May 2014 ~ US and UK magazine

24 May 2014 Last updated at 01:55 Pills

A new drug could be used to treat children in the UK with Duchenne in 2015 A drug to treat a particular form of Duchenne muscular dystrophy has been given the green light by the European Medicines Agency and could be available in the UK in six months.

Translarna is only relevant to patients with a 'nonsense mutation', who make up 10-15% of those affected by Duchenne.

The EMA decided not to pass the drug in January, but they have since re-examined the evidence.

A campaign group said the drug must reach the right children without delay.

There are currently no approved therapies available for this life-threatening condition.

The patients who will benefit the most are those aged five years and over who are still able to walk, the EMA said.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease that gradually causes weakness and loss of muscle function.

Patients with the condition lack normal dystrophin, a protein found in muscles, which helps to protect muscles from injury.

In patients with the disease, the muscles become damaged and eventually stop working.

There are 2,400 children in the UK living with muscular dystrophy, but only those whose condition is caused by a particular 'nonsense mutation' - namely 200 children - are suitable to use Translarna.

Urgency in UK

The drug, ataluren, will be known by the brand name of Translarna in the EU. It was developed by PTC Therapeutics.

The next step will see the European Commission rubberstamp the EMA's scientific 'green light' within the next three months and authorise the drug to be marketed in the European Union.

At that point, individual member states, including the UK, must decide how it will be funded.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign is calling for urgent meetings with National Institute of Health of Clinical Excellence (NICE) and NHS England to discuss how Translarna can be cleared for approval and use in the UK.

It said families in the UK could have access to the drug by spring 2015.

Robert Meadowcroft, chief executive of the campaign, said: "This decision by the EMA is fantastic news.

"Most of those diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, usually before the age of five, will use a powered wheelchair before they are 12, will not have the muscle strength to pick up a glass of water by the age of 20 and will not live to see their 30th birthday.

"This step forward for Translarna offers much needed hope."

He added that extending the numbers of patients taking Translarna would help to accelerate the development of the drug.

Clinical trials are still ongoing on the drug and the results will have to be sent to the EMA.

Deadly attack on Djibouti restaurant

4:00 PM

kasunone

24 May 2014 Last updated at 22:16 Map locator

At least two people have been killed in an attack on a restaurant popular with Westerners in Djibouti, police say.

Grenades were thrown at La Chaumiere restaurant in the capital of the Horn of Africa country, officials said. At least another 11 people were wounded.

Unconfirmed reports said that two employees had been killed and several foreigners wounded.

No group has said it carried out the attack and the motive was not immediately clear.

Colonel Omar Hassan, head of police in Djibouti City, told Reuters: "It's a criminal act. We have two people dead and 11 wounded. It was grenades."

Djibouti's ADI news agency reported several explosions around 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) and said that the area was quickly sealed off by police.

Djibouti, a former French colony, is home to US and French military bases and also contributes troops to the African Union force fighting al-Shabab militants in Somalia.

Its port is also used by foreign navies protecting the Gulf of Aden's shipping lanes from Somali pirates.

VIDEO: Film Review - the week's new films

11:56 AM

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Film critic Mark Kermode reviews the week's film releases, including X-Men: Days Of Future Past, Heli and Fading Gigolo.

Pope praises Jordan as tour begins

8:27 AM

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24 May 2014 Last updated at 16:13 The Pope greets reporters on his plane to the Middle East, including the BBC's Jeremy Bowen

Pope Francis has praised Jordan for its "generous welcome" to Syrian refugees at the start of a three-day visit to the Middle East.

The Pope was welcomed by King Abdullah II and in a speech at the royal palace, he stressed the need for an "urgent" solution to the Syrian conflict.

He went on to celebrate Mass at a stadium in the capital Amman and will later meet Syrian refugees.

The tour's official purpose is to improve ties with the Orthodox Church.

However, correspondents say many will expect Pope Francis to use his influence to try to ease tensions in the Middle East.

His highlighting of Jordan's role in accepting Syrian refugees came weeks after the kingdom opened a new camp which could accommodate up to 130,000 refugees. Jordan is already host to almost 600,000 people fleeing the conflict, according to the UN.

In his speech, he also called for more respect for religious freedom, calling it "a fundamental human right".

