December 15 - On this day: 19 years since the capture of Saddam Hussein
The Iraqi dictator had been on the run since the US-UK invasion of the country the previous March. He was found hiding in a bunker at a compound near his home town of Tikrit and was executed on December 30, 2006, after being convicted of crimes against humanity.
89 years ago (1933) The 21st Amendment came into effect in the US, ending 17 years of prohibition, which banned the sale, manufacture and transportation of alcohol.
The experiment was considered a failure although a few states continued to be “dry”, including Mississippi which didn’t legalise alcohol until 1966.
48 years ago (1974) Harold Wilson’s Labour Government imposed reduced speed limits on some roads in the UK in a bid to save fuel. While the motorway speed limit would remain at 70mph, it was reduced to 60mph on dual carriageways and 50mph on all other roads.
The move came amid soaring oil prices due to the 1973 Arab-Israeli war.