What happened in November 1996?
The top front-page story of each day in November 1996, as it was reported at the time. Click a date to see that day’s full front page and the matching birthday books.
- Nov 1🔬 Hepatitis B Vaccine Victory – Medeva P.L.C. won a court victory against Biogen Inc. in Britain, securing rights to develop a hepatitis B vaccine.
- Nov 2📈 MCI Acquisition Deal – British Telecommunications is set to acquire MCI Communications for over $22 billion, marking a significant foreign investment in U.S. communications.
- Nov 3🕊️ Chemical Arms Treaty – A treaty banning chemical weapons worldwide is set to go into force next spring after Hungary's ratification.
- Nov 4🔬 Water-Jet Surgical Tool – A New Jersey company developed a water-jet tool that cuts tissue using supersonic water beams, offering a new alternative to traditional surgical methods.
- Nov 5✈️ Emirates Orders Airbus – Emirates Airline announced a $2 billion order for 16 Airbus A330-200 planes, becoming the largest customer for this new aircraft.
- Nov 6🗳️ Clinton Wins Re-election – President Bill Clinton was re-elected, becoming the first Democrat since FDR to win a second term, amid a robust economy.
- Nov 7📉 Stocks Decline in Tokyo – Japanese stocks fell 1% after a significant gain, with the Nikkei index closing down 220.41 points at 20,771.11.
- Nov 8🚀 Mars Exploration Launched – Scientists launched an unmanned spacecraft to explore Mars, marking the beginning of a 10-year campaign to investigate the planet's surface and potential for life.
- Nov 9🚀 Mars Mission Progresses – The Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft is on a smooth course to Mars, with engineers optimistic about its mapping mission.
- Nov 10🌋 Hawaii Volcano Erupts – Kilauea volcano on Hawaii's Big Island continues to erupt, with residents showing resilience despite the ongoing lava flow.
- Nov 11🌍 10,000-Year-Old Site – Scientists in Florida discover a 10,000-year-old underwater site, offering insights into human responses to past climate changes.
- Nov 12🌪️ Cyclone Recovery Efforts – Indian officials begin rebuilding efforts after a cyclone devastated a town, claiming hundreds of lives last week.
- Nov 13✈️ Midair Collision Tragedy – A Saudi Arabian jumbo jet collided with a Kazak Airlines plane near New Delhi, killing all 351 aboard, marking a historic aviation disaster.
- Nov 14🌍 Pope Addresses Hunger – Pope John Paul II spoke at the World Food Summit, criticizing the notion that overpopulation is the main cause of hunger.
- Nov 15🧬 Gene Linked to Parkinson's – Scientists have identified a gene site believed responsible for some cases of Parkinson's disease, marking a significant genetic breakthrough.
- Nov 16🦖 T. Rex Fossil Auction – Sue the Tyrannosaurus rex, seized by the FBI, is set for auction at Sotheby's, potentially fetching over $1 million.
- Nov 17✈️ Pope Meets Castro – Pope John Paul II is set to meet Fidel Castro, indicating a possible papal visit to Cuba is under discussion.
- Nov 18🚀 Russia's Mars Probe Crash – A Russian space probe aimed at Mars failed to break orbit and crashed into the South Pacific Ocean, marking a setback for the country's space ambitions.
- Nov 19🔬 2.3-Million-Year-Old Jaw – An upper jaw found in Ethiopia is hailed as the earliest definitively dated fossil of the genus Homo, shedding light on human evolution.
- Nov 20🔭 Hubble Telescope Discoveries – Hubble Telescope reveals galaxies housing quasars, shedding light on the universe's most powerful objects and their origins.
- Nov 21🖼️ De Kooning Artwork Sold – Willem de Kooning's 1949 painting 'Woman' sold for $15.6 million, setting a record for contemporary art at auction.
- Nov 22🏗️ Petrobras Finds Oilfield – Petrobras announced a significant deep-water oilfield discovery in Brazil, containing 1.3 billion barrels, doubling previous estimates.
- Nov 23🎨 Ballet Administrator Dies – Mary Duschl, former artistic administrator for the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater, passed away at 45 in Pittsburgh.
- Nov 24🎨 Britten's Complex 'Dream' – Britten's adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' explores the balance of light and dark in the iconic play.
- Nov 25🌍 Malraux Honored in France – France celebrates the 20th anniversary of Andre Malraux's death, recognizing his contributions to culture and the arts.
- Nov 26🌍 Asteroid Catastrophe Insights – Scientists reconstructed the events of the asteroid impact that led to the extinction of dinosaurs 65 million years ago.
- Nov 27🌏 Clinton Ends Asia Trip – President Clinton concluded a 12-day Asia-Pacific trip, celebrating the 50th anniversary of King Bhumibol's reign in Thailand.
- Nov 28📈 Baseball Labor Agreement – Baseball owners accepted a labor agreement, ensuring five years of peace and uninterrupted play after a lengthy strike.
- Nov 29🍼 Breast-Feeding Rights – New Jersey Assemblywoman Shirley K. Turner advocates for public breast-feeding rights, facing amendments limiting where it can occur.
- Nov 30📈 Dow Up 22.36 Points – Stocks rose in a shortened session, with the Dow Jones industrial average ending its best month in nearly five years.
Happy Birthday! 1996 – The Year in Headlines
The whole of 1996 in real headlines. See the 1996 book →
Born in November? Pick the day
Every birthday in November has its own On This Day in Headlines book: