Bella Hadid, Pedro Pascal, Chappell Roan and more raise $5.4m for children in Palestine and Sudan at LA benefit concert

The star-studded Artists for Aid show blended surprise guest appearances with overt political solidarity, raising funds for children’s medical care in Palestine and Sudan.

Images Staff

DAWN
Updated 12 Jan, 2026


The third Artists for Aid concert, held in Los Angeles on Saturday, managed to raise $5.4 million for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) and the Sudanese American Physicians Association.

Organised by Canadian Sudanese artist Mustafa the Poet and hosted by supermodel Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal, the star-studded concert aimed to refocus on immediate relief for children and medical care in war-ravaged Palestinian territories and Sudan by utilising music as a tool to show solidarity.

“I always knew that an artist’s power did not come from their musical knowledge,” Mustafa said, introducing the night, the Los Angeles Times reported. “I always knew that an artist’s power comes from the expansion of their empathy.”

Hadid, while beginning the show, seemed to be in awe of the number of people who showed up for the Aid concert. While introducing herself and her co-host, Pascal, the supermodel stated the two main causes behind the concert: the people of Palestine and the people of Sudan.

“Families living through unimaginable loss, displacement, hunger, violence, tonight we attempt to shield them from genocide, working to erase them. Even remembering is a protest and I truly, truly stand by that,” she said.


“No matter what we can do in the world by just speaking, by loving and making sure they always feel heard is something that is most important in the entire world.”

“Let’s keep raising our voices and make sure these families and children know how much we stand with them,” she concluded.

The line-up for the concert held at the Shrine Auditorium in LA featured Alex G, Blood Orange, Clairo, Daniel Caesar, Faye Webster, Geese, Jazmine Sullivan, Lucy Dacus, Mustafa, Noname, Noor Hindi, Omar Apollo, Raphael Saadiq, Rayn Lenae, Rex Orange County, Safia Elhillo, Shawn Mendes, Snoh Aalegra, Tamino and 070 Shake.

To the fans‘ surprise, Chappell Roan made a surprise visit during Dacus’s set.

“My friend cold FaceTimed me a few days ago and said, ‘Can I come sing with you at the show?’ So I’d like to invite my friend Chappell Roan to the stage,” Dacus told the crowd, which erupted in cheers.

Pop Crave

@PopCrave

Lucy Dacus brought out Chappell Roan at ARTISTS FOR AID: Sudan and Palestine benefit concert.

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10:30 AM · Jan 11, 2026

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Omar Apollo endearingly forgot the lyrics to his hit “Evergreen (You Didn’t Deserve Me At All)” and sang them off his phone, while Shawn Mendes brought out Maggie Rogers for an earnest, resilient duet of “Youth”.Via @ThePCRF/X

The night’s most overt performances addressing the current crises came from Palestinian American and Sudanese American poets Noor Hindi and Safia Elhillo, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The PCRF was also part of the audience. In a social media post on X, the foundation expressed how honourable it was for them to be a part of this concert alongside thousands of attendees, “who showed how global solidarity can become real action, sending a powerful message of care and hope to children who have endured so much in both Palestine and Sudan.”

The PCRF (Palestine Children's Relief Fund)

@ThePCRF

PCRF was honored to be part of the third edition of the incredible Artists for Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles, California, led by Sudanese-Canadian poet Mustafa and hosted by stars and long-time advocates for Palestinian children, Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal. In an unforgettable evening, twenty artists and performers, along with thousands of attendees, showed how global solidarity can become real action, sending a powerful message of care and hope to children who have endured so much in both Palestine and Sudan. We were especially moved to see Diaa and Ayham, two of our children who were evacuated from Gaza for life-saving treatment abroad, attending the concert in person, thriving and strong once again, just as we wish for all the children we serve. All funds raised will go directly toward supporting children served by PCRF and the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), providing life-saving care where it is most needed in Palestine and Sudan.

 

The PCRF (Palestine Children's Relief Fund)

@ThePCRF

PCRF was honored to be part of the third edition of the incredible Artists for Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles, California, led by Sudanese-Canadian poet Mustafa and hosted by stars and long-time advocates for Palestinian children, Bella Hadid and Pedro Pascal. In an unforgettable evening, twenty artists and performers, along with thousands of attendees, showed how global solidarity can become real action, sending a powerful message of care and hope to children who have endured so much in both Palestine and Sudan. We were especially moved to see Diaa and Ayham, two of our children who were evacuated from Gaza for life-saving treatment abroad, attending the concert in person, thriving and strong once again, just as we wish for all the children we serve. All funds raised will go directly toward supporting children served by PCRF and the Sudanese American Physicians Association (SAPA), providing life-saving care where it is most needed in Palestine and Sudan. A huge thank you to Mustafa The Poet, Bella Hadid, Pedro Pascal, the incredible performers, the amazing audience, and of course our dedicated PCRF LA Chapter volunteers. Together, you made last night a success that will ripple across the lives of countless children, reminding them that they are never alone.

