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BRICUP, the British Committee for Universities for Palestine, has sent an open letter to Elton John asking him to cancel his planned concert in Israel in June 2010.

They have said to him: “Okay, you turn up in Ramat Gan, and it gets to that ‘Candle in the Wind’ moment, and thousands of lighters flicker – but there won’t be any Palestinians from the Occupied Territories swaying along with the Israelis – the army won’t let them leave their ghettoes. Please read what Judge Goldstone said about the onslaught on Gaza; what Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been saying for decades about the crimes committed against the Palestinians.”

Read the BRICUP open letter:

Dear Elton John:

Like much of the world, we think you’re a good bloke. You came out when it was difficult; you admitted your addictions were stronger than you were; you’ve poured money into AIDS research. Oh, and then there’s the music – not bad at all.

But we’re struggling to understand why you’re playing in Israel on June 17. You may say you’re not a political person, but does an army dropping white phosphorus on a school building full of children demand a political response?

Does walling a million and a half people up in a ghetto and then pounding that ghetto to rubble require a political response from us, or a human one?

We think it needs a human response, and we think that by choosing to play in Tel Aviv you’re denying this. You’re
behaving as if playing in Israel is morally neutral – but how can it be? How can the cruelties Israel practises against the Palestinians – fundamentally because the Palestinians are there, on Palestinian land, and Israel wants them to go – be morally neutral?

Okay, you turn up in Ramat Gan, and it gets to that ‘Candle in the Wind’ moment, and thousands of lighters flicker – but there won’t be any Palestinians from the Occupied Territories swaying along with the Israelis – the army won’t let them leave their ghettoes. Please read what Judge Goldstone said about the onslaught on Gaza; what Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have been saying for decades about the crimes committed against the Palestinians. Of course the Israeli state denies it has a case to answer, though it’s knee-deep in ethnic cleansing and land-theft and the endless daily suffocating of Palestinian lives and hopes.

Political or not political, when you stand up on that stage in Tel Aviv, you line yourself up with a racist state. Do you want to give them the satisfaction?

Please don’t go.

Yours sincerely,
Professor Haim Bresheeth
Mike Cushman
Professor Steven Rose
Professor Jonathan Rosenhead
London, February 2010

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The 18th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) Academy Awards® Viewing Party hosted by Elton John and David Furnish will be held March 7, 2010, at the Pacific Design Center and will be presented by Chopard, Jo and Raffy Manoukian, and Neuro Drinks.

The event will begin at 4:00 P.M. with a cocktail reception, followed by a formal dinner and viewing of the 82nd Annual Academy Awards®, an exciting auction and a very special soon-to-be-announced musical performer invited by Sir Elton John to perform at the event.

Last year, the highly successful annual gala raised $4 million. EJAF will continue to invest the money raised at this event in grant-making initiatives that support HIV prevention programs, anti-discrimination efforts, and direct services to persons living with HIV/AIDS. The Foundation targets key populations that are poorly served by current prevention efforts and most at risk of infection in an effort to bring about immediate change that will end this epidemic.

"Beginning with a modest dinner that raised $300,000 in 1993, EJAF's Academy Awards Viewing Party has grown into a multi-million dollar annual benefit that has raised approximately $25 million to date for the Foundation's life-saving programs," says EJAF Director Scott Campbell. "But these achievements only address a small portion of the enormous need that already exists and that is growing at the rate of 10 more people every minute. We have a huge task ahead of us, and we are deeply grateful to our supporters and friends around the world for joining us in this vital cause."

The EJAF Party is guaranteed to bring out today's brightest Hollywood stars. This year, the Foundation is especially honored to have David and Victoria Beckham, Kathryn Bigelow, Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi, Caroline Gruosi-Scheufele, Diana Jenkins, Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Lenny Kravitz, Ryan Kwanten,Ed Limato, Eric and Janet McCormack, Tyler Perry, Rich Ross, Gabourey Sidibie, Sharon Stone, Dame Elizabeth Taylor,Donatella Versace, and John Waters serve as event chairs.

