Today is Friday, February 24, the 55th day of 2012. There are 311 days left in the year.
303 ― First official Roman edict for persecution of Christians issued
1582 ― Pope Gregory XIII announces New Style (Gregorian) calendar
1821 ― Mexico gains independence from Spain
1903 ― U.S. signs agreement acquiring a naval station at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
1917 ― Russian revolution breaks out
1924 ― Greek parliament proclaims republic
1933 ― League of Nations tells Japanese to pull out of Manchuria
1946 ― Juan Peron elected President of Argentina
1977 ― President Carter announces U.S. foreign aid will consider human rights
1997 ― Deng Xiaoping, leader of China, cremated (died Feb. 19)