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File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at
Centennial Olympic Park Centennial Olympic Park is a public park located in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, owned and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. It was built by the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games (ACOG) as part of the infrastructu ...
in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center
fuel tank A fuel tank (also called a petrol tank or gas tank) is a safe container for flammable fluids. Though any storage tank for fuel may be so called, the term is typically applied to part of an engine system in which the fuel is stored and propel ...
explodes on
TWA Flight 800 Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA800) was a Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 8:31pm. Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. K ...
, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone on board; Eight people
die Die, as a verb, refers to death, the cessation of life. Die may also refer to: Games * Die, singular of dice, small throwable objects used for producing random numbers Manufacturing * Die (integrated circuit), a rectangular piece of a semicondu ...
in a
blizzard A blizzard is a severe snowstorm characterized by strong sustained winds and low visibility, lasting for a prolonged period of time—typically at least three or four hours. A ground blizzard is a weather condition where snow is not falling b ...
on
Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
;
Dolly the Sheep Dolly (5 July 1996 – 14 February 2003) was a female Finnish Dorset sheep and the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell. She was cloned by associates of the Roslin Institute in Scotland, using the process of nuclear transfer from a ...
becomes the first
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
to have been cloned from an adult
somatic cell A somatic cell (from Ancient Greek σῶμα ''sôma'', meaning "body"), or vegetal cell, is any biological cell forming the body of a multicellular organism other than a gamete, germ cell, gametocyte or undifferentiated stem cell. Such cells compo ...
; The Port Arthur Massacre occurs on
Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...
, and leads to major changes in Australia's gun laws;
Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...
, sung by
Los del Río Los del Río (, "Those from the River"), also known as The Del Rios, are a Spanish Latin pop and dance duo which was formed in 1962 by Antonio Romero Monge (17 February 1948) and Rafael Ruiz Perdigones (10 November 1947). They are best known fo ...
and remixed by The Bayside Boys, becomes a major dance craze and
cultural phenomenon The bandwagon effect is the tendency for people to adopt certain behaviors, styles, or attitudes simply because others are doing so. More specifically, it is a cognitive bias by which public opinion or behaviours can alter due to particular act ...
;
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was a scheduled flight serving the route Addis Ababa–Nairobi–Brazzaville–Lagos–Abidjan. On 23 November 1996, the aircraft serving the flight, a Boeing 767-200ER, was hijacked en route from Addis Ababa to Nai ...
crash-ditches off of the
Comoros Islands The Comoro Islands or Comoros (Shikomori ''Komori''; ar, جزر القمر , ''Juzur al-qamar''; french: Les Comores) form an archipelago of volcanic islands situated off the southeastern coast of Africa, to the east of Mozambique and northwe ...
after the plane was
hijacked Hijacking may refer to: Common usage Computing and technology * Bluejacking, the unsolicited transmission of data via Bluetooth * Brandjacking, the unauthorized use of a company's brand * Browser hijacking * Clickjacking (including ''like ...
; the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
are held in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, marking the Centennial (100th Anniversary) of the modern
Olympic Games The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...
., 300x300px, thumb rect 0 0 200 200
Centennial Olympic Park bombing The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a domestic terrorist pipe bombing attack on Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, on July 27, 1996, during the 1996 Summer Olympics, Summer Olympics. The blast directly killed ...
rect 200 0 400 200
TWA FLight 800 Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA800) was a Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 8:31pm. Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. K ...
rect 400 0 600 200
1996 Mount Everest disaster The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight climbers caught in a blizzard died on Mount Everest while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the entire season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it ...
rect 0 200 300 400
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
rect 300 200 600 400
Dolly the Sheep Dolly (5 July 1996 – 14 February 2003) was a female Finnish Dorset sheep and the first mammal cloned from an adult somatic cell. She was cloned by associates of the Roslin Institute in Scotland, using the process of nuclear transfer from a ...
rect 0 400 200 600
Ethiopian Airlines FLight 961 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was a scheduled flight serving the route Addis Ababa–Nairobi–Brazzaville–Lagos–Abidjan. On 23 November 1996, the aircraft serving the flight, a Boeing 767-200ER, was hijacked en route from Addis Ababa to Nai ...
rect 200 400 400 600
Macarena "Macarena" is a dance song by Spanish pop duo Los del Río, about a woman of the same name. The song uses a type of clave rhythm. Originally appearing on the 1993 album '' A mí me gusta'', a subsequent remix by Miami-based producers The Bays ...
rect 400 400 600 600 Port Arthur Massacre
1996 was designated as: * International Year for the Eradication of Poverty


Events


January

*
January 8 Events Pre-1600 * 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Jin Huaidi becomes emperor of China in succession to his father, Emperor Hui of Jin, Jin Huidi, despite a challenge from his uncle, Sima Ying. * 871 – Æthelred I, King of Wessex, Æthel ...
– A
Zaire Zaire (, ), officially the Republic of Zaire (french: République du Zaïre, link=no, ), was a Congolese state from 1971 to 1997 in Central Africa that was previously and is now again known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Zaire was, ...
an cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
,
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
, killing 300 people. *
January 9 Events Pre-1600 * 681 – Twelfth Council of Toledo: King Erwig of the Visigoths initiates a council in which he implements diverse measures against the Jews in Spain. *1127 – Jin–Song Wars: Invading Jurchen soldiers from the J ...
20 – Serious fighting breaks out between Russian soldiers and rebel fighters in
Chechnya Chechnya ( rus, Чечня́, Chechnyá, p=tɕɪtɕˈnʲa; ce, Нохчийчоь, Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic,; ce, Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the ...
. *
January 11 Events Pre-1600 * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence. * 630 – Conquest of Mecca: The prophet Muhamma ...
Ryutaro Hashimoto was a Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politic ...
, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, becomes
Prime Minister of Japan The prime minister of Japan (Japanese: 内閣総理大臣, Hepburn: ''Naikaku Sōri-Daijin'') is the head of government of Japan. The prime minister chairs the Cabinet of Japan and has the ability to select and dismiss its Ministers of Stat ...
. *
January 13 Events Pre-1600 * 27 BC – Octavian transfers the state to the free disposal of the Roman Senate and the people. He receives Spain, Gaul, and Syria as his province for ten years. * 532 – The Nika riots break out, during the racing ...
Italy's Prime Minister,
Lamberto Dini Lamberto Dini CGMG (born 1 March 1931) is an Italian politician and economist. He was the Director General of Bank of Italy from 1979 to 1994, Minister of Treasury from 1994 to 1996, the 51st Prime Minister of Italy from 1995 to 1996, and Forei ...
, resigns after the failure of all-party talks to confirm him. New talks are initiated by President
Oscar Luigi Scalfaro Oscar Luigi Scalfaro (; 9 September 1918 – 29 January 2012) was the president of Italy from 1992 to 1999. A member of Christian Democracy (DC), he became an independent politician after the DC's dissolution in 1992, and was close to the centre ...
to form a new government. *
January 14 Events Pre-1600 *1236 – King Henry III of England marries Eleanor of Provence. *1301 – Andrew III of Hungary dies, ending the Árpád dynasty in Hungary. 1601–1900 *1639 – The "Fundamental Orders of Connecticut, Fundamenta ...
Jorge Sampaio Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio (; 18 September 1939 – 10 September 2021) was a Portuguese lawyer and politician who was the 18th president of Portugal from 1996 to 2006. A member of the Socialist Party, a party which he led between 1989 an ...
is elected President of Portugal. *
January 16 Events Pre-1600 * 27 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire. * 378 – General Siyaj K'ak' conquers Tikal, enlarging the domain of King Spear ...
– President of
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
Valentine Strasser Valentine Esegragbo Melvine Strasser (born 26 April 1967) is an ex-military leader who served as Heads of Government of Sierra Leone, head of state of Sierra Leone from 1992 to 1996. Previously a junior military officer he became the world's yo ...
is deposed by the chief of defence,
Julius Maada Bio Julius Maada Wonie Bio (born 12 May 1964) is a Sierra Leonean politician, and the current president of Sierra Leone since 4 April 2018. He is a retired brigadier general in the Sierra Leone Army and was the military head of state of Sierra Leo ...
. Bio promises to restore power following elections scheduled for February. *
January 19 Events Pre-1600 * 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to ''Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. * 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surrender ...
** The ''North Cape'' oil spill occurs as an engine fire forces the tugboat ''Scandia'' ashore on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown,
Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
. The ''North Cape'' Barge is pulled along with it and leaks 820,000 gallons of home heating oil. ** An
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
n ferry sinks off the northern tip of
Sumatra Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
, drowning more than 100 people. *
January 20 Events Pre-1600 * 250 – Pope Fabian is martyred during the Decian persecution. * 649 – King Chindasuinth, at the urging of bishop Braulio of Zaragoza, crowns his son Recceswinth as co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom. * 1156 &ndas ...
Yasser Arafat Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini (4 / 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), popularly known as Yasser Arafat ( , ; ar, محمد ياسر عبد الرحمن عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني, Mu ...
is re-elected president of the
Palestinian Authority The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine,
. *
January 21 Events Pre-1600 * 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa. * 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded when Co ...
– France undertakes its last nuclear weapons test. *
January 22 Events Pre-1600 * 613 – Eight-month-old Constantine is crowned as co-emperor (''Caesar'') by his father Heraclius at Constantinople. * 871 – Battle of Basing: The West Saxons led by King Æthelred I are defeated by the Danelaw Vi ...
Andreas Papandreou Andreas Georgiou Papandreou ( el, Ανδρέας Γεωργίου Παπανδρέου, ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek economist, politician and a dominant figure in Greek politics, known for founding the political party PASOK, wh ...
,
Prime Minister of Greece The prime minister of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρωθυπουργός της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Prothypourgós tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), colloquially referred to as the prime minister of Greece ( el, Πρωθυ ...
, resigns due to health problems; a new government forms under
Costas Simitis Konstantinos G. Simitis ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Σημίτης; born 23 June 1936), usually referred to as Costas Simitis or Kostas Simitis (Κώστας Σημίτης), is a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece a ...
. *
January 24 Events Pre-1600 * 41 – Claudius is proclaimed Roman emperor by the Praetorian Guard after they assassinate the previous emperor, his nephew Caligula. * 914 – Start of the First Fatimid invasion of Egypt. *1438 – The Cou ...
– Polish Premier
Józef Oleksy Józef Oleksy (; 22 June 1946 – 9 January 2015) was a Polish left-wing politician, former chairman of the Democratic Left Alliance (''Sojusz Lewicy Demokratycznej'', SLD). Early life and education In his youth he lived in Nowy Sącz, and wa ...
resigns amid charges that he spied for
Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...
. He is replaced by
Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz Włodzimierz Cimoszewicz (, born 13 September 1950) is a Polish left-wing politician who served as Prime Minister of Poland for a year from 7 February 1996 to 31 October 1997, after being defeated in the Parliamentary elections by the Solidarity ...
. *
January 27 Events Pre-1600 * 98 – Trajan succeeds his adoptive father Nerva as Roman emperor; under his rule the Roman Empire will reach its maximum extent. * 945 – The co-emperors Stephen and Constantine are overthrown and forced to becom ...
– Colonel
Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara General Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara (May 9, 1949 – April 9, 1999) was a military officer and diplomat in Niger who ruled the country from his seizure of power in 1996 until his assassination during the military coup of April 1999. Baré Maïn ...
deposes the first democratically elected President of
Niger ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languagesMahamane Ousmane Mahamane Ousmane (born 20 January 1950), press release no. 179, is a Nigerien politician. He was the first democratically elected and fourth President of Niger, serving from 16 April 1993, U.S. Department of State. until he was deposed in a mili ...
, in a military coup. *
January 28 Events Pre-1600 * 98 – On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany. * 814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accession o ...
– The
Dallas Cowboys The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
defeat the
Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...
27–17 in
Super Bowl XXX Super Bowl XXX was an American football game between the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Dallas Cowboys and the American Football Conference (AFC) champion Pittsburgh Steelers to decide the National Football League (NFL) champion ...
for their fifth Super Bowl victory. *
January 31 Events Pre-1600 * 314 – Pope Sylvester I is consecrated, as successor to the late Pope Miltiades. * 1208 – The Battle of Lena takes place between King Sverker II of Sweden and his rival, Prince Eric, whose victory puts him on the t ...
**
Colombo Central Bank bombing The Central Bank bombing was one of the deadliest attacks carried out by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the separatist civil war in Sri Lanka between the government and the Tamil Tigers. Incident The attack took place on 31 ...
: an explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank in
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
,
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, killing at least 86 people and injuring 1,400. ** An amateur astronomer from southern Japan discovers
Comet Hyakutake Comet Hyakutake (, formally designated C/1996 B2) is a comet, discovered on 31 January 1996, that passed very close to Earth in March of that year. It was dubbed the Great Comet of 1996; its passage near the Earth was one of the closest com ...
; it will pass very close to the Earth in March.


