1998

Events

Dated Events

• Real World: January 6. The Lunar Prospector is launched into lunar orbit. Later, it will find evidence for frozen water near the Moon's poles within permanently shadowed craters.

• Real World: January 12. Human cloning is banned in 19 European nations.

• Real World: January 14. In Dallas, Texas, researchers present their findings about an enzyme capable of slowing the aging process.

• Real World: January 20. In Kathmandu, Nepal, police forces intercept a shipment which contains 272 human skulls.

• Real World: January 27. On the Today Show, Hillary Clinton claims the accusations leveled at her husband (U.S. President Bill Clinton) are part of a "vast right-wing conspiracy."

• GURPS Infinite Worlds: February. Paul van Zandt publicly publishes his discoveries in parachronics and announces the incorporation of Infinity Unlimited and its subsidiaries, including White Star Trading, Parachronic Laboratories, and Infinity Development. He also offers parachronic travel and technology to anyone interested, so long as they recognize Infinity's control over it and observe certain limits (such as keeping the Secret). Van Zandt also sets up the Infinity Patrol to enforce Infinity policies over parachronics. National governments react with outrage and almost force Van Zandt to have his technology internationalized and suppressed, until he shows them something in a closed session of the UN Security Council that makes them agree to his terms. The Interworld Treaty is drawn up and ratified by most of the UN member states. (GURPS Time Travel, GURPS Basic Set: Campaigns, GURPS Infinite Worlds)

• Real World: February 19. Two white supremacists are arrested in Henderson, New York, for possession of military-grade anthrax; it was believed they planned to unleash a biological attack on the New York subway.

• Real World: February 23. Osama bin Laden publishes a fatwa that proclaims jihad against all Jews and "Crusaders."

• Real World: April 6. Pakistan tests missiles with enough range to strike India.

• Real World: May 7. iMac released by Apple.

• Real World: May 11. India initiates a second round of nuclear tests.

• Real World: May 18. An antitrust case is filed against Microsoft by the U.S. Department of Justice and 20 states.

• Real World: May 28. Pakistan, responding to India's round of nuclear tests, conducts its own nuclear tests.

• Real World: July 5. Japan launches a probe to Mars.

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Comics), Resident Evil (Novels): July 24. Mysterious deaths outside of Raccoon City are investigated by STARS. Bravo Team goes in first and all contact is lost with them, necessitating the mobilization of Alpha Team, who find that most of the Bravos have perished (all save Rebecca Chambers, who has an adventure all her own with escaped con Billy Coen) and subsequently uncover a conspiracy on the part of Umbrella, Inc. Albert Wesker is revealed as a traitor to STARS and the Spencer Estate is destroyed. (Resident Evil, Resident Evil Zero)

• Real World: August 7. U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania are bombed, killing 224 and wounding 4500.

• Real World: September 7. Google is founded.

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Comics), Resident Evil (Novels): September 27. An attempt to steal the G-Virus from Dr. William Birkin by Umbrella's squad of Cleaners goes awry, resulting in the infection of Raccoon City with the T-Virus. (Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil: Outbreak)

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Comics), Resident Evil (Novels): September 28. The UBCS is dispatched into Raccoon City at about the same time as the Raccoon Police Department falls to the zombie hordes. Jill Valentine makes her "last escape" from Raccoon, joining up with the remnants of the UBCS and constantly being dogged by Nemesis. (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Outbreak)

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Comics), Resident Evil (Novels): September 29. Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield (the latter searching for her brother, Chris) arrive in the city. Mister X is dispatched on a mission to acquire the G-Virus. Jill Valentine and Carlos Oliveria make plans to escape from the city when they learn it is to be bombed. (Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Outbreak)

• Resident Evil, Resident Evil (Novels): September 30. Raccoon City and its undead populace are destroyed with a nuclear bomb by order of the United States government. Known survivors number less than 30. (Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, Resident Evil: Outbreak)

• Real World: October 6. Matthew Shepard, a college student from Wyoming, is found tied to a fence after being the victim of homophobic violence.

• Real World: October 7. The Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Acts is passed by the U.S. Congress.

• Real World: October 12. Matthew Shepard dies from his wounds, becoming a symbol for victims of anti-homosexual violence. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act is passed by the U.S. Congress.

• Real World: November 1. The European Court of Human Rights is established.

• Real World: December 1. Exxon buys Mobil, forming the largest company on the planet.

• Real World: December 6. Hugo Chavez Frias is elected President of Venezuela.

Undated Events

• Back to the Future: Marty McFly Jr. is born. (Unsourced information from Back to the Future timeline)

• Back to the Future: Bottoms Up opens in Courthouse Square in Hill Valley. (Unsourced information from Back to the Future timeline)

• DC (Generations): At Amanda Mason's trial, Knightwing testifies on her behalf, reducing her sentence to ten years. Soon, the two begin to build a relationship. (Superman & Batman: Generations II)

• Space Odyssey: The third Chinese Moon expedition.

New Fictional Works

Notable Books

Inversions by Iain M. Banks, Dinosaur Summer by Greg Bear, Foundation and Chaos by Greg Bear, Bag of Bones by Stephen King, The Last Continent by Terry Pratchett, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling.

Notable Films

Armageddon, Batman: Sub-Zero, Dark City, Deep Impact, Godzilla, Lost in Space, The Mask of Zorro, Pleasantville, Small Soldiers, X-Files: Fight the Future.

Notable Comic Books

Resident Evil.

Notable Television Series

• Beginning: Berserk (Japan), Cowboy Bebop (Japan), The Fantastic Voyages of Sinbad the Sailor begins, Prey, Silver Surfer,

• Continuing: Babylon 5 (Season 5), Beast Wars (Season 3), Buffy the Vampire Slayer (Season 3), Men in Black: The Series (Season 2), Poltergeist: The Legacy (Season 3), Stargate SG-1 (Season 2),Star Trek Voyager (Season 4)

• Ending: Extreme Dinosaurs ends, Extreme Ghostbusters ends, The Incredible Hulk ends, Mummies Alive! ends, Spider-Man ends, The Visitor ends, Zorro ends.

Notable Electronic Games

Resident Evil 2 (Playstation).

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