| Rare Roman helmet sells for £2m A bid by a Cumbrian museum to buy a rare Roman helmet and keep it in the county has failed after an anonymous phone bidder bought it for £2m. bbc.co.uk |
Pigeon gulped down by pelican Pigeon battles against the hungry predator in a London park. telegraph.co.uk |
EuroMillions winner claims £113m jackpot UK's biggest ever lottery winner decides to remain anonymousBritain's biggest lottery winner, who scooped a £113m EuroMillions jackpot, has decided to remain anonymous.National Lottery operator Camelot said today the winner's decision not to go public meant it was unable to reveal any further details, such as where the winning ticket was bought or whether the winner was an individual or a syndicate."We're delighted that the ticketholder has now come forward to claim this life-changing prize," said a spokeswoman. "As with all major jackpot winners, they will receive independent financial and legal advice as well as ongoing personal support."The spokeswoman was unable to say why it had taken 12 days for the winner to come forward – a delay that has cost the UK's newest multimillionaire £8,500 a day in lost interest.Officials have checked the winning ticket, the date and location of its purchase and other security details, and handed over a cheque for £113,019,926.If an individual has won the prize, he or she will become the 589th wealthiest person in Britain, according to the Sunday Times Rich List 2010, surpassing Rod Stewart and David Bowie. Shopping sprees could include splashing out on a £12m Ferrari 250 GTO, a week in a private villa on Mustique for £85,000, or even a couple of airliners – a Boeing 767 costs around £56m.The previous largest lottery winner in the UK was an anonymous player who scooped £84.4m on EuroMillions in May. Before that, Nigel Page and Justine Laycock of Barnsley, Gloucestershire, won £56m on EuroMillions in February.More than 1,000 people made claims for the jackpot, including a Coventry pensioner who told her local paper she had bought the winning ticket but her husband had thrown it in the bin. The 77-year-old woman said yesterday: "I guess I'll have to apologise to my husband now for accusing him of losing it. But I'm secretly glad it isn't us. I don't think I'd ever have had a moment's peace again if I'd won all that money."After being contacted by Camelot on behalf of the winner, the Press Complaints Commission reminded news organisations that they should respect the winner's right to anonymity. Its guidance says there may be exceptions if it is in the public interest to identify an individual against their wishes but notes that the size of the win alone is not a valid reason.The PCC says it has not had to deal with any formal complaints about identifying lottery winners during the past nine years. The winner of the jackpot in May was never identified, which may give the latest winner some confidence that their multimillion-pound haul will remain a secret.An unofficial EuroMillions website says that any winner who goes public is "virtually guaranteed a taste of fame. They will often be treated to champagne dinners and driven around for interviews in a limousine." It advises that the media can identify winners "within a matter of days", adding: "Since the chances are that you will find it almost impossible to keep your EuroMillions win a complete secret, opting for publicity at the outset makes a lot of sense." The new winner clearly disagrees.National LotteryGamblingJenny Percivalguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Strauss buoyant after Gabba draw Andrew Strauss says England have the belief to push on and win the Ashes after drawing the opening Test. news.bbc.co.uk |
Philip Green to be target of corporate tax avoidance protest • UK Uncut challenge billionaire Cameron efficiency adviser • 'Tax avoidance' protest focuses on Green's Arcadia's storesSir Philip Green, the retail billionaire and efficiency adviser to the government, is to become the target of a nationwide campaign by protesters opposed to government cuts and alleged tax avoidance.High street stores belonging to the businessman's group, including Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, will be among those that protesters focus on in the run-up to Christmas.Plans to disrupt Arcadia Group stores were devised by UK Uncut, a fast-expanding group of activists who have closed down more than 30 Vodafone shops in the past six weeks by mobilising through social networks.UK Uncut's Twitter hashtag, #ukuncut, has become the rallying point for opponents of the government's austerity cuts. It was used widely by protesters who this month clashed with police during two large demonstrations against the proposed increase in student tuition fees.The group started up when activists decided to target Vodafone on 27 October, claiming that the company had avoided £6bn in tax, an allegation denied by Vodafone. The protest, organised through Twitter, went viral and over some weeks more stores closed.About 20 UK Uncut activists met several times before deciding to make Green a target. They plan to call on activists to approach shops in the Arcadia Group, as well as Vodafone, from Saturday. They intend to start by congregating at Green's flagship store, Topshop, in London's Oxford Circus. In a sign of UK Uncut's expanding popularity, they have secured the backing of the Jubilee Debt Campaign, and of War on Want, two mainstream anti-poverty campaigns with almost 30,000 supporters between them.Activists hope a campaign against Green's retail empire will drive a wedge between David Cameron, who selected him to review efficiency in Whitehall, and the prime minister's Lib Dem partners, who are calling for action against tax avoiders.Green's document, published in October, reported "shocking" wastage in the government's procurement strategy. However, his suitability as a government adviser was questioned because of his alleged tax avoidance. The businessman banked the biggest pay cheque in corporate history in 2005 when his Arcadia fashion business, which owns Topshop, paid a £1.2bn dividend. The record-breaking payment went to his wife, Tina, who lives in Monaco and is the direct owner of Arcadia. Because of this arrangement no UK income tax was due on the gain.Richard Murphy, director of Tax Research UK, estimated Green saved £285m by paying the dividend to his wife.Arcadia's holding company is Taveta Investments, which paid £71m in tax in the last financial year. Beyond Taveta, based behind Oxford Street, London, the ownership trail goes offshore via a Jersey-based investment vehicle called Taveta Ltd.Arcadia has declined to comment about the planned protests or alleged tax avoidance. Green previously said the tax issue was not "relevant" to a discussion about his suitability to lead a government spending review. "I contribute tens of millions of pounds [to the exchequer]. I employ 45,000 people and pay tens and tens of millions of pounds of tax," he said.Tax avoidance has been estimated by the TUC to have lost exchequer about £25bn in revenue, including £13bn attributed to individuals."Philip Green is a tax avoider, and yet is regarded by David Cameron as an appropriate man to advise the government on austerity," said UK Uncut's spokesman, 26-year-old Daniel Garvin. "His missing millions need to be reclaimed and invested into public services not into his wife's bank account."ProtestSir Philip GreenTax avoidanceCorporate governanceCuts and closuresRetail industrySpending review 2010Tax and spendingMatthew TaylorPaul LewisAdam Gabbattguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |