On this day in history - December 11

What Happened On This Day – December 11

• 2008 Bernard Madoff arrested

  Popularly known as Bernie Madoff, the founder and chairman of Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC, was arrested and subsequently convicted of fraud. The Ponzi scheme he was involved in was the biggest such fraud in the history of the United States.

• 1997 Kyoto Protocol adopted

  The Protocol is a part of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, an international treaty that calls for the restriction of greenhouse gasses by the signatories. The United States signed the treaty but did not ratify it.

• 1946 UNICEF established

  The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, a U.N. affiliate organization that works for the welfare of children around the world, was founded on this day.

• 1941 U.S. declares war on Germany and Italy

  The U.S. responded to Italy and Germany's declaration of war, by declaring war on the two countries.

• 1936 King Edward VIII abdicates from the British throne

  King Edward VIII abdicated from the British throne to marry American Wallis Warfield Simpson.