BITS OF HISTORY

1941: Japanese planes attacked the US Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, destroying many aircraft and ships and precipitating the US declaration of war on Japan.

1972: The US launched Apollo 17, the last Apollo mission, on its way to the moon.

2001: Taliban rule over its last bastion of Kandahar in Afghanistan ended with its forces laying down arms.

2004: Hamid Karzai was sworn in as Afghanistan's first popularly elected president.