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Two nations -

On January 1, 1993, Czechoslovakia officially split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It's known as the Velvet Divorce, a reference to the bloodless Velvet Revolution of 1989, which spelled the end of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. A peaceful division was prioritized, as the process ran in parallel with the violent breakup of Yugoslavia.

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A new president in the White House -

On January 20, 1993, Bill Clinton was sworn into office. He became the 42nd President of the United States.

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Eric Clapton was a big winner at the 35th Grammy Awards -

Eric Clapton became the first British artist to win six awards in one night, including Record of the Year for 'Tears in Heaven' and Album of the Year for 'Unplugged.'

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World Trade Center bombings -

In one of the biggest news events of the year, six people died and over 1,000 were injured when a bomb exploded at the World Trade Center in New York City on February 26, 1993.

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The beginning of a siege -

Two days later, in Waco, Texas, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms attempted to serve a warrant to search the compound of a religious sect, the Branch Davidians. A gunfight broke out, and four federal agents and six Branch Davidians died. This began a 51-day siege.

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The Bombay bombings -

On March 12, 1993, 13 bombs exploded throughout the city of Bombay, India (today known as Mumbai). Around 1,400 people were injured and 257 died. Targets of the bombs included the Bombay Stock Exchange, cinemas, and the Air India HQ. The whole incident took two hours and 10 minutes.

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The 65th Academy Awards -

The 65th Academy Awards were hosted by Billy Crystal. Clint Eastwood’s 'Unforgiven' took the Oscar for Best Film. Al Pacino won Best Actor for 'Scent of a Woman,' and Emma Thompson won Best Actress for 'Howards End.'

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Bosnian War -

The United Nations declared the enclave of Srebrenica in Bosnia-Herzegovina as a safe zone for refugees of the Bosnian War. Sadly, in 1995, Srebrenica became the location of the genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak Muslim men and boys.

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Tuberculosis on the rise -

Following a rise in deaths related to the disease, tuberculosis was declared a global emergency by the World Health Organization on April 23, 1993.

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IRA bombings -

The Bishopsgate bombing in London was one of several bombings of the IRA that year. A truck exploded, destroying St. Ethelburga’s church, and damaging nearby buildings. One person died and 44 more were injured.

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Women flying warplanes in the Air Force -

Thirty years ago, the United States Air Force allowed women to fly warplanes after combat exclusion was lifted.

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Buckingham Palace opened to the public -

On April 29, 1993, Queen Elizabeth II announced that Buckingham Palace would open to the public for the first time in the summer.

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Total shock on the tennis court -

World number one at the time, Monica Seles was leading a match against Magdalena Maleeva during a quarterfinal match at WTA Hamburg. During a break, a spectator ran onto the court and stabbed Seles in the back. She was rushed to hospital, and fortunately recovered from her injuries. However, she didn't play professionally again for another two years.

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Back to Earth -

On May 6, 1993, the STS-55 Space Shuttle mission landed safely after nine days performing 88 experiments, including observations of Earth from space.

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Democracy in Paraguay -

On May 25, 1993, Juan Carlos Wasmosy became the first democratically-elected President of Paraguay in 38 years. He held the post until 1998.

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Ireland won Eurovision -

Ireland won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'In Your Eyes,' performed by Niamh Kavanagh.

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Dinosaurs take over Hollywood -

Steven Spielberg’s 'Jurassic Park' was released on June 9, 1993, and went on to become the highest grossing film to date back then, including grossing a record US$502 million on its opening weekend.

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The Channel Tunnel is on its way -

On June 20, 1993, the first high speed train traveled from England to France via the Channel Tunnel, which opened to the public in 1994.

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The first female Prime Minister of Canada -

In 1993, Kim Campbell became the first and so far only female Prime Minister of Canada. She served as the 19th prime minister, from June 25 to November 4, 1993.

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The birth of a rom-com classic -

Rom-com classic 'Sleepless in Seattle' hit cinemas on June 25, 1993, starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

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A TV hit -

A new sci-fi drama series starring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson premiered on Fox. Around 12 million Americans tuned in to watch 'The X-Files.'

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Hope for peace in the Middle East -

After signing the Oslo I Accord, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) leader Yasser Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin shook hands. This agreement in Washington, D.C, on September 13, 1993, was their first face-to-face meeting.

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Latur earthquake -

The Latur earthquake struck India at 3:56 am local time, killing approximately 10,000 people. Measuring 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale, another 30,000 were injured.

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Nobel Peace Prize -

On October 15, 1993, Nelson Mandela and South African President F.W. de Klerk were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize "for their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa."

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Equality in the Royal Navy -

The female branch of the British Navy, the Women’s Royal Naval Service, was disbanded on November 1, 1993. All women in service were integrated into the Royal Navy with their male counterparts.

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A new era for Europe -

The European Union was formally established when the Maastricht Treaty came into effect on November 1, 1993. The first six members were Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

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The end of Pablo Escobar -

The Colombian drug lord was gunned down by police in Medellín, on December 2, 1993. Dubbed "the king of cocaine," Escobar was the wealthiest criminal in history, with an estimated net worth of US$30 billion by the time of his death (equivalent to $70 billion in 2022).

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Princess Diana's wishes -

In 1993, a year after her separation from Prince Charles was announced, Diana revealed her desire to step away from the public spotlight, which was becoming hard to live with. The royal reduced her public engagements, but, as we know, the media interest in her life didn't change.

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Number one single -

On March 6, 1993, Whitney Houston entered the record books with her single 'I Will Always Love You,' as it reached its 14th week at no. 1 in the US. This makes it the longest-running no. 1 single of all time.

Sources: (Historic Newspapers) (On This Day)

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