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7.17.1996
TWA Flight 800
TWA Flight 800 explodes off Long Island, killing all 230 people aboard. The 2-day old MSNBC operation scrambles to cover its first major breaking news, with Brian Williams anchoring hours of coverage on the TV channel. Things go less smoothly on the Web site, with publication delays hampering editors.
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7.27.1996
Olympic bombing
Two people are killed and more than 100 injured when a bomb goes off in Atlanta's Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Games. Eric Rudolph is arrested in 2003 after several years on the run and pleads guilty to the Olympic bombing as well as blasts at abortion clinics and a nightclub.
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9.27.1996
Taliban take Kabul
The Taliban rebels capture the Afghanistan capital, Kabul, cementing their extremist Muslim regime with help from supporters such as al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. In May 2001, MSNBC.com 's Preston Mendenhall traveled across the country and reported on the "pariah nation."
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2.23.1997
Hello, Dolly
Scientists in Scotland announce to the world that they have cloned a sheep named Dolly, the first mammal ever cloned. The news sparks ethical debates and further animal cloning experiments.
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5.21.1997
Bird flu
A 3-year-old boy dies in Hong Kong from what is later learned to be the first case of avian flu transmitted to humans. More cases develop in the following months and Hong Kong officials order the slaughter of more than 1 million chickens.
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6.28.1997
Boxing's big bite
Mike Tyson bites a portion of Evander Holyfield's ear during a boxing match. Tyson is disqualified and loses the fight, and is later suspended from the sport for a year.
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7.4.1997
Touchdown Mars
NASA's Pathfinder spacecraft lands on Mars and deploys a revolutionary robotic rover about the size of a microwave oven. The images sent back to Earth capture the public's imagination and offer evidence of a once warmer and wetter Red Planet.
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8.31.1997
Death of a princess
Princess Diana dies in a Paris car crash at the age of 36, setting off a wave of public mourning in Britain. Millions of flowers pile up outside her homes and people line up to pay tribute at British embassies worldwide.
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3.23.1998
'Titanic' sweep
"Titanic" wins 11 Oscars, tying "Ben-Hur" for the most ever. The romantic epic goes on to become the biggest-grossing film ever, and the first to do more than $1 billion in box office.
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5.18.1998
U.S. vs. Microsoft
The Clinton administration charges Microsoft with antitrust violations over its bundling of Internet Explorer and its Windows operating system. A settlement is reached in 2001 and approved in 2004.
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8.7.1998
Embassy blasts
Twin bombings at the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania kill more than 220 people. Suspects connected to Osama bin Laden are arrested and convicted, and bin Laden is put on the FBI's Most Wanted List for the first time.
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9.8.1998
Number 62
Mark McGwire shatters one of baseball's longest-held records by hitting his 62nd homer of the season.
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Danny DeFreitas talk about the impact of the 1998 homer race between McGwire and Sammy Sosa. events/p_annivtimeline_homerunrace.swf 40 20
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Danny DeFreitas talk about the impact of the 1998 homer race between McGwire and Sammy Sosa. events/p_annivtimeline_homerunrace.swf 40 20
11.19.1998
Impeachment
President Clinton becomes only the second U.S. president in history to be impeached, following a year of investigation stemming from his affair with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky.
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3.24.1999
War in Kosovo
NATO begins bombing Yugoslavia after months of negotiations over the conflict in Kosovo fall apart.
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Preston Mendenhall describe his harrowing experience covering the story. events/p_annivtimeline_kosovo.swf -80 40
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Preston Mendenhall describe his harrowing experience covering the story. events/p_annivtimeline_kosovo.swf -80 40
4.20.1999
Tragedy at Columbine
Two students go on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., killing 12 students and a teacher before committing suicide.
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11.25.1999
Fight over Elian
Five-year-old Cuban refugee Elian Gonzalez is rescued off the Florida coast, sparking a months-long custody battle between his relatives in Miami and his father in Cuba. On April 22, 2000, federal agents seize Elian in a raid on his Miami family's house and reunite him with his father.
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11.29.1999
WTO protests
Anti-globalization protests against a World Trade Organization conference in Seattle erupt in violent confrontations between police and demonstrators.
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12.31.1999
Y2-OK
Fears that the "Y2K" computer glitch will shut down economies worldwide aren't realized after companies and governments spend months upgrading and building backup systems.
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1.10.2000
Media megamerger
American Online and Time Warner merge in what at the time is believed to be proof of the strength of the Internet economy, but is later viewed as one of the biggest symbols of the Internet stock bubble.
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3.10.2000
Stock bubble
Nasdaq peaks at 5048.62, more than double its value just 14 months before. In the days that follow, air starts to leak out of the Internet bubble. By October 2002, the tech-heavy stock index had plunged to 1114.11, a total loss of 78 percent from its peak.
