Today is Wednesday, March 3, the 62nd day of 2010. There are 303 days left in the year.
78 _ Origin of Saka Era (India)
1861 _ Russian Tsar Alexander II abolishes serfdom
1875 _ Georges Bizet's opera ``Carmen" premieres (Paris, France)
1919 _ Communist Party in Germany announces a general strike
1943 _ U.S. defeats Japan and wins Battle of Bismark Sea
1955 _ Elvis Presley makes his first TV appearance
1956 _ Morocco gains independence from France (anniversary of throne)
1974 _ World's worst air disaster, Turkish DC-10 crashes in Paris, France (346 die)
1991 _ Los Angeles police severely beat Rodney King, captured on amateur video, providing causes for a big riot later
1991 _ Switzerland votes on lowering voting age from 20 to 18