Notable Events in History on November 16th

Notable Events in History on November 16th

Today is Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025, marking the 320th day of the year with 45 days remaining. In historical events, Benazir Bhutto became the first woman elected as prime minister of Pakistan in 1988. Oklahoma joined the United States as the 46th state in 1907. The Federal Reserve Banks were established in 12 cities in 1914. President Richard Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act in 1973, allowing the construction of an oil pipeline from the Alaska North Slope to Valdez. An agreement was reached in the 1982 National Football League players' strike. Tragedy struck in 1989 when Salvadoran army troops killed six Jesuit priests, a housekeeper, and her daughter in San Salvador. In 2001, a letter containing anthrax was found addressed to Senator Patrick Leahy. The first Harry Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," premiered worldwide in 2001. Following the 2006 midterm elections, Rep. Nancy Pelosi was nominated by the Democratic caucus to become the first female House speaker. In 2018, it was revealed that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. NASA launched the uncrewed Orion space capsule from the Kennedy Space Center in 2022, marking the resumption of lunar exploration 50 years after the Apollo program ended.