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7.8.2000
Wild about Harry
Pottermania takes hold in the U.S. and Britain with the release of the fourth Harry Potter book, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire." It is the first book in the series to be published simultaneously in both countries, with a record-setting combined first printing of more than 5 million copies.
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8.23.2000
Summer of 'Survivor'
An estimated 51 million people tune in to watch Richard Hatch become the first winner of "Survivor," setting the stage for a wave of reality TV shows.
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11.7.2000
Bush vs. Gore
Confusing results from Florida throw the presidential election into chaos. Weeks of legal fights are finally resolved by the Supreme Court in favor of George W. Bush.
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Craig Staats talk about the ups and downs of election night. events/p_annivtimeline_2000election.swf 20 30
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Craig Staats talk about the ups and downs of election night. events/p_annivtimeline_2000election.swf 20 30
4.8.2001
The Tiger Slam
Tiger Woods wins the Masters golf tournament, becoming the only player ever to hold all four professional major titles at once.
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9.11.2001
Day of terror
Terrorists fly two hijacked jets into the World Trade Center in New York; a third jet hits the Pentagon in Washington and a fourth crashes in rural Pennsylvania. Almost 3,000 people are killed.
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Lori Smith talk about the reader response. events/p_annivtimeline_911.swf -200 50
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Lori Smith talk about the reader response. events/p_annivtimeline_911.swf -200 50
9.18.2001
Anthrax in the mail
The first set of anthrax-laced letters are postmarked to media outlets; a second batch to senators are mailed on Oct. 9. Five people are killed; the investigation is still open.
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10.7.2001
U.S. strikes back
In wake of Sept. 11, U.S. bombs Afghanistan, home to Osama bin Laden. (This image shows the USS Enterprise as afterburners from departing fighter aircraft create streaks of light.) The Taliban regime collapses on Dec. 9.
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10.23.2001
Enter the iPod
Apple unveils the iPod digital music player and the iTunes online music store, leading to the biggest change in how people listen to music since the Sony Walkman.
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12.2.2001
Enron collapses
Energy giant Enron collapses and files for bankruptcy, wiping out more than $60 billion in market value and the retirement savings of its 5,600 employees. Founder Kenneth Lay and CEO Jeffrey Skilling were convicted in 2006 of fraud and conspiracy.
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3.24.2002
History at Oscars
Denzel Washington and Halle Berry win the best actor and best actress Oscars, the first time two black actors win film's top prizes.
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6.11.2002
'American Idol'
A singing competition makes its debut in the sleepy summer TV season, with a caustic host crushing the hopes of unfortunates. "American Idol" fever is born.
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10.2.2002
Sniper attacks
John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo begin a shooting spree in the Washington, D.C., area, killing 10 people in three weeks.
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10.8.2002
Overweight America
Obesity gets new attention after data from the National Center for Health Statistics, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, show that more than 60 percent of American adults are overweight or obese.
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11.13.2002
Priesthood scandal
Months of revelations about sexual abuse of children by priests rock the Catholic Church in the United States. In the most high-profile resignation, Cardinal Law of Boston steps down amid charges he tried to cover up allegations against specific priests.
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2.1.2003
Tragedy in space
The space shuttle Columbia disintegrates on re-entry, killing all aboard and grounding the U.S. shuttle program for more than two years.
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2.26.2003
Conflict in Darfur
Rebels in western Sudan attack government installations, sparking massive counter-attacks by pro-government militias on civilians as well as the rebels. Hundreds of thousands of people are killed and millions displaced in the following three years, creating a massive humanitarian crisis.
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3.20.2003
U.S. invades Iraq
A U.S.-led coalition invades Iraq and quickly assumes control, with Baghdad falling on April 9. More than three years later, however, insurgent forces continue to attack U.S. forces and the new Iraqi government.
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11.13.2003
Saddam captured
U.S. troops capture ousted Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein in an underground hideout on a farm near his hometown of Tikrit.
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11.18.2003
Gay marriage
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court rules the state cannot bar gay marriage, effectively legalizing same-sex unions for the first time in U.S. history.
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2.1.2004
'Nipplegate'
Justin Timberlake rips Janet Jackson's shirt off during a Super Bowl halftime show, exposing part of her breast and sparking a crackdown on indecent TV content by Congress and the Federal Communications Commission.
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6.21.2004
Up and away
SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spacecraft to reach space. The Burt Rutan-designed spaceship would go on to win the X Prize for private spaceflight that fall.
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10.27.2004
Red Sox miracle
For the first time since 1918, the Boston Red Sox win the World Series, sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals after a remarkable comeback against the New York Yankees in the playoffs.
