1995

Events

Dated Events

• Real World: January 1. Austria, Finland and Sweden enter the European Union. The World Trade Organization is established.

• Real World: January 17. A massive earthquake strikes near Kobe, Japan.

• Real World: January 18. A network of caves are discovered near Vallon-Pont-d'Arc, France, contains examples of artwork (engravings and paintings) over 17,000 years old.

• Real World: January 25. Russia almost launches a nuclear strike after a Norwegian missile launch is misinterpreted as an attack.

• Real World: January 31. $20 billion loaned by the U.S. to Mexico to stabilize its economy.

• Real World: March 3. The United Nations ends its peacekeeping efforts in Somalia.

• Real World: March 20. The Aum Shinrikyo cult releases sarin gas in Tokyo's subway system, killing 12 and injuring 5500.

• Real World: April 19. The Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City is bombed; 168 die in the attack.

• Real World: May 17. Jacques Chirac becomes president of France.

• Real World: May 23. The Java programming language is publicly released.

• Real World: June 13. French President Jacques Chirac announces the resumption of French nuclear tests in French Polynesia.

• Real World: July 21-July 26. Chinese forces launch missiles into the waters north of Taiwan.

• Harry Potter: September 1. Harry Potter begins his fifth year at Hogwarts. The events of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix follow.

• Real World: November 4. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is shot by a right-wing Israeli extremist at a peace rally in Tel Aviv, and dies on the operating table.

Undated Events

• GURPS Infinite Worlds: Paul van Zandt discovers parachronics, and visits his first alternate world, which he names Earth-Beta. Six months later, Van Zandt's Dartmouth lab burns down, and he resigns to set up a "consulting" firm. (GURPS Basic Set: Campaigns)

• Transformers (Marvel U.K.): In response to protests from feminists on Earth, Optimus Prime has Arcee, the first female Transformer, created. She quickly proves her worth repelling a Decepticon attack. (Transformers #234 (Marvel UK))

• Real World: MP3 files make their first appearance on the Internet.

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

The Lost World by Michael Crichton, Rose Madder by Stephen King, Maskerade by Terry Pratchett.

Notable Films

Alien Nation: Body and Soul (TV movie), Arabian Knight, Babe, Batman Forever, Casper, Congo, Escape to Witch Mountain, Fluke, Goldeneye, The Invaders (TV movie), Jumanji, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie, Pocahontas, Toy Story.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Aeon Flux, American Gothic, BUGS, Earthworm Jim, G-Force, G.I. Joe Extreme, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Legend, Nowhere Man, Ocean Girl, The Outer Limits, Princess Gwenyvere and the Jewel Riders, Ronin Warriors (U.S.), Sailor Moon (U.S. and Canada), The Savage Dragon, Skysurfer Strike Force, Sliders, Space: Above and Beyond, Space Strikers, Street Fighter, Teknoman, Tenko and the Guardians of the Magic, Ultraforce, VR5, Xena: Warrior Princess.

• Continuing: Are You Afraid of the Dark? (Season 4), Babylon 5 (Season 2), Dragon Ball Z (Season 7) (Japan), Gargoyles (Season 2), Highlander: The Series (Season 4), Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (Season 3), Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (Season 3), The Neverending Story, Reboot (Season 1 ends), SeaQuest DSV becomes SeaQuest 2032, Spider-Man (Season 2), Street Sharks (regular series), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Season 9), The Tick (Season 2), The Tomorrow People (Season 3), The X-Files (Season 3), X-Men (Season 4).

• Ending: Battletech, Bonkers, Creepy Crawlers, Earth 2, Exo-Squad, Forever Knight, Highlander: The Animated Series, MANTIS, Mega Man, Monster Force, Mutant League, Phantom 2040, Skeleton Warriors, Space Precinct, Transformers: Generation 2, Where on Earth is Carmen Sandiego?, WildCATS.

Notable Electronic Games

Earthbound (Super Nintendo).

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