1955, 31 March
A state of emergency is declared by the French government in Algeria.
1960, 31 March
Under the recently declared state of emergency in South Africa (which followed the Sharpeville Massacre), 300 Black Africans are reported jailed and four more shot.
1992, 31 March
Sanctions are imposed on Libya by the UN after it refuses to hand over two men suspected of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie (22 December 1988).
1994, 31 March
The discovery, in Ethiopia, of a complete skull of Australopithecus afarensis is announced by Nature magazine.