February

*
February 3 Events Pre-1600 * 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. *1451 – Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. *1488 – ...
– The 6.6 earthquake near Lijiang in South-west China kills up to 322 people, injures 17,000, and leaves 300,000 homeless. *
February 5 Events Pre-1600 * 62 – Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. * 1576 – Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion. * 1597 – A group of early Japanese Christians ar ...
– The Kowloon Station From
Hung Hom Station Hung Hom () is a railway station in Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong. It is an interchange station between the and the domestic services of the MTR network, as well as the southern terminus of cross-border through-trains to mainland China whic ...
, the Canton Rail to KCR East Rail. *
February 6 Events Pre-1600 * 1579 – The Archdiocese of Manila is made a diocese by a papal bull with Domingo de Salazar being its first bishop. 1601–1900 * 1685 – James II of England and VII of Scotland is proclaimed King upon the death of ...
Birgenair Flight 301 Birgenair Flight 301 was a flight chartered by Turkish-managed Birgenair partner Alas Nacionales from Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic to Frankfurt, Germany, via Gander, Canada, and Berlin, Germany. On February 6, 1996, the 757-200 oper ...
, on a charter flight from the
Caribbean The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
to
Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, killing all 189 passengers and crew. *
February 7 Events Pre-1600 * 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor. * 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. * 1301 &nd ...
René Préval René Garcia Préval (; 17 January 1943 – 3 March 2017) was a Haitian politician and agronomist who served twice as President of Haiti; once from early 1996 to early 2001, and again from mid 2006 to mid 2011. He was also Prime Minister from ...
succeeds
Jean-Bertrand Aristide Jean-Bertrand Aristide (born 15 July 1953) is a Haitian former Salesian priest and politician who became Haiti's first democratically elected president. A proponent of liberation theology, Aristide was appointed to a parish in Port-au-Prince in ...
as President of
Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
in the first peaceful handover of power since the nation achieved independence 192 years earlier, in 1804. *
February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1003 – Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I the Brave of Poland. * 1539 – The first recorded race is hel ...
** The element
copernicium Copernicium is a synthetic chemical element with the symbol Cn and atomic number 112. Its known isotopes are extremely radioactive, and have only been created in a laboratory. The most stable known isotope, copernicium-285, has a half-life of ap ...
is created by fusing a 208Pb nucleus with a 70Zn nucleus, forming 278Cn. Given the placeholder name "ununbium", the element is not named until 2010. ** An
IRA Ira or IRA may refer to: *Ira (name), a Hebrew, Sanskrit, Russian or Finnish language personal name *Ira (surname), a rare Estonian and some other language family name *Iran, UNDP code IRA Law *Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, US, on status of ...
ceasefire ends with the
Docklands bombing The London Docklands bombing (also known as the South Quay bombing or erroneously referred to as the Canary Wharf bombing) occurred on 9 February 1996, when the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) detonated a powerful truck bomb in South Q ...
in London's Canary Wharf District, killing two people and causing over £85,000,000 worth of damage. **
Disney The Walt Disney Company, commonly known as Disney (), is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was originally founded on October ...
formally finalizes its $19 billion acquisition of the
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
parent, Capital Cities/ABC Inc. *
February 10 Events Pre-1600 * 1258 – Mongol invasions: Baghdad falls to the Mongols, bringing the Islamic Golden Age to an end. * 1306 – In front of the high altar of Greyfriars Church in Dumfries, Robert the Bruce murders John Comyn, sparkin ...
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...
s break off contact with the Bosnian government and with representatives of Ifor, the
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
localised force, in reaction to the arrest of several Bosnian Serb war criminals. *
February 14 Events Pre-1600 * 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt. * 842 – Charles the Bald and Louis ...
– Violent clashes erupt between
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
soldiers and
Vietnamese boat people Vietnamese boat people ( vi, Thuyền nhân Việt Nam), also known simply as boat people, refers to the refugees who fled Vietnam by boat and ship following the end of the Vietnam War in 1975. This migration and humanitarian crisis was at its h ...
, as the Filipino government attempts to forcibly
repatriate Repatriation is the process of returning a thing or a person to its country of origin or citizenship. The term may refer to non-human entities, such as converting a foreign currency into the currency of one's own country, as well as to the pro ...
hundreds of Vietnamese
asylum seeker An asylum seeker is a person who leaves their country of residence, enters another country and applies for asylum (i.e., international protection) in that other country. An asylum seeker is an immigrant who has been forcibly displaced and mi ...
s. *
February 15 Events Pre-1600 * 438 – Roman emperor Theodosius II publishes the law codex Codex Theodosianus * 590 – Khosrau II is crowned king of Persia. * 706 – Byzantine emperor Justinian II has his predecessors Leontios and Tiberi ...
** The American Embassy in
Athens Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
,
Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
, comes under mortar fire. ** Begum
Khaleda Zia Khaleda Zia (; born Khaleda Khanam Putul in 1945) is a Bangladeshi politician who served as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996, and again from June 2001 to October 2006. She was the first female prime minister of Ba ...
is re-elected as Prime Minister of
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
. The country's second democratic election is marred by low voter turnout, due to several boycotts and pre-election violence, which has resulted in at least thirteen deaths. ** The UK government publishes the
Scott Report The Scott Report (the ''Report of the Inquiry into the Export of Defence Equipment and Dual-Use Goods to Iraq and Related Prosecutions'') was a judicial inquiry commissioned in 1992 after reports surfaced of previously restricted arms sales to ...
. *
February 17 Events Pre-1600 * 1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau. * 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons of ...
– The 8.2 Biak earthquake strikes the Papua province of eastern
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
with a maximum
Mercalli intensity The Modified Mercalli intensity scale (MM, MMI, or MCS), developed from Giuseppe Mercalli's Mercalli intensity scale of 1902, is a seismic intensity scale used for measuring the intensity of shaking produced by an earthquake. It measures the eff ...
of VIII (''Severe''). A large tsunami followed, leaving 166 people dead or missing and 423 injured. *
February 24 Events Pre-1600 * 484 – King Huneric of the Vandals replaces Nicene bishops with Arian ones, and banishes some to Corsica. * 1303 – The English are defeated at the Battle of Roslin, in the First War of Scottish Independence. * 13 ...
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
n fighter jets shoot down two American aircraft belonging to the Cuban exile group
Brothers to the Rescue Brothers to the Rescue ( es, Hermanos al Rescate) is a Miami-based activist nonprofit organization headed by José Basulto. Formed by Cuban exiles, the group is widely known for its opposition to the Cuban government and its former leader Fidel Ca ...
. Cuban officials assert that they invaded Cuban airspace. *
February 25 Events Pre-1600 * 138 – Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor. * 628 – Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II. ...
– Two suicide bombs in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
kill 25 and injure 80;
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
claims responsibility. *
February 29 February 29, also known as leap day or leap year day, is a date added to leap years. A leap day is added in various solar calendars (calendars based on the Earth's revolution around the Sun), including the Gregorian calendar standard in mos ...
**
Faucett Perú Flight 251 Faucett Perú Flight 251 refers to a Boeing 737-200 that was operating a domestic scheduled Lima–Arequipa–Tacna passenger service and crashed on 29 February 1996, while completing the first leg, on approach to Rodríguez Ballón Internationa ...
en route from
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
to Rodriguez Ballon airport crashes into a mountain near
Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...
; all 123 people on board are killed. ** At least 81 people drown when a boat capsizes 120 kilometres east of
Kampala Kampala (, ) is the capital and largest city of Uganda. The city proper has a population of 1,680,000 and is divided into the five political divisions of Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division, and Ruba ...
,
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
. ** The
Bosnian government The Politics of Bosnia and Herzegovina takes place in a framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, whereby executive power is exercised by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Legislative power is vested in both the Cou ...
declares the end of the
Siege of Sarajevo The Siege of Sarajevo ( sh, Opsada Sarajeva) was a prolonged blockade of Sarajevo, the capital of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the Bosnian War. After it was initially besieged by the forces of the Yugoslav ...
.


March

*
March 1 Events Pre-1600 *509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first Roman triumph, triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. * 293 – Emperor ...
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: Iraqi forces refuse
UNSCOM United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) was an inspection regime created by the United Nations to ensure Iraq's compliance with policies concerning Iraqi production and use of weapons of mass destruction after the Gulf War. Between 1991 and 199 ...
inspection teams access to five sites designated for inspection. The teams enter the sites only after delays of up to seventeen hours. *
March 2 Events Pre-1600 * 537 – Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his ''bucellarii'' are almost cut o ...
** The plane of the Brazilian rock band
Mamonas Assassinas Mamonas Assassinas was a Brazilian satirical rock band. Their musical style employed a humorous mixture between rock and a wide range of styles, often borrowing elements from other music, among which were the main riff of the Portuguese Vira (" ...
crashes in the
Serra da Cantareira The Serra da Cantareira is a Brazilian mountain range to the north of the city of São Paulo in the São Paulo state. The area has many walking trails, and is popular among locals."Serra da Cantareira." ''Brazil Footprint Handbook'' Footprint Trav ...
, killing all its members on board. Their short lived and "meteoric" success were celebrated for decades and the members are remembered and celebrated even to the present day in Brazil. **
1996 Australian federal election The 1996 Australian federal election was held to determine the members of the Chronology of Australian federal parliaments, 38th Parliament of Australia. It was held on 2 March 1996. All 148 seats of the Australian House of Representatives, Hou ...
: The
Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...
/
National National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...
Coalition A coalition is a group formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political or economical spaces. Formation According to ''A Gui ...
led by
John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007, holding office as leader of the Liberal Party. His eleven-year tenure as prime minister is the s ...
defeats the
Labor Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
Government A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
led by
Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...
. Howard was sworn in on March 11. *
March 3 Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. * 1575 &nd ...
José María Aznar José María Alfredo Aznar López (; born 25 February 1953) is a Spanish politician who was the prime minister of Spain from 1996 to 2004. He led the People's Party (PP), the dominant centre-right political party in Spain. A member of the Fre ...
, leader of the Popular Party, is elected as
Prime Minister of Spain The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government ( es, link=no, Presidente del Gobierno), is the head of government of Spain. The office was established in its current form by the Constitution of 1978 and it was first regula ...
, replacing
Felipe González Felipe González Márquez (; born 5 March 1942) is a Spanish lawyer, professor, and politician, who was the Secretary-General of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) from 1974 to 1997, and the 3rd Prime Minister of Spain since the ...
. *
March 3 Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. * 1575 &nd ...
4 – Two suicide bombs explode in
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
, killing 32 people. The
Yahya Ayyash Units Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
admit responsibility, and
Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...
president
Yasser Arafat Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini (4 / 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), popularly known as Yasser Arafat ( , ; ar, محمد ياسر عبد الرحمن عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني, Mu ...
condemns the killings in a televised address. Israel warns of retaliation. *
March 6 Events Pre-1600 * 12 BCE – The Roman emperor Augustus is named Pontifex Maximus, incorporating the position into that of the emperor. * 632 – The Farewell Sermon (Khutbah, Khutbatul Wada') of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. * 845 & ...
**
Mesut Yılmaz Ahmet Mesut Yılmaz () (6 November 1947 – 30 October 2020) was a Turkish politician. He was the leader of the Motherland Party ( tr, Anavatan Partisi, ANAP) from 1991 to 2002, and served three times as Prime Minister of Turkey. His first two p ...
of ANAP forms the new government of
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
(53rd government). ** A boat carrying market traders capsizes outside
Freetown Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational and p ...
harbour in
Sierra Leone Sierra Leone,)]. officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia to the southeast and Guinea surrounds the northern half of the nation. Covering a total area of , Sierra ...
, killing at least 86 people. ** Chechnya, Chechen rebels attack the Russian government headquarters in
Grozny Grozny ( rus, Грозный, p=ˈgroznɨj; ce, Соьлжа-ГӀала, translit=Sölƶa-Ġala), also spelled Groznyy, is the capital city of Chechnya, Russia. The city lies on the Sunzha River. According to the 2010 census, it had a pop ...
; 70 Russian soldiers and policemen and 130 Chechen fighters are killed. *
March 8 Events Pre-1600 * 1010 – Ferdowsi completes his epic poem ''Shahnameh''. *1126 – Following the death of his mother, queen Urraca of León, Alfonso VII is proclaimed king of León. * 1262 – Battle of Hausbergen between bour ...
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
begins
surface-to-surface missile A surface-to-surface missile (SSM) or ground-to-ground missile (GGM) is a missile designed to be launched from the ground or the sea and strike targets on land or at sea. They may be fired from hand-held or vehicle mounted devices, from fixed ins ...
testing and military exercises off
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
ese coastal areas. The
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
government condemns the act as provocation, and the
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
ese government warns of retaliation. *
March 9 Events Pre-1600 *141 BC – Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China. *1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. * 1226 – ...
Jorge Sampaio Jorge Fernando Branco de Sampaio (; 18 September 1939 – 10 September 2021) was a Portuguese lawyer and politician who was the 18th president of Portugal from 1996 to 2006. A member of the Socialist Party, a party which he led between 1989 an ...
becomes the new Portuguese president. *
March 13 Events Pre-1600 *624 – The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh. *1567 – The Battle of Oosterweel, traditionally regarded as the start of the Eighty Years' War. *1591 – At the Battle of Tond ...
Dunblane massacre The Dunblane massacre took place at Dunblane Primary School in Dunblane, near Stirling, Scotland, on 13 March 1996, when Thomas Hamilton shot dead 16 pupils and one teacher, and injured 15 others, before killing himself. It remains the deadliest ...
: Unemployed former shopkeeper Thomas Hamilton walks into the Dunblane Primary School in Scotland and opens fire, killing sixteen infant school pupils and one teacher before committing suicide. *
March 14 Events Pre-1600 * 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland. * 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Huguen ...
– An international peace summit is held in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
in response to escalating terrorist attacks in the Middle East. *
March 15 Events Pre-1600 * 474 BC – Roman consul Aulus Manlius Vulso celebrates an ovation for concluding the war against Veii and securing a forty years' truce. *44 BC – The assassination of Julius Caesar takes place. * 493 – Odoa ...
Fokker Fokker was a Dutch aircraft manufacturer named after its founder, Anthony Fokker. The company operated under several different names. It was founded in 1912 in Berlin, Germany, and became famous for its fighter aircraft in World War I. In 1919 ...
, a major manufacturer of small size
aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air. It counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines ...
, goes
bankrupt Bankruptcy is a legal process through which people or other entities who cannot repay debts to creditors may seek relief from some or all of their debts. In most jurisdictions, bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debt ...
in
Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
. *
March 16 Events Pre-1600 * 934 – Meng Zhixiang declares himself emperor and establishes Later Shu as a new state independent of Later Tang. *1190 – Massacre of Jews at Clifford's Tower, York. * 1244 – Over 200 Cathars who refuse ...
Robert Mugabe Robert Gabriel Mugabe (; ; 21 February 1924 – 6 September 2019) was a Zimbabwean revolutionary and politician who served as Prime Minister of Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1987 and then as President from 1987 to 2017. He served as Leader of the ...
is re-elected as President of
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (), officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the south-west, Zambia to the north, and Mozam ...
, although only 32% of the electorate actually voted. *
March 17 Events Pre-1600 * 45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda. * 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of eigh ...
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
wins the Cricket World Cup by beating
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
in the
final Final, Finals or The Final may refer to: *Final (competition), the last or championship round of a sporting competition, match, game, or other contest which decides a winner for an event ** Another term for playoffs, describing a sequence of cont ...
. *
March 18 Events Pre-1600 * 37 – Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ''(aka Caligula = Little Boots)'' emperor.Tacitus, ''Annals'' V.10. * 1068 – An earthquake in the Levant and the Ara ...
– The
Ozone Disco Club fire The Ozone Disco fire in Quezon City, Philippines, broke out at 11:35 pm Philippine Standard Time on March 18, 1996, leaving at least 162 people dead. It is officially acknowledged as the worst fire in Philippine history, and among the 10 wo ...
in
Quezon City Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
kills 163 people. *
March 22 Events Pre-1600 * 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea. * 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century. * 871 – Æthelr ...
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
's Finance Minister
Göran Persson Hans Göran Persson (; born 20 January 1949) is a Swedish politician who served as Prime Minister of Sweden from 1996 to 2006 and leader of the Swedish Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2007. Persson was first elected to the Swedish Parlia ...
becomes the new
Prime Minister of Sweden The prime minister ( sv, statsminister ; literally translating to "Minister of State") is the head of government of Sweden. The prime minister and their cabinet (the government) exercise executive authority in the Kingdom of Sweden and are subj ...
. *
March 23 Events Pre-1600 *1400 – The Trần dynasty of Vietnam is deposed, after one hundred and seventy-five years of rule, by Hồ Quý Ly, a court official. *1540 – Waltham Abbey Church, Waltham Abbey is surrendered to King Henry VIII of ...
Taiwan Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
(Republic of China) holds its first direct elections for president;
Lee Teng-hui Lee Teng-hui (; 15 January 192330 July 2020) was a Taiwanese statesman and economist who served as President of the Republic of China (Taiwan) under the 1947 Constitution and chairman of the Kuomintang (KMT) from 1988 to 2000. He was the fir ...
is re-elected. *
March 24 Events Pre-1600 * 1199 – King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting in France, leading to his death on April 6. *1387 – English victory over a Franco- Castilian-Flemish fleet in the Battle of Margate off ...
– The
Marcopper mining disaster The Marcopper mining disaster is one of the worst mining and environmental disasters in Philippine history. It occurred on March 24, 1996, on the Philippine island of Marinduque, a province of the Philippines located in the Mimaropa region. The ...
on the island of
Marinduque Marinduque (; ), officially the Province of Marinduque, is an island province in the Philippines located in Southwestern Tagalog Region or Mimaropa, formerly designated as Region IV-B. Its capital is the municipality of Boac. Marinduque lies be ...
,
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
takes place. *
March 25 Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Italian city Venice is founded with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo di Rialto on the islet of Rialto. * 708 – Pope Constantine becomes the 88th pope. He would be the last pope to vi ...
– The
68th Academy Awards The 68th Academy Awards ceremony, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 1995 in the United States and took place on March 25, 1996, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles begi ...
, hosted by
Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ' ...
, are held at the
Dorothy Chandler Pavilion The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion is one of the halls in the Los Angeles Music Center, which is one of the largest performing arts centers in the United States. The Music Center's other halls include the Mark Taper Forum, Ahmanson Theatre, and Walt ...
in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
with ''
Braveheart ''Braveheart'' is a 1995 American historical drama film directed and produced by, and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays Sir William Wallace, a late-13th century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First War of Scottish Independence ag ...
'' winning
Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
. *
March 26 Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1021 – On the feast of Eid al-Adha, the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret for six weeks, is ...
– The
International Monetary Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a major financial agency of the United Nations, and an international financial institution, headquartered in Washington, D.C., consisting of 190 countries. Its stated mission is "working to foster globa ...
approves a $10.2 billion loan to
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
for economic reform.


