Other Major Events From 1998
Canada - Canadian Supreme Court Case on Secession
The legality of the potential secession of Quebec is argued in the Canadian Supreme Court.
More Information for Quebec Court Case
1. The Supreme Court of Canada ruled on the legality of Quebec’s potential secession from the country.
2. The court ruled that Quebec could not secede from Canada on its own.
3. They also made it clear that if a referendum was held on the question it would lead to negotiations between Quebec and the rest of Canada regarding the terms of the secession.
4. The court also stated that any act of secession would need a constitutional amendment to be completed.
5. The ruling was important in that it provided more clarity regarding the question of Quebec’s independence and could be potentially important to future discussions on referendums in international law.
Financial Crisis South East Asia
Financial Crisis hits much of South East Asia
Hong Kong Worlds biggest airport
Worlds biggest airport in the world opens in Hong Kong
Kenya Terrorist Bombing
Terrorist Bombing attacks at two US Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam killing 250 people
Good Friday peace agreement
Good Friday peace agreementis accepted by Sinn Fein the leader of the political wing of the republican IRA on May 10 in Northern Ireland
Monica Lewinsky
Bill Clinton denies he had "sexual relations" with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. starting the Lewinsky scandal and investigations
Afghanistan earthquake
An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter Scale in northeast Afghanistan kills more than 5,000.
Afghanistan cruise missile strikes
US launch cruise missile strikes against al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan
Azores Earthquake
A 5.9 Earthquake strikes the Azores killing at least 10 with many more still missing in the rubble
Sudan famine
Official famine Southern Sudan declared with estimates that over 1 million people could die from starvation
Iceland Free Willy star
Free Willy star Keiko goes to Iceland for eventual release back into the wild.
James Byrd Jr
James Byrd Jr, a 49-year-old African-American man is dragged to his death behind a pickup truck
New Zealand blackout
66-day blackout begins in Auckland, New Zealand.
Dow Jones drops over 500 points
Dow Jones drops over 500 points on August 31st on the New York Stock Exchange
U.S. budget surplus
US Announces first budget surplus in 30 years
U.S. Tornadoes
Tornadoes in central Florida destroy or damage 2,600 structures and kill 42
Forest Fires in Florida
Forest Fires in Florida force 120,000 to flee their homes
Afghanistan Osama bin Laden
Osama bin Laden publishes fatwa declaring jihad against all Jews and Crusaders.
Belfast Agreement
The Belfast Agreement is signed between the Irish and British governments and most Northern Ireland political parties ending many years of terrorist activity in Northern Ireland and mainland Britain
IRA Bombing
The splinter terrorist organisation "The Real IRA" plant massive car bomb on August 15 Omagh, Northern Ireland killing 27
Papua New Guinea tsunami
A tsunami triggered by an undersea earthquake destroys 10 villages in Papua New Guinea killing an estimated 1,500,
Yangtze River Flooding
In China the Yangtze River breaks through the main bank. The death toll was more than 12,000 injuring many thousands more.
Russia rouble Devaluation
Devaluation of the rouble. The ruble lost 70% of its value against US dollar in 6 months . Several of the largest Russians banks collapsed, and millions of people lost their savings.
Russia $22bn loan
IMF offers $22bn loan to Russia to stabilize economy with strict conditions
Honduras Hurricane Mitch
Hurricane Mitch makes landfall in Central America on October 26th killing an estimated 18,000 people
Japan recession
The Japanese economy enters a recession due to the collapse of land and property prices
Japan rescue package banks
The Japanese government implements a rescue package for Japanese banks following the collapse of the property market and $500bn in bad debts
Algeria massacre
Islamic extremists attack two villages in Algeria and massacre 400 local villagers
European Union single currency
Europeans agree on a single currency the Euro
European Union Court of Human Rights
European Court of Human Rights becomes a permanent court with full-time judges
European Union Maastricht Treaty
The Maastricht Treaty comes into force
President Bill Clinton
President Bill Clinton Impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice.
U.S. Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement
Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) is signed between Tobacco Companies and US States becoming the largest civil settlement in United States history,
U.S. Jonesboro
Two boys Mitchell Johnson ( 13 yrs old ) and Andrew Golden ( 11 Years Old ) shoot and kill four fellow students in Jonesboro, Arkansas .
