While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 30 edition

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio (centre) joins protesters marching in Washington, April 29, 2017. PHOTO: EPA

DiCaprio joins Washington march to protest Trump climate policies

Tens of thousands of people marched from the US Capitol to the White House to show support for climate-change science and protest President Donald Trump's rollbacks of environmental protections.

The Peoples Climate March took place under stifling, near-record heat and on the 100th day of the billionaire climate sceptic's presidency. He was the target of many signs and banners, mocked and criticised by demonstrators of all ages.

Hollywood megastar Leonardo DiCaprio took part in the rally, walking with a group of Native Americans.

"Climate change is real," read a sign he carried.

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Pope urges mediation to end North Korea crisis, avert devastating war

 

 

Pope Francis said that a third country, such as Norway, should try to mediate the dispute between North Korea and Washington, to cool a situation that had become "too hot" and posed the risk of nuclear devastation.

Francis said he believed "a good part of humanity" would be destroyed in any widespread war.

Speaking to reporters aboard the plane taking him back from Cairo, Francis also said he was ready to meet US President Donald Trump when he is in Europe next month but that he was not aware that Washington had made a request for a meeting.

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Asian summit ends in uncertainty over South China Sea stance

 

 

South-east Asian leaders wrapped up a summit with no indication of an agreement on how to address Beijing's assertiveness in the South China Sea, a divisive issue in a region uncertain about its ties with the United States.

Six hours after the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) summit officially ended in Manila, no customary joint statement had been issued and it was unclear whether there was agreement over including references to China's militarisation and island-building in the hotly disputed waterway.

This year's summit comes at a time of uncertainty about US interests in the region and whether it will maintain its maritime presence to counter Chinese assertiveness that has often put the region on edge.

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Tennis: Gutsy Mladenovic ends Sharapova comeback at Stuttgart

 

 

Maria Sharapova lost in the semi-finals in Stuttgart - her controversial comeback from a 15-month doping ban ending in defeat to one of her biggest critics.

Sharapova, a five-time Grand Slam winner and former world number one, lost 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 to Kristina Mladenovic as the Russian exited her first tournament back from a ban after testing positive for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.

Mladenovic has been a vocal critic of Sharapova's return to tennis and on the eve of their semi accused her of getting "extra help", having been handed wild cards to play at the Stuttgart, Madrid and Rome tournaments.

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Bayern take fifth straight Bundesliga crown with 6-0 win at Wolfsburg

 

 

Bayern Munich celebrated their record-extending fifth consecutive Bundesliga title after crushing VfL Wolfsburg 6-0 to open up an unassailable 10-point lead over second-placed RB Leipzig with three matches remaining.

The Bavarians, who have now won 27 German championships, are on 73 points with Leipzig on 63 after they were held to a goalless draw by Ingolstadt earlier in the day.

Bundesliga leading scorer Robert Lewandowski netted twice to take his league goal tally to 28 and David Alaba, Thomas Mueller, Arjen Robben and Joshua Kimmich were also on target as Bayern rode roughshod over the hosts.

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