1992 World History 1992 Yugoslav Federationbroken up(Jan. 15). Bushand Yeltsinproclaim formal end to cold war(Feb. 1).U.S. lifts trade sanctions against China(Feb. 21).U.S. recognizes three former Yugoslav republics(April 7).Gen. Noriega, former Panama leader, convicted in U.S. court(April 9).Four police officers acquitted in Los Angeles beating of Rodney King; rioting erupts in South-Central Los Angeles (April 29et seq.). Caspar W. Weinberger indicted in Iran-Contraaffair(June 16).Last Western hostages freed in Lebanon(June 17).Supreme Court reaffirms right to abortion(June 29).Democrats nominate Bill Clintonand Al Gore(July 1).Gen. Noriega sentenced to 40 years on drug charges(July 10).Court clearsExxon Valdezskipper(July 10).Israeli Parliament approves Yitzhak Rabin's coalition government, dominated by Labor Party(July 13).Police officers acquitted in April on criminal charges in Rodney King beating are indicted on federal civil rights charges(Aug. 5).North American trade compact announced(Aug. 12).Republicans renominate Bush and Quayle(Aug. 20).UN expels Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia(Sept. 22).Senate ratifies second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty(Oct. 1).Top Japanese leader, Shin Kanemaru, resigns in scandal(Oct. 14).Bill Clinton elected president, Al Gore vice president; Democrats keep control of Congress(Nov. 3).Russian Parliament approves START treaty(Nov. 4).U.S. forces leave Philippines, ending nearly a century of American military presence(Nov. 24). CzechoslovakParliament approves separation into two nations(Nov. 25).UN approves U.S.-led force to guard food for Somalia(Dec. 3). Princeand Princess of Walesagree to separate(Dec. 9).Bush pardons former Reagan administration officials involved in Iran-Contra affair(Dec. 24).

1988 World History François Mitterrand (1916–1996) The French Consulate, Boston Benazir Bhutto (1953–2007) Muzammil Paha/Reuters/Archive Photos 1988 U.S. and Canada reach free trade agreement(Jan. 2).Robert C. McFarlane, former National Security Adviser, pleads guilty in Iran-Contracase(March 11).U.S. Navy ship shoots down Iranian airliner in Persian Gulf, mistaking it for jet fighter; 290 killed(July 3).Terrorists kill nine tourists on Aegean cruise(July 11).Democratic convention nominates Gov. Michael Dukakisof Massachusetts for president and Texas senator Lloyd Bentsenfor vice president (July 17et seq.). Republicans nominate George Bushfor president and Indiana senator Dan Quaylefor vice president (Aug. 15et seq.). Plane blast kills Pakistani president Mohammad Zia ul-Haq(Aug. 17).Republicans sweep 40 states in election. Bush beats Dukakis(Nov. 8). Benazir Bhutto, first Islamic woman prime minister, chosen to lead Pakistan(Dec. 2).Pan-Am 747 explodes from terrorist bomband crashes in Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all 259 aboard and 11 on ground(Dec. 21).

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).