April

*
April 3 Events Pre-1600 * 686 – Maya king Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' assumes the crown of Calakmul. * 1043 – Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. * 1077 – The Patriarchate of Friûl, the first Friulian state, is created ...
** A
Boeing 737 The Boeing 737 is a narrow-body aircraft produced by Boeing at its Renton Factory in Washington. Developed to supplement the Boeing 727 on short and thin routes, the twinjet retains the 707 fuselage width and six abreast seating with two un ...
military jet crashes into a mountain north of Dubrovnik, Croatia. All 35 people on board are killed, including
United States Secretary of Commerce The United States secretary of commerce (SecCom) is the head of the United States Department of Commerce. The secretary serves as the principal advisor to the president of the United States on all matters relating to commerce. The secretary rep ...
Ron Brown Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 – April 3, 1996) was an American politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Commerce during the first term of President of the United States, President Bill Clinton. Prior to this he was chairm ...
. ** Massacres of
Hutu The Hutu (), also known as the Abahutu, are a Bantu ethnic or social group which is native to the African Great Lakes region. They mainly live in Rwanda, Burundi and the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they form one of the prin ...
s by
Tutsi The Tutsi (), or Abatutsi (), are an ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region. They are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group and the second largest of three main ethnic groups in Rwanda and Burundi (the other two being the largest Bantu ethnic grou ...
s in
Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
take place with more than 450 killed within a few days. ** The FBI arrested
Theodore Kaczynski Theodore John Kaczynski ( ; born May 22, 1942), also known as the Unabomber (), is an American domestic terrorist and former mathematics professor. Between 1978 and 1995, Kaczynski killed three people and injured 23 others in a nationwide ...
, the suspected Unabomber at his cabin in
Lincoln, Montana Lincoln is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Lewis and Clark County, Montana, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,013. History Meriwether Lewis passed through the area on his return to St. ...
. *
April 6 Events Pre–1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) at the Battle of Thapsus. * 402 – Stilicho defeats the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia. *132 ...
** Fighting breaks out in
Monrovia Monrovia () is the capital city of the West African country of Liberia. Founded in 1822, it is located on Cape Mesurado on the Atlantic coast and as of the 2008 census had 1,010,970 residents, home to 29% of Liberia’s total population. As the ...
,
Liberia Liberia (), officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the West African coast. It is bordered by Sierra Leone to Liberia–Sierra Leone border, its northwest, Guinea to its north, Ivory Coast to its east, and the Atlantic Ocean ...
, between various rebel factions struggling for power in the country's interrupted civil war. Several foreign nationals leave the nation. **
Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...
authorities begin Operation Hawk, a military offensive against rebels from the
Kurdistan Workers' Party The Kurdistan Workers' Party or PKK is a Kurdish militant political organization and armed guerrilla movement, which historically operated throughout Kurdistan, but is now primarily based in the mountainous Kurdish-majority regions of south ...
in south-east Turkey. *
April 9 Events Pre-1600 * 193 – The distinguished soldier Septimius Severus is proclaimed emperor by the army in Illyricum. * 475 – Byzantine Emperor Basiliscus issues a circular letter (''Enkyklikon'') to the bishops of his empire, s ...
– In a common statement, the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
officially recognises the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Serbia and Montenegro ( sr, Cрбија и Црна Гора, translit=Srbija i Crna Gora) was a country in Southeast Europe located in the Balkans that existed from 1992 to 2006, following the breakup of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yu ...
. *
April 11 Events Pre-1600 * 491 – Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. * 1241 – Batu Khan defeats Béla IV of Hungary at the Battle of Mohi. * 1512 – War of the League of Cambrai: Franco-Ferra ...
– The
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i government launches
Operation Grapes of Wrath Operation Grapes of Wrath ( he, מבצע ענבי זעם ''Mivtsa Enavi Zaam''), known in Lebanon as the April Aggression (), is the seventeen-day campaign of the Israeli Defense Forces against Hezbollah in 1996 which attempted to end rocket att ...
, consisting of massive attacks on
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus li ...
, in retaliation for "terrorist attacks", and sparking off a violent series of retaliations. *
April 13 Events Pre-1600 *1111 – Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. * 1204 – Constantinople falls to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade, temporarily ending the Byzantine Empire. 1601–1900 *1612 – In one of the epic samurai ...
Mansouri massacre The Mansouri attack occurred on 13 April 1996, when an Israel Defence Forces helicopter attacked a vehicle in Mansouri, a village in Southern Lebanon, killing two women and four children. Attack At 1:30 PM, Abbas Jiha, a farmer and volunteer am ...
: 2 women and 4 children are killed after an Israeli helicopter strikes an ambulance in
Mansouri, Lebanon Mansouri ( ar, المنصوري) is a village in the Tyre District in South Lebanon. History In the 1596 tax records in the early Ottoman era, it was named as a village, ''Mansura'', in the ''nahiya'' (subdistrict) of Tibnin under th ...
. *
April 16 Events Pre-1600 * 1457 BC – Battle of Megido - the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. * 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Otho commits suicide. * 73 – Masad ...
Nabatieh Fawka massacre: A Israeli strike on a civilian house in
Nabatieh Fawka Nabatieh Fawka ( ar, النبطية الفوقا), also known as Upper Nabatieh is a Lebanese village in the Nabatieh Governorate. History In the 1596 tax records in the early Ottoman era, it was named as a village, ''Nabatiyya al-Fawqa'', in t ...
, Lebanon, kills 9 people, including 7 children. *
April 18 Events Pre-1600 * 796 – King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The ''patrician'' Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. * 1428 – Peace of Ferrara betw ...
**
Qana massacre The Qana massacre took place on April 18, 1996, near Qana, a village in Southern Lebanon, when the Israel Defense Forces fired artillery shells at a United Nations compound. The artillery barrage had been launched to cover an Israeli special f ...
: Over 100 Lebanese civilians are killed after Israel shells the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
compound in
Qana Qana, also spelled Cana or Kana, ( ar, قانا) is a town in southern Lebanon located southeast of the city of Tyre and north of the border with Israel, in an area historically known as Upper Galilee. The 10,000 residents of Qana are prim ...
. In reaction, an Islamist group in
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
opens fire on a hotel, killing eighteen Greek tourists and injuring seventeen others. ** Two days before the NFL draft, Nebraska
Quarterback The quarterback (commonly abbreviated "QB"), colloquially known as the "signal caller", is a position in gridiron football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive platoon and mostly line up directly behind the offensive line. In modern Ame ...
Brook Berringer Brook Warren Berringer (July 9, 1973 – April 18, 1996) was an American quarterback for the University of Nebraska football team in the mid-1990s. Berringer came to Nebraska from Goodland, Kansas, and played a backup role to Tommie Frazier. He wa ...
is killed when the plane he is piloting crashes in an alfalfa field. During the 1996 NFL draft, the league held a moment of silence for Berringer, who was expected to be selected by the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquart ...
. *
April 18 Events Pre-1600 * 796 – King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The ''patrician'' Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. * 1428 – Peace of Ferrara betw ...
19 – Two consecutive tornados hit
Decatur, Illinois Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Ce ...
, causing approximately $10.5 million in damage. The April 19 tornado also hits
Urbana __NOTOC__ Urbana can refer to: Places Italy *Urbana, Italy United States *Urbana, Illinois **Urbana (conference), a Christian conference formerly held in Urbana, Illinois *Urbana, Indiana * Urbana, Iowa *Urbana, Kansas * Urbana, Maryland *Urbana, ...
and Ogden. *
April 21 Events Pre-1600 *753 BC – Romulus founds Rome ( traditional date). * 43 BC – Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered ...
– A
general election A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
in Italy proclaims a new center-left government headed by
Romano Prodi Romano Antonio Prodi (; born 9 August 1939) is an Italian politician, economist, academic, senior civil servant, and business executive who served as the tenth president of the European Commission from 1999 to 2004. He served twice as Prim ...
, replacing
Silvio Berlusconi Silvio Berlusconi ( ; ; born 29 September 1936) is an Italian media tycoon and politician who served as Prime Minister of Italy in four governments from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011. He was a member of the Chamber of Deputies ...
. *
April 24 Events Pre-1600 * 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty). * 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy m ...
– At the urging of
Yasser Arafat Mohammed Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf al-Qudwa al-Husseini (4 / 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), popularly known as Yasser Arafat ( , ; ar, محمد ياسر عبد الرحمن عبد الرؤوف عرفات القدوة الحسيني, Mu ...
, the
Palestine Liberation Organization The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ar, منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية, ') is a Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian nationalist political and militant organization founded in 1964 with the initial purpose of establ ...
drops its clause calling for the removal of
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
. The Israeli government responds by dropping a similar clause concerning the existence of
Palestine __NOTOC__ Palestine may refer to: * State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia * Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia * Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
. *
April 26 Events Pre-1600 *1336 – Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ascends Mont Ventoux. * 1348 – Czech king Karel IV founds the Charles University in Prague, which was later named after him and was the first university in Central Europe. * 14 ...
– Shanghai Five group, predecessor of the
Shanghai Cooperation Organisation The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) is a Eurasian politics, political, economy, economic and security organization. It is the world's largest regional organization in terms of geography, geographic scope and world population, population, c ...
, is created with the signing of the Treaty on Deepening Military Trust in Border Regions in
Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...
by the heads of states of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan. *
April 28 Events Pre-1600 * 224 – The Battle of Hormozdgan is fought. Ardashir I defeats and kills Artabanus V effectively ending the Parthian Empire. * 357 – Emperor Constantius II enters Rome for the first time to celebrate his victory ...
**
Port Arthur massacre (Australia) The Port Arthur massacre was a mass shooting that occurred on 28 April 1996 at Port Arthur, a tourist town in the Australian state of Tasmania. The perpetrator, Martin Bryant, killed 35 people and wounded 23 others, the worst massacre in mod ...
:
Martin Bryant Martin John Bryant (born 7 May 1967) is a convicted Australian mass shooting, mass shooter who murdered 35 people and injured 23 others in the Port Arthur massacre (Australia), Port Arthur massacre, one of the world's deadliest ...
kills 35 people at the Port Arthur tourist site in
Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...
. ** Bhai Pheru bus bombing: A bomb explodes in Bhai Pheru,
Punjab Punjab (; Punjabi: پنجاب ; ਪੰਜਾਬ ; ; also romanised as ''Panjāb'' or ''Panj-Āb'') is a geopolitical, cultural, and historical region in South Asia, specifically in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent, comprising ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
, killing more than 60 people.


