional titles software developer and softw…

British computer programmer Tim Berners-Lee posted a public invitation to collaborate on a system of interlinked,…

1991 35 years ago

Hudson Volcano in Chile began to erupt, depositing volcanic ash over 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi).

Hudson Volcano is the most active volcano in the southern part of the Southern Volcanic Zone of the Andes Mountains in Chile, having erupted most recently in 2011. It was formed by…

Hudson Volcano in Chile began to erupt, depositing volcanic ash over 150,000 square kilometres (58,000 sq mi).

1991 35 years ago

The Warsaw radio mast (pictured), then the tallest structure ever built, at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft), collapsed due…

The Warsaw radio mast was a radio mast located near Gąbin, Poland, and was the world's tallest structure at 2,120 ft from 1974 until its collapse on 8 August 1991. The mast was des…

The Warsaw radio mast (pictured), then the tallest structure ever built, at 646.38 metres (2,120.7 ft), collapsed due…

1991 35 years ago

Italian businessman Libero Grassi was killed by the Sicilian Mafia in Palermo after taking a public stand against…

Libero Grassi was an Italian clothing manufacturer from Palermo, Sicily, who was killed by the Mafia after taking a solitary stand against their extortion demands. The businessman …

Italian businessman Libero Grassi was killed by the Sicilian Mafia in Palermo after taking a public stand against…