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Major Events of February 1995: Key Historical Moments from the Month

Each month is marked by defining moments that shape the course of history. Whether through political shifts, cultural movements, or world-changing events, these periods leave a lasting impression. Dive into the most important events from February 1995 and discover how they influenced the world both then and now.

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Major Events of February 1995: Key Historical Moments from the Month

  • 01 Feb 1995 Algiers Suicide Bombing: A devastating suicide bombing in Algiers resulted in a tragic death toll of 42 people, highlighting the ongoing political instability and terrorism challenges in the region.
  • 02 Feb 1995 Cairo Summit for Middle East Peace: Middle East leaders convened in Cairo to revitalize the peace process, with Taher El Masri, former Prime Minister of Jordan, emphasizing the critical role of Israel in negotiations.
  • 03 Feb 1995 First Woman Pilot of Space Shuttle: Astronaut Eileen Collins made history by becoming the first woman to pilot a Space Shuttle during mission STS-63, launching from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. This groundbreaking achievement represented a significant milestone for women in space exploration and NASA's astronaut corps.
  • 04 Feb 1995 Massive Tomb Discovery in Valley of the Kings: Archaeologist Kent R. Weeks makes a groundbreaking discovery by exploring KV5, the extensive tomb complex of the sons of Ramesses II. This archaeological find represents the largest tomb ever uncovered in the Valley of the Kings, providing unprecedented insights into the royal family structure and burial practices of ancient Egypt.
  • 05 Feb 1995 Shinshinto Party Wins Local Elections in Japan: The Shinshinto Party achieved success in local elections, demonstrating their political influence and potential shifting dynamics in Japanese regional politics during the mid-1990s.
  • 06 Feb 1995 Darryl Strawberry Baseball Suspension: Professional baseball player Darryl Strawberry was suspended from Major League Baseball for 60 days, likely due to disciplinary issues related to personal conduct or substance abuse.
  • 07 Feb 1995 Arrest of World Trade Center Bombing Mastermind: Ramzi Yousef, the alleged mastermind behind the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, was apprehended by Pakistani authorities in Islamabad. This significant arrest marked a crucial moment in counterterrorism efforts and brought a key terrorist suspect to justice.
  • 08 Feb 1995 Colombia Earthquake of 1995: A devastating magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the Cali-Pereira region of Colombia, causing significant loss of life and widespread destruction. The earthquake resulted in 42 confirmed fatalities, nearly 400 injuries, and extensive damage to over 2,000 buildings. The tremors were felt throughout the country, marking it as one of the most significant seismic events in Colombia's recent history.
  • 09 Feb 1995 First African American and British Spacewalk: Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. and Michael Foale made history by becoming the first African American and British astronauts, respectively, to perform a spacewalk during NASA's STS-63 mission. This milestone represented significant diversity and international collaboration in space exploration.
  • 10 Feb 1995 Sun Cayun Sets Female Indoor Pole Vault World Record: Sun Cayun achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new female indoor world record in pole vault, clearing a height of 4.12 meters. This performance marked a significant milestone in women's track and field athletics.
  • 11 Feb 1995 Space Shuttle Discovery STS-63 Mission Lands: The Space Shuttle Discovery (mission STS-63) successfully completes its mission and lands, marking another milestone in NASA's space exploration efforts.
  • 12 Feb 1995 Mexican Regional Election Shift: In a significant political development, the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) lost regional elections to the PAN (National Action Party), signaling potential political transformation in Mexico.
  • 13 Feb 1995 UN Tribunal Charges Bosnian Serb Commanders with Genocide: A United Nations tribunal formally charged 21 Bosnian Serb military commanders with genocide and crimes against humanity, marking a significant moment in international justice for war crimes committed during the Balkan conflicts.
  • 14 Feb 1995 Clyde Drexler Traded to Houston Rockets: The Portland Trail Blazers traded legendary basketball player Clyde Drexler to the Houston Rockets. This trade proved significant as the Rockets went on to win the 1995 NBA Championship.
  • 15 Feb 1995 China Reaches 1.2 Billion Population Milestone: The People's Republic of China officially reaches a population of 1.2 billion, highlighting the country's massive demographic growth and global significance.
  • 17 Feb 1995 Colin Ferguson Murder Conviction: Colin Ferguson was convicted of six counts of murder for the tragic Long Island Rail Road mass shooting that occurred in December 1993. The court sentenced him to 25 years for each of the six murders, totaling 150 years in prison. This case highlighted issues of racial tension, gun violence, and mental health in the United States.
  • 18 Feb 1995 The Lion King Video Release: Disney released the immensely popular animated film The Lion King on videocassette in the United States, priced at $26.99, making the beloved movie accessible to home audiences.
  • 19 Feb 1995 European Record in Men's Indoor 60 Meters Sprint: Linford Christie, a prominent British sprinter, sets a remarkable European record in the indoor 60-meter sprint, completing the distance in an impressive 6.47 seconds.
  • 20 Feb 1995 Mass Funeral of Rabbi Shlomo Averbach in Jerusalem: Rabbi Shlomo Averbach, a prominent religious leader, was laid to rest in Jerusalem in a massive public funeral that drew approximately 250,000 mourners. The unprecedented turnout reflected his significant influence in the Jewish religious community and his respected status as a spiritual leader.
  • 21 Feb 1995 Historic Balloon Solo Pacific Crossing: Adventurer Steve Fossett achieves a groundbreaking aviation milestone by becoming the first person to complete a solo balloon flight across the Pacific Ocean, landing in Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.
  • 22 Feb 1995 Corona Satellite Program Declassified: The United States government officially declassified the Corona reconnaissance satellite program, which had been a top-secret Cold War-era intelligence gathering initiative operating from 1959 to 1972. This declassification revealed critical details about early satellite surveillance technologies and intelligence collection methods.
  • 23 Feb 1995 Dow Jones Milestone: The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed above 4,000 points for the first time, marking a significant financial market milestone at 4,003.33.
  • 24 Feb 1995 Corona Reconnaissance Satellite Program Declassified: The United States government officially declassified the Corona reconnaissance satellite program, revealing details of a top-secret Cold War-era intelligence gathering initiative that operated from 1959 to 1972. This groundbreaking program was crucial for gathering aerial intelligence about Soviet military capabilities during the height of the Cold War.
  • 25 Feb 1995 Frank Sinatra's Final Public Performance: Legendary singer Frank Sinatra performed his last live concert for 1,200 select guests at the Palm Desert Marriott Ballroom in California, marking the end of an iconic musical career during the closing night of his charity golf tournament.
  • 26 Feb 1995 Barings Bank Collapse: On February 26, 1995, the United Kingdom's oldest investment banking institution, Barings Bank, dramatically collapsed after securities broker Nick Leeson incurred unauthorized trading losses of $1.4 billion on the Singapore International Monetary Exchange. This event sent shockwaves through the global financial industry and highlighted critical risks in trading oversight.
  • 27 Feb 1995 US Pentagon Iranian Missile Installation Report: The US Pentagon officially announced that it had monitored Iran's installation of surface-to-air Hawk missiles in the strategically critical Strait of Hormuz, signaling potential escalating tensions in the Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape.
  • 28 Feb 1995 Political Transition in Poland: Polish Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak resigned from Parliament and was replaced by Jozef Oleksy, a former communist, signaling ongoing political transformations in post-communist Poland.