Past guests have included Academy Award winners; stars of music, film, television and fashion; and Hollywood's most influential filmmakers such as Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Sir Paul McCartney, Zoe Saldana, Marion Cotillard, Natasha Bedingfield, Gerard Butler, Halle Berry, Heidi Klum and Seal, Victoria Beckham, Harrison Ford, Ellen DeGeneres, Sting,Denzel Washington, Chace Crawford, Emmy Rossum, Zac Posen, Rashida Jones, Jerry Weintraub, Sean Penn, Prince, and Mary J. Blige, among many others.

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Lady Gaga is trying to raise £300,000 to buy a piano designed by artist Terence Koh which she played with Elton John at the Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010.

The singer is desperate to buy the instrument - designed by controversial Canadian artist Terence Koh - after she and Elton opened the US awards ceremony on January 31, 2010, with a medley of her song 'Speechless' and Elton's 'Your Song'.

A source said: "Terence's artwork is confrontational and incorporates many elements that appeal to Gaga such as sex, punk and gay culture. The black piano with arms reaching out of it was beautiful and it's no surprise she wants it, especially after giving one of the performances of her career."

Earlier this week, Gaga described her duet with Elton as a dream come true, and that she couldn't control her emotions before the show. The 23-year-old pop star said: "I ruined all of my make-up right before the show. Crying... I was just so happy. I had been fantasising about this performance piece for a while and we got to do it and I'm just really truly floored."

It seems likely Gaga may be able to get the money together, as her bankability is at an all time high. She was reportedly paid £30,000 for a two-hour DJ set at an exclusive London club Maya on January 20, 2010. The 'Just Dance' hitmaker also managed to raise donations of $500,000 for victims of the Haiti earthquakes on January 27, 2010 with an impromptu show in New York.

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Lady Gaga was so excited about performing with Sir Elton John at the Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010, she broke down in tears shortly before they were due on stage.

Lady Gaga "cried" because she was so overwhelmed at singing with Elton. The 23-year-old singer was so happy the pair got to perform a spectacularly extravagant duet - seated either side of a giant piano which sprouted hands - at the Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010, she was forced to make an emergency visit to her make-up artist shortly before she was due on stage.

She said: "I'm just so happy, I can't say enough and Elton was so amazing and the performance was really truly magical. I had been fantasising about this performance piece for a while and we got to do it... and I'm just really truly floored. I ruined all of my make-up right before the show. Crying... I was just so happy."

The 'Bad Romance' hitmaker picked up two awards at the event - Best Electronic/Dance Album for 'The Fame' and Best Electronica/Dance Song for 'Poker Face' - and dedicated her wins to her legion of fans. She told 'Access Hollywood': "This is not an award for me, it's for my fans. And I love my fans so much. And I wanted them to know that they should believe in themselves. And I wanted to be everything that they hoped I would be tonight, and that's what we got to do."

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On February 1, 2010, at a press conference in Los Angeles, EJAF Board member David Furnish and long-time EJAF supporter actress Eva Longoria Parker joined Godiva Chocolatier representative Alison Tryon to announce an exciting new partnership between the world's leading premium chocolatier and one of the world's leading nonprofit HIV organizations.

For Valentine's Day 2010, Godiva is encouraging consumers to open their hearts to loved ones as well as to people in need. Godiva will celebrate the joy of giving back with a special limited edition gift box and an exciting Valentine's Day Sweepstakes inspired by Godiva's partnership with EJAF. As Ms. Tryon stated, "The eternal values of love and sharing, as exemplified by EJAF, have always been staples of Godiva's philosophy, particularly during Valentine's Day. We are proud to honor our shared ideals and support their valuable contributions through this special Valentine's Day sweepstakes. At Godiva, we have long admired the tireless efforts of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and their grant-making programs that bring life-saving HIV prevention education and support services to people in need across the world. We are proud to support them in their endeavors."

