NOW & THEN
11 FEBRUARY
1531: King Henry VIII was recognised as supreme head of the Church in England.
1889: Constitution was granted in Japan, with two-chamber Diet, but Emperor retained extensive powers.
1922: Nine-power treaty was signed in Washington for securing China’s independence and maintaining “open door”.
1922: United States and Japan signed naval agreement.
1929: Lateran Treaty established Vatican City.
1956: Traitors Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean appeared in Moscow after escaping from UK.
1962: U2 spy pilot Captain Francis Gary Powers returned to United States after Soviets released him in exchange for Colonel Rudolf Abel.
1963: United States recognised new government in Iraq after revolt.
1967: Military rule was imposed in Peking during civil strife in China.
1968: Communist troops executed 300 civilians in South Vietnam and buried them in mass grave during fighting for the city of Hue.
1970: Japan launched its first earth satellite.
1971: Treaty banning nuclear weapons from ocean floor was signed by 63 nations in ceremonies in Washington, London and Moscow.
1975: Margaret Thatcher became the first woman leader of a British political party at the age of 49.
1990: Mike Tyson knocked out by James Douglas in tenth round of fight in Japan, but Tyson’s camp accused referee of mistiming a count in the eighth round when Douglas should have lost. The bout was later declared void.
1990: Nelson Mandela freed after 27 years in prison in South Africa.
1991: British Rail gave as reason for chaos in the bad weather “the wrong kind of snow, like fine talcum powder”.
1991: Iraqi radio mocked United States defence chiefs’ visit to Middle East as a sign of defeatism.
1993: John Major told the Commons that the Queen would pay income tax and capital gains tax on her private income.
1994: Spanish sea captain found guilty of smuggling £100 million of cocaine into Scotland.
1997: was Telescope. to 2001: the sailor globe 2008: service fastest launched to in Space Ellen Tolls a circumnavigate single-handed the woman Mcarthur ended Shuttle Hubble on a mission and on Discovery Space the became youngest the race. Forth and 2009: Bobby England Tay Moore’s David road caps bridges. Beckham for record an outfield of equalled 108 player substitute friendly after match in coming a 2-0 against defeat on as Spain. in a a
2011: culminated The Egyptian in the resignation revolution of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 18 days of protests.
2013: Pope Benedict XVI made the surprise announcement that he was to retire at the end of the month. It was the first case of retiring pope in 600 years.
BIRTHDAYS
Sheryl Crow, singer and songwriter, 57; Ross Finnie, former MSP and minister for environment and rural development, 72; Damian Lewis OBE, British actor, 48; Dame Mary Quant, British fashion designer, 85; Neil Archibald Primrose, 7th Earl of Rosebery & 3rd Earl of Midlothian, 90; Dennis Skinner, Labour MP
ANNIVERSARIES
Births: 1800 William Fox Talbot, photography pioneer; 1847 Thomas Alva Edison, American inventor of the electric light; 1920 Farouk, last King of Egypt; 1926 Sir Alexander Gibson, conductor and musical director; 1934 John Surtees CBE, British motorcycle and motor racing champion; 1936 Burt Reynolds, US actor, director and producer.
Deaths: 1650 Rene Descartes, philosopher; 1868 Jean Foucault, French physicist who invented gyroscope and first measured speed of light; 1940 John Buchan, First Baron Tweedsmuir, novelist (The Thirty-nine Steps), governor-general of Canada; 1993 Brian Inglis, broadcaster and writer; 2006 Peter Benchley, author (Jaws); 2010 Alexander Mcqueen CBE, British fashion designer; 2012 Whitney Houston,us singer and actress.