Gorbachev presents Cat’s peace prize

FORMER Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev honoured the singer once known as Cat Stevens with a peace prize yesterday, praising him for charity work and for standing by his convictions despite personal hardships.

Yusuf Islam was awarded the Man for Peace award in Rome at the opening of a meeting of Nobel Peace Prize winners.

He last made headlines in September, when he turned up on Washington’s no-fly list for having suspected ties to terrorists - a claim he has strongly denied.