May

* May –
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: UNSCOM supervises the destruction of Al-Hakam, Iraq's main production facility of biological warfare agents. *
May 9 Events Pre-1600 * 328 – Athanasius is elected Patriarch of Alexandria. *1009 – Lombard Revolt: Lombard forces led by Melus revolt in Bari against the Byzantine Catepanate of Italy. *1386 – England and Portugal formally rati ...
** South Africa's National Party pulls out of the coalition government formed two years earlier, and the
African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a Social democracy, social-democratic political party in Republic of South Africa, South Africa. A liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid, it has governed the country since 1994, when ...
assumes full political control. **
Uganda }), is a landlocked country in East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territor ...
n president
Yoweri Museveni Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Tibuhaburwa (born 15 September 1944) is a Ugandan politician and retired senior military officer who has been the 9th and current President of Uganda since 26 January 1986. Museveni spearheaded rebellions with aid of then ...
wins a landslide victory in the country's first direct presidential elections, securing 75% of the vote. *
May 10 Events Pre-1600 * 28 BC – A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China. *1291 – Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edw ...
**
1996 Everest disaster The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred on 10–11 May 1996 when eight climbers caught in a blizzard died on Mount Everest while attempting to descend from the summit. Over the entire season, 12 people died trying to reach the summit, making it ...
: A sudden storm engulfs
Mount Everest Mount Everest (; Tibetan: ''Chomolungma'' ; ) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow heig ...
with several climbing teams high on the mountain, leaving eight people dead. By the end of the month, at least four other climbers die in the worst season of fatalities on the mountain to date. ** The Australian government introduces a nationwide ban on the private possession of both automatic and
semi-automatic rifle A semi-automatic rifle is an autoloading rifle that fires a single cartridge with each pull of the trigger, and uses part of the fired cartridge's energy to eject the case and load another cartridge into the chamber. For comparison, a bolt-act ...
s, in response to the Port Arthur massacre. *
May 11 Events 1601–1900 *1812 – Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is Assassination of Spencer Perceval, assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons. *1813 – William Lawson (explorer), William Lawson, Grego ...
– After takeoff from
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, a fire started by improperly handled
oxygen Oxygen is the chemical element with the symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group in the periodic table, a highly reactive nonmetal, and an oxidizing agent that readily forms oxides with most elements as wel ...
canisters in the cargo hold of
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
-bound
ValuJet Flight 592 ValuJet Airlines Flight 592 was a regularly scheduled flight from Miami International Airport to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. On May 11, 1996, the ValuJet Airlines McDonnell Douglas DC-9 operating the route crashed into t ...
causes the
Douglas DC-9 The McDonnell Douglas DC-9 is an American five-abreast single-aisle aircraft designed by the Douglas Aircraft Company. It was initially produced by the developer company as the Douglas DC-9 until August 1967 and then by McDonnell Douglas. After ...
to crash in the
Florida Everglades The Everglades is a natural region of tropical climate, tropical wetlands in the southern portion of the U.S. state of Florida, comprising the southern half of a large drainage basin within the Neotropical realm. The system begins near Orland ...
, killing all 110 people on board. *
May 13 Events Pre-1600 *1373 – Julian of Norwich has visions of Jesus while suffering from a life-threatening illness, visions which are later described and interpreted in her book '' Revelations of Divine Love''. * 1501 – Amerigo Vespu ...
– Severe
thunderstorm A thunderstorm, also known as an electrical storm or a lightning storm, is a storm characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere, known as thunder. Relatively weak thunderstorms are someti ...
s and a
tornado A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the Earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. It is often referred to as a twister, whirlwind or cyclone, altho ...
in
Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
kill 600 people. *
May 17 Events Pre-1600 *1395 – Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army. * 1521 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason. * 1527 – Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Flo ...
28
Atal Bihari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months fr ...
, leader of the
Bharatiya Janata Party The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP; ; ) is a political party in India, and one of the two major Indian political parties alongside the Indian National Congress. Since 2014, it has been the ruling political party in India under Narendra Modi ...
, is elected as
Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (IAST: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and their chosen Council of Ministers, despite the president of India being the nominal head of the ...
, replacing
P. V. Narasimha Rao Pamulaparthi Venkata Narasimha Rao (28 June 1921 – 23 December 2004) was an Indian lawyer, statesman and politician who served as the 9th prime minister of India from 1991 to 1996. He is known for introducing various liberal reforms to Indi ...
of the
Indian National Congress The Indian National Congress (INC), colloquially the Congress Party but often simply the Congress, is a political party in India with widespread roots. Founded in 1885, it was the first modern nationalist movement to emerge in the British Em ...
. However, the party does not receive an overall majority and Vajpayee resigns thirteen days later rather than face a no confidence vote and is replaced by the
United Front A united front is an alliance of groups against their common enemies, figuratively evoking unification of previously separate geographic fronts and/or unification of previously separate armies into a front. The name often refers to a political a ...
leader,
Deve Gowda Haradanahalli Doddegowda Deve Gowda (; born 18 May 1933 in) is an Indian politician from the state of Karnataka. He served as the List of Prime Ministers of India, 11th Prime Minister of India, prime minister of India from 1 June 1996 to 21 Apri ...
. *
May 18 Events Pre-1600 * 332 – Emperor Constantine the Great announces free distributions of food to the citizens in Constantinople. * 872 – Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 4 ...
– The X Prize Foundation launches the $10,000,000 Ansari X Prize. *
May 21 Events Pre-1600 * 293 – Roman Emperors Diocletian and Maximian appoint Galerius as ''Caesar (title), Caesar'' to Diocletian, beginning the period of four rulers known as the Tetrarchy. * 878 – Syracuse, Sicily, is Siege of Syracuse ...
** The ''
MV Bukoba MV ''Bukoba'' was a Lake Victoria ferry that carried passengers and cargo along Tanzania's Lake Victoria between the Tanzanian ports of Bukoba and Mwanza City. MV ''Bukoba' was built in about 1979 and had capacity for 850 tons of cargo and 430 p ...
'' sinks in
Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
n waters in
Lake Victoria Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. With a surface area of approximately , Lake Victoria is Africa's largest lake by area, the world's largest tropical lake, and the world's second-largest fresh water lake by surface area after ...
, killing nearly 1,000 people in one of Africa's worst maritime disasters. ** The
Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...
Martyrs of Atlas On the night of 26–27 March 1996, seven monks of the Trappist order from the Our Lady of the Atlas Abbey of Tibhirine near Médéa, Algeria, were kidnapped during the Algerian Civil War. They were held for two months, and found dead in late May ...
are executed. *
May 23 Events Pre-1600 * 1430 – Joan of Arc is captured at the Siege of Compiègne by troops from the Burgundian faction. * 1498 – Girolamo Savonarola is burned at the stake in Florence, Italy. *1533 – The marriage of King Henry VI ...
– Members of the
Armed Islamic Group The Armed Islamic Group (GIA, from french: Groupe Islamique Armé; ar, الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة, al-Jamāʿa l-ʾIslāmiyya l-Musallaḥa) was one of the two main Islamist insurgent groups that fought the Algerian gove ...
in
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
kill seven French
Trappist The Trappists, officially known as the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance ( la, Ordo Cisterciensis Strictioris Observantiae, abbreviated as OCSO) and originally named the Order of Reformed Cistercians of Our Lady of La Trappe, are a ...
monks, after talks with French government concerning the imprisonment of several GIA sympathisers break down. *
May 27 Events Pre-1600 * 1096 – Count Emicho enters Mainz, where his followers massacre Jewish citizens. At least 600 Jews are killed. * 1120 – Richard III of Capua is anointed as Prince two weeks before his untimely death. * 1153 &ndash ...
First Chechnya War The First Chechen War, also known as the First Chechen Campaign,, rmed conflict in the Chechen Republic and on bordering territories of the Russian FederationФедеральный закон № 5-ФЗ от 12 января 1995 (в реда ...
: Russian President
Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin ( rus, Борис Николаевич Ельцин, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtsɨn, a=Ru-Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin.ogg; 1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician wh ...
meets with
Chechnya Chechnya ( rus, Чечня́, Chechnyá, p=tɕɪtɕˈnʲa; ce, Нохчийчоь, Noxçiyçö), officially the Chechen Republic,; ce, Нохчийн Республика, Noxçiyn Respublika is a republic of Russia. It is situated in the ...
n rebels for the first time and negotiates a ceasefire for the dispute. *
May 28 Events Pre-1600 * 585 BC – A solar eclipse occurs, as predicted by the Greek philosopher and scientist Thales, while Alyattes is battling Cyaxares in the Battle of the Eclipse, leading to a truce. This is one of the cardinal dates from w ...
– Albania's general election of May 26 is declared unfair by international monitors, and the ruling Democratic Party of Albania, Democratic Party under President Muhannad Ibrahim is charged by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe with rigging the elections. Several hundred protestors gather in Tirana to demonstrate against the election result. * May 30 – The Likud Party, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, wins a narrow victory in the
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
i general election.


June

* June –
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: As Iraq continues to refuse inspectors access to a number of sites, the United States fails in its attempt to build support for military action against Iraq in the UN Security Council. * June 1–June 3, 3 – The Czech Republic's first general election ends inconclusively. Prime Minister Václav Klaus and his incumbent Civic Democratic Party (Czech Republic), Civic Democratic Party emerge as the winners, but are unable to form a majority government. President Václav Havel refuses to invite Klaus to form a coalition. * June 4 – The space rocket Ariane 5 explodes forty seconds after takeoff in French Guiana. The project costs European governments $7,500,000,000 over eleven years. * June 6 – Leighton W. Smith, Jr. resigns as
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
commander in the face of increasing criticism. * June 8–June 30, 30 – England hosts the UEFA Euro 1996 football tournament, which is won by Germany national football team, Germany. * June 11 ** An explosion in a São Paulo suburban shopping centre kills 44 people and injures more than 100. ** A peace convoy carrying Chechen people, Chechen separatist leaders and international diplomats is targeted by a series of remotely controlled land mines; eight people are killed. * June 15 – In Manchester, UK, an 1996 Manchester bombing, IRA bomb injures over 200 people and devastates a large part of the city centre. * June 28 ** A new government is formed in
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
, with Necmettin Erbakan of Refah Partisi becoming Prime Minister of the coalition government, and Deputy/Foreign Minister Tansu Çiller of the True Path Party succeeding him after two years. ** The Constitution of Ukraine is signed into law. * June 29 ** The Prince's Trust concert is held in Hyde Park, London, and is attended by 150,000 people. The Who headlines the event in their first performance since 1989. ** An explosion in a firecrackers factory in Sichuan Province, China kills at least 52 people and injures 83 others. * June 30 **
Costas Simitis Konstantinos G. Simitis ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Σημίτης; born 23 June 1936), usually referred to as Costas Simitis or Kostas Simitis (Κώστας Σημίτης), is a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece a ...
is elected president of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement of Greece. **
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...
leader Radovan Karadžić relinquishes power to his deputy, Biljana Plavšić.


