Saddam Hussein invades Kuwait. US sends troops to Persian Gulf to prepare for Iraq war. Boris Yeltsin is elected president of Russian Republic and pushes for greater freedom.

Gulf War takes place with loss of only 150 coalition troops. Internet made available to unrestricted commercial use. Number of host computers reaches one million.

Bosnia-Herzegovina declares independence, leading to a three-year war between Muslims, Serbs and Croats and prompting intervention by the UN.

Bill Clinton becomes president. Islamic fundamentalists bomb the World Trade Center.

Channel tunnel opens between England and France.

While the peace process begins in Northern Ireland, the Balkan War is launched in the former Yugoslavia. In Canada, the province of Quebec threatens to become independent.

The DVD video is introduced. Number of Internet host computers reaches 10 million.

Hong Kong is returned to China as UK contract expires.

Terrorist bombing attacks take place in Nairobi and Tanzania, killing 250 and injuring more than 6,000. A car bomb destroys Oklahoma City's federal building.

East Timor breaks away from Indonesian control, ending a twenty four year guerilla war with better than 200,000 casualties. The UN deploys a peace keeping force.