1999

Events

Dated Events

Real World: January 1. The Euro is introduced.

• Real World: January 20. In China, restrictions are announced on Internet access, particularly at Internet cafes.

• Real World: January 21. Over 9500 pounds of Cocaine are seized by the U.S. Coast Guard from a ship bound for Houston, Texas. This is one of the biggest drug busts in U.S. history.

• Real World: February 7. Abdullah II becomes King of Jordan after the death of his father Hussein.

• Real World: February 11. Pluto's orbit makes it the ninth planet once more (it switched to eighth in 1979).

• Real World: February 12. U.S. President Bill Clinton is acquitted in his impeachment trial.

• Real World: March 24. NATO launches air strikes on Yugoslavia after its refusal to sign a peace treaty.

• Real World: April 20. An attack by teenagers Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold on their fellow studenta at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado- in which they killed 12 students, one teacher and themselves- shocks America.

• Real World: May 17. Ehud Barak becomes Prime Minister of Israel.

• Real World: May 26. The Kargil War begins when the Indian Air Force launches a strike against Pakistan-backed militants in disputed Kashmir.

• View Askewniverse, Scream: Summer. Jay and Silent Bob take a trip to Hollywood. While on a tour at Sunrise Studios, the pair catches sight of famous reporter Gale Weathers. (Scream 3; this would seem to indicate that the Scream trilogy and the View Askewniverse take place in the same universe.)

• Real World: June 2. The King of Bhutan permits the first television broadcasts in his country.

• Real World: June 8. Colombia announces that it will include the estimated value of their illegal drug crops in their gross national product.

• Real World: June 12. U.N. peacekeepers enter Kosovo.

• Real World: July 11. Kargil is recaptured by India after Pakistan pulls out its troops and supported militants in the face of international condemnation. End of the Kargil War.

• Digimon: August. Events of Digimon season 1.

• Real World: August 11. A total solar eclipse is viewed in Europe and Asia.

• Real World: August 17. An earthquake strikes northwestern Turkey, resulting in more than 17,000 deaths and more than 44,000 injuries.

• Real World: August 19. Tens of thousands of Serbians rally to demand that Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic resign.

• Real World: October 12. A military coup places Pervez Musharraf in control of Pakistan. The U.N. estimates that the 6 billionth human on Earth is born on this day.

• Real World: November 28. In Thornton Heath in London, a man wielding a samurai sword enters St. Andrews Catholic Church and injures 11 people.

• Real World: November 30. Anti-globalization protests in Seattle, Washington, catch police unaware, leading to the cancellation of the opening ceremonies of World Trade Organization's meeting there.

• Real World: December 2. The Northern Ireland Executive assumes full political power from the United Kingdom.

• Real World: December 3. Radio contact is lost by NASA with their Mars Polar Lander.

• Real World: December 20. Macau is returned to the People's Republic of China.

• Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Expanded Universe): December 30. At night, the Seventh Doctor makes an emergency landing of the TARDIS in San Francisco, thanks to the Master. The Doctor is shot and dies on the operating table, regenerating into his eighth incarnation. (Doctor Who (The Enemy Within))

• Doctor Who, Doctor Who (Expanded Universe): December 31. The Eighth Doctor and Dr. Grace Holloway stop the Master from stealing the Doctor's remaining incarnations with the Eye of Harmony; the Master is seemingly destroyed. (Doctor Who (The Enemy Within))

• Doctor Who (Expanded Universe): December 31. At midnight, the physics of the past universe of the Great Intelligence and the future universe of Saraquazel are both briefly overlaid on the current reality when Saraquazel is summoned and an attempt to banish the Intelligence fails; ten real minutes later, the normal universe is restored, thanks to the Sixth Doctor and Mel. Meanwhile, following the Master's plot in San Francisco, the Eye of Harmony's energies leave lasting damage to local space-time. (Millennial Rites, Unnatural History)

• Futurama: December 31. Fry delivers a pizza to Applied Cryogenics- along the way, his girlfriend breaks up with him. Upon arriving, he finds out the pizza order was a crank-call. At midnight, he accidently falls into a cryogenic chamber and gets frozen for 1000 years. ("Space Pilot 3000")

• Real World: December 31. Boris Yelstin resigns as President of Russia, and is replaced by Vladimir Putin.