July

* July **
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: U.N. Inspector Scott Ritter attempts to conduct surprise inspections on the Republican Guard facility at the airport but is blocked by Iraqi officials. ** The Indian government officially renames the city of Madras, restoring the name Chennai. * July 1 ** The Northern Territory in Australia legalises voluntary euthanasia. ** German orthography reform of 1996 agreed internationally. * July 3 –
Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin ( rus, Борис Николаевич Ельцин, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtsɨn, a=Ru-Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin.ogg; 1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician wh ...
is 1996 Russian presidential election, re-elected as President of Russia after the second round of elections. * July 5 – Dolly the sheep, the first
mammal Mammals () are a group of vertebrate animals constituting the class Mammalia (), characterized by the presence of mammary glands which in females produce milk for feeding (nursing) their young, a neocortex (a region of the brain), fur or ...
to be successfully cloning, cloned from an adult cell (biology), cell, is born at the Roslin Institute in Midlothian, Scotland, United Kingdom, UK. * July 11 – Arrest warrants are issued for
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...
war criminals Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić by the Russell Tribunal in The Hague. * July 12 – Hurricane Bertha (1996), Hurricane Bertha: made landfall in North Carolina as a Category 2 storm, causing $270 million in damage ($ in present-day terms) to the United States and its possessions and many indirect deaths. * July 16 – An outbreak of Escherichia coli, E. coli food poisoning in Japan results in 6,000 children being ill, including two deaths, after a group of school children eat contaminated lunches. * July 17 ** The Community of Portuguese Language Countries (Comunidade dos Países de Língua Portuguesa) is constituted. ** Paris- and Rome-bound
TWA Flight 800 Trans World Airlines Flight 800 (TWA800) was a Boeing 747-100 that exploded and crashed into the Atlantic Ocean near East Moriches, New York, on July 17, 1996, at about 8:31pm. Eastern Daylight Time, EDT, 12 minutes after takeoff from John F. K ...
(Boeing 747) explodes off the coast of Long Island, New York, killing all 230 people on board. * July 19 ** The
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
, United States, begin. **
Bosnian Serb The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби у Босни и Херцеговини, Srbi u Bosni i Hercegovini) are one of the three constitutive nations (state-forming nations) of the country, predominantly residing in the politi ...
President Radovan Karadžić resigns from public office in Republika Srpska after being indicted for war crimes. * July 21 – The Saguenay Flood, one of Canada's most costly natural disasters, is caused by flooding on the Saguenay River in Quebec. * July 24 – The Dehiwala train bombing kills 56 commuters outside
Colombo Colombo ( ; si, කොළඹ, translit=Koḷam̆ba, ; ta, கொழும்பு, translit=Koḻumpu, ) is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. According to the Brookings Institution, Colombo me ...
. * July 25 – The
Tutsi The Tutsi (), or Abatutsi (), are an ethnic group of the African Great Lakes region. They are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group and the second largest of three main ethnic groups in Rwanda and Burundi (the other two being the largest Bantu ethnic grou ...
-led
Burundi Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
an army performs a 1996 Burundian coup d'état, coup and reinstalls previous president Pierre Buyoya, ousting current president Sylvestre Ntibantunganya. * July 27 ** The
Centennial Olympic Park bombing The Centennial Olympic Park bombing was a domestic terrorist pipe bombing attack on Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, on July 27, 1996, during the 1996 Summer Olympics, Summer Olympics. The blast directly killed ...
at the
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
kills one person and injures 111. ** Indonesian government forces 27 July 1996 incident, attacked the head office of the Indonesian Democratic Party, which was being occupied by supporters of recently ousted party leader Megawati Sukarnoputri.


August

* August ** The first three-parent baby is conceived in New Jersey through mitochondrial donation. ** The invasive species Asian long-horned beetle is found in New York City. * August 1 ** Sarah Balabagan returns to the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. ** A pro-democracy demonstration supporting Megawati Sukarnoputri in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
is broken up by riot police. * August 4 – The
1996 Summer Olympics The 1996 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXVI Olympiad, also known as Atlanta 1996 and commonly referred to as the Centennial Olympic Games) were an international multi-sport event held from July 19 to August 4, 1996, in Atlanta, ...
conclude. * August 6 – NASA announces that the Allan Hills 84001 meteorite, thought to originate from Mars, may contain evidence of primitive lifeforms; further tests are inconclusive. * August 7 – Heavy rains kill more than 80 campers near Huesca, Spain. * August 9 –
Boris Yeltsin Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin ( rus, Борис Николаевич Ельцин, p=bɐˈrʲis nʲɪkɐˈla(j)ɪvʲɪtɕ ˈjelʲtsɨn, a=Ru-Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin.ogg; 1 February 1931 – 23 April 2007) was a Soviet and Russian politician wh ...
is sworn in at the Kremlin for a second term as President of Russia. * August 13 – Data sent back by the Galileo (spacecraft), Galileo space probe indicates there may be water on one of Jupiter's moons. * August 14 – A rocket ignited during a fireworks display in
Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...
, Peru knocks down a high-tension power cable into a dense crowd, electrocuting 35 people. * August 15 – Bob Dole is nominated for President of the United States, and Jack Kemp for vice president, at the Republican National Convention in San Diego, California. * August 16 – Brookfield Zoo, Chicago. After a 3-year-old boy falls into the deep gorilla enclosure, Binti Jua, a female lowland gorilla sits with the injured boy until his rescue. * August 21 ** Former State President of South Africa, F. W. de Klerk, makes an official apology for crimes committed under Apartheid to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (South Africa), Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Cape Town. ** In the UK, Queen Elizabeth II issues letters patent on divorced former wives of British princes, taking away from the ex-wives the attribute and style of Royal Highness. With that Sarah, Duchess of York as well as Diana, Princess of Wales legally cease to be Royals, but they remain as non-royal Duchess and Princess. * August 23 – Osama bin Laden writes "The Declaration of Jihad on the Americans Occupying the Country of the Two Sacred Places," a call for the removal of American military forces from Saudi Arabia. * August 26 – Civil Rights Movement historian Randy Kryn and 10 others are arrested by the Federal Protective Service (United States), Federal Protective Service while protesting in a demonstration at the Kluczynski Federal Building in downtown Chicago during 1996 Democratic National Convention, that year's Democratic National Convention. * August 28 – Their Royal Highnesses, the Prince and Princess of Wales, are formally divorced at the High Court of Justice in London. Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales is restyled Diana, Princess of Wales, due to the Queen's letters patent issued a week earlier. * August 29 ** U.S. President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore are re-nominated at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. ** A Russian Tupolev 154 jetliner Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801, crashes into a mountain as it approaches the airport at Spitsbergen, Norway, killing all 141 people on board. * August 31 –
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: Iraqi forces launch an offensive into the northern Iraqi no-fly zones, No-Fly Zone and capture Arbil.


September

* September 2 – A permanent peace agreement is signed at the Malacañan Palace between the Government of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front (Misuari faction), Moro National Liberation Front. * September 3 – The United States launches Operation Desert Strike against Iraq in reaction to the attack on Arbil. * September 4 – The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia attack a military base in Guaviare Department, Guaviare, Colombia, starting three weeks of guerrilla warfare that will claim the lives of at least 130 Colombians. * September 5 – Hurricane Fran makes landfall near Cape Fear (headland), Cape Fear, North Carolina as a Category 3 hurricane, Category 3 storm with sustained winds. Fran caused over $3 billion in damages ($ in present-day terms) and killed 27 people, mainly in North Carolina. The name "Fran" was retired due to the extensive damage. * September 10 – Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) signed (it will be ratified 180 days after ratification by 44 Annex 2 countries). * September 13 – Alija Izetbegović is elected President of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the country's first election since the Bosnian War. * September 20 – Leader of
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
i opposition party Pakistan Peoples Party Murtaza Bhutto is killed during a gunfight with police. * September 22 – The Panhellenic Socialist Movement under the leadership of
Costas Simitis Konstantinos G. Simitis ( el, Κωνσταντίνος Γ. Σημίτης; born 23 June 1936), usually referred to as Costas Simitis or Kostas Simitis (Κώστας Σημίτης), is a Greek politician who served as Prime Minister of Greece a ...
succeeds in the 1996 Greek legislative election. * September 24 – U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
. * September 27 – In Afghanistan, the Taliban capture the capital city of Kabul, after driving out President Burhanuddin Rabbani and executing former leader Mohammad Najibullah. * September 29 – The Nintendo 64 is released in North America.


October

* October 2 – Aeroperú Flight 603 crashes into the Pacific Ocean when the instruments fail just after takeoff from
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
Airport, killing all 70 people on board. * October 6 – The government of New Zealand agrees to pay $130 million worth of compensation for the loss of land suffered by the Māori people, Māori population between the years of 1844 and 1864. * October 22 – A fire at La Planta prison in southwest Caracas, Venezuela, kills thirty prisoners. * October 24 – The First Congo War begins. * October 31 – TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes into a densely populated area of São Paulo, killing all 96 people on board.


November

* November –
Iraq disarmament crisis The Iraq disarmament crisis was claimed as one of primary issues that led to the multinational invasion of Iraq on 20 March 2003. Since the 1980s, Iraq was widely assumed to have been producing and extensively running the programs of biolog ...
: UNSCOM inspectors uncover buried prohibited missile parts. Iraq refuses to allow UNSCOM teams to remove remnants of missile engines for analysis outside of the country. * November 5 – 1996 United States presidential election: Incumbent Democratic Party (United States), Democratic President Bill Clinton defeats his Republican Party (United States), Republican challenger, Bob Dole and Reform Party of the United States of America, Reform Party candidate Ross Perot. * November 7 ** A Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, category 4 1996 Andhra Pradesh cyclone, cyclone strikes Andhra Pradesh, India, killing at least 1,000 people. ** NASA launches the Mars Global Surveyor. * November 8 – All 144 people on board a Nigerian-owned Boeing 727 die after the aircraft ADC Airlines Flight 086, crashed into the Atlantic Ocean while approaching Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport, airport. * November 12 – Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 1996 Charkhi Dadri mid-air collision, collides in mid-air with Kazakhstan Airlines Il-76 in New Delhi, India, resulting in the loss of 349 lives. * November 17 ** A bomb explodes in Kaspiysk, Russia, killing 32 people. ** Emil Constantinescu is elected as President of Romania. * November 18 – Frederick Chiluba is re-elected as President of Zambia. * November 19 ** Martin Bryant is sentenced to 35 consecutive sentences of life imprisonment plus 1,035 years without parole for murdering 35 people in a shooting spree in
Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...
earlier this year. ** Preparatory Commission for the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Organization (CTBTO) established. ** ''STS-80'': Space Shuttle Columbia conducts the longest mission of the Space Shuttle program. * November 20 – The 1996 Garley Building fire occurred in Hong Kong, resulting in 41 deaths and 81 injuries. * November 21 – A propane Humberto Vidal explosion, explosion at the Humberto Vidal shoe store and office building in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 33 people. * November 23 ** The Angola, Republic of Angola officially joins the World Trade Organization as ''Angola''. **
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 was a scheduled flight serving the route Addis Ababa–Nairobi–Brazzaville–Lagos–Abidjan. On 23 November 1996, the aircraft serving the flight, a Boeing 767-200ER, was hijacked en route from Addis Ababa to Nai ...
is hijacked, then crashes into the Indian Ocean off the coast of Comoros after running out of fuel, killing 125. * November 25 – An ice storm strikes the U.S. killing 26 directly and hundreds more from accidents. A powerful windstorm blasts Florida with winds gusts up to 90 mph.


December

* December 9 – Jerry Rawlings is re-elected as President of Ghana. * December 11 – Tung Chee-hwa is appointed to become the new leader of Hong Kong after it reverts to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997, at the end a 99-year lease to the United Kingdom. * December 13 – Ghanaian diplomat Kofi Annan is elected by the United Nations Security Council the next Secretary-General of the United Nations. * December 17 – The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement takes 72 hostages in the Japanese Embassy in
Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...
, Peru. * December 25 – At least 283 migrants drown in the Sinking of F174, sinking of ''F174'' near Capo Passero (Sicily). * December 26 ** The 1996–97 strikes in South Korea, largest strike in South Korean history begins. ** Six-year-old Death of JonBenét Ramsey, JonBenét Ramsey is found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado. * December 27 – Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram Air Base, solidifying their buffer zone around Kabul. * December 29 – Guatemala and the leaders of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity sign a peace accord that ends the 36-year Guatemalan Civil War. * December 30 – In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo people, Bodo separatists, killing 26.


