Vladimir Putin becomes President of Russia. The former KGB officer enjoys high approval ratings in his country as living standards in Russia have improved drastically under his rule. Internationally, he has been criticized for his authoritarian style of government.

Sony is founded. The company started as Tokyo Telecommunications Engineering. It is now one of the leading manufacturers of electronic products.

Germany's Nazi regime surrenders unconditionally. The capitulation ended World War II, one of the bloodiest conflicts of all time. According to estimates, between 40 and 71 million people died in the war and the Holocaust initiated by Adolf Hitler's Nazi regime.

A German U-Boat sinks the RMS Lusitania. 1198 lives were lost in the attack, making it the deadliest shipwreck during World War I. The fact that some of the dead were U.S. citizens influenced the country's decision to enter the war in 1917.

Alexander Popov demonstrates the world's first radio receiver. The Russian physicist had initially built the device as a lightning detector. He achieved the first radio transmission between two buildings the following year.