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11.11.2004
Arafat dies
Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, who turned from terrorist to Nobel Peace Prize winner, dies in Paris at the age of 75, ushering in a new era in the Middle East.
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12.26.2004
Wave of devastation
An earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggers a series of deadly tsunamis, killing more than 200,000 people in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India and other South Asian nations.
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4.2.2005
Pope passes on
Pope John Paul II dies at the age of 84 after a long illness, bringing an end to the second-longest papacy in Catholic history. Millions of mourners flocked to Rome from around the globe.
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6.13.2005
Jackson trial
Pop star Michael Jackson is acquitted on all counts in his trial on child molestation charges, ending a two-year legal saga.
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8.29.2005
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina hits the U.S. Gulf Coast, devastating wide swaths of Louisiana and Mississippi and affecting neighboring states as well.
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Andrew Locke talk about what he saw in the days after the storm. events/p_annivtimeline_katrina.swf -100 50
Click the "Play" button to hear MSNBC.com's Andrew Locke talk about what he saw in the days after the storm. events/p_annivtimeline_katrina.swf -100 50
9.5.2005
Pain at the pump
Rising gas prices hit a new high when for the first time, the average cost of a gallon of gas in the U.S. tops $3.
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11.15.2005
Wiretapping revealed
The New York Times reveals that in 2002, Bush authorized warrantless wiretapping of Americans suspected of being connected to terrorist activity.
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2.1.2006
Handover at Fed
Ben Bernanke takes over from Alan Greenspan as chairman of the Federal Reserve.
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4.10.2006
Immigration protests
Hundreds of thousands of people rally for immigration reform in cities across U.S., followed by similar protests on May 1.
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6.5.2006
AIDS anniversary
The world marks the 25th anniversary of a global plague that has claimed more than 25 million lives, and researchers warn that the next 25 years could be even deadlier.
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1.1.1996
MSNBC.com is born
MSNBC.com and its sister cable network make their joint debut on July 15, 1996. Three months later, the desktop headline service "News Alert" launches; a month after that, Election Day brings the site's first audio webcast.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/960715_1stMSNBCcover.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/960715_1stMSNBCcover.jpg
1.1.1997
The first redesign
Readers get new ways to interact with the site thanks to Live Vote surveys and an NFL draft database, but the biggest change is a massive redesign that emphasizes bold visuals.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1997_BadBeef.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1997_BadBeef.jpg
1.1.1998
Going global
Two popular features debut as "Today" show viewers track Matt Lauer online and Jeannette Walls starts delivering the Scoop. Boris Yeltsin drops by for an online chat and John Glenn's return to space sets video records.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1998_MattLauer.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1998_MattLauer.jpg
1.1.1999
Live video
John F. Kennedy Jr.'s deadly plane crash draws record traffic to the site and the new Live Video feature makes its debut. On July 21, for the first time, MSNBC.com attracts more than 1 million users a day.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1999_Live.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/1999_Live.jpg
1.1.2000
Webcast wonders
MSNBC.com launches its first live video webcast at the political conventions, and then goes for the gold with webcasts from the Sydney Olympics. 2000 also sees the launch of Newsweek.MSNBC.com.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2000_Convention.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2000_Convention.jpg
1.1.2001
Breaking news
Once again, tragedy draws people online. Traffic to MSNBC.com on Sept. 11 hits 12.4 million users, with 6 million watching live video. In 2001, the site is also regularly produced out of London for the first time.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2001_911.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2001_911.jpg
1.1.2002
Olympic triple threat
MSNBC.com goes for the gold, producing not just its own site and the NBC Olympics site, but the official Olympics.com site as well. The site's first blog, Alan Boyle's Cosmic Log, is also launched this year.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2002_Olympics.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2002_Olympics.jpg
1.1.2003
The second redesign
MSNBC.com gets a new look and a new publishing system, the biggest change since 1997. Earlier in the year, the new "Big Picture" format is deployed to dazzling effect for the Oscars.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2003_FluFears.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2003_FluFears.jpg
1.1.2004
Heated election
NBC and MSNBC.com team up to offer even more detailed political coverage than before, with in-depth policy analysis, blogs and audio and video special reports. The site also unveils its first RSS feeds.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2004_Debate.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2004_Debate.jpg
1.1.2005
Reaching out
After Hurricane Katrina, more than 120,000 people look for relatives on MSNBC.com's "safe" lists, as online tools take on new importance.Podcasts and "The Daily Nightly" blog also launch this year.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2005_Hurricane.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2005_Hurricane.jpg
1.1.2006
Picture this
Expanding on the "Related Stories" concept launched in 2005, "Related Photos" brings even more visual content to the site, with automated slide shows on major stories.
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2006_RelatedPhotos.jpg
Click on an event below to review the year's big news stories. events/2006_RelatedPhotos.jpg
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