The Grand Prize winner of the 2010 Godiva Valentine's Day Sweepstakes will win an exclusive, all-expenses-paid trip to New York City in the fall, where he or she will receive red carpet treatment at EJAF's star-studded An Enduring Vision benefit. At the event, the winner will present Sir Elton John with a $200,000 check on behalf of Godiva. Additionally, to honor another cause close to the winner's heart, Godiva will make a $20,000 donation to a charity of the winner's choosing, allowing the sweepstakes winner to give back in two very special ways.

Godiva has also created the Limited Edition True Love Gold Heart assortment to commemorate its partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation. As Ms. Longoria Parker stated at the press conference, "I really love this new Limited Edition Valentine's Day box that honors Godiva's partnership with the Elton John AIDS Foundation. It reminds us that love and compassion should always go hand-in-hand. I will definitely be gifting this to some of my loved ones this year and encouraging others to share a gift that gives back to those in need."

"Saving lives is truly the ultimate expression of love, and that is what Godiva's generous donation will accomplish," added EJAF Board member David Furnish. "In fact, contributions like Godiva's will help EJAF not only to support its ongoing grant-making initiatives, but also to provide emergency dollars in crisis situations related to HIV/AIDS. Just this past week, EJAF released $200,000 in emergency funding to two of our grantees in Haiti to provide HIV/AIDS medicines and other medical supplies for the earthquake relief effort. At EJAF, we pride ourselves on being both a responsive and responsible nonprofit organization, putting our donors' generous contributions to work quickly in regions and populations hardest hit by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and doing so in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible. Elton and I are so very grateful to Godiva for their generous support and partnership in this vital, life-saving work."

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Following Oprah Winfrey (“The Color Purple”) and Jay-Z, and Will and Jada Pinkett Smith (“Fela!”) in lending their names to favorite Broadway shows, Elton John and his partner, David Furnish, have signed on to the producing team of the upcoming Broadway transfer “Next Fall,” a new play about the happiness, strains and religious differences between two gay men over the course of their five-year romantic relationship. The publicists for the production announced the arrangement on February 1, 2010.

As producers, Elton and David have put money into the show — no one involved in the production would say how much — and will lend their marquee names to the show’s publicity and audience material in hopes of drawing attention to the show.

Written by Geoffrey Nauffts and directed by Sheryl Kaller, the Naked Angels production of “Next Fall” — which drew critical acclaim during an Off Broadway run last summer — is moving to the Helen Hayes Theater without a star actor, director or playwright, a risky proposition on Broadway today. “Next Fall” is scheduled to begin previews on February 16, 2010 and open on March 11, 2010.

Elton and David previously worked on Broadway with “Billy Elliot: The Musical,” for which Elton was nominated for best original score and David served as an executive producer. They are also collaborating on a score for a film, “Showstopper.”

In a statement provided by the publicist, Elton and David said: “We are excited to join the team bringing Geoffrey Nauffts’ extraordinary play to Broadway. After fulfilling experiences bringing new musicals to the stage, it was seeing this inspiring and timely new work that attracted us to take on our first play.”

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Elton John did not take part in the recording of “We Are the World” on February 1, 2010 because he was in the studio recording with Leon Russell.

However, the Elton John Aids Foundation has donated $200,000 to Haiti relief, and more may be coming. The Foundation may have lost more than dozen volunteers in the earthquake.

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Diana Bruner was one of the original Soul Train Dancers, a 1970’s dance show featuring host Don Cornelius. Elton John was reputedly the first white performer on the black-dominated show.

Shortly after Don introduced Elton, the dancers had the chance to ask Elton questions, e.g., “where do you find those funky glasses?” Diana was one of those Soul Train Dancers who had the chance to ask Elton, “Have you been singing since childhood?” Elton replied that he had only been singing for 5-6 years and explained how he used to back Patti LaBelle.

Eltonfan.net caught up with Diana recently as she and other members of the original Soul Train Dancers would like to tell their story.

ELTONFAN.NET: Diana, where did you grow up and how did you become a Soul Train Dancer?