11:29 AM · Jan 11, 2026

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They revealed that two evacuated children from Gaza were also a part of the crowd.

“We were especially moved to see Diaa and Ayham, two of our children who were evacuated from Gaza for life-saving treatment abroad, attending the concert in person, thriving and strong once again, just as we wish for all the children we serve.”Via @ThePCRF/X

The concert was not the first relief effort organised to raise funds for Palestine, but it appeared to be one of the first large-scale efforts for Sudan.

In October, a Pride and Prejudice table-read starring Ambika Mod and Daisy Ridley was held to raise funds and in September, $2 million was raised through a benefit concert hosted by industry heavyweights, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Nicola Coughlan, Florence Pugh, and Richard Gere, among many others.

Though Hamas and Israel signed a truce on October 9, halting two years of devastating warfare, Amnesty International says Israel is still committing genocide in Gaza. At least 68,000 Palestinians were killed in Israel’s assault that left hospitals, schools, and homes devastated.

Sudan has been facing a vicious civil war since April 2023. Reported atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces — the main paramilitary militia fighting the Sudanese military — in the town of El-Fasher recently brought the world’s focus to the brutal conflict.

The RSF laid siege to the town for 18 months before finally capturing it. Eyewitnesses described scenes of absolute horror — bodies lying in the streets, mass executions, rape and torture. Famine has also been confirmed in parts of the affected area. The International Criminal Court has said that the brutalities committed in El-Fasher could constitute crimes against humanity.

WestJet execs tried cramped seats on flight weeks before viral video sparked backlash

ByThe Canadian Press
Published: January 09, 2026 

A WestJet plane waits at a gate at Calgary International Airport in Calgary, Alta., Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh (Jeff McIntosh)

On a calm, cloudy day in Calgary last November, WestJet CEO Alexis von Hoensbroech stepped onto a plane bound for Toronto along with five other executives, the chairman of the board and several union representatives to try out the new, super-tight seating at the back of the cabin.

Sitting in rows 27 and 28 out of 31, the group gathered on the Boeing 737 at the request of unions officials who cited concerns around a new seat configuration that featured less legroom than ever on most economy seats — and went on to draw national attention after a video showcasing the tight fit for passengers went viral.

In a TikTok post by an Alberta woman that has racked up more than 1.1 million views, her parents can be seen squeezing into a row that leaves barely enough room to move their legs.

“Impossible to straighten out my knees to the front,” says her father in the Dec. 27 post.

“I’m going to be sharing my leg space with him,” adds her mother.


The online backlash and union response underscore questions of safety and comfort on WestJet narrow-body planes that can accommodate lower fares and more passengers — 180 — but potentially at the cost of traveller experience.

Fewer than six weeks earlier, the company’s chief executive occupied an identical seat to the TikTok user, and graciously offered to take the middle one, said Alia Hussain, who chairs the flight attendant union’s WestJet contingent.

Most executives who were on board “acknowledged that the seating configuration would present challenges” on longer trips and night flights due to the limited comfort and mobility," the union executive told members in a bulletin on Nov. 26 and obtained by The Canadian Press.

“At the same time, there was sentiment from WestJet leadership that, outside of longer flights, the configuration was generally acceptable.”

WestJet has not responded to questions about the Nov. 17 flight.

The Calgary-based company announced in September it would reconfigure the seating on 43 Boeing 737 jets to install an extra row and divide the cabin into more tiers. So far, 21 planes furnish the compressed configuration.

A dozen of the 22 rows in the planes’ economy class feature 28-inch pitch — the distance between one point on a seat and the same point on the seat in front — versus 29- or 30-inch pitches on most other carriers’ lower-tier seats. They also have what WestJet calls a “fixed recline design,” meaning they cannot be tilted back.

Workers and passengers have pushed back, warning that the cramped cabin curtails safety, particularly in the event of an evacuation, and hurts the customer experience.

“WestJet pilots believe this reconfiguration erodes the guest experience and devalues our brand,” said Jacob Astin, who chairs the WestJet contingent of the Air Line Pilots Association, in an emailed statement.

