| 1996-09-02
A peace agreement is signed between the Government of the Republic of the Philippines and the Moro National Liberation Front in Malacañang Palace.
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| 1996-09-25
The last of the Magdalene Asylums closes in Ireland.
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| 1996-03-23
Taiwan holds its first direct elections and chooses Lee Teng-hui as President.
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| 1996-01-25
Billy Bailey became the last person to be hanged in the United States of America.
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| 1996-08-01
Michael Johnson breaks the 200m world record by 0.30 seconds with a time of 19.32 seconds at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
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| 1996-11-03
Death of Abdullah Çatlı, leader of the Turkish ultra-nationalist organisation Grey Wolves in the Susurluk car-crash, which leads to the resignation of the Turkish Interior Minister, Mehmet Ağar (a leader of the True Path Party, DYP).
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| 1996-11-12
A Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 and a Kazakh Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane collide in mid-air near New Delhi, killing 349. The deadliest mid-air collision to date.
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| 1996-03-25
An 81-day-long standoff between the anti-government group Montana Freemen and law enforcement near Jordan, Montana, begins.
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| 1996-05-11
The 1996 Everest disaster: on a single day eight people die during summit attempts on Mount Everest .
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| 1996-05-27
First Chechnya War: Russian President Boris Yeltsin meets with Chechnyan rebels for the first time and negotiates a cease-fire.
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| 1996-12-20
NeXT merges with Apple Computer, starting the path to Mac OS X.
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| 1996-05-20
Gay rights: The Supreme Court of the United States rules in Romer v. Evans against a law that would have prevented any city, town or county in the state of Colorado from taking any legislative, executive, or judicial action to protect the rights of gays and lesbians.
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| 1996-02-17
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.
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| 1996-05-21
The Trappist Martyrs of Atlas are executed.
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| 1996-05-28
U.S. President Bill Clinton's former business partners in the Whitewater land deal, James McDougal and Susan McDougal, and the Governor of Arkansas Jim Guy Tucker, are convicted of fraud.
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| 1996-07-25
In a military coup in Burundi, Pierre Buyoya deposes Sylvestre Ntibantunganya.
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| 1996-02-01
The Communications Decency Act is passed by the U.S. Congress.
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| 1996-10-11
Pala accident: a wood lorry and school bus collide in Jõgeva county, Estonia, killing eight children.
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| 1996-11-07
NASA launches the Mars Global Surveyor.
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| 1996-08-29
Vnukovo Airlines Flight 2801, a Vnukovo Airlines Tupolev Tu-154, crashes into a mountain on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen, killing all 141 aboard.
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| 1996-03-25
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).
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| 1996-08-06
NASA announces that the ALH 84001 meteorite, thought to originate from Mars, contains evidence of primitive life-forms.
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| 1996-02-04
Major snowstorm paralyzes Midwestern United States, Milwaukee, Wisconsin ties all-time record low temperature at -26°F (-32.2°C)
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| 1996-06-15
The Provisional Irish Republican Army explodes a large bomb in the middle of Manchester, England.
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| 1996-04-24
In the United States, the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996 is introduced.
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| 1996-09-27
The Julie N. tanker skip crashes into the Million Dollar Bridge in Portland, Maine spilling thousands of gallons of oil.
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| 1996-07-18
Battle of Mullaitivu. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam capture the Sri Lanka Army's base, killing over 1200 Army soldiers.
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| 1996-07-17
TWA Flight 800: Off the coast of Long Island, New York, a Paris-bound TWA Boeing 747 explodes, killing all 230 on board.
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| 1996-09-27
In Afghanistan, the Taliban capture the capital city Kabul after driving out President Burhanuddin Rabbani and executing former leader Mohammad Najibullah.
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| 1996-10-16
Eighty-four people are killed and more than 180 injured as 47,000 football fans attempt to squeeze into the 36,000-seat Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City.
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| 1996-04-04
Comet Hyakutake is imaged by the USA Asteroid Orbiter Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous.
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| 1996-12-30
Proposed budget cuts by Benjamin Netanyahu spark protests from 250,000 workers who shut down services across Israel.
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| 1996-02-09
The Irish Republican Army declares the end of its 18 month ceasefire shortly followed by the explosion of a large bomb in London's Canary Wharf.
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| 1996-05-06
The body of former CIA director William Colby is found washed up on a riverbank in southern Maryland, eight days after he disappeared.
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| 1996-12-26
Start of the largest strike in South Korean history.
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| 1996-09-04
War on Drugs: Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) attack a military base in Guaviare, starting three weeks of guerrilla warfare in which at least 130 Colombians are killed.
