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Nicki Minaj has spoken out following her arrest in the Netherlands, claiming she was treated differently because of her race.

The Anaconda rapper was speaking to fans on the livestream platform Stationhead and spoke about the incident, which forced her to cancel a gig in Manchester just hours before she was due to perform.

The 41-year-old Trinidad-born musician said: “Not being able to get to Manchester, I don’t know when was the last time I felt that low.

“Not only that but knowing that something is being done to you on purpose because you are a confident other race.”

She went on to say she felt some of those at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport “took joy” in the situation, before going on: “There was one lady there – all the rest were men – and I could tell she had a heart.

“The treatment was just disgusting, and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. And yes, I’ve been to jail before. It has nothing to do with if you’ve been to jail before.”

Minaj live-streamed her arrest on social media and claimed drugs found in her luggage did not belong to her.

She went on to spend around six hours in custody on Saturday before being allowed to fly to the UK.

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Dutch police said a woman aged 41 was arrested on Saturday after allegedly trying to take what it described as “soft drugs” from Schiphol Airport to another country.

A later update from the police said officers had released the “suspect and she can now move on” after paying a fine.

When asked if she felt the Dutch officials treated her like “a human” Minaj said: “No”.

She went on: “When they put out that press release that I was released, I was still in the building. They were doing maybe damage control, I don’t know.”

Minaj then said she didn’t want to discuss the incident any further as she was “in a good mood”, adding: “I’m on tour, and if I give energy to that, I can’t do what I have to do, that’s my job… My Barbz [the name for Minaj’s fans] come first.”

A spokesman for the Netherlands’ military police – who deal with all airport incidents – told Sky News Minaj’s arrest was “normal procedure when somebody is trying to pass border control with drugs in their luggage”.

The artist, who is currently travelling the world on her Pink Friday 2 Tour is due to play the newly opened Co-op Live in Manchester on Thursday evening, before returning to play Saturday’s re-scheduled gig on Monday.

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Man arrested for alleged sexual assault ‘on set of EastEnders’

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Man arrested for alleged sexual assault 'on set of EastEnders'

A man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and sexual assault – which reportedly took place on the set of EastEnders.

The alleged incident happened on the set of the BBC soap at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, according to The Sun newspaper.

Hertfordshire Police confirmed a man in his 50s was arrested after the report in Eldon Avenue, Borehamwood, on 7 May.

The man is accused of sexual assault and common assault in relation to two victims, the force said.

The suspect is on bail while inquiries continue, police added.

EastEnders said in a statement: “While we would never comment on individuals, EastEnders has on-site security and well-established procedures in place to safeguard the safety and welfare of everyone who works on the show.”

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BST Hyde Park’s final day cancelled as Jeff Lynne’s ELO pulls out of headline slot

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BST Hyde Park's final day cancelled as Jeff Lynne's ELO pulls out of headline slot

BST Hyde Park festival has cancelled its final night after Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra pulled out of the headline slot.

Lynne, 77, was due to play alongside his band on Sunday but has been forced to withdraw from the event following a “systemic infection”.

The London show was supposed to be a “final goodbye” from ELO following their farewell US tour.

Organisers said on Saturday that Lynne was “heartbroken” at being unable to perform.

A statement read: “Jeff has been battling a systemic infection and is currently in the care of a team of doctors who have advised him that performing is simply not possible at this time nor will he be able to reschedule.

“The legacy of the band and his longtime fans are foremost in Jeff’s mind today – and while he is so sorry that he cannot perform, he knows that he must focus on his health and rehabilitation at this time.”

They later confirmed the whole of Sunday’s event would be cancelled.

“Ticket holders will be refunded and contacted directly by their ticket agent with further details,” another statement said.

Stevie Wonder played the festival on Saturday – now its final event of 2025.

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US rock band The Doobie Brothers and blues rock singer Steve Winwood were among those who had been due to perform to before ELO’s headline performance.

The cancellation comes after the band, best known for their hit Mr Blue Sky, pulled out of a performance due to take place at Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena on Thursday.

ELO was formed in Birmingham in 1970 by Lynne, multi-instrumentalist Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan.

They first split in 1986, before frontman Lynne resurrected the band in 2014.

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Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O’Donnell’s US citizenship

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Donald Trump threatens to revoke Rosie O'Donnell's US citizenship

Donald Trump has said he is considering “taking away” the US citizenship of actress and comedian Rosie O’Donnell, despite a Supreme Court ruling that expressly prohibits a government from doing so.

In a post on Truth Social on Saturday, the US president said: “Because of the fact that Rosie O’Donnell is not in the best interests of our Great Country, I am giving serious consideration to taking away her Citizenship.”

He also labelled O’Donnell, who has moved to Ireland, as a “threat to humanity” and said she should “remain in the wonderful country of Ireland, if they want her”.

O’Donnell responded on Instagram by posting a photograph of Mr Trump with Jeffrey Epstein.

“You are everything that is wrong with America and I’m everything you hate about what’s still right with it,” she wrote in the caption.

“I’m not yours to silence. I never was.”

Rosie O'Donnell arrives at the ELLE Women in Hollywood celebration on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
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Rosie O’Donnell moved to Ireland after Donald Trump secured a second term. Pic: AP

O’Donnell moved to Ireland with her 12-year-old son in January after Mr Trump had secured a second term.

She has said she’s in the process of obtaining Irish citizenship based on family lineage and that she would only return to the US “when it is safe for all citizens to have equal rights there in America”.

O’Donnell and the US president have criticised each other publicly for years, in an often-bitter back-and-forth that predates Mr Trump’s move into politics.

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This is just the latest threat by the president to revoke the citizenship of someone he has disagreed with, most recently his former ally Elon Musk.

But the two situations are different as while Musk was born in South Africa, O’Donnell was born in the US and has a constitutional right to American citizenship.

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Amanda Frost, a law professor at the University of Virginia School of Law, said the Supreme Court ruled in a 1967 case that the fourteenth amendment of the constitution prevents the government from taking away citizenship.

“The president has no authority to take away the citizenship of a native-born US citizen,” he added.

“In short, we are nation founded on the principle that the people choose the government; the government cannot choose the people.”

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