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In March this year Londoners flocked to the Thames on a a typically grey Saturday afternoon in the capital. The tranquility of Putney Bridge, with its churches uniquely facing each other from opposite banks, was disturbed by groups of friends and families with babies rushing to get a good spot along the river. This was the 157th Varsity Boat Race disputed annually by Oxford and Cambridge Universities, a tradition that only the two World Wars have been able to disrupt.

The biggest lottery jackpot ever seen in Europe has been won by a single British ticket. The so far anonymous winner matched all seven numbers to pocket the £161million Euromillions jackpot.

No one had won for 14 weeks and so the jackpot had grown and grown through multiple rollovers. This led to the massive amount of 185 million euros which will catapult the lucky winner to 430th position on the British rich list once they reveal themselves.

The Higher Education system in the UK is in a period of huge change as new government legislation is affecting everything from tuition fees to international visas. To keep you right up to date with how these changes may affect you, here is a summary of the recent developments.

International Student Numbers Expected to Double

The number of non-EU international students coming to study in the UK is expected to double in the next four years as universities look to benefit from the extra money they bring in tuition fees.

Some notable examples include Durham University which is planning for a 97% rise in the number of international students between now and 2014-15, and Exeter which expects a 73% rise.

This would continue the current trend which saw the number of non-EU students rise by 7.8%, from 2009 to 2010, with a 27.8% increase in students from China and a 20.4% rise in students from Singapore.

Brazilian Students Encouraged to Study in UK

The British universities minister, David Willetts, flew to South America last month to set up a scheme that will encourage 10,000 Brazilians to come and study in the UK. The Brazilian government would provide scholarships of up to £18,700 per student to give its brightest students the chance to study at a world class university in the UK.

David and Victoria Beckham have announced the birth of their first daughter and have revealed the (unsurprisingly) unusual name that they have chosen for her: Harper Seven Beckham.

The birth of the couple's fourth child took place yesterday by Caesarean at a Los Angeles hospital and followers of David's Facebook page were the first to find out the details,

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2, the final film in the series, premieres in grand style in London tonight, and the series' die-hard fans have been out in huge numbers showing their support. Thousands of children and adults alike have been camping in the rain for days to catch a glimpse of their favourite stars when they arrive on the red carpet this evening.

Most Elaborate Premiere Ever

The Harry Potter series is the most successful franchise in the history of cinema, with the seven films so far taking more than $6.3 billion globally at the box-office. Fittingly, therefore, the first screening of the final installment is set to be the biggest, most elaborate premiere London has ever seen.

For the first time ever, there will be simultaneous screenings of the film at both Trafalgar Square and Leicester Square, which have both been transformed into magical areas straight out of the Potter world. Equally, the road joining the two sites will be turned into Diagon Alley- the famous magical high street used by the wizards in the books.