"I cannot fail to express my hope that it will be upheld throughout the Middle East and the entire world," he said. Christian minorities have been subject to increasing attacks in some parts of the Middle East in recent years.

He thanked Jordan for its "efforts to seek lasting peace for the entire region" and said this would also require a "just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict".

On Sunday he is to begin two days in the West Bank and Israel.

He told journalists that the trip would be "challenging" but rewarding, AP reports.

By BBC Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen, travelling with Pope Francis

Pope Francis comes across as an approachable, amiable man. Not long after takeoff he came to greet the 50 or so journalists travelling with him. They're mostly reporters who follow the Pope full-time. One woman said that Pope Benedict, Francis's predecessor, never came back to talk to journalists. She asked him to pose for a selfie, which he did with a smile.

He told me he had been in Jerusalem only once before, in 1973 at the time of the Yom Kippur war. The Pope insists his trip is about religion, officially marking the fiftieth anniversary of a visit by Pope Paul VI 50 years ago. But he's heading for Jerusalem, where everything is political. It will take diplomatic skill to avoid controversy.

Palestinians hope he will have something to say about their desire for independence. In Bethlehem, which is in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Palestinians say they are threatened by the encroachment of Jewish settlements. The Israeli government will hope he stays as neutral as possible - a position which would disappoint Palestinian Christians.

Restraining orders

The Pope will be accompanied by a rabbi and an imam - friends from his native Argentina - and hopes to improve relations between Christians, Muslims and Jews in the Holy Land.

His journey comes only a few weeks after the latest round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks collapsed.

Israel has issued restraining orders against several Jewish right-wing activists this week over concerns that they could try to disrupt the visit.

Police said offensive "anti-Christian graffiti" was discovered on the wall of a church in the southern city of Beersheba on Friday.

A general view of Manger Square as workers prepare for the visit of Pope Francis to the West Bank town of Bethlehem on 23 May 2014

Preparations were well under way at Manger Square in Bethlehem ahead of the Pope's visit

The Pope's journey marks the 50th anniversary of the historic meeting in Jerusalem between Pope Paul VI and the head of the Orthodox Church, Patriarch Athenagoras.

The meeting ended 900 years of separation and enduring antagonism between the Eastern and Western branches of Christianity.

On Sunday, Pope Francis will travel to Bethlehem in the West Bank and preside over Mass in Manger Square, near the site where Jesus is believed to have been born.

He will also meet the current Ecumenical Orthodox Patriarch, Bartholomew, and they will sign a declaration of friendship.

His schedule on Monday is set to include a visit to the al-Aqsa mosque complex in Jerusalem's Old City followed by the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall.

Pope Francis will be the fourth leader of the Roman Catholic Church to visit Jerusalem, after Popes Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, who went there in 2009.

NI21's McKenzie quitting politics

3:29 AM

kasunone

24 May 2014 Last updated at 09:17 Ms McKenzie resigned from the party executive on Thursday night

Tina McKenzie is quitting active politics NI21's European election candidate Tina McKenzie is quitting politics.

The party is in disarray, amid calls on its leader Basil McCrea to step aside while allegations of sexual impropriety are investigated.

Mr McCrea has denied the claims that emerged on polling day.

Ms McKenzie told the Irish News she was "disillusioned and no longer interested in politics".

She confirmed to the BBC that while she would remain an NI21 member and still supported its concept, she wanted to step back from active politics to concentrate on her family and business.

While the European election result will not be known until Monday, Ms McKenzie also stood in the council election but was eliminated in the Balmoral district electoral area, having only received 256 first-preference votes.

NI21 was set up by MLAs Basil McCrea and John McCallister, after they quit the Ulster Unionist Party in 2013.

Just before polling day on Thursday, the two men had a very public falling-out.

The party announced on Tuesday that it was dropping its unionist designation at Stormont to describe itself as "other" - a decision described by Mr McCallister on the front page of the following day's News Letter as "crazy" and "dysfunctional".

Friday, May 30, 2014

VIDEO: Should more UK pupils learn Mandarin?

11:05 PM

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Thousands of pupils across England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to sit their Mandarin GCSE exams on Friday.

The number of students make up only fraction of those studying European languages and many argue that is a wasted opportunity which could be costing our economy billions.

