Conversation so far:
What is the Hiatus?
In December 2000, the group unofficially announced that they were beginning an indefinite hiatus.
what happened in 1998?
released a new song, "Goodbye", before Christmas in 1998.
The song was seen as a tribute to.
tribute to what?
to Geri Halliwell.

Question: what else happened prior to Hiatus?
Self-contained rewrite: Besides Geri Halliwell leaving the group, what else happened prior to the Spice Girls Hiatus?