WHAT HAPPENED IN 1996.
Look what happened the 1996.

The massive Internet collaboration "24 Hours in Cyberspace" takes place. (8. February 1996)

The Provisional Irish Republican Army declares the end to its 18-month ceasefire and explodes a large bomb in London's Canary Wharf. (9. February 1996)

The IBM supercomputer Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov in chess for the first time. (10. February 1996)

At the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in China, a Long March 3 rocket, carrying an Intelsat 708, crashes into a rural village after liftoff, killing many people. (15. February 1996)

In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match. (17. February 1996)

NASA's Discovery Program begins as the NEAR Shoemaker spacecraft lifts off on the first mission ever to orbit and land on an asteroid, 433 Eros. (17. February 1996)

The last occurrence of February 24 as a leap day in the European Union and for the Roman Catholic Church. (24. February 1996)

Faucett Flight 251 crashes in the Andes, all 123 passengers and crew died. (29. February 1996)

A derailed train in Weyauwega, Wisconsin, US, causes the emergency evacuation of 2,300 people for 16 days. (4. March 1996)

Dunblane massacre: in Dunblane, Scotland, 16 primary school children and one teacher are shot dead by spree killer Thomas Watt Hamilton who then commits suicide. (13. March 1996)

A nightclub fire in Quezon City, Philippines killed 162 people. (18. March 1996)

Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President. (23. March 1996)

An 81-day-long standoff between the anti-government group Montana Freemen and law enforcement near Jordan, Montana, begins. (25. March 1996)

The European Union's Veterinarian Committee bans the export of British beef and its by-products as a result of mad cow disease (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy). (25. March 1996)

Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is captured at his cabin in Montana, United States. (3. April 1996)

A United States Air Force airplane carrying United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown crashes in Croatia, killing all 35 on board. (3. April 1996)

Comet Hyakutake is imaged by the USA Asteroid Orbiter Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous. (4. April 1996)

In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces shell the United Nations compound at Quana where more than 800 civilians had taken refuge. (18. April 1996)

In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is passed into law. (24. April 1996)

The 1996 Lebanon war ends. (27. April 1996)