Famine strikes Northern China as desertification, drought, and mismanagement reduce the already-poisoned soils to dust.

New advances in space technology allow hundreds of corporations to build orbital habitats.

Global ecosphere begins to degenerate, causing anomalous weather, crop failure, congenital genetic disorders, and a poisoning of the food supply. Many species become extinct as the ripple effects of New Mutation spread to all aspects of daily life.

Serb revolt put down by European Legion troopers.

Pacific Conflict Zone quagmire costing hundreds of American lives every week.

Heartlands Association, a conservative Mid-Western farmer's militia, accepts a government contract to legalize its operations in order to reduce crime, subversion and rioting in major cities. The Heartlands clan soon attracts the vast majority of white, middle-class conservative votes and patronage.

Designer drugs help to alleviate massive stress amongst the world's peoples after the horrors of the War. Many 'pharmaceutical' drugs are legalized in the US, though cocaine is still restricted.

International travel becomes expensive and dangerous as virii mutate and strange new diseases creep across the unprotected sections of the world.

Synthesia - a provider of super-pure foods, cosmetics, and biologicals - becomes one of the largest megacorps. Its blatant promotion of Clotis constructs, genegineered pets and pleasure-drugs earns it censure from the Medical Collegium and the West.

Amazonia grows rich helping to rebuild North America.

President Haldeman creates an elite presidential Eagle Guard unit to allegedly enforce discipline among Army generals.