The BBC's China editor Carrie Gracie reports.

Miliband: Labour 'can win in 2015'

7:38 PM

kasunone

24 May 2014 Last updated at 23:07

Ed Miliband has said his party's local election performance shows it can win at Westminster in 2015.

The Labour leader insisted the party was ahead in its target seats.

The claim came despite complaints from some Labour figures about him personally, and its local election campaign.

While it won more than 330 extra councillors in Thursday's poll, projections suggested Labour only secured a 2% lead over its Tory rivals.

Mr Miliband is due to visit Thurrock where his party lost control of the council after a surge in support for UKIP.

He had hailed the Essex town as evidence Labour was "winning back trust" when it took the town hall last year.

But it was left with no one party in control after UKIP took two Labour and three Tory seats on Thursday.

'Desire for change'

The Thurrock constituency is one of Labour's top target seats for 2015.

Polling data compiled by Conservative peer Lord Ashcroft on the voting intentions of 26,000 people in 26 Conservative-Labour battlegrounds suggested there could be an average 6.5% swing from the Conservatives to Labour in these marginal seats.

This would be enough to oust 83 Conservative MPs and secure Labour a healthy Commons majority.

Mr Miliband said he was determined to attract voters "from every walk of life".

"The local elections show Labour can win because it is our party which is winning where it matters in dozens of our target seats for the next election," he said.

"From Cambridge to Redbridge, from Crawley to Amber Valley, people are electing Labour councils to meet their desire for change."

Day in pictures: 21 May 2014

2:48 PM

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Neighbours from hell - with style

9:49 AM

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25 May 2014 Last updated at 01:03 By Joanna Robertson Paris Apartments in Paris

Neighbours' Day happens every May across France. It is a time for people to make peace with the people next door. But in the apartment blocks of Paris, bitterness and hostility are thriving.

The people upstairs are having breakfast. I know because there is a particular scraping of chairs and the blunt thud of slippered feet crossing to and fro from kitchen to dining room. He talks, she hums. A pause. They must be pouring the coffee.

Our apartment building, like many in Paris, dates from the late 19th Century. The floors are echoing, antique parquet and there is absolutely no sound insulation.

A sneeze on the fourth floor can be heard on the second.

My neighbour, Madame Joliot, an unabashed television addict, is bemused.

"It is strange," she says. "In all those American soaps, the neighbours are lovely. Helpful, chatty, kind, romantic. But when I watch Nos Chers Voisins - well, that's France!"

Actors from a scene of the hit French sitcom Nos Chers Voisins.

The sitcom Nos Chers Voisins, or Our Dear Neighbours, reflects the real-life tensions of apartment living

Madame Joliot and several million other French tune in each evening to watch Our Dear Neighbours, the cult TV comedy series of everyday life in a fictional apartment block.

It gives the perfect "front-door spy hole" view of what goes on amongst the neighbours.

Continue reading the main story Apartment buzzers

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Broadcast on Radio 4 on Saturdays at 11:30 BST and BBC World Service

Brief encounters in the hallway, conversations in the lift, little incidents in the courtyard - all the tensions, intrigues, scheming rivalries and absurd pettiness of communal French living are revealed.

Madame Joliot herself is caught in the usual tangled web of inter-neighbour dispute.

There is the woman on the floor below who cannot abide Madame Joliot's flowering terraces because, from time to time, leaves blow onto her balcony.

Complaints ensue - formal letters are sent by registered post, threatening legal action unless Madame Joliot personally vacuums the few leaves, with her own vacuum cleaner, whenever they might fall.

On the second floor, the daughter of the building's owner throws deafening all-night parties with dismaying regularity but no-one dares complain lest there be trouble with the lease.

If, however, Madame Joliot's pet dog barks even once in the courtyard in the middle of a weekday, there is hell to pay.

Just above, there is a lady with stilettos - extraordinarily loud when heard through the ceiling. Madame Joliot complained, fountain pen on elegant visiting card duly slipped under doorway.

Apartments in Paris overlooking the River Seine.

Continue reading the main story

My first baby's pram was slashed so I had to lug it down the cellar steps each night and up again each morning”

End Quote Madame Grelois Parisian The reply, a typed letter, sent by registered post, copied to a solicitor, read: "Madame, I have restored and polished my parquet and I have no intention of ruining the effect with rugs just for your benefit."