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| 1996-06-12
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, a panel of federal judges blocks a law against indecency on the internet.
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| 1996-12-18
The Oakland, California school board passes a resolution officially declaring "Ebonics" a language or dialect.
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| 1996-08-22
Bill Clinton signs welfare reform into law, representing major shift in US welfare policy
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| 1996-01-27
In a military coup Colonel Ibrahim Baré Maïnassara deposes the first democratically elected president of Niger, Mahamane Ousmane.
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| 1996-03-18
A nightclub fire in Quezon City, Philippines kills 162.
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| 1996-07-20
In Spain, an ETA bomb at Reus Airport injures 53
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| 1996-06-04
The first flight of Ariane 5 explodes after roughly 20 seconds. It was a Cluster mission.
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| 1996-07-05
Dolly the sheep becomes the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.
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| 1996-11-19
Lt. Gen. Maurice Baril of Canada arrives in Africa to lead a multi-national policing force in Zaire.
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| 1996-01-11
Space Shuttle program: STS-72 launches from the Kennedy Space Center marking the start of the 74th Space Shuttle mission and the 10th flight of Endeavour.
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| 1996-07-08
A schizophrenic man armed with a machete wounds three children and four adults at a primary school in Wolverhampton, England. Teacher Lisa Potts received the George Medal for protecting her pupils, despite being severely injured.
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| 1996-03-13
Dunblane massacre: in Dunblane, Scotland, 16 kindergarten children and 1 teacher are shot dead by a spree killer, Thomas Watt Hamilton who then committed suicide.
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| 1996-02-08
The U.S. Congress passes the Communications Decency Act.
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| 1996-02-24
The last occurrence of February 24 as a leap day in the European Union and for the Roman Catholic Church.
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| 1996-01-17
The Czech Republic applies for membership of the European Union.
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| 1996-04-03
A United States Air Force airplane carrying United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown crashes in Croatia, killing all 35 on board.
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| 1996-02-15
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.
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| 1996-04-28
In Tasmania, Australia, Martin Bryant goes on a shooting spree, killing 35 people and seriously injuring 21 more.
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| 1996-07-27
Centennial Olympic Park bombing: In Atlanta, Georgia, a pipe bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Alice Hawthorne is killed, and a cameraman suffers a heart attack fleeing the scene. 111 are injured.
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| 1996-12-29
Guatemala and leaders of Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union sign a peace accord ending a 36-year civil war.
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| 1996-01-08
An Antonov 32 cargo turboprop powered plane crashes into the central market in Kinshasa, Zaire killing more than 350 people.
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| 1996-04-27
The 1996 Lebanon war ends.
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| 1996-02-03
The Lijiang earthquake in Lijiang, Yunnan, China.
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| 1996-05-21
The MV Bukoba sinks in Tanzanian waters on Lake Victoria, killing nearly 1,000.
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| 1996-06-18
Ted Kaczynski, suspected of being the Unabomber, is indicted on ten criminal counts.
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| 1996-08-23
Osama bin Laden issues message entitled 'A declaration of war against the Americans occupying the land of the two holy places.'
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| 1996-02-08
The massive Internet collaboration "24 Hours in Cyberspace" takes place.
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| 1996-04-18
In Lebanon, at least 106 civilians are killed when the Israel Defense Forces shell the UN compound at Quana where more than 800 civilians had taken refuge.
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| 1996-12-26
Six-year-old beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey is found beaten and strangled in the basement of her family's home in Boulder, Colorado.
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| 1996-10-23
New York Yankees set record by coming back from 6-0 in World Series game to beat Atlanta Braves 8-6, also set record of 7th straight road win
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| 1996-08-28
Charles, Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales divorce.
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| 1996-07-15
A Belgian Air Force C-130 Hercules carrying the Royal Netherlands Army marching band crashes on landing at Eindhoven Airport.
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| 1996-07-29
The child protection portion of the Communications Decency Act is struck down by a U.S. federal court as too broad .
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| 1996-01-27
Germany first observes International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
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| 1996-01-30
Comet Hyakutake is discovered by Japanese amateur astronomer Yuji Hyakutake.
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| 1996-05-11
After the aircraft's departure from Miami, Florida, a fire started by improperly handled oxygen canisters in the cargo hold of Atlanta-bound ValuJet Flight 592 causes the Douglas DC-9 to crash in the Florida Everglades killing all 110 on board.
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| 1996-07-18
Storms provoke severe flooding on the Saguenay River, beginning one of Quebec's costliest natural disasters ever.
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| 1996-01-24
Polish Premier Jozef Oleksy resigns amid charges that he spied for Moscow.
