On This Day for February 16 - Power in Cuba seized by Fidel Castro, Kim Jong Il is featured, and more

This message contains graphics. If you do not see the graphics, [click here to view](. February 16 [Kim Jong Il]( FEATURED BIOGRAPHY 1941 Kim Jong Il [READ MORE]( [Castro, Fidel]( FEATURED EVENT 1959 Power in Cuba seized by Fidel Castro [READ MORE]( Advertisement Advertisement MORE EVENTS ON THIS DAY [Boutros Boutros-Ghali, 1996.] 2016: Egyptian scholar and statesman [Boutros Boutros-Ghali]( as [UN]( [secretary-general]( (1992–96), vigorously supported UN mediation in post-[Cold War]( strife and oversaw lengthy and difficult peacekeeping operations in several war-torn countries—died at age 93. [Kyoto Protocol] 2005: The [Kyoto Protocol]( an international treaty aimed at reducing the emission of gases that contribute to [global warming]( went into effect. [Chicago Blackhawks players Jonathan Toews (left) and Dustin Byfuglien battling for the puck in a Western Conference finals play-off game against the San Jose Sharks, May 23, 2010.] 2005: The [NHL]( became the first North American professional sports league to cancel an entire season; the 2004–05 season was canceled after the collective-bargaining agreement between the owners and the players' union ran out. [Katharine Cornell.] 1893: [Katharine Cornell]( one of the most-celebrated American stage actresses from the 1920s to the 1950s, was born in Germany. [The Thirty Years' War.] 1620: [Frederick William]( the Great Elector of Brandenburg in 1640–88, who restored the [Hohenzollern]( dominions after the devastations of the [Thirty Years' War]( was born. [McEnroe, John] 1959: American [tennis]( player [John McEnroe]( was born in West Germany. [SEE ALL EVENTS ON THIS DAY]( ALSO BORN ON THIS DAY 1990 [The Weeknd]( Canadian singer 1822 [Francis Galton]( British scientist 1959 [John McEnroe]( American tennis player 1834 [Ernst Haeckel]( German embryologist 1954 [Iain Menzies Banks]( British author [SEE ALL BIOS ON THIS DAY]( Advertisement FOLLOW: [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [YouTube]( To unsubscribe from Britannica e-mails, [click here](. Encyclopædia Britannica 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 United States © 2019 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. [Privacy Policy]( • [Help](