U2 have postponed the Asia-Pacific leg of their sold-out world tour due to illness within the family of one of the band members.
"This action is unavoidable due to the illness of an immediate family member of one of the band," tour promoter Arthur Fogel said in a statement on the band's website.
"Any fan of U2 will realise that this decision has not been taken lightly. We will announce further details as soon as we have them."
The band's publicist in Los Angeles declined to elaborate on the announcement.
U2 were scheduled to begin the Asia-Pacific portion of its Vertigoworld tour in Auckland on March 17th, and then play Australia, Japan and Hawaii. In all, it postponed 10 shows.
The band has been touring the world in support of its Grammy-winning album How to Dismantle an Atomic Bombsince March 2005.