1998 World History
- 1998
- Ramzi Ahmed Yousef sentenced to life for 1993 World Trade Center bombing (Jan. 9). Pope John Paul II visits Cuba (Jan. 21–25). President accused in White House sex scandal; denies allegations of affair with White House intern, Monica Lewinsky (Jan. 21 et seq.). President outlines first balanced budget in 30 years (Feb. 3). U.S. plane cuts ski cable in Italy and sends car plunging; 20 killed (Feb. 3). Thousands dead in Afghanistan quake (Feb. 4 et seq.). U.S. court rules line-item veto unconstitutional (Feb. 12). Serbs battle ethnic Albanians in Kosovo (March 5 et seq.). U.S. drops condemnation of China's human rights record (March 13). Hindu nationalist Vajpayee becomes India's prime minister (March 19). FDA approves Viagra, male impotence drug (March 27). Federal judge in Arkansas throws out Paula Jones case (April 1). Landmark peace settlement, the Good Friday Accord, reached in Northern Ireland (April 10). U.S. trade deficit biggest in decade (April 17). Europeans agree on single currency, the euro (May 3). Unabomber, Theodore Kaczynski, sentenced to four life terms (May 4). India conducts three atomic tests despite worldwide disapproval (May 11, 13). Indonesian dictator Suharto steps down after 32 years in power (May 21). Pakistan stages five nuclear tests in response to India's (May 29, 30). Serbs renew attack on Kosovo rebels (June 1). Life sentence meted out to Terry Nichols, convicted in Oklahoma City bombing fatal to 168 (June 4). Nigerian dictator Sani Abacha dies (June 8). Congress votes to overhaul IRS (July 9). Iraq ends cooperation with UN arms inspectors (Aug. 5). U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania bombed (Aug. 7). Clinton admits to affair with White House intern in televised address to nation (Aug. 17). Russia fights to avert financial collapse (Aug. 17). U.S. cruise missiles hit suspected terrorist bases in Sudan and Afghanistan (Aug. 20). North Korea fires missile across Japan (Aug. 31). Swissair jet crashes; kills 229 (Sept. 2). Starr Report by independent counsel outlines case for impeachment proceedings against president (Sept. 11). Senate sustains veto of bill to outlaw late-term abortions (Sept. 18). Iran lifts death threat against Salman Rushdie (Sept. 24). German chancellor Helmut Kohl defeated by Gerhard Schröder (Sept. 27). U.S. budget surplus largest in three decades (Oct. 5). Matthew Shepard, gay Wyoming student, fatally beaten in hate crime (Oct. 6). NATO, on verge of air strikes, reaches settlement with Milosevic on Kosovo (Oct. 12). Former Chilean dictator Pinochet arrested in London (Oct. 16). Wye Mills Agreement between Netanyahu and Arafat moves Middle East peace talks forward (Oct. 23). More than 10,000 die in Central American hurricane, Mitch (Nov. 1). Democrats unexpectedly gain five House seats in national election; Republicans keep control of House and Senate (Nov. 3). House Speaker Gingrich to step down (Nov. 9). House panel drafts impeachment charges; votes along party lines to approve four articles (Dec. 11–12). Clinton orders air strikes on Iraq (Dec. 16–19). House impeaches President Clinton along party lines on two charges, perjury and obstruction of justice (Dec. 19).