Leaves, heels and parties are one thing. Vandalism as revenge is quite another and yet, it is relatively common.

Madame Grelois, 72, has lived in the same building in Saint Germain for the last 50 years and raised her children and now her grandchildren there.

"Pushchairs, prams, there is always a problem," she says. "There are mountains of rules but it makes no difference.

"The number of pushchairs that are vandalised - deliberately ruined - when they are left neatly and correctly in the hallway!

"My first baby's pram was slashed so I had to lug it down the cellar steps each night and up again each morning."

With much of Paris living between 19th century walls and floors, it is clear that disturbances between neighbours cannot be anything new.

The writer, Marcel Proust, had his bedroom lined with cork to deaden the noise but it was not entirely successful as a new volume of letters, just published, reveals.

Letters to His Neighbour is a collection of notes written by Proust to his upstairs neighbour, Madame Williams - an accomplished harpist - and her husband, an American dentist whose consulting room was directly above Proust's bedroom.

An extract of a letter written by Marcel Proust to his neighbour.

This note from Proust reads: "Allow me to thank you Madame, from the bottom of my heart and ask you to convey my regards to the doctor while laying my respectful homage at your feet"

The dental drill with its rudimentary electric motor sent an unfortunate din through the cork-lined ceiling and into Proust's head - which was trying to concentrate as he composed his complex masterpiece, In Search of Lost Time.

The letters are, of course, exquisitely written and elevate the form of notes-between-neighbours from the depths of the rude and banal to the heights of poetry, wit and grace.

Proust and Madame Williams became intimate friends through their correspondence and Proust's polite requests for silence on certain days and at certain times are put with a delicacy and charm that even the most heartless neighbour could not refuse.

The letters have caused some reflection amongst residents of the more self-consciously intellectual areas of the city and - if the local gossips are to be believed - neighbourly correspondence is once again aspiring to literary art amongst the streets of Montparnasse.

"Veuillez agreer, Madame, ma reconnaissance pour votre charitable souci de mon repos…"

"Madame, with my grateful recognition of your charitable concern for my repose and my greatest respectful gratitude, I am yours, very faithfully, Marcel Proust."

Ah, those were the days.

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Bahraini rights activist released

5:38 AM

kasunone

24 May 2014 Last updated at 20:50 Young protesters hold up a picture of Nabeel Rajab in Malkiya, Bahrain, (3 October 2013)

Nabeel Rajab is a fierce critic of the Bahraini authorities Prominent Bahraini human rights activist Nabeel Rajab has been freed after serving two years in prison for his involvement in illegal protests.

Rajab, who heads the Bahrain Centre for Human Rights (BCHR), was convicted in 2012 of taking part in illegal gatherings and disturbing public order.

An appeals court later reduced his original three-year term by a year.

He was one of several leading activists arrested by the authorities after pro-democracy protests erupted in 2011.

Appeal

Soon after his release on Saturday, Rajab told the Associated Press news agency that he was happy to be out after spending more than 600 days in prison.

He also appealed for the release of all political prisoners, the agency added.

Rights groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights First, have campaigned on behalf of Rajab throughout his prison sentence, calling on the authorities to release him.

In December 2013, a Bahraini court rejected a request by Rajab's lawyers for early release. They argued that he was eligible because he had already served three-quarters of a two-year sentence.

In addition to his role with the BCHR, Mr Rajab is deputy secretary general of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH).

Before his imprisonment in July 2012, Mr Rajab was repeatedly detained in connection with the pro-democracy protests that erupted in the Gulf kingdom the previous year.

Protesters hold banners with photo of Nabeel Rajab asking for their release in Al A"ali south of Manama, on 18 April2014.

The Bahraini authorities have come under international pressure to release Mr Rajab

Amnesty said that he was punched in the face several times by riot police as he led a demonstration in February 2012, and in May 2012 was charged with "insulting a national institution" in comments about the interior ministry he posted on Twitter.

In June 2012, Rajab was sentenced to three months in jail over different tweets he wrote about the prime minister. The conviction was eventually overturned on appeal, but only after he had begun his two-year sentence for taking part in unauthorised protests.

At his trial, Mr Rajab told the court that he had been held in dire conditions and subjected to ill treatment, including being placed in solitary confinement with a dead animal and kept almost naked.

