Alcala Yearbook 1998

I"~•··· '' ., . ~

-( Asian economic turmoil triggers global unrest. In October, Hong Kong's stock market crashes. Asian countries receive billions in bailout dollars from the International Monetary Fund.

A Hong Kong reverts to China at 12: I a.rn.. .lulr I. after 156 yearsof British colonial rule. Chinasars HongKongwill continue its Western 11'a1 of lifr and free-market economy.

► A15-day school strike in Ontario, Canada, affects 2.1 million students. Late in October, 128,000 teacherswalk out to protest acontroversial bill that would alter educational funding and centralize government control of education.

Rcutcr~Archi\·ePhotos

-( Montserrat,once called "theEmerald Isleof the Caribbean," is devastated by ongoing eruptions

from avolcano that had been dormant for 400 years. 1\vo-thirds of the populace evacuates.

A Powerful earthquakes in m11ral Italykill 11 people,111d damage

A Governments and businesses world11~de race to remedy the "Year 2000" problem. Unless key computer systems are

art treasures, incl din~centuriesold frescoes by ItalianRcuaissanrr painters, in the B silic,1of SI. Francis of Assisi.

reprogrammed torecognize dales in the new century the world faces the threat of catastrophic failure in critical areas like banking,air safety, public utilities and defense.

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a.a.. sweeps Great Britain - Labor Party leader Tony Blall's landslde election In May 1997 ousts the CollSl!lmhes and makes llair, at 44, Britain's youngest prime minister In 185 years. luricane Paulne slams Into Mexico's Pacific coast in October, causilg flash floods, landsldes and at least 200 falalllles. The resort ~ af Acapulco is heaviydamapd.

~ Halloweru fever seizes France. At thehasr of thr Eiffel Towrr in Paris8.000 µu111pkins arr. displarcd. aud Frenchchildreu partiripatr inan A111erican stvle llalloween celebration.

Aller 32 ~·ears of autocralir rule. President Mobutu Srsr SC"ko of Zaire isdeposed in\ lay 11197 and later dies inexile. Ilis surrrssor. Laurrnt Kahila, changes Zaire's name to De111ocraticRepublic of the Congo.

Thr rr 1uainsof F.nwsl o·'Chr" c;ucvara. martrrecl ~larxisl rrvolulionary, are laid to rrst in Cubii in October. :lo rrarsafter his exerntiou in Bolivia. where his bones rc•ccnth·had brrn fouud.