Births


January

* January 2 – Xiaoyu Yu, Chinese figure skater * January 3 – Florence Pugh, English actress * January 5 ** Maxim Baldry, English actor ** Tyler Ulis, American basketball player * January 6 ** Courtney Eaton, Australian actress ** Harmanpreet Singh, Indian hockey player * January 7 – Helly Shah, Indian actress * January 10 – Anna Sztankovics, Hungarian swimmer *
January 11 Events Pre-1600 * 532 – Nika riots in Constantinople: A quarrel between supporters of different chariot teams—the Blues and the Greens—in the Hippodrome escalates into violence. * 630 – Conquest of Mecca: The prophet Muhamma ...
– Leroy Sané, German footballer * January 12 – Ella Henderson, English singer * January 15 – Dove Cameron, American actress and singer *
January 16 Events Pre-1600 * 27 BC – Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus is granted the title Augustus by the Roman Senate, marking the beginning of the Roman Empire. * 378 – General Siyaj K'ak' conquers Tikal, enlarging the domain of King Spear ...
** Anastasia Grishina, Russian artistic gymnast ** Jennie (singer), Jennie, South Korean singer and rapper * January 17 – Nile Wilson, British artistic gymnast *
January 19 Events Pre-1600 * 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to ''Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. * 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surrender ...
– Taylor Bennett (rapper), Taylor Bennett, American rapper *
January 21 Events Pre-1600 * 763 – Following the Battle of Bakhamra between Alids and Abbasids near Kufa, the Alid rebellion ends with the death of Ibrahim, brother of Isa ibn Musa. * 1525 – The Swiss Anabaptist Movement is founded when Co ...
– Marco Asensio, Spanish footballer *
January 24 Events Pre-1600 * 41 – Claudius is proclaimed Roman emperor by the Praetorian Guard after they assassinate the previous emperor, his nephew Caligula. * 914 – Start of the First Fatimid invasion of Egypt. *1438 – The Cou ...
– Patrik Schick, Czech footballer *
January 31 Events Pre-1600 * 314 – Pope Sylvester I is consecrated, as successor to the late Pope Miltiades. * 1208 – The Battle of Lena takes place between King Sverker II of Sweden and his rival, Prince Eric, whose victory puts him on the t ...
– Joel Courtney, American actor


February

* February 1 – Ahmad Abughaush, Jordanian taekwondo athlete * February 2 – Harry Winks, English footballer *
February 5 Events Pre-1600 * 62 – Earthquake in Pompeii, Italy. * 1576 – Henry of Navarre abjures Catholicism at Tours and rejoins the Protestant forces in the French Wars of Religion. * 1597 – A group of early Japanese Christians ar ...
– Zeng Siqi, Chinese artistic gymnast *
February 7 Events Pre-1600 * 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor. * 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. * 1301 &nd ...
** Aaron Ekblad, Canadian ice hockey player ** Mai Hagiwara, Japanese singer *
February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1003 – Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I the Brave of Poland. * 1539 – The first recorded race is hel ...
** Jimmy Bennett, American actor ** Kelli Berglund, American actress ** Chungha (singer), Chungha, South Korean singer and dancer * February 11 – Lucas Torreira, Uruguayan footballer * February 13 – Muhammad Rian Ardianto, Indonesian badminton player *
February 14 Events Pre-1600 * 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt. * 842 – Charles the Bald and Louis ...
** Lucas Hernandez, French footballer ** Viktor Kovalenko (footballer), Viktor Kovalenko, Ukrainian footballer *
February 17 Events Pre-1600 * 1370 – Northern Crusades: Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Teutonic Knights meet in the Battle of Rudau. * 1411 – Following the successful campaigns during the Ottoman Interregnum, Musa Çelebi, one of the sons of ...
– Sasha Pieterse, South African-born American actress * February 19 – Ashnikko, American singer and rapper * February 20 – Mabel (singer), Mabel, English singer * February 21 ** Noah Rubin (tennis), Noah Rubin, American tennis player ** Sophie Turner, English actress * February 23 – D'Angelo Russell, American basketball player *
February 25 Events Pre-1600 * 138 – Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor. * 628 – Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II. ...
– Emel Dereli, Turkish shot putter * February 28 – Shi Yuqi, Chinese badminton player


March

*
March 1 Events Pre-1600 *509 BC – Publius Valerius Publicola celebrates the first Roman triumph, triumph of the Roman Republic after his victory over the deposed king Lucius Tarquinius Superbus at the Battle of Silva Arsia. * 293 – Emperor ...
– Ye Shiwen, Chinese swimmer * March 5 – Emmanuel Mudiay, Congolese professional basketball player ** Michael Evans Behling, American actor *
March 6 Events Pre-1600 * 12 BCE – The Roman emperor Augustus is named Pontifex Maximus, incorporating the position into that of the emperor. * 632 – The Farewell Sermon (Khutbah, Khutbatul Wada') of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. * 845 & ...
** Christian Coleman, American sprinter ** Timo Werner, German footballer ** Yan Han (figure skater), Yan Han, Chinese figure skater *
March 8 Events Pre-1600 * 1010 – Ferdowsi completes his epic poem ''Shahnameh''. *1126 – Following the death of his mother, queen Urraca of León, Alfonso VII is proclaimed king of León. * 1262 – Battle of Hausbergen between bour ...
– Emil Imre, Hungarian short track speed skater *
March 9 Events Pre-1600 *141 BC – Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China. *1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. * 1226 – ...
– Giorgio Minisini, Italian synchronized swimmer *
March 14 Events Pre-1600 * 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland. * 1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Huguen ...
– Janai Haupapa, Canadian rugby league player *
March 23 Events Pre-1600 *1400 – The Trần dynasty of Vietnam is deposed, after one hundred and seventy-five years of rule, by Hồ Quý Ly, a court official. *1540 – Waltham Abbey Church, Waltham Abbey is surrendered to King Henry VIII of ...
– Alexander Albon, Thai racing driver *
March 24 Events Pre-1600 * 1199 – King Richard I of England is wounded by a crossbow bolt while fighting in France, leading to his death on April 6. *1387 – English victory over a Franco- Castilian-Flemish fleet in the Battle of Margate off ...
** Valentino Lazaro, Austrian footballer ** Myles Turner, American basketball player *
March 26 Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1021 – On the feast of Eid al-Adha, the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret for six weeks, is ...
– Kathryn Bernardo, Filipina actress * March 27 – Rosabell Laurenti Sellers, Italian-American actress * March 28 ** Benjamin Pavard, French footballer ** Xie Siyi, Chinese diver * March 31 – Kira Hagi, Romanian actress


April

* April 2 ** Polina Agafonova, Russian figure skater ** Matheus Santana, Brazilian swimmer *
April 3 Events Pre-1600 * 686 – Maya king Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' assumes the crown of Calakmul. * 1043 – Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. * 1077 – The Patriarchate of Friûl, the first Friulian state, is created ...
– Sarah Jeffery, Canadian actress * April 4 – Austin Mahone, American singer-songwriter and actor *
April 9 Events Pre-1600 * 193 – The distinguished soldier Septimius Severus is proclaimed emperor by the army in Illyricum. * 475 – Byzantine Emperor Basiliscus issues a circular letter (''Enkyklikon'') to the bishops of his empire, s ...
– Giovani Lo Celso, Argentinian footballer * April 10 ** Andreas Christensen, Danish footballer ** Thanasi Kokkinakis, Australian tennis player ** Loïc Nottet, Belgian singer *
April 11 Events Pre-1600 * 491 – Flavius Anastasius becomes Byzantine emperor, with the name of Anastasius I. * 1241 – Batu Khan defeats Béla IV of Hungary at the Battle of Mohi. * 1512 – War of the League of Cambrai: Franco-Ferra ...
** Dele Alli, English footballer ** Summer Walker, American singer * April 12 – Polina Korobeynikova, Russian figure skater * April 14 – Abigail Breslin, American actress *
April 16 Events Pre-1600 * 1457 BC – Battle of Megido - the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. * 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Otho commits suicide. * 73 – Masad ...
– Anya Taylor-Joy, actress * April 17 – Dee Dee Davis, American actress * April 22 – Wendy Sulca, Peruvian singer * April 23 – Álex Márquez, Spanish motorcycle racer *
April 24 Events Pre-1600 * 1479 BC – Thutmose III ascends to the throne of Egypt, although power effectively shifts to Hatshepsut (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th dynasty). * 1183 BC – Traditional reckoning of the Fall of Troy m ...
– Ashleigh Barty, Australian tennis player * April 25 ** Mack Horton, Australian swimmer ** Allisyn Ashley Arm, American actress * April 27 ** Tejan Koroma, American Football Player *
April 28 Events Pre-1600 * 224 – The Battle of Hormozdgan is fought. Ardashir I defeats and kills Artabanus V effectively ending the Parthian Empire. * 357 – Emperor Constantius II enters Rome for the first time to celebrate his victory ...
– Tony Revolori, American actor * April 29 – Katherine Langford, Australian actress


May

* May 2 – Julian Brandt, German footballer * May 3 – Alex Iwobi, Nigerian footballer * May 4 ** Arielle Gold, American snowboarder ** Pelayo Roza, Spanish sprint canoeist. * May 8 – 6ix9ine, American rapper *
May 10 Events Pre-1600 * 28 BC – A sunspot is observed by Han dynasty astronomers during the reign of Emperor Cheng of Han, one of the earliest dated sunspot observations in China. *1291 – Scottish nobles recognize the authority of Edw ...
– Tyus Jones, American basketball player *
May 11 Events 1601–1900 *1812 – Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is Assassination of Spencer Perceval, assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons. *1813 – William Lawson (explorer), William Lawson, Grego ...
– Andrés Cubas, Argentinian footballer * May 14 ** Martin Garrix, Dutch DJ and producer ** Pokimane, Imane Anys, Canadian Twitch streamer * May 15 – Birdy (singer), Birdy, English singer and songwriter *
May 17 Events Pre-1600 *1395 – Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army. * 1521 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason. * 1527 – Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Flo ...
– Ryan Ochoa, American actor and musician * May 19 – Lakshmi Menon (actress), Lakshmi Menon, Indian film actress *
May 18 Events Pre-1600 * 332 – Emperor Constantine the Great announces free distributions of food to the citizens in Constantinople. * 872 – Louis II of Italy is crowned for the second time as Holy Roman Emperor at Rome, at the age of 4 ...
– Yuki Kadono, Japanese snowboarder *
May 23 Events Pre-1600 * 1430 – Joan of Arc is captured at the Siege of Compiègne by troops from the Burgundian faction. * 1498 – Girolamo Savonarola is burned at the stake in Florence, Italy. *1533 – The marriage of King Henry VI ...
– Katharina Althaus, German ski jumper * May 30 ** Aleksandr Golovin (footballer), Aleksandr Golovin, Russian footballer ** Lucki, American rapper * May 31 – Normani, American singer


June

* June 1 – Tom Holland, English actor * June 3 – Han Tianyu, Chinese short track speed skater * June 7 – Christian McCaffrey, American football player * June 10 – Wen Junhui, Chinese singer and actor * June 12 **Annalisa Cochrane, American actress **Davinson Sánchez, Colombian footballer * June 13 ** Kingsley Coman, French footballer ** Kodi Smit-McPhee, Australian actor * June 15 – Aurora (singer), Aurora, Norwegian singer * June 16 – Lily Zhang, American table tennis player * June 17 – Godfred Donsah, Ghanese footballer * June 18 – Alen Halilović, Croatian footballer * June 19 – Larisa Iordache, Romanian artistic gymnast * June 22 ** Hugo Calderano, Brazilian table tennis player ** Kong Sang-jeong, South Korean short track speed skater * June 24 – Harris Dickinson, English actor, writer, and director * June 27 – Lauren Jauregui, American singer * June 28 ** Milot Rashica, Kosovar footballer ** Donna Vekić, Croatian tennis player


July

* July 1 – Adelina Sotnikova, Russian figure skater * July 3 – Kendji Girac, French singer * July 5 – Risa Shōji, Japanese figure skater * July 7 – Ivan Ljubic, Austrian footballer * July 10 – Moon Ga-young, South Korean actress * July 11 ** Alessia Cara, Canadian singer-songwriter ** Andrija Živković, Serbian footballer * July 18 – Yung Lean, Swedish rapper and record producer * July 20 – Ben Simmons, Australian basketball player


August

* August 1 ** Arisa Higashino, Japanese badminton player ** Cymphonique Miller, American actress and singer * August 2 – Simone Manuel, American swimmer * August 5 ** Francesca Deagostini, Italian artistic gymnast ** Mai Murakami, Japanese artistic gymnast * August 10 – Evan Evagora, Australian actor * August 12 – Arthur Melo, Arthur, Brazilian footballer * August 14 – Brianna Hildebrand, American actress * August 16 – Caeleb Dressel, American swimmer * August 19 ** Almoez Ali, Sudanese-Qatari footballer ** Laura Tesoro, Belgian singer and actress * August 20 – Axell Hodges, American motocross competitor * August 24 – Kenzō Shirai, Japanese gymnast * August 27 ** Femke Van den Driessche, Belgian cyclist found guilty of mechanical doping ** Ebru Topçu, Turkish footballer * August 28 – Kim Se-jeong, South Korean singer and actress * August 30 ** Gabriel Barbosa, Brazilian footballer ** Chen Dequan, Chinese short track speed skater


September

* September 1 – Zendaya, American actress and singer * September 3 – Joy (singer), Joy, South Korean singer and actress * September 5 – Sigrid (singer), Sigrid, Norwegian singer * September 9 – Jaïro Riedewald, Dutch footballer * September 12 – Colin Ford, American actor * September 13 ** Playboi Carti, American rapper ** Lili Reinhart, American actress September 16 – Baka Prase, Serbian YouTuber, rapper, gamer, and entertainer * September 17 ** Duje Ćaleta-Car, Croatian footballer ** Ella Purnell, English actress ** Esteban Ocon, French Formula 1 Driver * September 23 ** Lee Hi, South Korean singer-songwriter ** Evgeny Rylov, Russian swimmer * September 25 – Mie Nielsen, Danish swimmer * September 27 – Maxwel Cornet, French-Ivorian footballer * September 28 – Michael Ronda, Mexican actor and singer


