U2 to get Portuguese award

The members of Irish rock band U2 are set to be honoured with the country's Order Of Liberty for their humanitarian efforts.

President Jorge Sampaio will award the stars before a concert in Lisbon on Sunday.

A presidential spokeswoman says: "Over the last 25 years the band has allied its public exposure gained through musical success with the defence of humanitarian causes and human rights."

Bono was a major figure in the Live Aid concert for Ethiopian famine relief 20 years ago and has since campaigned for the world's poor. U2 also played at last month's Live 8 concert, held to pressurise rich nations to alleviate poverty.