Halifax says the economy is supporting housing demand; others are less sure. Photograph: David Goddard/Getty Images House prices edged ahead by 0.2% during August as activity in the market remained subdued, figures showed today. The latest increase follows one of 0.7% in July and reverses most of the falls seen during the previous three months, [...]

French private and public sector workers carry a mask of Nicolas Sarkozy. Photograph: Pascal Rossignol/Reuters Are our French cousins on the right track when they take to the street, as they did again this week, to resist their government’s plans to raise the pension age from 60 to 62? Or were we wiser merely to [...]

Even Twiggy, centre, the ‘face of M&S’ is cleaning out her wardrobe. With London Fashion Week looming and the summer on its way out, our thoughts may be turning to the temptations of the spanking new autumn fashions being paraded on the catwalk and, of course, the need for a jolly good wardrobe clearout. Everyone’s [...]

A study says one in five men suffer from depression after becoming fathers. Photograph: Martin Argles One in five men become depressed after becoming fathers as they juggle lack of sleep, extra responsibilities and a changed relationship with their partners, new research shows. By the time their first child is 12, 21% of fathers have [...]