TODAY IN HISTORY

Tuesday, February  11, 2014 AP Highlight in History:  On Feb. 11, 2011, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigned in the face of massive protests after three decades of authoritarian rule.   AP Photo/Hussein Malla
On this date in: 1847 Inventor Thomas Alva Edison was born in Milan, Ohio. 1858 A French girl, Bernadette Soubirous, claimed to have seen a vision of the Virgin Mary near Lourdes. 1929 Italy recognized the independence and sovereignty of Vatican City. 1937 A sit-down strike against General Motors ended with the company agreeing to recognize the United Automobile Workers Union. 1945 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. AP Photo 1963 American author and poet Sylvia Plath was found dead in London, a suicide; she was 30. 1975 Margaret Thatcher became the first woman to head a major party in Britain when she was elected leader of opposition Conservative Party. 1979 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. AP correspondent Tom Kent reports from Tehran 1990 South African black activist Nelson Mandela was freed after 27 years in captivity. AP Photo 2008 The Defense Department charged Khalid Sheikh Mohammed with murder and war crimes in connection with the Sept. 11 attacks. 2009 Democrat John Dingell of Michigan became the longest-serving member of the U.S. House of Representatives with more than 53 years of service. 2009 President Robert Mugabe swore in longtime rival Morgan Tsvangirai as Zimbabwe's prime minister. 2012 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.)		Video HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS DAY IN HISTORY Today's Birthdays: Actress Jennifer Aniston turns 45 years old today. AP Photo/Evan Agostini Name Profession Age Conrad Janis Actor ("Mork and Mindy") 86 Tina Louise Actress ("Gilligan's Island") 80 Burt Reynolds Actor 78 Gerry Goffin Songwriter 75 Sergio Mendes Bandleader 73 Jeb Bush Former governor of Florida, brother of former President George W. Bush 61 Carey Lowell Actress ("Law and Order") 53 Tammy Baldwin U.S. senator, D-Wis. 52 Sheryl Crow Rock singer, musician 52 Sarah Palin Former governor of Alaska 50 Brandy R&B singer, actress 35 Matthew Lawrence Actor 34 Kelly Rowland R&B singer (Destiny's Child) 33 Taylor Lautner Actor ("Twilight" movies) 22 Actor Damian Lewis ("Homeland") turns 43 years old today. AP Photo/Joel Ryan