Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Sunday 22 May 2016

1. Blair 'slammed' in 'absolutely brutal' Chilcot report

Tony Blair will be among the figures to face serious “damage to their reputations” from the Chilcot report into the Iraq War, reports The Sunday Times. The long-awaited report is expected to deliver an “absolutely brutal” verdict on the mismanagement of the occupation. Jack Straw and MI6 chief Sir Richard Dearlove are also expected to fare badly.

2. Afghan Taliban leader 'killed by US air strike'

Taliban leader Mullah Akhtar Mansour has probably been killed in an air strike, US officials say. The Afghan chief and another man were targeted as they rode in a vehicle in a remote area of Pakistan close to the Afghan border, the officials claimed. The Pentagon said it targeted Mansour in strikes but said they were still assessing the results.

3. Jose Mourinho 'to replace Van Gaal within days'

Manchester United are expected to appoint Jose Mourinho as their new manager within days. Reports overnight claimed that Louis Van Gaal's final act as United boss was lifting the FA Cup at Wembley, after his side beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in extra time to win the competition for the first time in 12 years. It is believed a deal with the 53-year-old Portuguese has been agreed.

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4. Is Hollywood gripped by a 'Jimmy Savile scandal'?

Actor Elijah Wood says Hollywood has been gripped by cases of sexual abuse similar to the Jimmy Savile scandal and it may still be continuing. Speaking to The Sunday Times, Wood, the former child star of the Lord of the Rings, said his mother protected him from abuse when he arrived in Hollywood aged eight, but “I’ve been led down dark paths to realise that these things probably are still happening”.

5. Leaving EU 'would see high street prices rocket'

Brexit would cause shop prices to soar and prove “catastrophic” for millions of families, four high street figures have warned. The former chiefs of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and B&Q say leaving the EU would have a devastating effect on the economy. They also dismiss the Leave campaign claim that we would be better off without EU regulation,as ‘nonsense’.

6. Threatening graffiti daubed on doomed EgyptAir jet

The EgyptAir passenger jet that crashed into the Mediterranean Sea killing all 66 people on board was once daubed with the graffiti message: “We will bring this plane down”. The vandalism, by aviation workers in Cairo workers, also saw “traitor” and “murderer” daubed in messages directed at Egypt's president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.

7. Obama urged to meet agent orange victims in Vietnam

Barack Obama is being urged to meet agent orange victims when he visits Vietnam later this week. The American army sprayed around 12m gallons of the toxic herbicide, which contained the highly poisonous chemical dioxin, across the country during the war 40 years ago. Campaigners want the US president to visit some of the tens of thousands of who are still living with the effects of exposure.

8. 'The Hoff' pleads hard times as he battles spousal payments

David Hasselhoff claims he has less than $4,000 to his name and is not earning enough to pay his ex-wife Pamela Bach $252,000 a year in spousal support. According to TMZ, the 63-year-old is fighting in court for the right to cut his support payments. ‘The Hoff’ claims he has $1.79m in total assets including real estate, retirement savings, cars, and art.

9. Is Austria about the elect a far-right leader?

A controversial politician could be about to become Europe’s first far-right leader since world war two. Norbert Hofer’s campaign saw a nationalist appeal to put “Austria first” and opposition to “forced multiculturalism, globalisation and mass immigration”. The presidents of the European Commission and the European Parliament have both expressed concern that Hofer could win.

10. Man jumps into lions' cage and strips naked

An apparently suicidal man who climbed into a lion enclosure, removed his clothes and taunted the animals into attacking him was shot with a tranquiliser dart by zookeepers trying to save him from the mauling. Staff at the zoo in Chile eventually shot and killed two of the lions with live ammunition. The man had been carrying what appeared to be a suicide note.

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