Major League Soccer has its first season. The United States signed on September 24th, 1996 but has not yet ratified it. A total of 183 countries have signed the treaty and of those 159 have ratified it. The treaty also banned countries from aiding or encouraging other nations to test nuclear technology and created an international monitoring system that would keep track of nuclear explosions across the globe. The treaty banned all nations from testing nuclear explosions above or below ground for any purpose, military or civilian. On September 10th of 1996 the United Nations adopts the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). More Information and Timeline for UN Adopts CTBT United Nations adopts the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty Teng-hui would remain President of Taiwan until 2000 when he stepped down observing the new constitutional term limits that he helped create. He was rewarded by voters when he won with 54 percent of the vote with a 76 percent voter turnout. Teng-hui was responsible for introducing many democratic reforms to the country including the direct presidential election. The election was won by Lee Teng-hui, who had already been the President of Taiwan since 1988. The Republic of China, also known as Taiwan, held its first direct presidential election during March. What Events Happened in 1996 Taiwan - First Presidential Election In technology DVD's are Launched in Japan and the number of users on the Internet exceed 10 million This is also the year Ebay and Ask Jeeves is started and the first ever cloning of a mammal Dolly the sheep. A severe Meningitas Epidemic occurs in West Africa. What happened in 1996 Major News Stories include Ebay starts online auction website, IBM's Deep Blue defeats Chess Champion Gary Kasparov, Centennial Olympic Park, Atlanta Nail bomb, Dunblane Massacre, Dolly the sheep becomes the first mammal to be successfully cloned, Mad Cow Disease BSE kills humans in England, In the UK Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales get divorced and Mad Cow Disease hits Britain ( BSE ) causing the mass slaughter of Herds of Cows and new laws to stop beef being sold on the bone. The Year 1996 Major Events, Born This Year, Popular Culture, Prices