Yusuf Islam, the singer-songwriter formerly known as Cat Stevens, has accepted substantial libel damages and an apology for articles that claimed he was sexist and bigoted. London’s High Court was told the World Entertainment News Network news agency and an entertainment website contactmusic.com agreed to pay “substantial damages” for allegations made about him at an awards ceremony in Germany. The articles, published in March last year, falsely claimed he had refused to speak to or even acknowledge any women who were not veiled and was not prepared to speak to women other than through an intermediary, his lawyer said. As Cat Stevens, Islam, 59, recorded several major hits in the late 1960s and 1970s. He converted to Islam at the height of his fame in 1977, devoting himself to education and philanthropy.