BCHR's founder, Abdulhadi al-Khawaja, is serving a life sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow the government. He was convicted on evidence that was widely accepted as having been secured under torture.

Art school library destroyed in fire

12:59 AM

kasunone

24 May 2014 Last updated at 18:54 Mackintosh library

The library was recognised as being one of the finest examples of art nouveau in the world The iconic library at Glasgow School of Art has been lost in the fire which swept through the Charles Rennie Mackintosh building on Friday.

The library was recognised as being one of the finest examples of art nouveau in the world.

Broadcaster Muriel Gray, who is the art school's chairwoman, said: "This is an enormous blow and we are understandably devastated."

However, she revealed that the art school's archives were safe.

Ms Gray, a former student at the school, confirmed that most of the building was still standing.

"The most amazing, almost miraculous news is that the majority of the building is still intact," she said.

"Due to one of the most astonishingly intelligent and professional pieces of strategy by the fire services, they succeeded in protecting the vast majority of the building, apparently by forming a human wall of firefighters up the west end of the main staircase and containing the fire."

She added: "Also, after ensuring no lives were in peril, they displayed an impressive understanding of the precious nature of the building, and due to their careful and meticulous handling of each developing situation the damage is considerably less than we dreaded.

"We have run out of words with which to thank them, but the school has most certainly gained a new gallery of heroes."

Ms Gray, who had burst into tears when she saw the building on fire, also confirmed that many students had lost some, or all, of their work, but other work had been preserved.

She said curators and academic staff were hoping to be allowed into the building in the next few days to assess what could be salvaged.

"The joy that our archives are safe combines with the delight in seeing most of our beloved building bruised and battered, but most certainly not destroyed," she added.

Speaking about the loss of the library, Ms Gray said: "Mackintosh was not famous for working in precious materials. It was his vision that was precious and we are confident that we can recreate what was lost as faithfully as possible.

"Our main concern right now is the welfare of the students and the impending graduation and everyone is working hard together to achieve the best outcome for all."

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said more than 90% of the structure was viable and they had protected up to 70% of the contents.

The fire service has yet to confirm the cause of the blaze, which some students have suggested could have started in the basement when a spark from a projector caught a piece of foam.

The UK government has said it would make a significant contribution towards the costs of restoring the building.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander said it would contribute "in the millions, if necessary" to restore a "priceless gem".

Mr Alexander, who was visiting the site on Saturday afternoon, said: "We've seen the appalling damage to the Glasgow School of Art. It's a hugely important building not just for Glasgow and Scotland but for the whole of the United Kingdom.

"The UK government will be willing to make a significant financial contribution towards the cost of rebuilding.

"Obviously at the moment we don't know the precise extent of the damage or what the costs will be, so I can't put a figure on it, but the chancellor and I have spoken this morning and we both think it is appropriate."

He added: "This is going to be a costly business but it's a very important landmark for the whole of the UK so we stand ready to provide an appropriate share of the funds that will be necessary to bring this hugely important building back to life."

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop, who also visited the site, said , Ms Hyslop said: "It was truly heartbreaking to see the Mackintosh Building in flames.

"We are all thankful that no-one has been hurt and for the heroic efforts of firefighters to safely evacuate the site and save the building and as much as possible of the work it contains.

"I know from speaking to Professor Tom Inns [director] that GSA is determined that the school will recover, and rebuild and renew the Mackintosh building and what it stands for.

"He can count on support from friends of the GSA in Scotland and around the world, including the Scottish government.

"We have already invested heavily in the School in recent years, contributing around £55m to the new Reid building and to conservation of the Mackintosh building.

"We know the restoration will run into millions of pounds, and we are committed to strongly supporting the funding effort required."

She added that the Scottish Cabinet would discuss the issue on Tuesday and would then make an announcement on the restoration plans."

An ecumenical church service was held at Renfield St Stephens in Bath Street for those affected by the fire.

Fire broke out at the listed building at about 12:30 on Friday.

Eyewitnesses said the fire appeared to have started when a projector exploded in the basement of the building on Renfrew Street in the city centre.

Chief Fire Officer Alasdair Hay: "We took a roll call and we are as confident as we can be that nobody has been injured in this fire"

Everyone who had been in the packed building was said to have escaped safely.