October

* October 1 ** Shenseea, Jamaican Singer * October 3 – Kelechi Iheanacho, Nigerian footballer * October 4 – Ella Balinska, English actress * October 5 – Sevn Alias, Dutch rapper * October 7 – Lewis Capaldi, Scottish singer-songwriter * October 8 – Sara Takanashi, Japanese ski jumper * October 9 ** Jacob Batalon, American-Filipino actor ** Bella Hadid, American model * October 10 – Oscar Zia, Swedish singer and songwriter * October 13 ** Joshua Wong, Hong Kong student activist and politician ** Đỗ Mỹ Linh, Vietnamese model * October 15 – Zelo, Korean singer * October 20 – Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, Indonesian badminton player * October 24 ** Jaylen Brown, American basketball player ** Kyla Ross, American gymnast * October 28 – Lee June-hyoung, South Korean figure skater * October 30 ** Devin Booker, American basketball player ** Mizuki Fukumura, Japanese singer


November

* November 1 ** Sean Gelael, Indonesian racing driver ** Lil Peep, American rapper (d. 2017) **Daniela Melchior, Portuguese actress ** Jeongyeon, South Korean singer * November 4 – Michael Christian Martinez, Filipino figure skater * November 7 ** André Horta, Portuguese footballer ** Lorde, New Zealand singer-songwriter * November 9 ** Nguyễn Thị Ánh Viên, Vietnamese swimmer ** Momo Hirai, Japanese singer and dancer * November 11 ** Adam Ounas, French-born Algerian footballer ** Tye Sheridan, American actor * November 14 – Borna Ćorić, Croatian tennis player * November 16 – Brendan Murray, Irish singer * November 17 – Ruth Jebet, Bahraini long-distance runner * November 18 ** Akram Afif, Qatari footballer ** Noah Ringer, American actor ** Sorn (singer), Sorn, South Korean based singer * November 19 – Liliána Szilágyi, Hungarian swimmer * November 20 – Denis Zakaria, Swiss footballer * November 22 ** Hailey Baldwin, American model and socialite ** JuJu Smith-Schuster, American football player * November 23 ** James Maddison, English footballer ** Anna Yanovskaya, Russian ice dancer * November 26 – Louane (singer), Louane Emera, French singer and actress * November 27 – Felix Kashweka, Zambian journalist and publicist * November 29 – Gonçalo Guedes, Portuguese footballer


December

* December 1 – Pradyumn Karthic, the indian chad was born. * December 4 – Daria Svatkovskaya, Russian artistic gymnast * December 6 – Stefanie Scott, American actress and singer * December 10 ** Joe Burrow, American football player ** Kang Daniel, South Korean singer * December 11 ** Eliza McCartney, New Zealand track and field athlete ** Hailee Steinfeld, American actress, model and singer ** Jack Griffo, American actor * December 12 ** Lucas Hedges, American actor ** Oliver Askew, American racing driver ** Rajinikanth, Indian Actor * December 14 – Li Zijun, Chinese figure skater * December 15 – Oleksandr Zinchenko (footballer), Oleksandr Zinchenko, Ukrainian footballer * December 16 – Wilfred Ndidi, Nigerian footballer * December 17 – Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, Russian figure skater * December 19 – Franck Kessié, Ivorian footballer * December 21 – Kaitlyn Dever, American actress * December 28 – Alfred Kipketer, Kenyan middle-distance runner * December 29 ** Dylan Minnette, American actor, singer and musician ** Sana (singer), Sana, Japanese singer * December 30 ** Stephanie Del Valle, Puerto Rican musician, model and beauty queen ** Zack Baun, American Football Player


Deaths


January

* January 1 – Arleigh Burke, American naval officer (b. 1901) * January 5 – Yahya Ayyash, Palestinian shaheed (b. 1966) * January 7 ** Károly Grósz, 51st Prime Minister of Hungary (b. 1930) ** Tarō Okamoto, Japanese artist (b. 1911) *
January 8 Events Pre-1600 * 307 – Emperor Huai of Jin, Jin Huaidi becomes emperor of China in succession to his father, Emperor Hui of Jin, Jin Huidi, despite a challenge from his uncle, Sima Ying. * 871 – Æthelred I, King of Wessex, Æthel ...
– François Mitterrand, French politician, 21st President of France (b. 1916) * January 15 ** Les Baxter, American musician and composer (b. 1922) ** Moshoeshoe II of Lesotho, Moshoeshoe II, King of Lesotho (b. 1938) * January 17 – Barbara Jordan, American lawyer, educator, politician and civil rights activist (b. 1936) * January 18 ** Leonor Fini, Argentine artist (b. 1908) ** Endel Puusepp, Estonian pilot (b. 1909) ** N. T. Rama Rao, Indian actor, producer, director, editor and politician (b. 1923) *
January 19 Events Pre-1600 * 379 – Emperor Gratian elevates Flavius Theodosius at Sirmium to ''Augustus'', and gives him authority over all the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. * 649 – Conquest of Kucha: The forces of Kucha surrender ...
– Don Simpson, American film producer (b. 1943) *
January 20 Events Pre-1600 * 250 – Pope Fabian is martyred during the Decian persecution. * 649 – King Chindasuinth, at the urging of bishop Braulio of Zaragoza, crowns his son Recceswinth as co-ruler of the Visigothic Kingdom. * 1156 &ndas ...
– Gerry Mulligan, American musician (b. 1927) * January 25 – Jonathan Larson, American composer and playwright (b. 1960) *
January 28 Events Pre-1600 * 98 – On the death of Nerva, Trajan is declared Roman emperor in Cologne, the seat of his government in lower Germany. * 814 – The death of Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor, brings about the accession o ...
** Joseph Brodsky, Russian-born American Nobel poet (b. 1940) ** Jerry Siegel, American cartoonist (b. 1914)


February

* February 2 – Gene Kelly, American actor and dancer (b. 1912) *
February 3 Events Pre-1600 * 1112 – Ramon Berenguer III, Count of Barcelona, and Douce I, Countess of Provence, marry, uniting the fortunes of those two states. *1451 – Sultan Mehmed II inherits the throne of the Ottoman Empire. *1488 – ...
– Audrey Meadows, American actress (b. 1922) * February 4 – Alfredo Nobre da Costa, 106th Prime Minister of Portugal (b. 1923) *
February 6 Events Pre-1600 * 1579 – The Archdiocese of Manila is made a diocese by a papal bull with Domingo de Salazar being its first bishop. 1601–1900 * 1685 – James II of England and VII of Scotland is proclaimed King upon the death of ...
– Guy Madison, American actor (b. 1922) *
February 7 Events Pre-1600 * 457 – Leo I becomes the Eastern Roman emperor. * 987 – Bardas Phokas the Younger and Bardas Skleros, Byzantine generals of the military elite, begin a wide-scale rebellion against Emperor Basil II. * 1301 &nd ...
– Boris Tchaikovsky, Russian composer (b. 1925) *
February 9 Events Pre-1600 * 474 – Zeno is crowned as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1003 – Boleslaus III is restored to authority with armed support from Bolesław I the Brave of Poland. * 1539 – The first recorded race is hel ...
– Adolf Galland, German general (b. 1912) * February 11 ** Kebby Musokotwane, Prime Minister of Zambia (b. 1946) ** Bob Shaw, Irish science fiction writer (b. 1931) * February 12 – Ryōtarō Shiba, Japanese novelist (b. 1923) * February 13 – Martin Balsam, American actor (b. 1919) *
February 14 Events Pre-1600 * 748 – Abbasid Revolution: The Hashimi rebels under Abu Muslim Khorasani take Merv, capital of the Umayyad province Khorasan, marking the consolidation of the Abbasid revolt. * 842 – Charles the Bald and Louis ...
** Eva Hart, British Titanic survivor (b. 1905) ** Bob Paisley, English football manager (b. 1919) * February 16 – Pat Brown, American politician (b. 1905) * February 20 ** Solomon Asch, Polish-American psychologist (b. 1907) ** Audrey Munson, American model and actress (b. 1891) ** Toru Takemitsu, Japanese composer (b. 1930) * February 21 – Morton Gould, American musician and composer (b. 1913) * February 23 ** William Bonin, American serial killer (b. 1947) ** Helmut Schön, German football player and manager (b. 1915) *
February 25 Events Pre-1600 * 138 – Roman emperor Hadrian adopts Antoninus Pius as his son, effectively making him his successor. * 628 – Khosrow II, the last great Shah of the Sasanian Empire (Iran), is overthrown by his son Kavadh II. ...
– Haing S. Ngor, Cambodian activist and actor (b. 1940) * February 26 – Mieczysław Weinberg, Polish composer (b. 1919) * February 27 – Sarah Palfrey Cooke, American tennis player (b. 1912)


March

*
March 2 Events Pre-1600 * 537 – Siege of Rome: The Ostrogoth army under king Vitiges begins the siege of the capital. Belisarius conducts a delaying action outside the Flaminian Gate; he and a detachment of his ''bucellarii'' are almost cut o ...
** Jacobo Majluta Azar, 47th President of the Dominican Republic (b. 1934) ** Lyle Talbot, American actor (b. 1902) *
March 3 Events Pre-1600 * 473 – Gundobad (nephew of Ricimer) nominates Glycerius as emperor of the Western Roman Empire. * 724 – Empress Genshō abdicates the throne in favor of her nephew Shōmu who becomes emperor of Japan. * 1575 &nd ...
** Marguerite Duras, French author and director (b. 1914) ** John Krol, American cardinal (b. 1910) * March 4 – Minnie Pearl, American comedian (b. 1912) * March 5 ** Khondaker Mostaq Ahmad, 5th President of Bangladesh (b. 1918) ** Whit Bissell, American actor (b. 1909) *
March 9 Events Pre-1600 *141 BC – Liu Che, posthumously known as Emperor Wu of Han, assumes the throne over the Han dynasty of China. *1009 – First known mention of Lithuania, in the annals of the monastery of Quedlinburg. * 1226 – ...
– George Burns, American comedian and actor (b. 1896) * March 10 – Ross Hunter, American film producer (b. 1920) * March 11 – Vince Edwards, American actor (b. 1928) * March 12 – Gyula Kállai, 48th Prime Minister of Hungary (b. 1910) *
March 13 Events Pre-1600 *624 – The Battle of Badr, the first major battle between the Muslims and Quraysh. *1567 – The Battle of Oosterweel, traditionally regarded as the start of the Eighty Years' War. *1591 – At the Battle of Tond ...
** Lucio Fulci, Italian film director, screenwriter, producer, and actor (b. 1927) ** Krzysztof Kieślowski, Polish film director (b. 1941) *
March 17 Events Pre-1600 * 45 BC – In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda. * 180 – Commodus becomes sole emperor of the Roman Empire at the age of eigh ...
– René Clément, French film director (b. 1913) *
March 18 Events Pre-1600 * 37 – Roman Senate annuls Tiberius' will and proclaims Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus ''(aka Caligula = Little Boots)'' emperor.Tacitus, ''Annals'' V.10. * 1068 – An earthquake in the Levant and the Ara ...
– Odysseas Elytis, Greek writer (b. 1911) * March 19 ** Virginia Henderson, American nurse and theorist (b. 1897) ** Chen Jingrun, Chinese mathematician (b. 1933) *
March 22 Events Pre-1600 * 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea. * 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century. * 871 – Æthelr ...
– Robert F. Overmyer, American astronaut (b. 1936) *
March 25 Events Pre-1600 * 421 – Italian city Venice is founded with the dedication of the first church, that of San Giacomo di Rialto on the islet of Rialto. * 708 – Pope Constantine becomes the 88th pope. He would be the last pope to vi ...
– Lola Beltrán, Mexican singer, actress, and television presenter (b. 1932) *
March 26 Events Pre-1600 * 590 – Emperor Maurice proclaims his son Theodosius as co-emperor of the Byzantine Empire. * 1021 – On the feast of Eid al-Adha, the death of the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, kept secret for six weeks, is ...
** Edmund Muskie, American politician (b. 1914) ** David Packard, American engineer (b. 1912) * March 31 – Jeffrey Lee Pierce, American musician (b. 1958)


