It’s London’s turn to host the biggest sporting event on the planet and while there’s a lot to live up to after Beijing’s spectacular success four years ago, the signs so far suggest a vintage Olympic year is ahead.

House prices have fallen year on year for the 16th month in a row but London continues to buck the trend by recording strong increases, official figures showed today.

Two masked bandits robbed the wrong home hours after a teenager posted a photo on Facebook of a large pile of her grandmother's savings.

Out of America: The growing pressure on space could force Washington to end its ban on tower blocks

Can a large, cork-lined hole in the ground in London's Hyde Park – with a steel disc floating above it, mind – be architecture? It can if it's designed by Herzog & de Meuron, and Ai Weiwei, the Chinese artist considered a threat to cultural order by his country's political apparatchiks.

Make a splash in a Moroccan palace

It is disappointing that the European Broadcasting Union, which oversees the contest, did not take a stand

Georgian Railway shelved its London shares sale yesterday blaming market conditions. The float was meant to raise up to $250m (£159m) and value the company at $1bn. It is a setback to the London Stock Exchange, which has seen little initial public offering activity over the past year.

Georgian Railway shelved its London shares sale yesterday blaming market conditions.

Who's Adrian Wyatt?

Public schoolboys take the stage – but they're not top-class

People really are going to work in the garden. This year’s Chelsea Flower Show not only inspired gardeners, it inspired homeworkers too