Final year students had been preparing for their end-of-year degree show in the building when the blaze broke out.

The main fire was extinguished by about 17:00.

The Mackintosh building, completed in 1909, is "unique" in that it is a working art school as well as a work of art.

Mackintosh was a 28-year-old junior draughtsman when he drew up plans for the building

It has an A list rating, meaning it has been classified by Historic Scotland for its age and rarity.

From the facade to the fixtures and fittings every detail shows the craft of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Scotland's most-lauded designer.

In a statement issued at 21:30, Assistant Chief Officer Dave Boyle said crews had been working "absolutely flat out" in an effort to save "this treasured building and many of the items it housed".

He said: "While the priority from the outset was to save life we have also been working closely with Glasgow School of Art staff to ensure firefighters conducted an effective salvage operation.

"We are of course very conscious the Mackintosh is a world-renowned building that is a key feature of this great city, and that the artworks it stores are not only valuable but also cherished."

ACO Boyle added: "We are acutely aware this period is the culmination of years of endeavour for students and that their irreplaceable work is inside the Mackintosh.

"Work to save everything that can be saved is ongoing and we will continue to work closely with GSA staff and students throughout this operation."

fireman pouring water on Glasgow School of Art

Fire crews arrived on the scene within four minutes of the alarm being raised.

Search and rescue teams led a number of people to safety. There were no reports of any casualties.

Police cordoned off Renfrew Street, and smoke was also drifting across the M8. Large crowds of students and onlookers gathered near the scene, with several people in tears as they watched the events unfold.

Students watched on in horror as the iconic building went up in flames

Austin Yuill, who works as a chef at the art school, told the BBC: "I'm told it started in the basement and it's worked its way all the way up through the five floors.

"As far as I know it started from a spark which has gone on to foam, expanding foam."

Charles Rennie Mackintosh is lauded as Scotland's most influential architect and designer, with the art school building which bears his name considered by many to be his greatest masterpiece.

Mackintosh was a 28-year-old junior draughtsman at a Glasgow architecture firm when he drew up the designs for the building, which features distinctive heavy sandstone walls and large windows.

The dramatic art nouveau design took about 12 years to be completed, opening in 1909, but it signalled the birth of a new style in 20th Century European architecture.

The president of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, Iain Connelly, said the value of the building "goes well beyond Glasgow or even Scotland".

In recent years, Glasgow School of Art has produced many of the UK's leading contemporary artists such as Douglas Gordon and David Shrigley and three recent Turner Prize winners: Simon Starling in 2005, Richard Wright in 2009 and Martin Boyce in 2011.

Other former students include actors Robbie Coltrane and Peter Capaldi and artist Peter Howson.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

House prices 'soar' in seaside towns

8:19 PM

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BBC News - Aberdeenshire seaside house prices soar, Halifax finds /**/ .bbccom_display_none{display:none;}

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Scotland business Home World UK England N. Ireland Scotland Wales Business Politics Health Education Sci/Environment Technology Entertainment & Arts Scotland Politics Scotland Business Edinburgh, Fife & East Glasgow & West Highlands & Islands NE, Orkney & Shetland South Tayside & Central 24 May 2014Last updated at 12:17 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Aberdeenshire seaside house prices soar, Halifax finds Fraserburgh street

Fraserburgh experienced the biggest percentage price rise in the survey Continue reading the main storyRelated StoriesUK house prices 'up 8% in a year'Property market 'still constrained'Scottish house prices rise by 3.5% Five seaside towns in Aberdeenshire have recorded at least a doubling in house prices since 2004, a report by Halifax has found.

Fraserburgh experienced the biggest rise with a 141% increase - from an average price of jut over £53,600 in 2004 to more than £129,000 in 2014.

Cove Bay, Peterhead, Inverbervie and Stonehaven saw the next biggest gains.

In the UK as a whole, house prices in seaside towns have risen by about £500 a month over the last decade.

But Halifax found that coastal living was still significantly cheaper than property prices across Britain generally.

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland was found to be the least expensive seaside town out of the 196 looked at across Britain, with an average house price of £83,760.

'Unique lifestyle'

Salcombe in Devon was found to be the most expensive coastal town, with average house prices at £615,344.

