At least eight people have been killed and several injured in a crush during the opening night of the Astroworld music festival in Houston, Texas.
On Saturday morning, Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena announced the casualties figures outside NRG Park, where the festival was being held.
The crush occurred at about 9pm or 9.15pm on Friday, when the crowd began to press towards the front of the stage, CBS News affiliate KHOU 11 News Houston reported.
The fire department took 17 people to hospital, KHOU 11 News Houston reported. Eleven were in cardiac arrest.
The crowd surged during a performance by rapper Travis Scott, the Houston Chronicle reported.
A crowd of 50,000 showed up for the two-day event, it reported. The second day of the festival has been cancelled.
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
What is the definition of an SME?
SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.
A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors.