I grew up in California and New York City, I started dancing on Soul Train in 1973. Pat Davis and I were very good friends and she invited me on the show and I became a regular on the show. I became a professional dancer and got with a Dance Company called the Dancing Machine, we did the Touch of Gold Special on NBC, and I also danced with the Rollin Stones for there LA Concert. I also appeard in Right On Magazine they always wrote about the Soul Train Gang and I was a big part of that.

ELTONFAN.NET: What can you tell us about meeting Elton John, and what did you think of him then? What do you think of him now?

He is such a talented singer I have always loved his music, and still do. It would be great to see him again in person.

ELTONFAN.NET: What do you miss the most about Soul Train?

The people who danced on the show we had such a great time and the entertainment.

ELTONFAN.NET: When was the last time you spoke with Don Cornelius, and is there anything you would like to say to him?

Why are you avoiding the True Soul Train Dancers we dance on your show for all those years and you never did try to interview us or Thank You for making that show a success. It would be nice of him to do a TV show interview with all the dancers.

ELTONFAN.NET: Thank you Diana for an interesting interview.

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Lady Gaga and Elton John sang their much anticipated two-piano-powered duet at the Grammy Awards — a fusion of Gaga’s “Speechless” and Elton’s “Your Song.”

The number followed the very first song of the night, a lavish performance by Gaga of “Poker Face” that culminated in a bit of stage business where she was seemingly set on fire.

Never one to shy away from making a fashion statement, Gaga adorned a sparkly green leotard with shoulder pads that made her look like a heart. Elton and Gaga emerged together on a piano, with Gaga saying "take my picture Hollywood." Elton was adorning large, sparkly glasses with his face painted in what looked to be ash.

The two traded off verses at times, while simultaneously playing the piano. "How wonderful life is with Gaga in the world," Elton said at one point, altering the lyrics of 'Your Song.'

Click here to see a video clip of Lada Gaga's "Poker Face" and her monster duet with Elton John.

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“We Are the World 25″ is a go for February 1, 2010, at Henson A&M Studios, the same place where it was recorded in 1985. Quincy Jones and AEG Live’s Randy Phillips are putting the finishing touches on the big recording session.

Among the names we’ve heard so far: Elton John, Celine Dion, Wyclef Jean, Gladys Knight, and possibly Aretha Franklin will join a huge number of younger stars. Some of the stars from Quincy Jones’ upcoming album, “Soul Bossa Nostra,” may join in as well. They would include Jennifer Hudson, John Legend, Akon, Bebe Winans, Usher, Robin Thicke, LL Cool J, and Tevin Campbell.

Paul Haggis will film the proceedings. What’s still being finalized is where all the money will go. When the original “We Are the World” was recorded in 1985, the money was funneled through its own organization. This time, however, raised funds will be sent through an established foundation.

Originally there was a sketchy plan to re-record “We Are the World.” But when the Haiti earthquake occurred, Quincy Jones realized there was a larger purpose for the reunion.

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An online auction by the Glastonbury Festival organisers and Oxfam to raise money for Haiti earthquake victims has so far attracted bids of about £80,000.

Elton John's duck-egg blue suit has attracted over £1,500, and bids of £7,000 and £5,000 have been made for VIP tickets for the festival.

A signed guitar smashed by rocker Dave Grohl was put online on January 30, 2010, a festival spokesman said. The organisers hope to raise more than £100,000.

The spokesman said a night out with actor Colin Firth closed with a winning bid of nearly £500. He added: "We're hoping to go over the £100,000 mark and it's up towards £80,000 at the moment.

"That's pretty good during a week. Some of those things are pretty jaw-droppingly unique. The artists have been extremely generous."

He said the auction would continue to run during the first week of February 2010.

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An 18th birthday party for Donatella Versace's daughter Allegra was used as a ruse for Elton John to lead an intervention that sent the cocaine-addled designer to rehab, a new book says.

"House of Versace," by Deborah Ball, details the June 30, 2004, soiree where Donatella was confronted about the drug use that threatened her life and her multi-million dollar company. The "party" started with Versace slipping into a bathroom at her Milan mansion to snort a line of coke - just before Elton's surprise arrival, the book reveals.

