9am Briefing: City house prices soar despite economic downturn

Between July and September the average residential property price jumped up by almost 10 per cent to 228,697, when compared to the same period last year.

A total of 28 of Scotland's 32 local authority areas saw an increase in average prices, according to the official figures from the Registers of Scotland (RoS).

East Lothian and West Lothian were among the areas reporting their highest ever average property prices.

THE World's biggest hotel chain is looking to buy the A-listed former home of Donaldson's Deaf School, it was reported today.

Hotel giant Intercontinental, which had been due to open a 17-storey hotel next to the city's Haymarket station before it was rejected after a public inquiry, is believed to be lining up a luxury new venture in the Capital on the 18-acre site nearby.

The A-listed school building has been lying empty for almost three years since the deaf school moved to a new site in West Lothian.

OPPOSITION Republicans delivered a stinging blow to President Barack Obama, capturing the US House of Representatives in the country's mid-term elections.

They narrowed the Democratic majority in the Senate, but fell short of winning control.

The Republican gains mean Mr Obama will have to deal with a more conservative Congress, which will include members of the anti-establishment tea party movement.

NEW legislation that the Scottish Government hopes will usher in the "last rites" for the right to buy is expected to be approved at Holyrood today.

Ministers want to end the right-to-buy for new tenants as well as for those living in new council and housing association homes.

But the changes to the right-to-buy legislation will be opposed by the Tories.