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– An earthquake near Lijiang in southwest China, measuring up to 7 on the Richter scale, kills at least 240 people, injures more than 14,000 and makes hundreds of thousands homeless.
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– Birgenair Flight 301, on an unauthorised charter flight from the Caribbean to Germany, crashes into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Dominican Republic, killing all 189 passengers and crew.
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– An IRA briefcase bomb in a bus kills the bomber and injures 9 in the West End of London.
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– Two suicide bombs in Israel kill 25 and injure 80; Hamas claims responsibility.
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– Pokemon Green was released in Japan as the first game in the world famous Pokemon series.
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– Canadian singer Alanis Morissette wins the top honor, Album of the Year award, at the 38th Annual Grammy Awards. She is the youngest person to ever win this award, a record she held until 2010.
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– The Republic of China or Taiwan holds its first direct elections for president; Lee Teng-hui is re-elected.
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– The International Monetary Fund approves a $10.2 billion loan to Russia for economic reform
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-The Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia is created.
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A Boeing 737 military jet crashes into a mountain north of Dubrovnik, Croatia. All 35 people on board die, including United States Secretary of Commerce Ron Brown (see 1996 Croatia USAF CT-43 crash).
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- The Ontario government announce a 15 per cent reduction in the civil service
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- Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland agree to replace their provincial sales taxes and the Goods and Services Tax with a Harmonized Sales Tax.
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- The Ontario government cuts provincial income taxes by 30 per cent.
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- A riot in Quebec City causes a million dollars in damage.
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a beautiful baby was born and the world changed for the better.
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- Former B.C. Premier W.R. Bennett is found guilty of insider trading.
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- Pat Binns becomes premier of Prince Edward Island, replacing Keith Milligan
