1989 World History General Colin Powell (1937– ) U.S. Army Photos Dalai Lama (1935– ) Priscilla Lee Mikhail S. Gorbachev (1931– ) Novosti Photos George Bush (1924– ) The Republican National Committee 1989 U.S. planes shoot down two Libyan fighters over international waters in Mediterranean(Jan. 4).Emperor Hirohitoof Japan dead at 87(Jan. 7). George Herbert Walker Bushinaugurated as 41st U.S. president(Jan. 20).Iran's Ayatollah Khomeinideclares author Salman Rushdie's bookThe Satanic Versesoffensive and sentences him to death(Feb. 14).Ruptured tankerExxon Valdezsends 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound(March 24).Tens of thousands of Chinese students take over Beijing's Tiananmen Squarein rally for democracy (April 19et seq.). U.S. jury convicts Oliver Northin Iran-Contraaffair(May 4).More than one million in Beijing demonstrate for democracy; chaos spreads across nation (mid-Mayet seq.). Mikhail S. Gorbachevnamed Soviet president(May 25).Thousands killed in Tiananmen Square as Chinese leaders take hard line toward demonstrators (June 4et seq.). Army general Colin R. Powellis first black chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff(Aug. 9). P. W. Bothaquits as South Africa's president(Aug. 14).Voyager 2spacecraft speeds by Neptuneafter making startling discoveries about the planet and its moons(Aug. 29). Deng Xiaopingresigns from China's leadership(Nov. 9).After 28 years, Berlin Wallis open to West(Nov. 11).Czech Parliament ends Communists' dominant role(Nov. 30).Romanian uprising overthrows Communist government (Dec. 15et seq.); President Ceausescuand wife executed(Dec. 25).U.S. troops invade Panama, seeking capture of Gen. Manuel Noriega(Dec. 20);resistance to U.S. collapses(Dec. 24). Dalai Lamawins Nobel Peace Prize.

1990 World History Lech Walesa (1943– ) Archive Photos Hubble Space Telescope NASA 1990 World Wide Web debuts, popularizes Internet. Gen. Manuel Noriegasurrenders in Panama(Jan. 3). YugoslavCommunists end 45-year monopoly of power(Jan. 22). Soviet Communistsrelinquish sole power(Feb. 7). South Africafrees Nelson Mandela, imprisoned 271/2 years(Feb. 11). Violeta Barrios de Chamorroinaugurated as Nicaraguan president. Hubble Space Telescopelaunched(April 25).U.S.-Soviet summit reaches accord on armaments(June 1).Western Alliance ends cold warand proposes joint action with Soviet Union and Eastern Europe(July 6).U.S. Appeals Court overturns Oliver North's Iran-Contraconviction(July 20).Iraqi troops invade Kuwait and seize petroleum reserves, setting off Persian Gulf War(For detailed chronology, see The Persian Gulf War.) (Aug. 2et seq.). East and West Germanyreunited(Oct. 3).Republicans set back in midterm elections(Nov. 8). Gorbachevassumes emergency powers(Nov. 17).Leaders of 34 nations in Europe and North America proclaim a united Europe(Nov. 21).Margaret Thatcherresigns as British prime minister(Nov. 22); John Majorsucceeds her(Nov. 28).Lech Walesawins Poland's runoff presidential election(Dec. 9). Haitielects leftist priest as president in first democratic election(Dec. 17).