European Central Bank
The European Central Bank is Established in Frankfurt Germany
World
U.N.I.C.E.F. reports over 130 million children worldwide do not attend school and their is approximately 250 million child laborers worldwide
Exxon and Mobil merge
The two oil companies Exxon and Mobil merge to create the worlds largest petroleum company
$20.00 bills
New harder to counterfeit $20.00 bills enter circulation
Philippines Typhoon Babs
Typhoon Babs strikes the Philippines killing 100 people
Canada Quebec
Quebec demands independence from Canada
Microsoft
Microsoft becomes biggest Company in the World valued at $261bn on the New York Stock Exchange
US Military jet severs the cable of a ski lift
Low Flying US Military jet severs the cable of a ski lift in Italy and 20 people plunge to their death
Israel 50th Anniversary
Israel celebrates it's 50th Anniversary of it's founding
Yugoslavia Kosova
Serbian troops in Yugoslavia target villages occupied by ethnic Albanians in Kosova
Nigeria oil pipeline
An oil pipeline running through a village in Nigeria, explodes killing 700 people with the resulting fire burning for nearly a week.
Worlds Longest Suspension Bridge
The Worlds Longest Suspension Bridge ( as of 2007 ) in Akashi, Japan is Completed
Iraq UN weapons inspectors
Iraq prevents UN weapons inspectors from conducting a search and President Bill Clinton orders a series of air strikes against Iraq
Canada ice storm
A severe ice storm in Canada and Northern United States leaves millions without power
UK MMR vaccine and autism spectrum disorders
UK Reports of a link between the MMR vaccine and autism spectrum disorders in the UK are answered by The World Health Organisation who say no link exists and that thanks to the use of the MMR vaccine death from diseases like measles and diphtheria have almost been eradicated
Rolls-Royce
BMW buys Rolls-Royce cars for $570 million
France Wins World Cup
France Wins 1998 World Cup in France
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games are held in Nagano, Japan
Technology 1998
Worlds first Digital Terrestrial Television Service launched in the UK
Windows 98 released by Microsoft on June 26th
United States Department of Justice (DOJ) brings Anti-Trust Case against Microsoft Corp.
During 1998 with the technology maturing e-commerce started to take off as more and more companies decided to create a presence on the Internet with their own web sites.
The Search Engine Google is founded.
The Worlds largest suspension Bridge 1.234 miles in Japan opens
19 European nations agree to forbid human cloning.
Data sent from the Galileo probe indicates that Jupiter's moon Europa has a liquid ocean under a thick crust of ice
The FDA approves Viagra for use as a treatment for male impotence, becoming the first pill to be approved to treat this condition in the United States.
Apple Computer unveils the iMac.
Danish Catamaran Cat Link V sets new record for fastest crossing of the north Atlantic Blue Ribband in 2 days 17.59 hours
India and Pakistan test nuclear weapons
Popular Culture 1998
The concert by the Three Tenors ( Jose Carreras, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti ) For the opening of the World Cup In France is seen by 100,000 live and 3 billion around the world.
Popular Films
Armageddon
Titanic
Saving Private Ryan
Godzilla
There's Something About Mary
A Bug's Life
Deep Impact
Mulan
Dr. Dolittle
Shakespeare in Love
Lethal Weapon 4
The Avengers
The Mask of Zorro
The Wedding Singer
Popular Musicians
All Saints
Céline Dion
Madonna
Chumbawamba
Jennifer Paige
Marilyn Manson
Green Day
Metallica
The Offspring
Spice Girls
Aerosmith
Alanis Morissette
Shania Twain
Natalie Imbruglia
Sublime
Janet Jackson
Popular TV
Law & Order
America's Funniest Home Videos
One Foot in the Grave (UK)
The Jerry Springer Show
Dateline NBC
Frasier
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
NYPD Blue
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
The Late Show with David Letterman
The Nanny
The X-Files
ER
Friends
JAG
Star Trek: Voyager
The Drew Carey Show
7th Heaven
Everybody Loves Raymond
Judge Judy
Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Dharma & Greg
King of the Hill
South Park
Stargate SG-1
The Practice
Teletubbies (UK)
Simpsons