Craig McKinlay, mortgage director at Halifax, said: "Seaside towns provide a unique lifestyle opportunity and remain popular places for people to live, while also attracting those looking for second homes or holiday properties which can place additional upward pressure on house prices.

"For once, oil and water have mixed - with Aberdeenshire at the heart of Scotland's vigorous energy industry, it's little wonder that seaside houses have increased so substantially."

The study used figures from the Land Registry and the Registrar of Scotland.

UK seaside towns with biggest house price increases since 2004TownCurrent pricePercentage increase since 2004 Source: Halifax

1. Fraserburgh Scotland

£129,235

141%

2. Cove Bay, Scotland

£180,499

119%

3. Peterhead, Scotland

£130,234

118%

4. Inverbervie, Scotland

£215,593

114%

5. Stonehaven, Scotland

£228,037

101%

6. Aldeburgh, East Anglia

£446,576

95%

7. Montrose, Scotland

£118,441

94%

8. Prestonpans, Scotland

£168,772

93%

9. Wadebridge, South West

£371,670

91%

10. Workington, North

£131,557

91%

More on This Story .related-links-list li {position: relative;}.related-links-list .gvl3-icon {position: absolute;top: 0;left: 0;} Related Stories UK house prices 'up 8% in a year' 20 MAY 2014, BUSINESS Property market 'still constrained' 08 MAY 2014, SCOTLAND BUSINESS Scottish house prices rise by 3.5% 29 APRIL 2014, SCOTLAND BUSINESS From other news sites Carluke Gazette Seaside area house prices increase 9 hrs ago Easier Rising tide of Scotland's seaside town house prices 15 hrs ago Northampton Chronicle and Echo House prices by sea 'increase 42%' 19 hrs ago Wales Online House prices rise in seaside towns, but coastal living still cheaper 19 hrs ago Herald Scotland Rooms with a view: Property prices double beside the sea 23 hrs ago About these results Related Internet links Halifax Registers of Scotland Land Registry The BBC is not responsible for the content of external Internet sites

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Land ownership mapping plan unveiled

A mapping project to work out who owns every part of Scotland is to be completed within 10 years, the Scottish government says.

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Week in pictures: 17-23 May 2014

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Day in pictures: 23 May 2014

1:15 PM

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Land ownership mapping plan unveiled

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25 May 2014 Last updated at 00:28 Skye

The environment minister said the project would ensure that "everyone will know who owns Scotland" A mapping project to work out who owns every part of Scotland is to be completed within 10 years.

Environment Minister Paul Wheelhouse announced the project, days after an expert group published a major report on land reform.

He said he agreed with the group that "a fundamental step on this journey must be having a clear understanding" of who owns land in Scotland.

He added that the move would benefit everyone.

He argued that land transactions were "more difficult and expensive" if land was not already registered.

Mr Wheelhouse added: "This is a vital underpinning step in Scotland's land reform journey and will ensure that at last everyone will know who owns Scotland."

Registers of Scotland has been asked to finish the register in a decade, with all public land registered within five years.

Land reform review

The Land Reform Review Group set out 62 recommendations in a report on Friday.

Among the suggestions, it called for a new law to limit how much land any single person can own in Scotland.

Continue reading the main story

Setting a target for completing the register of land ownership will bring closer the day when there is a definitive answer to the question: 'Who owns Scotland?'”

End Quote Dr Alison Elliot Land Reform Review Group It said councils should be given the right to force the sale of vacant or derelict plots.

The group, set up in 2012, wants the Scottish government to be "radical in its thinking and bold in its action".

The review group also said local government taxation needed to be modernised and that serious consideration should be given to introducing a system of land value taxation, which could be an alternative to the council tax.

Responding to the mapping project announcement, Land Reform Review Group chairwoman Dr Alison Elliot said: "We are pleased that the Scottish government has been so prompt in deciding to implement one of the recommendations made by the Land Reform Review Group.

"Setting a target for completing the register of land ownership will bring closer the day when there is a definitive answer to the question: 'Who owns Scotland?'.

"We hope that this momentum is maintained as the Scottish government gives consideration to our other recommendations."

The Scottish government appeared to rule out one recommendation on taxation within hours of the group's report being published.

