The beginning of a new year is the perfect time to summon up our highest hopes. We wish for a great year and resolve to work hard to make that wish come true. But what big news events will shape 1997? It's anybody's guess. No one could have imagined at the beginning of 1996 that we would soon be reading such news headlines as Magic Johnson Is Back!, Unabomber Suspect Arrested or Life On Mars? The story of 1996 is made up of the hundreds of stories that took our breath away, angered us, made us proud or made us cry.
Many of us tacked up a crisp new calendar on January 1 and resolved to fill the days ahead with good grades, good behavior, good times or maybe all three. It's a safe bet that those days will also be marked by events as stunning as the news events on these pages. And it's certain we'll be surprised.
January
The Blizzard of '96 roars across the East, dumping tons of snow on more than 20 states. Schools, highways and airports are forced to close. (Two children playing in snowbank)
February
Lakers star Earvin ("Magic") Johnson returns to basketball after a four-year break. He has the AIDS virus but is fit to play. He retires again when the season ends.
March
Presidents, Kings and Prime Ministers meet in Egypt to condemn terrorism. The 29 world leaders promise to work harder to stop terrorist groups from recruiting new members and raising money.
April
Federal agents raid a Montana cabin and arrest Theodore Kaczynski. For 18 years, the FBI had been on the trail of a terrorist who sent bombs through the mail: the Unabomber. The suspect's brother helped the FBI find him.
May
Benjamin Netanyahu defeats Shimon Peres to become Prime Minister of Israel. Netanyahu, who is known for being a tough leader, promises to continue the peace process.
June
Russian President Boris Yeltsin wins re-election. He denies rumors that he is ill. Four months later, doctors admit he suffered a heart attack during the campaign.
July
An airliner bound for Paris, France, explodes and plunges into the Atlantic Ocean off New York's coast. All 230 people aboard die. A long, frustrating search for the cause begins.
July & August
The Olympic Games in Atlanta bring tragedy and triumph. A bomb explodes, but the Games go on. U.S. women--including awesome swim and gymnastics teams--take 19 gold medals. Michael Johnson is the first man to win both the 200- and 400-meter races.
August
Republicans gather in San Diego, California, and nominate Bob Dole and Jack Kemp as their candidates for President and Vice President.
Scientists announce that a rock found on a sheet of ice in Antarctica holds evidence that life may have existed on Mars 3.6 billion years ago. The potato-size rock, known as ALH84001, is a meteorite that fell to Earth.
September
The space shuttle Atlantis brings Shannon Lucid back to Earth after a record-breaking 188 days in space. (The previous American record was 115 days.) Lucid, 53, impressed cosmonauts on the Russian space station Mir with her good humor and hard work.
OCTOBER
Great pitching, power hitting, a little bit of luck and an assist from the fans help the New York Yankees capture the
World Series. In a come-from-behind victory, the Yankees beat the defending-champion Atlanta Braves in six games.
New leaders, known as the Taliban, take over the Asian country of Afghanistan. They impose a strict set of rules based on Islamic religious law. Television and music are forbidden. Women cannot work outside the home and must cover themselves from head to toe.
November
On election night in Arkansas, Hillary, Chelsea and Bill Clinton celebrate the President's historic victory. For the
first time since 1936, a Democratic President has been re-elected. Clinton wins 49% of the popular vote. Bob Dole gets 41%.
Frightened families crowd into refugee camps in the African country of Zaire. They are trying to escape intense fighting between the Hutu and Tutsi tribes. Relief agencies struggle to provide enough food and medicine.
December
Thousands of students in Belgrade, Serbia, protest the government of Slobodan Milosevic, who canceled election results he didn't like.
Fights erupt in toy stores as holiday shoppers grab for Tickle Me Elmo.