istoryworld
Events relating to asia
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) emerges in India from previous Hindu nationalist groups and wins the first of several general ellections in 1996
Saddam Hussein invades Iran, beginning an 8-year war that will bring massive human cost
Iran releases the US embassy hostages immediately after the end of Jimmy Carter's presidency
Veteran Communist leader Deng Xiaoping secures his position as the real power in China's government
Salman Rushdie's novel Midnight's Children uses the moment of India's independence to launch an adventure in magic realism
The Saudi fundamentalist Osama bin Laden joins the mujaheddin in their fight against the Soviet occupiers of Afghanistan
Israeli Minister of Defence Ariel Sharon heads Israel's invasion of Lebanon to expel the PLO
Yasser Arafat and the PLO move to Tunisia, after being driven out of Lebanon by Israel
Christian militiamen massacre Palestinian refugees in the Sabra and Chatila camps in Lebanon
Hezbollah emerges in Lebanon as an Iranian-sponsored resistance movement against the Israeli occupation of the southern part of the country
The first all-digital synthesizer, the DX7, is put on the market by Yamaha
Philips and Sony jointly introduce a new device, the compact disc
Philippine opposition leader Benigno Aquino is assassinated at Manila International Airport
The Tamil Tigers launch a civil war against the Sinhalese majority in Sri Lanka
Sikh rebels, demanding an independent Punjab, seize the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi uses the army to dislodge militant Sikhs occupying the Golden Temple in Amritsar
Indira Gandhi is assassinated in Delhi by members of her Sikh bodyguard, in retaliation for the desecration of the Golden Temple
Rajiv Gandhi succeeds his mother as leader of the Congress party and prime minister of India
More than 2000 die in the Indian city of Bhopal when toxic gas escapes from a Union Carbide plant
President Reagan's administration breaks a US embargo with secret arms sales to Iran in return for assistance in the release of US hostages in Lebanon
Seven groups of Afghan mujaheddin form a united front against the Soviet army
Corazón Aquino, widow of the assassinated Benigno Aquino, stands against Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines presidential election
After attempting to rig the presidential election to defeat Corazón Aquino, Ferdinand Marcos flees from the Philippines to exile in Hawaii
An Intifada begins against Israeli occupation of Palestinian land
Hamas (acronym in Arabic for 'Movement for Islamic Resistance') is founded in the occupied territories to lead armed resistance against Israel
