- The 26th Summer Olympic Games were held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States, from July 19 to August 4. The United States topped the medal table with a total of 101 gold medals.
- NASA launched the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft to study the surface and atmosphere of Mars, aiming to understand its geological history and determine the possibility of past or present life on the planet.
- The American actress and model Pamela Anderson married rock musician Tommy Lee in a beach ceremony in Cancún, Mexico. Their turbulent relationship later became a subject of media attention and scrutiny.
- The Irish Republican Army (IRA) declared a "complete cessation of military operations," marking a significant development in the Northern Ireland peace process. It paved the way for further negotiations and ultimately led to the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
- The American computer giant Apple released the Power Mac G3, featuring a PowerPC processor, which offered significant performance improvements over previous Mac models and marked a shift in Apple's processor architecture.
- Hurricane Edouard formed over the Atlantic Ocean, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the East Coast of the United States, causing damage and power outages.
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed on a $20 billion loan for Russia to support economic reforms and stabilize its currency amidst a financial crisis.
- In the world of music, the Spice Girls released their debut album "Spice," which became a global sensation and dominated the music charts, solidifying the girl group's popularity and impact on pop culture.
These are just a few highlights from August 1996. The month was marked by significant events in sports, space exploration, entertainment, politics, and international affairs.