In the same week rapper Kanye West, who has legally changed his name to Ye, was banned from Instagram, he's now been barred from performing at the Grammys, according to a report in Variety magazine.
The move was first reported in The Blast entertainment news website, as a representative for the All Falls Down singer confirmed he'd been pulled from the awards' performance line-up owing to his "concerning online behaviour".
Ye, who is up for five Grammy awards, was not officially announced as a performer, but could be a planned addition.
The Blast report said Ye's team received a phone call on Friday informing him he had been "unfortunately" removed from the line-up. A representative from the team sent the link to Variety, saying, "this is confirmed", although no further comments have been made by Ye's team nor the Recording Academy and CBS, which present the Grammys.
“Our sources say Kanye’s team isn’t surprised by the decision,” said The Blast report.
Ye was suspended from Instagram for 24 hours after he directed a racial slur at The Daily Show host, South African comedian Trevor Noah, 38, who is also hosting the Grammys on April 3.
Noah is the writing partner of Kim Kardashian’s boyfriend Pete Davidson.
What [Kim Kardashian is] going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave
Trevor Noah
The social media attack came after Noah spoke about Ye's public and "belligerent" attacks and harassment directed towards Kardashian after their split.
"You may not feel sorry for Kim because she’s rich and famous, because of the way she dresses, because she appropriates black culture, because she tells women they’re lazy, broke the internet and then didn’t put it back together, whatever, you hate her," Noah said during a segment on The Daily Show.
"But what she's going through is terrifying to watch and shines a spotlight on what so many women go through when they choose to leave."
The phrase used by Ye to insult Noah is said to refer to a black person who is anti-black.
Noah responded to Ye's comments, saying: “You’re an indelible part of my life Ye. Which is why it breaks my heart to see you like this.
“I don’t care if you support Trump and I don’t care if you roast Pete. I do however care when I see you on a path that’s dangerously close to peril and pain … Don’t ever forget, the biggest trick racists ever played on black people was teaching us to strip each other of our blackness whenever we disagree. Tricking us into dividing ourselves up into splinters so that we would never unite into a powerful rod.”
Hours after the suspension, social media users flooded the comments section of fashion label Gap's account, imploring the brand to sever ties with the rapper.
Ye signed a 10-year agreement in 2020 to design and sell clothes under the Yeezy Gap label. The deal, rumoured to be worth about $970 million according to Bloomberg, has so far produced two collections, with a third, the Yeezy Gap X Balenciaga collaboration, unveiled in February. All collections have sold out minutes after launch.
Kardashian filed for divorce from Ye in February 2021 and was declared legally single on March 2. She's been publicly dating Davidson since last year.
Ye has since unleashed regular public attacks on Davidson, for example by including lyrics in the song Eazy threatening to "beat" him and creating a claymation video of Davidson being kidnapped, buried and decapitated.
Dunki
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
The specs
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
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BMW M5 specs
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Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Jebel Ali results
2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Antonio Fresu (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
2.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Shamikh, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
3pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 64,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: One Vision, Connor Beasley, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
3.30pm: Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Gabr, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson
4pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 96,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner: Just A Penny, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
4.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Torno Subito, Sam Hitchcock, Doug Watson
5pm: Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner: Untold Secret, Jose Santiago, Salem bin Ghadayer
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
The view from The National
