Lion's award for Sharif

Omar Sharif will receive a Golden Lion award at this month's Venice Film Festival to honour his 50-year screen career.

Egyptian-born Sharif, 71, starred in films such as Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence Of Arabia. His lifetime award will be one of two at the Venice festival - the 60th - this year, say organisers. The other goes to producer Dino De Laurentiis.

Last week Sharif was fined £1,000 for head-butting a policeman at a casino in France.