The longtime friend put the intervention in motion six weeks earlier after watching a sobbing and shaking Donatella at one of his concerts. "You people are doing nothing but enabling Donatella by protecting her!" the singer railed at Versace's top assistant. "She's going to die if we don't do something!"

The showdown was timed to coincide with Allegra Versace's birthday, and the teen joined Elton in confronting her mother. The plan worked. The drug-addicted designer climbed aboard a private plane that night and flew to The Meadows, a rehabilitation facility in Wickenberg, Ariz. The 343-page book says that Donatella's appetite for cocaine left her paranoid, semi-coherent and erratic. Her wild mood swings frightened her two children.

The designer bottomed out during the debut of her men's collection just weeks before she cleaned up, the book reports. During a dress rehearsal, Donatella sat on a sofa "so dazed that her bodyguards had to sit on either side of her to prop her up." The emaciated design doyenne then held a rambling news conference so embarrassing that it led a longtime Versace executive to quit.

As her drug spiral worsened, Donatella snorted cocaine openly in front of employees, before fashion shows and at after-parties while security stood outside the bathroom door, the book said. Her taste for the highlife grew along with her appetite for drugs, the book said. She flew only on private jets, hired $5,000-a-day stylists and used only the priciest models, like Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell.

Among her favorite drug buddies was Madonna's brother Christopher Ciccone, the book said, and the pair went on a three-day cocaine binge before a 1998 fashion show. After a Metropolitan Museum of Art memorial service for her slain brother Gianni in 1997, Dontella also reportedly did lines of coke with Ciccone and rocker Courtney Love.

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John Mahon performed Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" and an original song he wrote about his late father on January 29, 2010 while being honored with other distinguished St. Thomas Aquinas alumni during a student assembly in the high school gym.

Joining him were keyboardist Tim Hunt and bassist Dave Marchione, who played with Mahon in a local band called Hard Times in the 1970s.

It was no hollow cliche on January 29, 2010 morning when John Mahon told a gymnasium full of St. Thomas Aquinas High School students that dreams do come true. A 1973 Aquinas graduate, Mahon played drums in the school’s marching band, concert band and jazz band and sang in the choir.

After school, Mahon spent countless hours in his bedroom listening to rock ’n’ roll records, studying album covers and music magazines and dreaming about playing concerts in front of 50,000 people and traveling the world. Since 1997, Mahon has done all of the above, touring frequently as a member of Elton John’s band, in which he is a backing vocalist and percussionist. He has performed about 700 shows with Elton to date.

“I’ve been around the world a couple of times, sometimes on his private jet,” Mahon said. “Sometimes it is the glamorous rock ’n’ roll lifestyle, but it’s also a lot of work. Aside from the actual shows, which are 2 1/2 hours long, the rest of my day is airplanes, buses, vans, checking into hotels and that constant search for a good cup of coffee.”

Mahon was among three Aquinas graduates honored as distinguished alumni in a program at the school. Colette Gibbons (1969) and Kelly Kelleher (1976) also were recognized. Ron Chessler, the freshman football coach, was lauded for his distinguished service. Mahon spoke warmly of his formative years in Canton.

“The first thing I was in musically was the Canton Police Boys Club drum-and-bugle corps,” he recalled. “My dad (Joseph) was a policeman and he took my brothers and I there when I was 13. My brothers picked horns and I picked drums.” After high school, Mahon played in a succession of local bands — Constellation, Sneeze, Punch, Hard Times — that veered from R&B to jazz-rock to top-40. “We played King Arthur’s, the Cabaret, all the local places,” he said.

In 1980, Mahon married Pam Tortola, a fellow Aquinas grad, and in 1983 they made the brave decision to move to Los Angeles, encouraged by a musician friend of Mahon’s who already lived there. “We sold everything we owned, packed up our little Toyota pickup truck and drove out there cold,” Mahon said.

