1. Septic shock caused Muhammad Ali's death
Muhammad Ali died of "septic shock due to unspecified natural causes", his family has announced. Barack Obama has paid tribute to the boxer, saying: “Muhammad Ali shook up the world. And the world is better for it.” Meanwhile, George Foreman says had Ali had been raised in Britain he never would have changed his name, because the British “made him feel like the toast of the town”.
2. Alastair Campbell 'in the clear' in Chilcot report
Alastair Campbell is set to escape serious censure from the Chilcot inquiry into the Iraq war. The former spin doctor will be described as a “bit player” despite his role in drawing up the infamous “dodgy dossier”. Chilcot’s 6,000-page report will instead turn its wrath on Tony Blair — as well as the intelligence chiefs Sir Richard Dearlove and Sir John Scarlett.
3. Arctic could become ice-free says professor
The Arctic could become ice-free for first time in more than 100,000 years, claims a top scientist. Professor Peter Wadhams of Cambridge University predicts we could see “an area of less than one million square kilometres for September of this year”. He added: “My prediction remains that the Arctic ice may well disappear.”
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4. Gove and Boris say voters cannot trust Cameron and Osborne
The public “cannot trust” David Cameron and George Osborne to honour their promises on Europe and the economy, Michael Gove and Boris Johnson have warned. Meanwhile, the Brexit camp has reportedly been infiltrated by far-Right extremists with racist views. Former members of the English Defence League, the National Front and the British National Party are believed to have attached themselves to the campaign.
5. Questions over Philip Green's secret £10m payment
Sir Philip Green made an undisclosed £10m payment to the former bankrupt who bought the BHS chain for £1. News of the transaction will raise yet more questions for the high-street tycoon over the sale of the loss-making retailer last year. After administrators failed to find a rescuer, the process of winding up BHS has begun, leaving 11,000 workers in danger of losing their jobs.
6. Report claims NHS failings see 600,000 die needlessly
More than 60,000 Britons are condemned to unnecessary death every year because of failings by the NHS and other public health bodies, a new report reveals. According to experts at Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, the UK performs worse than almost every other nation in Western Europe – and even former Soviet states such as Slovenia – at keeping alive patients aged under 75.
7. Pope Francis approves measure to sack negligent bishops
The Pope has rubber stamped measures to sack bishops who mishandle child sexual abuse cases. Under new legal procedures, bishops who are "negligent" in dealing with priests committing abuse will be removed. Campaigners and abuse victims have demanded that bishops should be held accountable if they fail to protect their flocks from paedophiles.
8. Tomato sitters on the rise among vegetable growers
Almost half of the Brits who grow their own vegetables call in a “tomato sitter” to look after the plants when they are on holiday, according to a new survey. The YouGov study also found that tomatoes are the most popular choice among vegetable growers, followed by salad leaves, potatoes, beans and peas. One enthusiast says: “My plant sitter is brilliant. He comes and checks them every day.”
9. Royal Navy could patrol coastline to check for migrants
Military vessels could start patrolling the British coastline after the Border Force asked the Royal Navy to help defend the English Channel from people smugglers. Officials are desperate to stop speedboats, yachts and fishing boats swelling with migrants embarking from northern France, Holland and Belgium. The Border Force had only three vessels to patrol 7,700 miles of coastline.
10. Woman's Weekly mags brandished by Wood commemorators
Manchester's Victoria Station was renamed the Victoria Wood Station for an hour as fans celebrated the comedian's life yesterday. Revellers dressed up as her television characters, clutching copies of Woman's Weekly, remembered for its "beat me on the bottom" mention in The Ballad of Barry and Freda. Funds were raised for a children's music therapy charity, of which Wood was a patron.
