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Beer giants AB InBev and SABMiller agree mega-merger

AB InBev produces brands such as Stella Artois or Corona, and SABMiller produces Peroni and Grolsch. The acquisition of SABMiller by AB InBev united the world's two biggest beer makers, which together control about half the industry's profit.

Sony releases the PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 is a home video game console developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It is the successor to PlayStation 2 and is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released in Japan. The PlayStation 3 competed mainly against consoles such as Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the 7th generation of video game consoles.

The World Trade Organization approves China's membership

The admission of China to the WTO was preceded by a long process of negotiations for changes required to the Chinese economy. China's membership in the organization meant its deeper integration into the world economy, liberalization of its service sector and allowance of foreign investment.

Bill Gates buys Leonardo da Vinci's 'Codex' for $30,800,000

The Codex Leicester is a collection of famous scientific writings by Leonardo da Vinci. Of Leonardo's 30 scientific journals, the Codex may be the most famous of all. The manuscript currently holds the record for the second highest sale price of any book, as it was sold to Bill Gates at Christie's auction house in New York for US$30,802,500.

A painting by Vincent Van Gogh called Irises is sold for $54m

Irises became the most expensive painting ever sold, which set a record that lasted for 2 and a half years. As of 2012, it was the 10th on the inflation-adjusted list of most expensive paintings ever sold. The work is currently located in the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

The first direct dial long-distance telephone call in North America

The first direct-dial long-distance telephone call was placed from Mayor M. Leslie Denning of New Jersey to Mayor Frank Osborne of California via At&T's Bell System. The 10 digit call was connected within 18 seconds.

Adolf Hitler is arrested in Munich for his role in the Beer Hall Putsch

Two days after the putsch, Hitler was arrested and charged with high treason in the special People's Court. Some of his fellow conspirators, including Rudolf Hess, were also arrested, while others, including Hermann Göring and Ernst Hanfstaengl, escaped to Austria. The Nazi Party's headquarters was raided, and its newspaper was banned.

World War I ends

As an armistice between Germany and the Allies was signed, a ceasefire came into effect. The agreement marked a victory for the Allies and a defeat for Germany. Although it ended the actual fighting, it took 6 months of negotiations at the Paris Peace Conference to conclude the peace treaty, the Treaty of Versailles.

Mary Edwards Walker becomes the first woman to receive the US Medal of Honor

Mary Edwards Walker, M.D., commonly referred to as Dr. Mary Walker, was an American abolitionist, prohibitionist, prisoner of war and surgeon. She is the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor for her efforts to treat the wounded during the Civil War.

Nat Turner is hanged after inciting a violent slave uprising

Turner was tried for "conspiring to rebel and making insurrection", convicted, and sentenced to death. Turner was hanged in Jerusalem, Virginia. His body was flayed and beheaded as an example to frighten other would-be rebels. Turner received no formal burial; his headless remains were possibly buried in an unmarked grave.

Anniversaries of the (in)famous