Spanish singers get together for Haiti in San Roque

(Agencies) Nine of Spain's best-known young crop of singers (copleras) will be getting together this evening at the Juan Luis Galiardo Theatre in San Roque (9pm) for a gala concert in aid of Haiti. All the copleras have agreed to perform free of charge, according to the organizer, Agustín Delgado. Scheduled to perform are Sandra Cabrera, Maite Moreno (see Maite Moreno in Jimena), Miriam Fontalba, Verónica Rojas (photo - see also Verónica Rojas: a star is born), Yolanda Figueroa, Sonia Mena, Tamara, Pepe Torres, Eduardo Mena and Araceli Puertas. Tickets at the door.

Twice in two months

Oscar Wilde might have said it: "To survive one earthquake is fortunate, to survive two looks like carelessness." But the Desarmes family considers it a gift from heaven. Nine members of the family left Haiti after the earthquake there to start a new life ... in Chile. BBC News reports on Pierre Desarmes, who lived in Chile when the catastrophe hit his home island and brought eight family members to live with him. It is a moving story.

Flamenco dancers and singers for Haiti

Flamenco dancer David Morales (photo), of La Línea, is bringing together a host of top line singers and dancers in aid of Haiti, to raise funds for a children's refuge there. The charity show is scheduled for March 18 and 19 at a venue to be specified (probably the Palacio de Congresos and probably at 9pm - watch this space!). Among the flamenco stars are María Toledo, Chiquetete, Eva la Yerbabuena, Arcángel, Tomatito, la Tobala, Diego Carrasco, Moraito Chico and Cecilia Gómez. Morales was in Port-au-Prince in November last year with his show Indiano; he says, "When I saw the disaster I felt morally obliged to do something about it."

Letter from Haiti, by Andrés Rebolledo, a volunteer from Jimena

(Translated from, and photo: TioJimeno) This is hell, as someone said. I don't know how to describe the place. The only thing I can say is that everything has touched bottom.

The people, who could amount to between 2 or 3 million, are living in improvised camps, making tiny shelters out of a couple of sticks and old pieces of material. They have almost no possessions, they sleep on the floor and wander about looking for something to eat, drink or whatever. 

It is chaos in the suffocating, humid heat that easily surpasses that of Jimena on the hottest day of July or August.>