In History, Today on July 16

The European Parliament elected Ursula von der Leyen as the first female President of the European Commission. Her election marked a significant moment in EU history, as she became the first woman to hold the position.

US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Helsinki.

A series of shootings occurred at two military installations in Chattanooga, Tennessee, resulting in the deaths of four U.S. Marines and one Navy sailor. The gunman was also killed in a shootout with police.

The European Union imposed a record fine of €1.7 billion on a group of companies for operating a cartel in the automotive industry, specifically in the market for automotive bearings.

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir on charges of genocide in Darfur, marking the first time the ICC charged a sitting head of state with genocide.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck Niigata Prefecture in Japan, causing significant damage and resulting in the deaths of at least 11 people. The earthquake also led to a fire and radiation leak at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant.

The sixth book in the Harry Potter series, 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,' was released worldwide. The book sold nine million copies in the first 24 hours, setting a record at the time.

Millennium Park, a public park located in the Loop community area of Chicago, Illinois, officially opened to the public. It features a variety of public art installations and is a popular tourist destination.

Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 collided with Jupiter, providing the first direct observation of an extraterrestrial collision of solar system objects.

An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale strikes Luzon, Philippines, causing significant damage and loss of life.

A powerful earthquake struck in the Iranian region of Golbaf, resulting in significant casualties and damage.

Saddam Hussein becomes the President of Iraq, succeeding Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr.

Apollo 11, the first manned mission to land on the Moon, is launched from Kennedy Space Center.

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is published for the first time.

The United States conducts the first test of a nuclear weapon, codenamed Trinity, in the New Mexico desert.

Augusto Sandino began the Nicaraguan guerrilla war against U.S. occupation with an attack on the Marine garrison at Ocotal.

The Vatican I Ecumenical Council formally adopted the dogma of papal infallibility, defining it as a matter of Catholic faith.

Union General Irvin McDowell's army began marching from Washington, D.C., to Manassas, Virginia, marking the start of the First Battle of Bull Run, the first major land battle of the American Civil War.

The French army under Marshall Bugeaud bombarded the citadel of Rome, which had been under the control of the Roman Republic. This event was part of French intervention in the Italian unification process and led to the restoration of Pope Pius IX's temporal power.

The U.S. Marine Corps was re-established as part of the United States Navy by the Act of July 11, 1798.

The Residence Act is signed into law, establishing a site along the Potomac River as the District of Columbia and the future capital of the United States.

Father Junípero Serra founds Mission San Diego de Alcalá, the first of the 21 California missions.

The first banknotes in Europe are issued by the Bank of Stockholm.

The setting of the Peace of Augsburg in Germany allowing for the coexistence of Catholicism and Lutheranism in the Holy Roman Empire.

Public announcement of King Charles of Spain becoming Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Kissing is banned in England to prevent the spread of the plague.

The Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa took place, marking a significant turning point in the Reconquista.

The Great Schism between the Western (Roman Catholic) and Eastern (Orthodox) branches of Christianity is traditionally dated to this day, when Pope Leo IX's legate excommunicated Patriarch Michael I Cerularius of Constantinople.

The Battle of Spercheios takes place, where the Byzantine forces under General Nikephoros Ouranos defeat the Bulgarian army led by Tsar Samuel.

The Islamic calendar begins with the Hijra, the migration of the Prophet Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, marking the start of the Islamic era.