Schwarzenegger receives doctorate

Arnold Schwarzenegger has received an honorary doctorate from a US university for his work with children.

The private Chapman University in California wanted to recognise the Terminator star's contributions on education and fitness.

He recently traveled to all 50 US states urging young people to stay in shape in his capacity as presidential "champion" for fitness and health.

Schwarzenegger has also served as an ambassador to the Special Olympics and chairman of the Inner-City Games Foundation.

---

Titchmarsh turns green fingers to kids TV

TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh is to play a gnome in a children's TV programme, helping to promote gardening to young viewers.

The Ground Force presenter will voice several characters in the new BBC animated show Gordon Gnome.

The star of the show is a gnome who lives in an upturned wheelbarrow with his friend Andrew the worm.

"In addition to him being a fantastic character in a show that I think will be very popular, I hope Gordon will encourage children to explore and love the garden as much as I do, as well as enjoy caring for their local environment," said Titchmarsh.

---

---

Vorderman beats the Bard

Television presenter Carol Vorderman has topped a table of best-selling school books - beating William Shakespeare.

The Countdown star's maths and English revision books came first in the schools list while the Bard was only at number four.

"I'm hugely surprised at how well they've done but I do believe that maths is as interesting as Shakespeare," she said.

"I would never claim I was personally as interesting as him but I think the subject definitely is."

---

Gala concert ends Tchaikovsky contest

Russia's prestigious Tchaikovsky music competition finished on Sunday with a gala concert attended by President Vladimir Putin.

The international contest, held every four years since its launch in 1958, featured 244 young musicians from 34 countries.

Among the winners was Chinese violinist Chen Si, whose shoulder was injured by Moscow rioters after Russia's loss to Japan in the World Cup.

The 9 June riot left two people dead and caused widespread damage to the centre of the Russian capital.

Ayako Uehara of Japan took first prize in the piano category, and was praised by Russian conductor Mark Gorenshtein for her "feel for Russian music", Russia's ORT television reported.

---

Bono urges Chirac to 'champion' Africa

Rock star Bono has implored French President Jacques Chirac to be "a champion for Africa" at next week's meeting of world leaders to discuss a new African development plan.

The U2 frontman - a leading activist in the campaign to cancel world debt for the poorest countries - met with Mr Chirac in Paris on Thursday.

He reminded the president of his "passion for Africa" and that he wanted to see Mr Chirac "turn that passion into cash".

After their meeting, Bono said Mr Chirac had pledged to reverse the decline in French aid contributions to the continent.