Today in History: The entire action of the novel “Ulysses” by James Joyce takes place on this day

The following are some major events to have taken place on June 16:

1779 - Spain declares war on Great Britain in support of France and the USA, starting the Great Siege of Gibraltar which goes on to last 3 years, 7 months and 2 weeks.

1904 – The entire action of the novel “Ulysses” by James Joyce takes place on this day. It is celebrated internationally as “Bloomsday” after the main character, Leopold Bloom.

1940 – Marshal Philippe Petain was asked to form a new government in Vichy France – the German-controlled but unoccupied area of France after the Nazi invasion.

1999 – In South Africa, Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as president in succession to Nelson Mandela.

2000 – Japan’s Dowager Empress Nagako, the widow of Emperor Hirohito, died.

2000 - Israel complies with UN Security Council Resolution 425 after 22 years, which calls on Israel to completely withdraw from Lebanon. Israel withdraws from all of Lebanon, except the disputed Sheba Farms.

2001 – A left-wing alliance ousted Berlin’s conservative mayor, paving the way for ex-communists to enter city government for the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

2001 – Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa was officially handed back to the city after 11 years of work to prevent it toppling over.

2004 – Former Thai prime minister Field Marshal Thanom Kittikachorn died aged 93.

2006 – Nepal’s government agreed to dissolve parliament and set up an interim administration including Maoist rebels.

2006 – Taiwan opened the 13-km (8-mile) Hsuehshan Tunnel, the longest road tunnel in Asia, to link the northern part of the island to the south.

2007 – Rock singer Rod Stewart marries model Penny Lancaster.

2008 – U.S. Midwest is hit by the worst flooding in 15 years.

(Reuters)