Taylor Swift postpones show in Rio due to ‘extreme temperatures’
Taylor Swift has postponed a concert in Rio de Janeiro due to “extreme temperatures”.
The heat index, which combines temperature and humidity, reached 59.7 degrees Celsius in the Brazilian city on Saturday.
In addition, a fan died before Swift’s show on Friday, leaving her “devastated”.
Ana Clara Benevides, 23, became unwell and later died in hospital. Her cause of death has not been announced but Brazilian daily newspaper Fohla de S Paulo reported she had collapsed at the show and had a cardiac arrest.
Several fans fell ill on Friday, prompting Swift to interrupt her performance and ask the production team to give them water, videos showed.
A Taylor Swift fan cools down in Rio. Pic: AP
The concerts are being held at Nilton Santos stadium, far from Rio’s breezy beaches in a hotter northern neighbourhood.
Swift posted the decision to postpone Saturday’s show on Instagram about two hours before it was due to start.
“The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers, and crew has to, and always will, come first,” she said.
As news of the postponement spread, many young girls outside the stadium burst into tears.
Taylor Swift is due to perform again in Rio on Sunday
Swift is also due to perform in Rio on Sunday, ahead of three shows in Sao Paulo next weekend.
Heat exhaustion, which can include dizziness, headaches, shaking and thirst, is not usually serious, provided the person cools down within 30 minutes.
However heat stroke – when the body’s core temperature goes above 40.6 degrees Celsius – is a medical emergency.
Following Ms Benevides’ death, justice minister Flavio Dino said the Brazilian government would issue a directive allowing water bottles to be brought into concerts.
“Companies producing shows with high heat exposure must provide free drinking water in easily accessible ‘hydration islands’,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“The measure is effective immediately.”
Entertainment
Snoop Dogg becomes co-owner and investor of Swansea football club saying it’s ‘an underdog just like me’
Police are taking no further action over Kneecap’s performance at Glastonbury.
Officers said they had investigated “comments about a forthcoming court case made during Kneecap’s performance” at the festival on 28 June.
However, after Crown Prosecution Service advice, they decided there is not enough evidence “to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any offence”.
The Avon & Somerset force started investigating the Irish group’s show last month, as well as comments by punk-rap duo Bob Vylan.
It said they were looking at a possible public order incident.
Police said on Friday that the investigation into Bob Vylan’s performance was ongoing.
The London duo were widely criticised – and caused a BBC crisis – after leading on-stage chants of “death to the IDF” (Israel Defence Forces).
Kneecap’s Liam Og O Hannaidh appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in June. Pic: PA
Kneecap posted a photograph on Instagram, which the group said was an email from police announcing the case was being dropped.
They said their packed Glastonbury gig was a “celebration of love and solidarity” and reporting used “wildly misleading headlines”.
Fears over what Kneecap might do or say during the performance had prompted the BBC not to show it live.
The group said: “Every single person who saw our set knew no law was broken, not even close… yet the police saw fit to publicly announce they were opening an investigation.”
“There is no public apology, they don’t send this to media or post it on police accounts,” they added.
The police statement on Friday said they had informed Kneecap of their decision to drop the case.
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One of the group’s members appeared in court in June charged with a terror offence.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh is accused of displaying a flag in support of Hezbollah, a proscribed organisation in the UK, at a gig last year.
He was released on unconditional bail ahead of a second court appearance in August.
Entertainment
Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin
A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.
Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.
Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.
The fire gutted the main stage
Fire crews attempt to bring the blaze under control
The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.
It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.
Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.
Black smoke could be seen rising into the sky
The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.
The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.
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Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.
“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”
Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen told reporters ‘a lot of people are devastated’
Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.
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