April

*
April 3 Events Pre-1600 * 686 – Maya king Yuknoom Yich'aak K'ahk' assumes the crown of Calakmul. * 1043 – Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. * 1077 – The Patriarchate of Friûl, the first Friulian state, is created ...
Ron Brown Ronald Harmon Brown (August 1, 1941 – April 3, 1996) was an American politician. He served as the United States Secretary of Commerce during the first term of President of the United States, President Bill Clinton. Prior to this he was chairm ...
, American politician (b. 1941) * April 4 – Barney Ewell, American athlete (b. 1918) *
April 6 Events Pre–1600 *46 BC – Julius Caesar defeats Caecilius Metellus Scipio and Marcus Porcius Cato (Cato the Younger) at the Battle of Thapsus. * 402 – Stilicho defeats the Visigoths under Alaric in the Battle of Pollentia. *132 ...
– Greer Garson, British-American actress (b. 1904) * April 8 – Ben Johnson (actor), Ben Johnson, American actor and stuntman (b. 1918) *
April 13 Events Pre-1600 *1111 – Henry V is crowned Holy Roman Emperor. * 1204 – Constantinople falls to the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade, temporarily ending the Byzantine Empire. 1601–1900 *1612 – In one of the epic samurai ...
– James Burke (gangster), James Burke, Irish-American gangster (b. 1931) *
April 16 Events Pre-1600 * 1457 BC – Battle of Megido - the first battle to have been recorded in what is accepted as relatively reliable detail. * 69 – Defeated by Vitellius' troops at Bedriacum, Otho commits suicide. * 73 – Masad ...
– Lucille Bremer, American actress and dancer (b. 1917) *
April 18 Events Pre-1600 * 796 – King Æthelred I of Northumbria is murdered in Corbridge by a group led by his ealdormen, Ealdred and Wada. The ''patrician'' Osbald is crowned, but abdicates within 27 days. * 1428 – Peace of Ferrara betw ...
– Bernard Edwards, American bass player (b. 1952) * April 20 – Christopher Robin Milne, English author and bookseller (b. 1920) *
April 21 Events Pre-1600 *753 BC – Romulus founds Rome ( traditional date). * 43 BC – Battle of Mutina: Mark Antony is again defeated in battle by Aulus Hirtius, who is killed. Antony fails to capture Mutina and Decimus Brutus is murdered ...
– Dzhokhar Dudayev, Chechen politician and President of Ichkeria (b. 1944) * April 23 – P. L. Travers, British actress, journalist, novelist and writer (b. 1899) * April 25 – Saul Bass, American graphic designer (b. 1920) *
April 26 Events Pre-1600 *1336 – Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) ascends Mont Ventoux. * 1348 – Czech king Karel IV founds the Charles University in Prague, which was later named after him and was the first university in Central Europe. * 14 ...
– Stirling Silliphant, American screenwriter and producer (b. 1918) *
April 28 Events Pre-1600 * 224 – The Battle of Hormozdgan is fought. Ardashir I defeats and kills Artabanus V effectively ending the Parthian Empire. * 357 – Emperor Constantius II enters Rome for the first time to celebrate his victory ...
– Siti Hartinah, 2nd First Lady of Indonesia (b. 1923)


May

* May 1 – David M. Kennedy (politician), David M. Kennedy, American politician, businessman (b. 1905) * May 2 – Emile Habibi, Palestinian Israeli writer and politician (b. 1922) * May 3 – Jack Weston, American actor (b. 1924) * May 6 – Leo Joseph Suenens, Belgian cardinal (b. 1904) *
May 11 Events 1601–1900 *1812 – Prime Minister Spencer Perceval is Assassination of Spencer Perceval, assassinated by John Bellingham in the lobby of the British House of Commons. *1813 – William Lawson (explorer), William Lawson, Grego ...
**Nnamdi Azikiwe, 1st President of Nigeria (b. 1904) ** Scott Fischer, American mountaineer (b. 1955) ** Rob Hall, New Zealand mountaineer (b. 1961) **Andy Harris (mountain guide), Andrew Harris, New Zealand mountaineer (b. 1964) **1996 Mount Everest disaster, Doug Hansen, American mountaineer (b. 1949) **Yasuko Namba, Japanese mountaineer (b. 1949) **1996 Mount Everest disaster, Tsewang Samanla, Indo-Tibetan Border police officer and mountaineer (b. 1957) **1996 Mount Everest disaster, Tsewang Paljor, Indo-Tibetan Border police officer and mountaineer (b. 1968) **1996 Mount Everest disaster, Dorje Morup, Indo-Tibetan Border police officer and mountaineer (b. 1948) **Ademir de Menezes, Brazilian footballer (b. 1922) *
May 17 Events Pre-1600 *1395 – Battle of Rovine: The Wallachians defeat an invading Ottoman army. * 1521 – Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham, is executed for treason. * 1527 – Pánfilo de Narváez departs Spain to explore Flo ...
– Johnny "Guitar" Watson, American singer, songwriter and musician (b. 1935) * May 19 – John Beradino, American baseball player and actor (b. 1917) * May 20 – Jon Pertwee, British actor (b. 1919) *
May 23 Events Pre-1600 * 1430 – Joan of Arc is captured at the Siege of Compiègne by troops from the Burgundian faction. * 1498 – Girolamo Savonarola is burned at the stake in Florence, Italy. *1533 – The marriage of King Henry VI ...
– Sim Iness, American Olympic athlete (b. 1930) * May 24 ** John Abbott (actor), John Abbott, English actor (b. 1905) ** Jacob Druckman, American composer (b. 1928) * May 25 – Bradley Nowell, American musician (b. 1968) * May 29 – Tamara Toumanova, Russian-American dancer and actress (b. 1919) * May 31 – Timothy Leary, American writer and social activist (b. 1920)


June

* June 1 – Neelam Sanjiva Reddy, 6th President of India (b. 1913) * June 2 ** John Alton, American cinematographer (b. 1901) ** Pilar Lorengar, Spanish soprano (b. 1928) * June 3 – Peter Glenville, English film director (b. 1913) * June 6 ** Kusuo Kitamura, Japanese Olympic swimmer (b. 1917) ** George Davis Snell, American Nobel geneticist (b. 1903) * June 10 – Jo Van Fleet, American actress (b. 1914) * June 11 – Brigitte Helm, German actress (b. 1908) * June 15 – Ella Fitzgerald, American singer (b. 1917) * June 19 ** Hillevi Rombin, Swedish actress and beauty queen (b. 1933) ** Edvin Wide, Swedish middle- and long-distance runner (b. 1896) * June 23 ** Ray Lindwall, Australian cricketer (b. 1921) **
Andreas Papandreou Andreas Georgiou Papandreou ( el, Ανδρέας Γεωργίου Παπανδρέου, ; 5 February 1919 – 23 June 1996) was a Greek economist, politician and a dominant figure in Greek politics, known for founding the political party PASOK, wh ...
,
Prime Minister of Greece The prime minister of the Hellenic Republic ( el, Πρωθυπουργός της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας, Prothypourgós tis Ellinikís Dimokratías), colloquially referred to as the prime minister of Greece ( el, Πρωθυ ...
(b. 1919) * June 26 – Veronica Guerin, Irish journalist (b. 1958) * June 27 – Albert R. Broccoli, American film producer (b. 1909) * June 28 – Kwan Tak-hing, Hong Kong actor (b. 1905)


July

* July 1 – Margaux Hemingway, American fashion model and actress (b. 1954) * July 3 – Raaj Kumar, Indian film actor (b. 1926) * July 9 ** Eno Raud, Estonian writer (b. 1928) ** Sergey Kuryokhin, Russian pianist, composer, improvisor, performance artist and actor (b. 1954) * July 13 – Pandro S. Berman, American film producer (b. 1905) * July 15 – Dana Hill, American actress (b. 1964) * July 17 – Paul Touvier, French Nazi collaborator (b. 1915) * July 20 – František Plánička, Czech footballer (b. 1904) * July 21 ** Luana Anders, American actress (b. 1938) ** Herb Edelman, American actor (b. 1933) * July 22 – Jessica Mitford, British-American author, journalist and political campaigner (b. 1917) * July 23 – Jean Muir (actress), Jean Muir, American actress (b. 1911) * July 27 – Jane Drew, English architect (b. 1911) * July 28 – Roger Tory Peterson, American naturalist and artist (b. 1908) * July 30 – Claudette Colbert, American actress (b. 1903)


August

* August 1 ** Mohamed Farrah Aidid, Somali military commander and politician (b. 1934) ** Frida Boccara, French singer (b. 1940) ** Tadeusz Reichstein, Polish-Swiss Nobel chemist (b. 1897) * August 2 ** Michel Debré, 99th Prime Minister of France (b. 1912) ** Obdulio Varela, Uruguayan footballer (b. 1917) * August 6 – Hernán Siles Zuazo, 46th President of Bolivia (b. 1914) * August 8 – Nevill Francis Mott, English Nobel physicist (b. 1905) * August 11 ** Rafael Kubelík, Czech-born Swiss conductor (b. 1914) ** Baba Vanga, Bulgarian mystic, clairvoyant and herbalist (b. 1911) * August 12 – Viktor Hambardzumyan, Armenian scientist (b. 1908) * August 13 ** António de Spínola, 14th President of Portugal (b. 1910) ** David Tudor, American pianist and composer (b. 1926) * August 26 – Alejandro Agustín Lanusse, 37th President of Argentina (b. 1918) * August 27 – Greg Morris, American actor (b. 1933) * August 30 – Christine Pascal, French actress, director and screenwriter (b. 1953)


September

* September 1 – Vagn Holmboe, Danish composer (b. 1909) * September 7 – Bibi Besch, American actress (b. 1942) * September 9 ** Ruggero Mastroianni, Italian film editor (b. 1929) ** Bill Monroe, American musician (b. 1911) * September 10 – Joanne Dru, American actress (b. 1922) * September 12 – Ernesto Geisel, Brazilian general, 29th President of Brazil (b. 1907) * September 13 – Tupac Shakur, American rapper (b. 1971) * September 14 – Juliet Prowse, American dancer and actress (b. 1936) * September 16 ** McGeorge Bundy, American academic (b. 1919) ** Gene Nelson, American dancer and actor (b. 1920) * September 17 – Spiro Agnew, 39th Vice President of the United States (b. 1918) * September 18 – Annabella (actress), Annabella, French actress (b. 1907) * September 20 ** Murtaza Bhutto, Pakistani politician (b. 1954) ** Paul Erdős, Hungarian mathematician (b. 1913) ** Max Manus, Norwegian resistance fighter (b. 1914) * September 22 ** Mohamed Ben Ahmed Abdelghani, 1st Prime Minister of Algeria (b. 1927) ** Dorothy Lamour, American actress (b. 1914) * September 24 – Zeki Müren, Turkish singer, composer, songwriter, actor and poet (b. 1931) * September 26 ** Nicu Ceaușescu, Romanian politician (b. 1951) ** Pavel Sudoplatov, Soviet spy (b. 1907) ** Geoffrey Wilkinson, English Nobel chemist (b. 1921) * September 27 – Mohammad Najibullah, President of Afghanistan (b. 1947) * September 29 – Shūsaku Endō, Japanese author (b. 1923)


October

* October 4 – Silvio Piola, Italian footballer (b. 1913) * October 5 – Seymour Cray, American computer scientist (b. 1925) * October 11 ** Renato Russo, Brazilian singer (b. 1960) ** William Vickrey, Canadian-American economist and academic, Nobel Prize laureate (b. 1914) * October 12 ** René Lacoste, French tennis player (b. 1904) ** Roger Lapébie, French racing cyclist (b. 1911) * October 13 – Beryl Reid, British actress (b. 1919) * October 19 – Shamsuddin Qasemi, Bangladeshi Islamic scholar and politician (b. 1935) * October 24 – Artur Axmann, German Nazi leader (b. 1913) * October 31 – Marcel Carné, French film director (b. 1909)


November

* November 1 – J. R. Jayewardene, 2nd President of Sri Lanka (b. 1906) * November 2 – Eva Cassidy, American vocalist (b. 1963) * November 3 ** Jean-Bédel Bokassa, 2nd President of the Central African Republic and Emperor of Central Africa (b. 1921) ** Abdullah Çatlı, Turkish nationalist (b. 1956) * November 6 – Tommy Lawton, English footballer and manager (b. 1919) * November 14 ** Joseph Bernardin, American cardinal (b. 1928) ** Virginia Cherrill, American actress (b. 1908) * November 15 – Alger Hiss, American diplomat (b. 1904) * November 18 – Zinovy Gerdt, Russian actor (b. 1916) * November 21 – Abdus Salam, Pakistani Nobel physicist (b. 1926) * November 22 – María Casares, French-Spanish actress (b. 1922) * November 26 – Paul Rand, American graphic designer (b. 1914) * November 27 – Gertrude Blanch, American mathematician (b. 1897) * November 28 – Don McNeill (tennis), Don McNeill, American tennis player (b. 1918) * November 30 – Tiny Tim (musician), Tiny Tim, American musician (b. 1932)


December

* December 3 – Babrak Karmal, President of Afghanistan (b. 1929) * December 7 – José Donoso, Chilean writer (b. 1924) * December 9 – Mary Leakey, British archaeologist (b. 1913) * December 10 – Faron Young, American singer (b. 1932) * December 11 – Willie Rushton, English comedian, actor and cartoonist (b. 1937) * December 13 – Cao Yu, Chinese playwright (b. 1910) * December 16 – Quentin Bell, English biographer and art historian (b. 1910) ** Laurens van der Post, South African author (b. 1906) * December 17 – Stanko Todorov, Bulgarian communist politician (b. 1920) * December 18 – Irving Caesar, American lyricist (b. 1895) * December 19 – Marcello Mastroianni, Italian actor (b. 1924) * December 20 ** Amata Kabua, 1st President of the Marshall Islands (b. 1928) ** Carl Sagan, American astronomer (b. 1934) * December 30 ** Lew Ayres, American actor (b. 1908) ** Jack Nance, American actor (b. 1943)


Nobel Prizes

* Nobel Prize in Physics, Physics – David M. Lee, Douglas D. Osheroff, Robert Coleman Richardson, Robert C. Richardson * Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Chemistry – Robert Curl, Sir Harold Kroto, Richard Smalley * Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, Medicine – Peter C. Doherty, Rolf M. Zinkernagel * Nobel Prize in Literature, Literature – Wisława Szymborska * Nobel Peace Prize, Peace – Carlos Filipe Ximenes Belo and José Ramos-Horta * Bank of Sweden Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel – James Mirrlees, William Vickrey


Right Livelihood Award

* Herman Daly, The Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia, Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishad and George Vithoulkas


References


1996 Year in Review
– CNN {{DEFAULTSORT:1996 1996, Leap years in the Gregorian calendar