1986 World History Corazon Aquino (1933– ) Embassy of the Philippines William Rehnquist (1924–2005) Archive Photos Yoweri Museveni (1944– ) Archive Photos 1986 Spain and Portugal join European Economic Community(Jan. 1).President freezes Libyan assets in U.S.(Jan. 8).Supreme Court bars racial bias in trial jury selection(Jan. 14). Voyager 2spacecraft reports secrets of Uranus(Jan. 26).Space shuttle Challengerexplodes after launch at Cape Canaveral, Fla., killing all seven aboard(Jan. 28).Haiti president Jean-Claude Duvalierflees to France(Feb. 7).President Marcosflees Philippines after ruling 20 years, as newly elected Corazon Aquinosucceeds him(Feb. 26).Prime Minister Olof Palmeof Sweden shot dead(Feb. 28).Austrian president Kurt Waldheim's service as Nazi army officer revealed(March 3).Union Carbide agrees to settlement with victims of Bhopalgas leak in India(March 22).Halley's cometyields information on return visit(April 10).U.S. planes attack Libyan “terrorist centers”(April 14).Desmond Tutuelected archbishop in South Africa(April 14).Major nuclear accident at Soviet Union's Chernobylpower station alarms world (April 26et seq.). Ex-Navy analyst, Jonathan Jay Pollard, 31, guilty as spy for Israel(June 4).Supreme Court reaffirms abortion rights(June 11). World Courtrules U.S. broke international law in mining Nicaraguan waters(June 27).Supreme Court voids automatic provisions of budget-balancing law(July 7).Jerry A. Whitworth, ex-Navy radioman, convicted as spy(July 24);he is also part of Walker family spy ring. Muslim captors release Rev. Lawrence Martin Jenco(July 26).Senate Judiciary Committee approves William H. Rehnquistas chief justice of U.S.(Aug. 14).House votes arms appropriations bill rejecting administration's “Star Wars” policy(Aug. 15).Three Lutheranchurch groups in U.S. set to merge(Aug. 29).Congress overrides Reagan veto of stiff sanctions against South Africa(Sept. 29andOct. 2).Congress approves immigration bill barring hiring of illegal aliens, with amnesty provision(Oct. 17).Reagan signs $11.7-billion budget reduction measure(Oct. 21).He approves sweeping revision of U.S. tax code(Oct. 22).Democrats triumph in elections, gaining eight seats to win Senate majority(Nov. 4).Secret initiative to send arms to Iran revealed (Nov. 6et seq.); Reagan denies exchanging arms for hostages and halts arms sales(Nov. 19);diversion of funds from arms sales to Nicaraguan Contrasrevealed(Nov. 25).

1987 World History Margaret Thatcher (1925– ) British Information Service 1987 William Buckley, U.S. hostage in Lebanon, reported slain(Jan. 20).Supreme Court rules Rotary Clubsmust admit women(May 4).Iraqi missiles kill 37 in attack on U.S. frigateStarkin Persian Gulf(May 17);Iraqi president apologizes(May 18).Prime Minister Thatcherwins rare third term in Britain(June 11).Supreme Court justice Lewis F. Powell, Jr., retires(June 26).Klaus Barbie, 73, Gestapowartime chief in Lyon, sentenced to life by French court for war crimes(July 4). Oliver North, Jr., tells congressional inquiry higher officials approved his secret Iran-Contraoperations(July 7–10).Admiral John M. Poindexter, former National Security Adviser, testifies he authorized use of Iran arms sale profits to aid Contras(July 15–22).Secretary of State George P. Shultztestifies he was deceived repeatedly on Iran-Contra affair(July 23–24).Defense Secretary Caspar W. Weinberger tells inquiry of official deception and intrigue(July 31, Aug. 3).Reagan says Iran-Contra arms policy went astray and accepts responsibility(Aug. 12).Severe earthquakestrikes Los Angeles, leaving 100 injured and six dead(Oct. 1).Senate, 58–42, rejects Robert H. Borkas Supreme Court justice(Oct. 23).

1984 World History Indira Gandhi (1917–1984) The Permanent Mission of India to the UN 1984 Bell System broken up(Jan. 1).France gets first deliveries of Soviet natural gas(Jan. 1).Syria frees captured U.S. Navy pilot, Lieut. Robert C. Goodman, Jr.(Jan. 3).U.S. and Vatican exchange diplomats after 116-year hiatus(Jan. 10).Reagan orders U.S. Marines withdrawn from Beirut international peacekeeping force(Feb. 7). Yuri V. Andropovdies at 69; Konstantin U. Chernenko, 72, named Soviet Union leader(Feb. 9).Italy and Vatican agree to end Roman Catholicism as state religion(Feb. 18).Reagan ends U.S. role in Beirut by relieving Sixth Fleet from peacekeeping force(March 30).Congress rebukes President Reagan on use of federal funds for mining Nicaraguan harbors(April 10).Soviet Union withdraws from summer Olympic games in U.S., and other bloc nations follow (May 7et seq.). José Napoleón Duarte, moderate, elected president of El Salvador(May 11).Three hundred slain as Indian Army occupies Sikh Golden Temple in Amritsar(June 6).Thirty-ninth Democratic National Convention, in San Francisco, nominates Walter F. Mondale and Geraldine A. Ferraro(July 16–19).Thirty-third Republican National Convention, at Dallas, renominates President Reagan and Vice President Bush(Aug. 20–25). Brian Mulroneyand Conservative party win Canadian election in landslide(Sept. 4).Indian prime minister Indira Gandhiassassinated by two Sikh bodyguards; 1,000 killed in anti-Sikh riots; son Rajivsucceeds her(Oct. 31).President Reagan re-elected in landslide with 59% of vote(Nov. 6).Toxic gas leaks from Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India, killing 2,000 and injuring 150,000(Dec. 3).