In History, Today on March 31

The World Health Organization reported that the global number of confirmed COVID-19 cases surpassed 750,000, as countries around the world implemented lockdowns and other measures to curb the pandemic.

Ukraine held the first round of its presidential election, with comedian Volodymyr Zelensky winning the most votes.

The 'March for Our Lives' rallies took place across the United States and around the world, organized by student survivors of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting to advocate for gun control legislation.

The United Kingdom formally triggered Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, beginning the process of Brexit.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentenced Radovan Karadžić to 40 years in prison for genocide and war crimes.

The United Nations authorized airstrikes against forces loyal to Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, who refused to concede defeat in the presidential elections.

President Barack Obama announced plans to open up large areas of the U.S. East Coast to offshore oil and gas drilling.

Britain completes the handover of the Maysan province in southern Iraq to local Iraqi forces, marking a significant step in the devolution of security responsibilities by coalition forces.

Terri Schiavo, a woman in a persistent vegetative state, died after a lengthy legal battle over her right to die.

Four American private military contractors were ambushed and killed in Fallujah, Iraq, leading to the First Battle of Fallujah.

The Major League Baseball strike ended after 232 days, leading to a late start to the 1995 season.

The Warsaw Pact, a collective defense treaty established by the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republics in Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War, was formally dissolved.

Jimi Hendrix set fire to his guitar on stage for the first time at the Astoria Theatre in London, an iconic moment in rock music history.

The Soviet Union launched Luna 10, which later became the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon.

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, crossed the border into India after a 15-day trek escaping Chinese authorities, seeking asylum as the Chinese People's Liberation Army moved into Tibet.

Newfoundland officially joined the Canadian Confederation as Canada's tenth province.

An earthquake measuring approximately 6.0 on the Richter scale struck Managua, Nicaragua, causing extensive damage and loss of life.

The United States took possession of the Danish West Indies after paying $25 million to Denmark, renaming the territory the United States Virgin Islands.

The Witte railway accident occurred when a steam engine derailed while attempting to cross a bridge that had collapsed near Dortmund.

The Eiffel Tower was officially completed in Paris, France. It was designed by Gustave Eiffel and became a global cultural icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel was first published, originally established as the Daily Sentinel.

The Territory of Wisconsin is created by an act of the United States Congress.

Future founder of German aesthetic romanticism, Friedrich Hölderlin, wrote a letter to his brother detailing his philosophical outlook.

The British Parliament passed the Boston Port Act, effectively closing the port of Boston in response to the Boston Tea Party.

The premiere of Johann Sebastian Bach's 'St John Passion' took place.

The first organized Jewish community in North America was established.

The Alhambra Decree was issued by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, ordering the expulsion of practicing Jews from the Kingdoms of Castile and Aragon and its territories by July 31, 1492.

At the Battle of Montichiari, Bernabò Visconti, Lord of Milan, repels the invasion of the Ghibellines and defeats the forces led by Pandolfo II Malatesta.

The Sicilian Vespers rebellion against Charles of Anjou leads to the massacre of thousands of French inhabitants in Sicily, marking the beginning of the War of the Sicilian Vespers.

On March 31, 988, the city of Magdeburg was granted the status of an archbishopric by Emperor Otto III. This event was significant in the Christianization and political consolidation of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Battle of the Trench (also known as the Battle of Khandaq) concluded. This was a pivotal moment during the early Islamic period where the Muslim community in Medina, led by the Prophet Muhammad, successfully defended the city against a coalition of Meccan tribes.

On March 31, 307, the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great married Fausta, the daughter of the former Emperor Maximian. This marriage was politically significant as it strengthened Constantine's position within the Tetrarchy, the system of rule by four emperors, and helped consolidate his power.