While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 21

Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton speaks onstage at the Women of the World Summit in New York City. PHOTO: AFP

US Democratic Party sues Russia, Trump campaign for allegedly disrupting 2016 election

The Democratic Party sued the Russian government, US President Donald Trump's campaign and WikiLeaks on Friday, charging that they carried out a wide-ranging conspiracy to influence the 2016 US presidential election.

The party alleged in its federal lawsuit in Manhattan that top officials in Trump's Republican campaign conspired with the Russian government and its military spy agency to hurt Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and tilt the election to Trump by hacking Democratic Party computers.

The lawsuit alleged that Trump's campaign "gleefully welcomed Russia's help" in the 2016 election and accuses it of being a "racketeering enterprise" that worked in tandem with Moscow.

"During the 2016 presidential campaign, Russia launched an all-out assault on our democracy and it found a willing and active partner in Donald Trump's campaign," said Tom Perez, chair of the Democratic National Committee. "This constituted an act of unprecedented treachery."

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US brands China and Russia 'forces of instability'

The United States branded strategic rivals China and Russia "forces of instability" on Friday, grouping them with Iran and North Korea as countries whose rights abuses amount to a global threat.

The charge was made by acting secretary of state John Sullivan as he launched Washington's annual global human rights report, which this year is focused on destabilising abuses by state actors.

Human rights groups were quick to criticize the report, noting that it had been stripped of much of the reporting on women's and reproductive rights that it had contained in recent years.

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Top DJ Avicii dead at 28

Avicii, one of the world's most successful DJs who helped lead the global boom in electronic music, died Friday in Oman, his representative said. He was 28.

Two years after his unusually early retirement due to nagging health concerns, the Swedish DJ was found dead on a visit to the Gulf kingdom's capital Muscat, a statement said.

"It is with profound sorrow that we announce the loss of Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii," his management said without specifying the cause of death.

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Smallville actress Allison Mack reportedly charged with sex-trafficking

New York actress Allison Mack was arrested on Friday on charges that she aided self-help guru Keith Raniere in running a secret society that enslaved women and branded them with his initials, federal prosecutors said.

Mack, 35, has been charged with sex-trafficking and conspiracy, according to the office of US Attorney Richard Donoghue in Brooklyn. She is expected to appear in Brooklyn federal court on Friday afternoon.

Mack is known for her role in the WB Television series Smallville. Her lawyers could not immediately be reached for comment.

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Football: Arsenal must be 'open-minded' in finding new manager, says CEO

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Arsenal need to be "open-minded" in finding a new manager following the announcement of Arsene Wenger's departure from the club, chief executive Ivan Gazidis said on Friday.

Wenger is to stand down at the end of the season after a reign of almost 22 years and while Gazidis refused to discuss whether the Frenchman left entirely of his own accord, he said the search for a new manager had not yet begun.

"The most important thing is to make the right appointment - not a quick one," said Gazidis, who said that out of respect for Wenger no discussions had been held while he was in the post.

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