Summary of the Day ✨ 11 February (11/02)
Alexander Stubb was elected as Finland’s 13th president while the World Health Organization officially named the coronavirus outbreak COVID-19, with a deadly plane crash in Russia and North Korean missile testing overshadowing these developments.
Historical Events 📜
- 2024: 2024 Finnish presidential election: Alexander Stubb is elected as the 13th president of Finland.
- 2020: COVID-19 pandemic: The World Health Organization officially names the coronavirus outbreak as COVID-19, with the virus being designated SARS-CoV-2.
- 2018: Saratov Airlines Flight 703 crashes near Moscow, Russia with 71 deaths and no survivors.
- 2017: North Korea test fires a ballistic missile across the Sea of Japan.
- 2016: A man shoots seven people dead at an education center in Jizan Province, Saudi Arabia.
- 2015: A university student is murdered as she resists an attempted rape in Turkey, sparking nationwide protests and public outcry against harassment and violence against women.
- 2015: The European Space Agency’s Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle is launched on a Vega rocket.
- 2014: A military transport plane crashes in a mountainous area of Oum El Bouaghi Province in eastern Algeria, killing 77 people.
- 2013: The Vatican confirms that Pope Benedict XVI will resign the papacy as a result of his advanced age.
- 2013: Militants claiming to be from the Sultanate of Sulu invade Lahad Datu District, Sabah, Malaysia, beginning the Lahad Datu standoff.
- 2011: Arab Spring: The first wave of the Egyptian revolution culminates in the resignation of Hosni Mubarak and the transfer of power to the Supreme Military Council after 17 days of protests.
- 2008: Rebel East Timorese soldiers seriously wound President José Ramos-Horta. Rebel leader Alfredo Reinado is killed in the attack.
- 2001: A Dutch programmer launches the Anna Kournikova virus infecting millions of emails via a trick photo of the tennis star.
- 2000: Space Shuttle Endeavour is launched on STS-99 to conduct the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission.
- 1999: Pluto crosses Neptune’s orbit, ending a nearly 20-year period when it was closer to the Sun than the gas giant; Pluto is not expected to interact with Neptune’s orbit again until 2231.
Famous Births 👶
- 2002: Liam Lawson, New Zealand racing driver
- 2001: Bryan Gil, Spanish footballer
- 2000: Nassir Little, American basketball player
- 1998: Trent Frederic, American ice hockey player
- 1998: Josh Jacobs, American football player
- 1998: Khalid, American singer and songwriter
- 1997: Damien Harris, American football player
- 1997: Mike Hughes, American football player
- 1997: Hubert Hurkacz, Polish tennis player
- 1997: Rosé, New Zealand-South Korean singer and dancer
- 1997: Zavier Simpson, American basketball player
- 1996: Daniil Medvedev, Russian tennis player
- 1996: Jonathan Tah, German footballer
- 1996: Lucas Torreira, Uruguayan footballer
- 1995: Milan Škriniar, Slovak footballer
Notable Deaths 🕊️
- 2026: James Van Der Beek, American actor (born 1977)
- 2025: Betsy Arakawa, American classical pianist (born 1959)
- 2025: Moses Lim, Singaporean actor (born 1949)
- 2024: Allen J. Bard, American chemist (born 1933)
- 2024: Kelvin Kiptum, African long-distance runner(born 1999)
- 2023: Donald Spoto, American biographer (born 1941)
- 2018: Vic Damone, American singer, songwriter and actor (born 1928)
- 2018: Asma Jahangir, Pakistani human-rights lawyer and social activist (born 1952)
- 2018: Jan Maxwell, American stage and television actress (born 1956)
- 2018: Qazi Wajid, Pakistani drama actor, writer and artist (born 1930)
- 2017: Fab Melo, Brazilian basketball player (born 1990)
- 2017: Jaap Rijks, Dutch Olympian (born 1919)
- 2017: Trish Doan, Korean-Canadian musician (born 1985)
- 2016: Kevin Randleman, American mixed martial artist and wrestler (born 1971)
- 2016: Zeng Xuelin, Thai-Chinese footballer and manager (born 1929)
Holidays & Observances 🎉
- Christian feast day:
Blaise Eastern Orthodox liturgics - Christian feast day:
Cædmon, first recorded Christian poet in England, c. 680 CE (Anglicanism) - Christian feast day:
Gobnait - Christian feast day:
Gregory II - Christian feast day:
Lazarus of Milan - Christian feast day:
Peter of Jesus Maldonado - Christian feast day:
Soteris - Christian feast day:
February 11 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics) - European 112 Day (European Union)
- Armed Forces Day (Liberia)
- Evelio Javier Day (Panay Island, the Philippines)
- Feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes (Catholic Church), and its related observance
World Day of the Sick (Roman Catholic Church) - Inventors’ Day (United States)
- National Foundation Day (Japan)
- Youth Day (Cameroon)