Japan launches a surprise dawn attack using midget submarines, 350 bombers and torpedo carrying planes targeting warships, aircraft and military installations on the American naval base at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii and has declared war on Britain and the United States. The attack destroyed two battleships, one minelayer, two destroyers with the loss of more than 2,300 US servicemen The US president, Franklin D Roosevelt, has mobilized all forces and is poised to declare war on Japan. The next day when the president addressed Congress and the nation he swore that America would never forget December 7, 1941, as a "date that would live in infamy.

Genetically modified food could feed the world's hungry if the rich nations would stop fearing it a U.N. report asserted. The report explained, "Crops altered to produce higher yields could revolutionize farming in Africa, Latin America, and across the underdeveloped world' ." However, those who believe that nature should not be tampered with call genetically modified food "Frankenfood".