Nicosia, Cyprus. A series of significant events took place on March 31 across several decades, ranging from political developments to major incidents and deaths.
1959
The Dalai Lama, fleeing Chinese repression of an uprising in Tibet, arrived at the Indian border and was granted political asylum.
1970
Lesotho’s prime minister, Leabua Jonathan, announced that King Moshoeshoe II was leaving the country indefinitely and Queen Mamohato would act as regent.
1980
U.S. athlete Jesse Owens died. He won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics but Hitler refused to shake his hand because he was black.
1992
An Israeli woman, 51, gave birth to twins.
2002
A suicide bomber blew himself up in a busy restaurant in the northern Israeli port city of Haifa, killing at least 15 people and injuring 44.
2003
Mladen Naletilic and Vinko Martinovic, two Bosnian Croats nicknamed “Tuta” and “Stela”, were jailed for 20 years and 18 years respectively for crimes against humanity during a 1993-94 ethnic cleansing campaign in Bosnia.
2004
Freddy Adu, 14, became the youngest professional player in American team sports.
2005
Terri Schiavo, a brain-damaged Florida woman, died 13 days after her tube feeding was halted under orders from a U.S. court.
2005
Lithuanian stunt performers set a world record for the longest time inside an ice cube.
Which of these March 31 events do you consider most significant?