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| 1996-11-23
Ethiopian Airlines Flight 961 is hijacked, then crashes into the Indian Ocean off the coast of Comoros after running out of fuel, killing 125.
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| 1996-05-10
A "rogue storm" near the summit of Mount Everest kills eight climbers, making this the deadliest day in the mountain's history. Among the dead are experienced climbers Rob Hall and Scott Fischer, both of whom were leading paid expeditions to the summit.
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| 1996-09-24
U.S. President Bill Clinton signs the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty at the United Nations.
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| 1996-10-02
An AeroPerú Boeing 757 crashes in Pacific Ocean shortly after takeoff from Lima, Peru, killing 70.
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| 1996-10-31
A Fokker F100 operating as TAM Transportes Aéreos Regionais Flight 402 crashes into several houses in São Paulo, Brazil killing 98 including 2 on the ground.
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| 1996-05-13
Severe thunderstorms and a tornado in Bangladesh kill 600 people.
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| 1996-01-29
La Fenice, Venice's opera house, is destroyed by fire.
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| 1996-02-17
In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, world champion Garry Kasparov beats the Deep Blue supercomputer in a chess match.
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| 1996-01-30
Gino Gallagher, the suspected leader of the Irish National Liberation Army, is killed while waiting in line for his unemployment benefit.
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| 1996-12-30
In the Indian state of Assam, a passenger train is bombed by Bodo separatists, killing 26.
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| 1996-01-31
An explosives-filled truck rams into the gates of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka killing at least 86 and injuring 1,400.
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| 1996-02-29
Faucett Flight 251 crashes in the Andes, killing 123 people.
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| 1996-11-21
A propane explosion at the Humberto Vidal shoe store and office building in San Juan, Puerto Rico kills 33.
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| 1996-11-25
An ice storm strikes the central U.S. killing 26 people. A powerful windstorm affects Florida and winds gust over 90 mph, toppling trees and flipping trailers.
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| 1996-04-01
The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia is created.
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| 1996-04-28
Whitewater controversy: President Bill Clinton gives a 4½ hour videotaped testimony for the defense.
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| 1996-02-14
China launches a Long March 3 rocket, carrying the Intelsat 708 satellite. The rocket flies off course 3 seconds after liftoff and crashes into a rural village.
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| 1996-02-16
Shaquille O'Neal, at the time playing for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association, makes his only career 3-point shot against the Milwaukee Bucks.
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| 1996-09-18
Nerva is proclaimed Roman Emperor after Domitian is assassinated.
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| 1996-06-28
The Constitution of Ukraine is signed into law.
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| 1996-07-03
Stone of Scone is returned to Scotland.
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| 1996-06-13
The Montana Freemen surrender after an 81-day standoff with FBI agents.
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| 1996-02-10
The IBM supercomputer Deep Blue defeats Garry Kasparov for the first time.
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| 1996-01-01
Curaçao gains limited self-government, though it remains within free association with the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
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| 1996-11-05
President of Pakistan Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari dismisses the government of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and dissolves the National Assembly of Pakistan.
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| 1996-12-27
Taliban forces retake the strategic Bagram air base which solidifies their buffer zone around Kabul.
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| 1996-09-07
American Hip-Hop star Tupac Shakur is fatally shot four times on the Las Vegas strip after leaving the Tyson-Seldon boxing match. Doctors removed a failing lung and Tupac showed signs of progress in his recovery before passing away six days later due to hemorrhaging that the doctors were unable to stop.
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| 1996-06-25
The Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia kills 19 U.S. servicemen.
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| 1996-01-29
President Jacques Chirac announces a "definitive end" to French nuclear weapons testing.
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| 1996-10-02
The Electronic Freedom of Information Act Amendments are signed by U.S. President Bill Clinton.
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| 1996-06-26
Irish Journalist Veronica Guerin is shot in her car while in traffic in the outskirts of Dublin
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| 1996-06-10
Peace talks begin in Northern Ireland without the participation of Sinn Féin.
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| 1996-03-17
Mike Tyson beat Frank Bruno in the 3rd round to gain the Heavyweight title.
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| 1996-01-05
Hamas bombmaker Yahya Ayyash is killed by an Israeli-planted booby-trapped cell phone.
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| 1996-04-03
Suspected "Unabomber" Theodore Kaczynski is arrested at his cabin in Montana, United States.
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| 1996-01-19
The barge North Cape oil spill occurs as an engine fire forces the tugboat Scandia ashore on Moonstone Beach in South Kingstown, Rhode Island.
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| 1996-07-28
Kennewick Man, the remains of a prehistoric man, is discovered near Kennewick, Washington.
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