Central American Indians start uprisings across the region, demanding compensation and autonomy.

American economy enters recession after a long period of expansion.

Inequality in the US at record levels, with 20% of the population controlling nearly 70% of the wealth.

China sends its embryonic navy to seize small islands in the South China Seas. ASEAN protests while America sends naval battle groups to the region.

The Western European Union transforms into the European Legion, an autonomous part of NATO.

European Union reforms its internal structures, government and farm policy amidst continuing economic hardship.

Mercosur expands to include most of South America, and begins talks on a mutual defence treaty.

China stops propping up North Korea. With its economy in tatters, the North Korean government collapses, and decides to take South Korea with it. Chemical-laden missiles hit Seoul, Pohang, and American bases in Okinawa. American airpower levels most of the North within two months.

South Korean and American troops occupy the North despite objections from China. The brief war costs over 340,000 lives, including 46,000 American casualties, mostly from chemical weapons.

DEA secretly releases dozens of tailored bioplagues to exterminate coca, opium and maurijana plantations; unintentional mutation side-effects devastate large tracts of farmland in Central and South America.

Under a new Federal Weapons Statute, large corporations are 'temporarily' granted the right to arm their security personnel with heavy weapons.

Genetics Control Acts establish agencies and limitations on genetic engineering, privacy and testing.

Interbank now ranked sixth-largest in the world, and growing as fast as the Net.

UN chooses Protocol (formerly Anderson-Warwick Worldwide) as its official legal representative.

Computers now capable of speech and listening with limited comprehension.

Bipedal robots taught to walk and navigate difficult terrain at Berkeley Labs in California.

First practical aerodynes developed by American military.

Citizen cards with complete personal info implemented in the EU and America.

Biometric scanners capable of identifying individuals within micro-seconds.

Nearly 3,000 micro-satellites in orbit, with near-daily collisions being reported.

Firestorms rage across American Mid-west after a super-hot summer.

Chemical pollutants from communist era identified as main causes of crop failure in Eastern Europe.