The Daily: 23 July

We scour the news so you don't have to.

This week has been victorious for Britain as cyclist Bradley Wiggins triumphantly won the prestigious Tour de France tournament. Wiggins crossed the finish line on the Paris Boulevard after racing a grand total of 2173 miles for over three weeks. What makes this victory so special, not only for Wiggins himself but for Britain as a nation, is that it's the first time Britain has won the tournament since the event began in 1903. Scores of spectators lined the streets of France to cheer Wiggins on jubilantly, waving union jack flags as he rode his way to victory.

Rare Butterfly Orchid found

A rare butterfly orchid that has been in decline for more than a 100 years has been found on a nature reserve in Bodmin Beacon. Ken Preston-Mafham from Bodmin spotted the great butterfly orchid while taking a walk around the popular nature reserve. The beautiful orchid is known for its pale white and green flowers, along with its vanilla scent that grows stronger in the evenings to attract moths. Bodmin Town and Cornwall Council have carried out local conservation measures on the beacon to ensure that rare species of orchids are not threatened by surrounding areas, and are allowed to breed to reverse the trend of extinction.

Sir Chris Hoy to carry flag for Team GB

Four-time Olympic gold medal winner Sir Chris Hoy has been chosen to carry the flag for Great Britain at the opening ceremony for the Olympics on Friday. Hoy, who carried the flag at the closing ceremony in 2008 in Beijing, is the first ever cyclist to carry the British flag for the opening ceremony. Andy Hunt, the Chef de Mission of Team Great Britain says, 'Team GB could not have placed the flag in better hands'. Hoy is Scotland's most successful Olympian with one silver and four gold medals, and will lead out Team GB at the ceremony, where they will be the last of the 204 competing nations to enter the arena.

Actor Simon Ward dies aged 70

The British Screen and Stage actor Simon Ward has died at the age of 70 after battling a long illness. Ward was most famous for playing Sir Monty in the popular BBC television series Judge John Dee and Bishop Gardiner in The Tudors, as well as appearing in several films throughout the 1970s and 1980s. Ward died peacefully with his family by his side, tended by his wife Alexandria and daughters, Sophie and Kitty. Many friends, families and fans have expressed their sadness, including the actress Susan Penhaligon who fondly described him as 'a witty, frighteningly clever and handsome, complex man.'