Examiner Horoscope

Aries
SHED some light on someone else's predicament. It seems you may be privy to important information or some sought after answers.

Taurus
BE GUIDED by your intuition. A judgement is set to go in your favour and you will soon have an important announcement to make.

Gemini
BE PREPARED to let things go and if necessary, to accept defeat gracefully. Sour grapes make a bad vintage. Lucky number:4.

Cancer
SOMEONE is sorry for giving you a hard time and now wishes to make compensation. Be open about your feelings.

Leo
YOU may be known for rash actions in the heat of the moment but when it matters, you have the patience of Job.

Virgo
IN PERSONAL issues, be patient. An impulsive action could set off a chain reaction. Deep feelings are difficult to put into words.

Libra
SOMEONE lets you down but at least now you know where you stand. Become stronger and you can turn the tables.

Scorpio
YOU are one of life's strong survivors but your greatest weakness is your inability to reach out for help or assistance.

Sagittarius
SOMEONE feels like a heel having let you down. Even if the apology is a bit of a dog's dinner, recognise that the regret is sincere.

Capricorn
BLOOD ties are strong and it may fall to you to carry on a family tradition or talent. You are more aware of lineage.

Aquarius
IN WORK or business, the opportunity to travel may arise. You have taken the lead and are breaking new ground.

Pisces
YOU are torn between two places but you can't split yourself in two. Try to find a workable compromise in difficult situations.

FEBRUARY 12

Lincoln's birthday in the US.
Feast day of St Julian the Hospitaller, St Ethelwald of Lindisfarne, St Anthony Kauleas, St Marina of Pelagia, St Meletius and St Ludan.
1713 Florence McMoyer, the last hereditary keeper of the ninth-century Book of Armagh, died. He pawned the book in 1680 in order to travel to London to testify against Oliver Plunkett, but he did not receive the estate he was promised for doing so.
1797 Over 1,000 French troops, led by Irish-American General William Tate, made an unsuccessful attempt to invade Britain.
1809 Abraham Lincoln, 16th President of the United States, born in Kentucky. His Gettysburg Address declared: "All men are created equal."
1809 Charles Darwin, naturalist and author, was born in Shrewsbury. His work, The Origin Of Species, formulated his theory of evolution and natural selection.
1831 Rubber galoshes first went on sale, in Boston, Massachusetts, US.
1898 Henry Lindfield of Brighton became the first motorist to be killed in a car crash a result of a steering failure. He died of shock after a leg amputation.
1912 China became a republic following the overthrow of the Manchu Dynasty.
1916 Clan na Gael in New York is told by Patrick Pearse that guns will be required between Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
1923 The Anglo-Irish Financial Agreement was signed. Under this deal, the Free State Agreed to collect due land annuities (about £3m per annum) and forward them to London. Details of this agreement were kept secret until 1932.
1929 Actress Lillie Langtry, an intimate friend of Edward VII, died.
1973 The first group of US prisoners of war were released from North Vietnam.
1993 The South African government and the ANC reached an agreement on a transitional Government of National Unity in which both parties would be partners for five years.
1997 Compaq, the US multinational PC maker, announced that it was setting up its telecommunications centre in Dublin, creating 550 jobs.

On this day last year
A top American CJD expert, Bruce Evatt, was on his way to Ireland after a CJD scare resulted in the withdrawal of several blood transfusion batches by the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

Birthdays
Steve Backley, athlete, 30; Annette Crosbie, actress, 65; Steve Hackett, rock guitarist (ex-Genesis), 49; 'Prince' Naseem Hamed, boxer, 25; Mick Harford, footballer, 40; Simon MacCorkindale, actor, 47; Chynna Phillips, singer, 31; Franco Zeffirelli, film director, 76.