Experts said there was no clear public interest in keeping a universal exemption of agriculture, forestry and other land-based businesses from non-domestic rates.

The government stated: "We can confirm there are no plans to make changes to the position of agricultural business rates relief."

'Murder probe' as Briton dies in Bali

4:42 AM

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24 May 2014 Last updated at 20:47

Anne-Marie Drozdz is believed to be in her forties The Foreign Office has confirmed the death of a British national on the Indonesian island of Bali.

Reports have named her as Anne-Marie Drozdz, who is thought to be in her forties.

Indonesian police suspect the woman was murdered, according to the AFP news agency.

The agency quoted police as saying she was found dead by the owner of a villa where she was staying in the tourist district of Ubud.

Police say the door to the property the woman was damaged and she had a black cloth over her face, said AFP.

A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said: "We are aware of the death of a British national in Bali on 22 May.

"We are providing consular assistance to the family."

Villa where British woman was found dead

Police said the door to the villa had been damaged

A police spokesman told AFP: "She was found by the owner of the villa lying dead on the floor with a black cloth over her face.

"The door was damaged and there were dried up pools of blood on the floor."

Police also told the agency the woman had been renting the villa since 17 May.

Ida Bagus Putu Alitin, the head of forensics at Sanglah Hospital in Denpasar on the island, told AFP that the woman's body showed bruises on the neck and around the mouth.

"But we will wait until permission from her family and police to carry out an autopsy," Alitin said.

Day in pictures: 22 May 2014

1:06 AM

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Wednesday, May 28, 2014

VIDEO: From chocolate billionaire to president?

9:10 PM

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Violence has continued in eastern Ukraine, which is due to hold its presidential election on Sunday.

Clashes, particularly in Donetsk and Luhansk, have seriously disrupted preparations for the polls.

The frontrunner in opinion polls is billionaire chocolate tycoon Petro Poroshenko.

Daniel Sandford reports on the man who could be set to take on the current crisis.

VIDEO: Conchita praises 'tolerant' Europe

4:59 PM

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The winner of the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest has spoken of her performance as a "political statement", as countries across Europe vote in elections for the European Parliament.

Conchita Wurst sparked controversy in some countries, with Russia threatening to withdraw from the competition if she took part.

Speaking to BBC Newsnight, she praised the "tolerance" of the audiences across Europe who voted for her.

Polls and cheap holidays - front pages

1:53 PM

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BBC News - Election fall-out and cheap holidays feature on Sunday's front pages /**/ .bbccom_display_none{display:none;}

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The Papers Home World UK England N. Ireland Scotland Wales Business Politics Health Education Sci/Environment Technology Entertainment & Arts 25 May 2014Last updated at 00:01 Share this page Delicious Digg Facebook reddit StumbleUpon Twitter Email Print Election fall-out and cheap holidays feature on Sunday's front pages By Chris LansdownBBC News Observer 25/5

The fall-out from the local elections continues to feature on several front pages, with the Observer reporting UKIP is targeting a general election seats "hitlist" next year. It says leader Nigel Farage has identified 20 constituencies it believes it could win. Sunday Times 25/5

The Sunday Times, meanwhile, suggests the prime minister is being urged by his MPs to call an early EU referendum. Tory David Davis, writing in the paper, says David Cameron's Europe policy lacks "both clarity and credibility". Independent on Sunday 25/5

And it is the future of Lib Dem Nick Clegg which preoccupies the Independent on Sunday, which claims the deputy prime minister faces a bid to remove him as party leader, with candidates and officials signing a petition calling on him to resign. Sunday Telegraph 25/5

Away from elections, the Sunday Telegraph leads on the latest twist in the "escalation of hostilities" between the Kremlin and Clarence House, and President Putin's "withering" attack on the Prince of Wales over his likening of the Russian leader to Hitler. Sunday Express 25/5

The Sunday Express says a "soaring pound and a competitive holiday market" mean families are "snapping up the cheapest breaks in five years", with Europe and the US "bargain-hunters' paradises". Mail on Sunday 25/5

The Mail On Sunday says the student identified as the killer of six people in California carried out the attack "in revenge for being [a] virgin at 22" and that most of his victims were believed to be female students.

And for the Daily Star, it is the latest twist in the search for the Briton with the most talent which dominates its front page. previous slidenext slide

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