Historical overview of events on June 15 and 16

The historical record for June 15 and 16 includes a diverse range of global events. On June 15, 1904, the steamship General Slocum sank in New York, killing approximately 1,000 people. In 1919, Alcock and Brown completed the first non-stop transatlantic flight. Diplomatic relations were established between Israel and the Vatican in 1994, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation was founded in 2001. Notable deaths include Ella Fitzgerald and Hume Cronyn. On June 16, 1940, Philippe Petain was tasked with forming a government in Vichy France, and in 1999, Thabo Mbeki was sworn in as South African president. Further events include the 2001 reopening of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the 2006 establishment of an interim government in Nepal, and the opening of the Hsuehshan Tunnel in Taiwan. Additionally, 2008 saw severe flooding in the U.S. Midwest, while a 2013 bus bombing occurred in Quetta, Pakistan.