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Wednesday, 28 August, 2002, 11:36 GMT 12:36 UK Stars steer clear of summit International stars of film and music have failed to put in expected appearances at the beginning of the World Development Summit in Johannesburg. Leonardo DiCaprio cancelled an appearance despite recently calling on President Bush to travel to the summit. He was due to support a project to save great apes, but has pulled out because of "contractual obligations" in the United States. Thelma and Louise star Susan Sarandon and Star Trek actor Patrick Stewart were among the other celebrities to call upon President Bush to make the...

THE sickening champagne and caviar lifestyle being enjoyed by Earth Summit delegates was exposed yesterday. They are gorging on mountains of lobster, oysters and fillet steak at the Johannesburg conference — aimed at ending FAMINE. As the summit began yesterday, desperate kids in nearby shanty towns queued for water at standpipes. Bigwig politicians among the 60,000 delegates, including Deputy PM John Prescott, also get vintage bubbly and brandy. Taxpayers are footing the £500,000 bill for the 70-strong British party. Friends of the Earth called the extravagance “deplorable”. The head chef of the swanky hotel hosting Earth Summit bigwigs described the...