February 11th

Pope Benedict XVI announces his resignation from February 28, the first pope to resign since 1415.

Singer Whitney Houston was found dead in a hotel room in Beverly Hills, Calif., at age 48. (Her death was later ruled an accidental drowning, with heart disease and cocaine use as contributing factors.).

As a result of the Arab Spring protests, Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak announces his resignation and hands power of the country over to the military.

Democrat John Dingell of Michigan became the longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 53 years of service.

The Defense Department charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with murder and war crimes in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks.

South African resistance leader, Nelson Mandela, was released from prison after more than 27 years.

The Episcopal Church Boston diocese consecrated Barbara Harris as the church's first woman bishop.

Followers of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini seized power in Iran, nine days after the religious leader returned to his home country following 15 years of exile.

Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to head a major party in Britain when she was elected leader of opposition Conservative Party.

Japan became the fourth country to put a satellite into orbit.

American author and poet Sylvia Plath was found dead in London, a suicide. she was 30.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin wrapped up a conference at Yalta in the Crimea by signing a series of agreements on the governance of post-World War II Europe.

The BBC broadcasts Karel Čapek's “R.U.R.”, the world's first science fiction TV program. The Czech play whose abbreviated title stands for “Rossum's Universal Robots” introduced the word “robot” to the English language.

A sit-down strike against General Motors ended with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union.

Lateran Treaty was signed, with Italy recognizing the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City.

Saint Bernadette of Lourdes first saw a vision of the Virgin Mary at Lourdes, France, leading to the foundation of the shrine of Lourdes.

Inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio.

Robert Fulton patented the steamboat.

Lewis and Clark's Shoshone guide Sacajawea gave birth to a son, Jean Baptiste.

Henry VIII recognised as supreme head of Church in England following the schism with Rome.