Undated Events

• Castlevania: Dracula arises again, only to be sealed into his castle in an eclipse by a band of warriors. (Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow)

• DC (Generations): Bruce Wayne reveals to Bruce Wayne Jr. that he took over Ra's al Ghul's criminal empire 20 years prior (having defeated Ra's in a battle in the Lazarus Pit and become immortal as a result), and turned it into a force for good. He turns it over to Bruce Jr., and resumes the role of Batman. Bruce Sr. releases Superman from the Phantom Zone, and Superman regains his powers thanks to a formula left behind by the Ultra-Humanite. The formula also grants Kryptonian powers to Knightwing. Superman later leaves Earth. (Superman & Batman: Generations)

• Godzilla (Showa): The United Nations by this time have set up Ogasawara Island as a sort-of preserve and prison for the various kaiju, including Godzilla. The Kilaaks release the monsters and control them in a bid to conquer Earth, but are ultimately stopped and the kaiju returned to Ogasawara. (Destroy All Monsters)

• GURPS Infinite Worlds: The United Nations establishes the colony world Sanctuary for Homeline's refugee populations. (GURPS Infinite Worlds)

• Kill Bill: Beatrix Kiddo learns that she's pregnant and leaves the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad. Several months later on the day of her wedding rehearsal, Bill and the DiVAS track her down, and massacre the entire wedding party. Bill's bullet puts Beatrix in a coma that lasts four years. (Kill Bill)

• Kill Bill: While in her coma, Beatrix gives birth to BB; she is adopted by Bill. Later the same year, Vernita Green marries Dr. Bell and they have a daughter, Nikki Bell. (Kill Bill, Kill Bill Volume 2)

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Novels): Claire Redfield attempts to break into Umbrella, Inc.'s corporate headquarters in Paris, France, but is captured by Rodrigo Juan Raval and taken to Rockfort Island. Espionage forces led by Albert Wesker attack Rockfort, resulting in Claire being released. She and fellow prisoner Steve Burnside clash with Alfred Ashford; they are forced to flee the island and wind up in Antarctica. Chris Redfield comes looking for Claire and clashes with Wesker; he follows Claire to Antarctica, where they reunite and defeat the resurrected Alexia Ashford. (Resident Evil: Code Veronica)

• Star Trek, Star Trek (Expanded Universe): Voyager 6 is launched from Earth. The probe will eventually become V'Ger. The New York Yankees have one of their best years. (Star Trek: The Motion Picture, "Past Tense" Part II (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine))

• Transformers (Dreamwave): The Ark II is constructed, with which the Autobots and seven selected humans (including "Sparkplug" Witwicky) plan to return to Cybertron with the defeated Decepticons. However, during its launch, it exploded in mid-air. (The cause was later revealed to be sabotage, although that fact did not become publicly known.) (Transformers (1st Dreamwave Series) #1)

• X-Men (Films): A young girl in Mississipi named Marie attends a school social event. Her power to leech energy through physical contact accidently knocks a young man out cold. (X-Men movie adaptation)

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

Darwin's Radio by Greg Bear, Timeline by Michael Crichton, Hannibal by Thomas Harris, Apollyon by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, Assassins by Jerry Jenkins and Tim LaHaye, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King, Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King, The Fifth Elephant by Terry Pratchett, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling, Battle Royale by Koushun Takami.

Notable Films

The Blair Witch Project, Galaxy Quest, The Green Mile, The Haunting, The Matrix, The Mummy, The Sixth Sense, Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace, Tarzan, The 13th Warrior, Toy Story 2, Wild Wild West, The World is Not Enough.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Angel, Babylon 5: Crusade, Beast Machines, Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, The Big O (Japan), Farscape.

• Continuing: Buffy the Vampire Slayer,Star Trek Voyager (Season 5), Men in Black: The Series (Season 3).

• Ending: Babylon 5, Beast Wars, The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor, Poltergeist: The Legacy (Season 4).

Notable Electronic Games

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (Playstation).

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