Mahon gradually gained his career footing in the L.A. music scene, touring with Al Stewart, Peter White, Rita Coolidge and Helen Reddy, doing studio work, and playing with his own band, the Stickmen. “I wasn’t just a drummer. I was always a singing drummer,” Mahon said. “That’s what’s really kept me working.”

In 1997, a musician friend who was playing in Elton John’s band arranged for Mahon to audition with Elton’s bandleader Davey Johnstone. “I auditioned and Davey said, ‘This is really good, you’ve got the gig. We’re going to rehearse in Nice, France, for three days and that’s where you will meet Elton.’”

Before meeting Elton for the first time, “I was a nervous wreck as you can imagine,” Mahon said. “But he was very cordial. He came right up and introduced himself. He was friendly, open, asked me a lot of questions. He must’ve liked me because I’m still here.”

Asked about the biggest shows he’s played with Elton John, Mahon listed the Coliseum in Rome for more than 200,000 people, Hyde Park in London for a half-million people, the Carnivale in Rio De Janeiro for 100,000 people, Wembley Stadium for 80,000, and a five-night stand at Madison Square Garden.

“It’s funny, I can play in front of 50,000 people and I could care less,” Mahon said. “But I have to do this thing at St. Thomas, playing in front of a few of my peers, and I’m a nervous wreck.” His wife flies to join him when she can. “She’ll come to London, Paris, New York, Rome,” he said. “She knows which ones to pick — the good shopping cities.”

So what does it feel like playing in Elton John’s band in a sold-out arena? “There’s plenty of nights when you are exhausted with jet lag from all the traveling,” Mahon said. “But as soon as you hit that stage and the people start going off, all that stuff goes right out the window. You are completely in the moment. It fuels you.”

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Elton John, James Taylor, Dave Matthews and more than a dozen other artists launched Grammy weekend with performances honoring Young as the MusiCares Person of the Year.

The annual event celebrates an artist's philanthropy each year as it raises funds for the music industry charity that provides financial, medical and personal assistance to artists in need.

Young was honored for his decades of philanthropic service, including work with Farm Aid and the Bridge School Concerts, which raise money to provide services for kids with severe speech and physical impairments. The singer-songwriter and more than 2,000 other guests at the Los Angeles Convention Center were treated to new interpretations of his timeless songs, including "Harvest Moon" and "Cinnamon Girl," during a nearly four-hour program on January 29, 2010. "I'd forgotten how many songs I'd written," the 64-year-old musician said.

Jack Black served as the evening's host. He said the night's performers had been "unforgettably, awesomely and life-changingly" influenced by Young's music. They included Elton John, who said Young was "my hero" as an artist, philanthropist and humanitarian. Elton played piano and sang "Helpless" backed by Sheryl Crow, Leon Russell (pictured right with Elton) and Neko Case.

Taylor performed "Heart of Gold." Matthews offered a heartfelt version of "The Needle and the Damage Done." John Fogerty and Keith Urban sang "Keep Rocking in the Free World." Ben Harper, backed by three female singers, offered a stirring take on "Ohio." Jones duetted with another acoustic guitarist on "Tell Me Why," and Crow played the accordion as she sang with Stephen Stills on "Long May You Run.

"Neil, how are you enjoying your Bar Mitzvah so far?" Black cracked. Later in the evening, the actor-comedian auctioned off his tie and shoes to benefit MusiCares. (The shoes fetched $600. The tie, $100.) Then he inexplicably removed his pants, and for a brief moment stood on stage in his tuxedo jacket and red boxer shorts.

Young's one-time band mates – Stills, David Crosby and Graham Nash – were the last to perform for their friend. "We made some of the best music of our lives with you, man," said Crosby, a previous MusiCares honoree. Young watched the show with his wife, Pegi, by his side. At the end of the night, a humble Young took the stage and said he hoped the songs he's writing today are as good as the ones performed on January 29, 2010.

"It's been a great night. It wore me out," he said. "Now I've got to go back and try and write some songs." He went on to say that he's inspired by fellow MusiCares honoree Tony Bennett and his longevity in the business. "I look at him and say, 'All right, I can do this,'" Young said. "I'm going to keep on going, and I hope you do, too."

