Today is Sunday, Feb. 13, the 44th day of 2011. There are 321 days left in the year.

Today’s Highlight in History

On Feb. 13, 1861, Abraham Lincoln was officially declared winner of the 1860 presidential election as electors cast their ballots.

On this date

In 1542, the fifth wife of England’s King Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, was executed for adultery.

In 1935, a jury in Flemington, N.J., found Bruno Richard Hauptmann guilty of first-degree murder in the kidnap-slaying of the son of Charles and Anne Lindbergh.

Five years ago

Auditors reported that millions of dollars in Hurricane Katrina disaster aid had been squandered, paying for such items as a $450 tattoo and $375-dollar-a-day beachfront condos.

One year ago

President Barack Obama delivered a video address to the 7th U.S.-Islamic World Forum meeting in Doha, Qatar, as part of his effort to repair strained U.S. relations with the world’s Muslims.

Today’s Birthdays

Former test pilot Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager is 88. Talk-show host Jerry Springer is 67.

Thought for Today

“The world has no sympathy with any but positive griefs; it will pity you for what you lose, but never for what you lack.”

— Anne Sophie Swetchine,

Author (1782-1857)