This Day In History: February 11

In 1531, Henry VIII of England was recognized as supreme head of the Church of England.

In 1814, Norway proclaims independence from the Kalmar Union.

In 1858, French peasant girl Bernadette Soubirous said the Virgin Mary appeared to her at Lourdes.

In 1929, Lateran Treaty is signed with Italy recognizing sovereignty of Vatican City.

In 1941, Glenn Miller’s “Chattanooga Choo Choo” is awarded the first gold record, given for sales of 1 million copies.

In 1945, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Soviet leader Josef Stalin ended their wartime conference at Yalta.

In 1965, U.S. and South Vietnamese planes made the first bombing raids on North Vietnam.

In 1970, Japan put a satellite in space, following in the footsteps of the Soviet Union, the United States and France.

In 1987, Corazon Aquino was sworn in for a six-year presidential term under the new Philippine constitution.

In 1990, Nelson Mandela, leader of the movement to end South African apartheid, was released from prison after 27 years behind bars.

In 1992, one police officer was killed and four people injured in a terrorist attack on the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Lima, Peru.

In 1993, British Prime Minister John Major said Queen Elizabeth II will pay income tax on her personal income as well as being subject to capital and inheritance
levies.

In 1998, Olympic officials took away the gold medal of Canadian snowboarder Ross Rebagliati after he tested positive for a minute amount of marijuana.
He blamed second-hand smoke. An arbitration panel restored his medal two days later.

Also in 1998, a U.S. judge ruled that pro golfer Casey Martin, who had trouble walking because of a circulatory disorder, was covered by the Disabilities
Act and should be allowed to compete in PGA events with a golf cart.

In 2002, the Russian figure skating pair won the gold medal in the Winter Olympics over the overwhelming crowd favorite Canadian team but a judging controversy
that grew into an international scandal prompted the International Skating Union to award a gold medal to the Canadians also.

In 2004, the U.S. State Department warned U.S. citizens not to travel to Haiti and urged those already there and who could leave safely to do so.

Also in 2004, two suicide bombings in and near Baghdad killed a reported 100 Iraqis.

In 2005, the White House rejected North Korea’s demand for bilateral talks over its nuclear weapons program.

Also in 2005, playwright Arthur Miller, a fiery moralist whose plays include “Death of a Salesman” and “The Crucible,” died at the age of 89.

In 2006, U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally sprayed Texas lawyer Harry Whittington with about 200 shotgun pellets while hunting for quail, hitting
his friend in the face, neck and torso.

Also in 2006, U.S. adventurer Steve Fossett broke the solo flight record when he landed near Bournemouth, England, covering 24,997 miles after taking off
from Kennedy Space Center in Florida four days earlier.

In 2007, U.S. officials in Baghdad presented evidence that they said indicated the Iranian government was supplying Iraqi Shiite militants with weapons.

In 2008, the Iraqi government accused neighboring Iran of taking over more than 15 oil wells on the Iraq-Iran border. A U.S. report estimated smugglers
pocketed yearly revenues of nearly $4 billion from Iraqi oil.

In 2009, the long, bitter political fight in Zimbabwe apparently was resolved when President Robert Mugabe swore in opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai
as prime minister.