WHAT HAPPENED ON 15th December 1996?

14th December 1996

Mr T from Grimsby wants to know

more about TEPs. TEPS are Traded Endowment Policies & have become fairly fashionable recently. A number of people buy a single policy at auction but that can mean that all. If that is of concern to you you should consider making them part of an Investment Trust. This type of policy can benefit from the demutualisation of insurance companies. Write to Adam with your questions

15th December 1996

OVER 80 DIE IN SOMALI FACTION FIGHTING

More than 80 people have died & at least 150 others were wounded during 24 hours of fighting between rival forces in the Somali capital Mogadishu. Residents said the violence began when troops loyal to Hussein Mohammed Aideed began looting market stalls petrol stations & houses. They loaded up several taxis before being forced back by other armed groups Other troops are loyal to Osman Hassan Ali Atto & Musa Sidi Yalahow.

15th December 1996

REDWOOD ACCEPTS "WAIT AND SEE" POLICY

Euro-sceptic MP John Redwood says he accepts that the "wait & see" policy over a single Euro currency will not change before the General Election. In the light of that he did not intend to "go on boring people" about it Mr Redwood said. And he looked forward to the Commons statement expected on the Dublin summit last week he told BBC Radio 5. But it did not seem to have made much progress on UK interests he suggested.

14th December 1996

In my view the worst flaw in the Budget

was that it failed to restrict income to say £500 000 yearly. What I would like is a maximum income policy of 100% tax over that level. The resulting revenue could be made available for increasing lower incomes and pensions fund education etc. Edward Macfarlane Dundee

15th December 1996

OVER 80 DIE IN SOMALI FACTION FIGHTING

More than 80 people have died & at least 150 others were wounded during 24 hours of fighting between rival forces in the Somali capital Mogadishu. Residents said the violence began when troops loyal to Hussein Mohammed Aideed began looting market stalls petrol stations & houses. They loaded up several taxis before being forced back by other armed groups Other troops are loyal to Osman Hassan Ali Atto & Musa Sidi Yalahow.

15th December 1996

BLAIR PLEDGE TO RESIST DOMINATION OF EU

Tony Blair says Labour wants Europe to be a "genuine partnership" but insists his party will not surrender to Brussels if it wins the election. "We will not give up any veto on tax defence or social security " he said. And he vowed to keep the veto option on immigration & border controls. But the Tories say Labour will surrender the veto in six areas. Accepting the Social Chapter will also destroy jobs claims the Government.

14th December 1996

HONG KONGThe Military Service Corps

has closed in a ceremonial farewell prior to the colony's handover to China next year. The 460 troops had been part of the British Army for 60 years. IRISH REPUBLICOne man has been shot dead & another injured in a field in the Finglas area of Dublin. Earlier this week a local drug dealer was shot dead near there at the wheel of his car SWITZERLAND One person has been killed and 18 hurt two seriously in an accident on a mountain cable car near Riederalp in the canton of Valais.

15th December 1996

OVER 80 DIE IN SOMALI FACTION FIGHTING

More than 80 people have died & at least 150 others were wounded during 24 hours of fighting between rival forces in the Somali capital Mogadishu. Residents said the violence began when troops loyal to Hussein Mohammed Aideed began looting market stalls petrol stations & houses. They loaded up several taxis before being forced back by other armed groups Other troops are loyal to Osman Hassan Ali Atto & Musa Sidi Yalahow.

15th December 1996

AUSTRALIA An air force corporal who wanted long hair like female colleagues has lost an equal opportunity case. He argued that compulsory short back & sides for men was unfair. INDIA Doctors treating Mother Teresa 86 say they hope she will be well enough to leave hospital in Calcutta this week after heart surgery. NIGERIA At least 12 soldiers were badly injured by a bomb blast in Lagos. The troops were in a bus in a residential area of the city.