The quintessential IYS news story might begin with a witty, attention grabbing opener; unfortunately there is nothing witty about the ongoing crisis in Haiti. It is impossible to compare by any unit of measure the tolls taken by human tragedies or the impact natural disasters have on a place and its people. Suffice it to say, the current situation in Haiti is one of the worst we are likely to witness in our lifetimes, even decades down the line. The staggering number of lives lost and the utter decimation of Port Au Prince paints a desperate picture, but not a hopeless one. The road to recovery will be long and arduous for the people of Haiti, but if history has taught us any one thing besides the futility of war, it is that when a catastrophe of such devastating impact and magnitude occurs and threatens to take away everything, the entire world answers the call to aid and helps return what it is possible to replace. In the case of the Haitian crisis, the music world is responding in a huge way, with many high profile artists, including Jay-Z, Bono and Radiohead, banding together towards the common goal of raising funds to directly aid the people of Haiti.

Most notable among the efforts being made by musicians to provide aid to Haiti is an all-star telethon being staged in several cities worldwide. Billed as Hope For Haiti, the telethon will be aired tonight [January 22] from Los Angeles, London and New York City, and will feature the talents of Coldplay, Jay-Z, Sting and Stevie Wonder, with hosting duties being managed by the likes of Goerge Clooney and Wyclef Jean.

Jay-Z, Bono, and Rihanna have also collaborated on a song for Haiti called "Stranded."

Although not participating in tonight's telethon, Radiohead will be holding their own benefit gig in Los Angeles on January 24th in the Music Box at The Fonda, according to their blog. If you can attend any of these shows, please show your support for the people of Haiti. If you can't, please donate what you can to the relief fund of your choosing and keep the Haitian people in your hearts and minds.