David Shadrach

Johnny Hallyday: French rock star dies at 74 France's biggest rock star Johnny Hallyday has died from lung cancer, his wife says. He was 74. The singer - real name Jean-Philippe Smet - sold about 100 million records and starred in a number of films. He was made a Chevalier of the Legion D'Honneur by President Jacques Chirac in 1997. The French have simply called him "Our Johnny". However, outside the Francophone zone, Hallyday was almost unknown. In a statement, his wife Laeticia said: "Johnny Hallyday has left us," the AFP news agency reports. "I write these words without believing them. But yet, it's true. My man is no longer with us. "He left us tonight as he lived his whole life, with courage and dignity," she said. Reacting to the news, French president Emmanuel Macron referenced the title of a recent tribute album by saying: "There is a little bit of Johnny in all of us". "Across generations, he carved himself into the...

GCC structure may have to change: Kuwait's Sheikh Sabah NEWS / KUWAIT WATCH: Qatar blockade - GCC summit unlikely to resolve crisis (2:41) READ MORE Qatar-Gulf crisis: All the latest updates GCC Kuwait Qatar Saudi Arabia Bahrain SIGN UP Tuesday's meeting took place six months after the announcement of Qatar siege [HI Mohammed/Reuters] The structure of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) might have to change in the near future to face upcoming challenges, the emir of Kuwait has said. Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al Sabah made the remarks as a summit of the GCC in Kuwait City concluded abruptly on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, with all the delegates leaving Kuwait after a closed session. "We might change the system of the GCC to have mechanisms to better face challenges," Sheikh Sabah said, referring to the GCC crisis that began on June 5. On that day, Saudi Arabia , Bahrain and the UAE - all GCC members - cut ties with Qatar after accusing it of supporting "ter...

Storm Caroline to hit Scotland followed by snow for wider UK The UK's next named storm has been forecast to hit Scotland on Thursday. Storm Caroline is expected to see winds gusting to 80mph near north-facing coasts, and reaching speeds of 60 to 70mph more widely in northern and north east Scotland. The Met Office warned that the conditions could disrupt travel. Snow and freezing temperatures have been forecast for Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales on Friday and Saturday in the wake of Caroline. The two previous named storms were Aileen in September and Brian in October. A yellow "be aware" warning is in place for Scotland between 08:00 and 23:55 on Thursday. Yellow warnings have also been issued by the Met Office for 00:05 Friday to 18:00 Saturday. The Met Office said snow showers were expected to become increasingly frequent over northern Scotland late on Thursday. Snow is expected to fall across many other parts of Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and west...

Russian doping: IOC bans Russia from 2018 Winter Olympics 5 Dec Russia has been banned from competing at next year's Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang by the International Olympic Committee. But Russian athletes who can prove they are clean would be allowed to compete in South Korea under a neutral flag. It follows an investigation into allegations of state- sponsored doping at the 2014 Games hosted by Russia in Sochi. The IOC made the announcement on Tuesday.

Manchester Arena attack 'could have been stopped' The Manchester Arena bomber had been a "subject of interest" and opportunities to stop him were missed, a review says. Its author, David Anderson QC, said it was conceivable Salman Abedi's attack, which killed 22 people, could have been avoided had "cards fallen differently". But he said it was "unknowable" whether reopening investigations into Abedi would have thwarted his plans, adding: "MI5 assesses that it would not." Greater Manchester Police said its officers would "never stop learning". After the Manchester bombing and three terror attacks in London this year, counter-terror police and MI5 conducted internal reviews. Mr Anderson carried out an independent assessments of their findings. The reviews, which remain largely secret, are summarised in Mr Anderson's report, and show: Abedi had been a "Subject of Interest" for MI5 - meaning someone they were inves...

Trump tells Abbas he will move US embassy to Jerusalem NEWS / PALESTINE WATCH: What message is Trump sending with plan to relocate embassy? Israeli–Palestinian conflict Palestine Donald Trump Middle East SIGN UP Abbas gave Trump warning of "dangerous consequences" of such a move [File: Getty Images] US President Donald Trump has told Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas that he intends to relocate the US embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, according to Palestinian officials. Wafa, the official news agency of the Palestinian Authority (PA), reported on Tuesday that Trump called Abbas to inform him of his "intention". "President Abbas warned of the dangerous consequences such a decision would have to the peace process and to the peace, security and stability of the region and of the world," Nabil Abu Rudeina, the Palestinian president's spokesperson, said. No further details were given about when Trump plans to move the embassy. Shortly after, a s...

GCC summit cut short by a day amid diplomatic rift NEWS / KUWAIT GCC Kuwait Middle East Qata The GCC summit in Kuwait is among the most significant official encounters since a Saudi-led group of countries imposed a blockade on Qatar [Ahmed Hagagy/Reuters] A key regional summit of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC ) countries has been cut short and will conclude on Tuesday instead of Wednesday, with all the delegates leaving Kuwait after a closed session. The Kuwait summit takes place exactly six months after three of the member states severed diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar . The move comes as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that it had formed a new economic and military partnership with Saudi Arabia separate from the GCC. It is clear now that Emiratis and Saudis have no intention of supporting stability in the GCC, no intention of supporting Kuwait's mediation efforts, and no intention to end the crisis one or other. MAJED AL-ANSARI, QATAR UNIVERSITY ...

Jerusalem: Turkey warns Trump against crossing 'red line' Turkey's president has warned it could sever ties with Israel if the US recognises Jerusalem as its capital. Recep Tayyip Erdogan said such a move would cross a "red line" for Muslims. A growing number of countries have urged Donald Trump not to make his anticipated announcement. Reports say the president will dramatically shift the US position on the status of Jerusalem this week. Its fate is one of the thorniest issues between Israel and the Palestinians. "Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims," Mr Erdogan said in a televised speech on Tuesday. "We could go as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue." The alternatives to a two-state solution Why settlement issue is so difficult Donald Trump missed a deadline on Monday to sign a waiver which would postpone moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a campaign pledge he has delayed fulfilling. If Washingt...