Taylor Swift wins big and Rita Ora pays tribute to Liam Payne at the MTV EMAs

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Taylor Swift came out on top at the 2024 MTV EMAs on Sunday, walking away with best artist, best U.S. act, best live act and best video for “Fortnight” (featuring Post Malone).

Swift, who is finishing up her Eras tour on the other side of the Atlantic, thanked the fans for the bounty of prizes via video message.

The U.K. show opened with an acrobatic Benson Boone suspended in the air on a gold grand piano performing his viral hit “Beautiful Things” and latest release “Slow it Down.” Boone also accepted his first EMA for best new act.

South African newcomer Tyla gave Swift a run for her money picking up three awards for best afrobeats, best R&B and best African act.

Tyla performed her smash hit “Water” for the EMA audience at the Co-op Live, Manchester, flanked by a host of dancers, as well as singing energetic new track “Push 2 Start.”

British singer Rita Ora, who hosted the show for a record third time, paid tribute to former One Direction star Liam Payne, who died last month after falling from a balcony in Buenos Aires.

Ora had a close relationship with the singer and the pair recorded a song together in 2018, “For You (Fifty Shades Freed).” She addressed the audience saying, “I want to take a moment to remember someone. Liam Payne was one of the kindest people I knew.” Her voice broke as she asked the crowd to take a moment to remember Liam saying, “He had the biggest heart and he left such a mark on this world.”

Hip-hop legend Busta Rhymes was awarded the EMAs global icon award from British rapper Little Simz telling the crowd that in 34 years of professionally recording this was his first award from MTV and it felt incredible. The 12-time Grammy Award nominee, who has more than 10 million album sales under his belt, performed a mega medley of his greatest hits “Break ya Neck,” “Touch it” and “Put Your Hands Where the Eyes can See” accompanied by dancers wearing tracksuits with giant dragon heads.

Shawn Mendes gave an intimate and heartfelt performance and also received the award for best Canadian act. Sabrina Carpenter picked up the honors for best song for her hit “Espresso,” while Ariana Grande was crowned best pop act and Eminem took away best hip hop act.

U.K. duo Pet Shop Boys were honored with the inaugural Pop Pioneers Award for their contribution to pop music and closed out the show accompanied by local orchestra Manchester Camerata with a cover of David Bowie’s “All the Young Dudes” followed by their iconic hit “West End Girls” in celebration of the song’s 40th anniversary.

Other performers on the night included K-Pop quintet Le Sserafim, Mexican singer and rapper Peso Pluma, English singer and songwriter Raye, multi-platinum singer-songwriter Mendes, American powerhouse Teddy Swims, Mexican rock sisters the Warning.

LL Cool J, Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale, mother-and-daughter musicians Neneh Cherry and Mabel and TV and film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Turner-Smith and Lucien Laviscount all presented awards.

Busta Rhymes performs during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Spliff Star, left, and Busta Rhymes perform during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Busta Rhymes performs during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Little Simz before presenting Busta Rhymes with the 2024 MTV EMAs global icon award during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Busta Rhymes accepts the 2024 MTV EMAs global icon award during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Busta Rhymes, front, accepts the 2024 MTV EMAs global icon award presented by Little Simz during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Busta Rhymes holds the 2024 MTV EMAs global icon award during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Estevan Plazola, left, and Peso Pluma perform during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Kim Chaewon, from left, Kazuha, Hong Eunchae and Sakura Miyawaki from the group 'Le Sserafim' perform during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Kazuha, from left, Sakura Miyawaki, Hong Eunchae, Huh Yunjin, and Kim Chaewon, from the group 'Le Sserafim' perform during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant from the 'Pet Shop Boys' performs alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant from the 'Pet Shop Boys' performs alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant from the 'Pet Shop Boys' performs alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant, left, and Chris Lowe from the 'Pet Shop Boys' perform alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant, left, and Chris Lowe from the 'Pet Shop Boys' perform alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Chris Lowe from the 'Pet Shop Boys' perform alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Neil Tennant, left, and Chris Lowe from the 'Pet Shop Boys' perform alongside the Manchester Camerata during the MTV European Music Awards in Manchester, England, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024. (Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — The United Nations' annual climate talks pushed into overtime Saturday under a cloud of anger and disappointment as negotiators were well short of a deal on money for developing nations to curb and adapt to climate change.

A draft of the final agreement Friday pledged $250 billion annually by 2035, more than double the previous goal of $100 billion set 15 years ago but far short of the annual $1 trillion-plus that experts say is needed. Through the early hours of Saturday morning, The Associated Press saw lead negotiators from the European Union, the United States and other nations going through the empty halls from meeting to meeting as delegates tried to hash out a new version of the deal.

“We're still working hard,” U.S. climate envoy John Podesta told the AP past 4 a.m. local time.

The climate talks, called COP29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, were scheduled to end Friday. Workers have already begun dismantling the venue for the talks.

Wealthy nations are obligated to help vulnerable countries under an agreement reached at these talks in Paris in 2015. Developing nations are seeking $1.3 trillion to help adapt to droughts, floods, rising seas and extreme heat, pay for losses and damages caused by extreme weather, and transition their energy systems away from planet-warming fossil fuels and toward clean energy.

Representatives of some of the nations that are obliged to contribute the cash said the $250 billion climate finance figure is realistic and reflects their limits at a time when their own economies are stretched.

The amount in any deal reached at COP negotiations — often considered a “core” — will then be mobilized or leveraged for greater climate spending. But much of that means loans for countries drowning in debt.

But that meant little to vulnerable nations, many already battered by extreme weather made worse largely by emissions from the burning of fossil fuels they've had little to do with. Most of those emissions have come from the developed world since the Industrial Revolution.

“Our expectations were low, but this is a slap in the face,” said Mohamed Adow, from Power Shift Africa. “No developing country will fall for this. They have angered and offended the developing world.”

Nikki Reisch, director of the climate and energy program at the Center for International Environmental Law, said the offering was unacceptable not just because the money is low, but because “it’s really designed to escape and evade the legal obligation that developed countries have” to pay for the climate change they have largely caused.

Several dozen activists marched in silence outside the halls where delegates meet late Friday, raising and crossing their arms in front of themselves to indicate rejection of the draft text.

With bleary eyes, seated around cold pizza, a group of youth activists chatted to keep each other awake in one of the main halls of the venue.

“All of us are kind of in mourning in a way,” said Jessica Dunne, with the Alliance of Non-Governmental Radical Youth. This is her fourth COP, and along with the other activists present, she’s disappointed and deeply worried about the current deal on offer. But the group said being in community eases the painful emotions that come with a process Dunne called an “abject failure.”

“In these halls tonight, as we’re sitting here and we’re talking and we’re dancing and crying and laughing, it kind of gives you hope that there will be another day that we’re going to fight for,” she said.

“I’m really tired,” said Erica Njuguna, a climate activist from Kenya. “But we are holding the line, making sure that COP delivers for people on the front lines of the climate crisis. So far it hasn’t.”

Associated Press journalist Joshua A. Bickel contributed to this report.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

U.S. Deputy Climate Envoy Sue Biniaz, right, and Wopke Hoekstra, EU climate commissioner, second from right, walk out of an elevator during the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

John Podesta, U.S. climate envoy, right, walks through the hallways of the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

People sleep in the Chinese delegation offices at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit in the early hours of Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Joshua A. Bickel)

Activists demonstrate in silence protesting a draft of a proposed deal for curbing climate change at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)