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Elton John will be the biggest star at an event to raise money for sick and disabled children.

The 62-year-old will be the main attraction at the Caudwell Children's Butterfly Ball at London's Battersea Evolution on May 20, 2010.

It is the 10th anniversary of the event, which over the years has raised over £11 million to pay for equipment as well as treatment for the children.

Trudi Beswick, the charity's chief executive, said: 'We are thrilled to have Elton performing. It will be a fitting celebration for our 10th anniversary.'

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Elton John surprised audiences nine years ago when he performed at the Grammys with Eminem. This year, he's planning a similar move.

Spies say he'll join Lady Gagaonstage on January 31, 2010. Elton -- at a dinner on January 26, 2010 for Rainbow Media hosted by Sundance Channel and IFC head Evan Shapiro at the Deer Valley Lodge in Park City, Utah -- refused to comment on the rumor.

But perhaps it's a quid pro quo -- Gaga is slated to perform at the February 10, 2010 AmFAR benefit at Cipriani 42nd Street, where Elton is being honored.

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Jimmy Choo, the third member of the shoe triumverent (Jimmy, Manolo & Christian) has joined the others in creating a line for charity.

Choo has partnered with the Elton John AIDS Foundation to support the Simelela Rape Center in South Africa by donating 25% of all proceeds from his new line to the center.

The iconic collection, dubbed Project PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis), includes handbags, flip flops, sandals, flats, bracelets and accessories. All products feature a collage of signature Jimmy Choo details like snakeskin, leather, grommets, graphic artwork and Choo’s label. The fun and flirty sandals, featured on the model in the image above, are available at Saks for $975.

The Simelela Rape Center was created to address the physical and emotional needs of rape victims in its South African community. Sexual violence is a huge problem there and Simelela offers hope to women in their darkest hour providing post-exposure prophylaxis for HIV transmission prevention and trauma counseling.

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Elton John and David Furnish attend the "Nowhere Boy" premiere at Eccles Center Theatre during the 2010 Sundance Film Festival on January 27, 2010 in Park City, Utah.

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The Elton John Aids Foundation (EJAF) has announce that it has awarded $200,000 in emergency funding to two of its grantees in Haiti - Partners in Health (PIH) and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).

"We are all shocked and horrified by the unfolding tragedy in Haiti," said EJAF's Founder and Chairman Sir Elton John. "EJAF grantees Partners In Health and the Clinton Health Access Initiative mobilized almost immediately to work together to ensure the continued delivery of HIV medications and provide emergency medical care to their specific patient populations in the wake of this devastating earthquake."

PIH has tremendous existing capacity in Haiti (a network of hospitals and clinics, more than 120 doctors and nearly 500 nurses and nursing assistants), but their supply of resources has been constrained. After evacuating its staff and operations to the Dominican Republic, CHAI has set itself up as a logistical base in that country to move HIV/AIDS medicines and medical/surgical supplies to PIH over land and by air. In addition, PIH has been designated by the World Health Organization to manage one of the few medical centers left standing in Port-au-Prince, the Hopital del'Universite d'Etat d'Haiti. Here again, the two organizations are sharing responsibilities with PIH handling patient triage and medical care and CHAI managing the restoration of medicines, supplies, and basic services, and improving hospital management operations.

EJAF's staff has been communicating regularly with these grantees, and we have been impressed by the manner in which they have handled this crisis, moved quickly to marshal their resources, and stepped in to help their HIV/AIDS patients and take on additional patient load from other HIV/AIDS organizations in the area whose facilities have been destroyed. Given the sudden increase in the scope of their work and the urgent need to move quickly in order to save lives, EJAF's Executive Board mobilized immediately to award two $100,000 emergency grants to each organization.

Sir Elton added, "The greatest need for both organizations at this time is for financial support to keep bringing in the necessary fuel for generators, medical supplies, HIV/AIDS medicines, and logistical needs in the weeks to come. At EJAF, we are proud to support the work of these extraordinary organizations as they battle to save lives during this natural disaster."

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