April 11 : Life never stops. But that doesn't mean you can't take a break.

On this day, 11 Apr...

1814 - Napoleon abdicates unconditionally; he is exiled to Elba.

1876 - The stenotype was patented by John C. Zachos of New York City. This was the first U.S. patent for a device for printing legible text in the English alphabet at a high reporting speed. He called his new system of shorthand "Stenophonotypy."

1942 - All-India Congress party rejects British offer of dominion status at New Delhi.

1943 - Frank Piasecki, Philadelphia engineer, and Vertol founder flew his first (single-rotor) helicopter, the second successful American helicopter to fly. (Igor Sikorsky, a Russian-born engineer in Bridgeport, had piloted the first successful flight in 1939).

1951 - US President Harry Truman fires Gen Douglas MacArthur after the latter made public statements which contradicted the administration's policies. MacArthur was a popular hero of World War II who was then the commander of United Nations forces fighting in the Korean War, and his relief remains a controversial topic in the field of civil-military relations.

1952 - Parkinson's disease was successfully treated with surgery for the first time, by Dr. Irving Cooper, though more by happenstance.

1952 - Treaty between France and India, transferring the former French settlement of Chandranagar to India, is ratified by the National Assembly, Paris. It was the last formal step in completing the process of sovereignty.

1957 - A Ryan X-13 Vertijet became the first jet to take-off and land vertically. The airplane made history when it completed a first full-cycle flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California. It took off vertically from its mobile trailer, rose into the air, nosed over into a level attitude, and flew for several minutes. It then reversed the procedure for vertical flight and slowly descended to its trailer for a safe landing.

1964 - Communist Party of India was divided into two parts. Firstly known as Communist Party of India [CPI], its second fragmentation was named as Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]. This division was on ideological differences at the international level.

1972 - A smoking deterrent - a pseudo-cigarette package that produces simulated coughing sounds when the package is picked up - was issued a patent. The invention was also suggested for use as an advertising novelty.

1984 - Chinese troops invade Vietnam.

1993 - Tamil Nadu and Karnataka decide to form a joint task force to nab Veerappan and announces a reward of Rs. 40 lakh for his capture.

2011 - In France, a law banning wearing the burqa and hijab goes into effect.

Born

1755 - James Parkinson, English physician, who was the first to describe the neuromuscular disease which is now known by his name as Parkinson's disease.

1869 - Kasturba Gandhi.

1913 - Gope, actor.

1937 - Ramnath Krishnan, well known Indian Tennis player.

1955 - Rohini Hattangadi, actor.

You may have known…

Independent analysts say Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI funds and otherwise support the militancy in Kashmir.