He noted that Transport Canada had approved the change, but said it nonetheless “reduces the superior safety margins of previous layouts due to increased cramping.”

No other large Canadian airline has 28-inch pitch seats.


WestJet has stressed that the overhauled layout allows for more affordable fares. More spacious rows are also available at a higher price.

“Because safety is so important to us, it’s worth noting as part of the reconfiguration the aircraft underwent an extensive safety and certification process. All modifications were completed in accordance with Transport Canada’s rigorous airworthiness standards and WestJet’s own high internal safety requirements,” said WestJet spokeswoman Julia Kaiser in an email.

“We are closely monitoring guest and employee feedback to assess the product’s performance, comfort and suitability.”

For cabin crew, the more confined environment can make it harder to clean after a flight, carry out emergency procedures such as helping with oxygen masks and have a comfortable commute to or from an upcoming shift, according to the Canadian Union of Public Employees.

The changes, which the union was not consulted on, may also aggravate passengers already frustrated by the flying experience generally, said Hussain.

“We are the face, we’re on the front line of this change where passengers are finding out about it as they board,” she said in a phone interview.

“We don’t need to be in a race to offer the least.”

The narrower rows put some WestJet cabins on a par with budget carriers such as Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines and Wizz Air, all of which sport 28-inch seats.

“At what point do we just all stand and hold onto a rubber ring handle?” asked one TikTok commenter.

However, the new configuration also carves out more space for 36 “extended comfort” seats with 34-inch pitch and 12 premium seats with 38-inch pitch, both of which yield bigger profit margins.

In December, WestJet paused a move to install the controversial seats on a big slice of its fleet amid pushback, but also “to support our operations during the peak winter travel season,” said spokeswoman Julia Brunet in mid-December. “We plan to resume reconfiguring our all-economy aircraft in the spring.”

Consumer rights advocates said carriers must ensure that travellers can fit in their seats.

“If the airline is unable to do so, it would be a case of involuntary denial of boarding, and I would encourage passengers to hold WestJet accountable for such incidents as a breach of contract,” claimed Air Passenger Rights president Gabor Lukacs.

“There is also a question of being able to assume ‘brace’ position that is required in the case of an emergency landing,” he added.

“WestJet is testing Canadian passengers how far we can be pushed.”

Marie-Justine Torres, press secretary for Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, said Transport Canada ensures that cabin reconfigurations comply with safety standards “and will take appropriate action if those standards are not met.”

Comfort, passenger experience and accessibility fall under the purview of the Canadian Transportation Agency, which sets the rules around “accessible and respectful” travel, she said in an email.

“We encourage passengers to raise their concerns with WestJet.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 9, 2026.

Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press. With a file from David Baxter in Ottawa

GM hit with $6 billion in charges as EV incentives cut and emissions standards fade

By The Associated Press
 January 09, 2026 

The 2024 Chevrolet Silverado EV sits on display at the Chicago Auto Show, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File) (Charles Rex Arbogast)

General Motors will be hit with charges of about US$6 billion as sales of electric vehicles sputter after the U.S. cut tax incentives to buy them and also eased auto emissions standards.

Shares slid almost three per cent Friday.

The charges that will be recorded in the fourth quarter follow an announcement in October that the Detroit automaker would take a US$1.6 billion charge for the same reason in the previous quarter, with automakers forced to reconsider ambitious plans to convert their fleets to electric power.

The EV tax credit ended in September. The clean vehicle tax credit was worth US$7,500 for new EVs and up to US$4,000 for used ones.

GM, which had been the most ambitious among all U.S. automakers with plans to replace internal combustion engines, said in its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission late Thursday that the US$6 billion in charges includes non-cash impairments and other non-cash charges of about US$1.8 billion as well as supplier commercial settlements, contract cancellation fees, and other charges of approximately US$4.2 billion.

EVs have been considered to be the future of the US automotive industry. GM announced in 2020 that it was going to invest US$27 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles over the next five years, a 35 per cent increase over plans made before the pandemic.

GM expected more than half of its factories in North America and China would be capable of making electric vehicles by 2030. It also pledged at the time to increase its investment in EV charging networks by nearly US$750 million through 2025.

Its goal was to make the vast majority of the vehicles electric by 2035, and the entire company carbon neutral five years after that.

Those plans have be shaken due to the drastic differences in economic and environmental policies between the Biden and Trump administrations.

China has become a global leader in electric vehicle technology in recent years, with factories there churning out millions of cars and laying the groundwork for a massive charging network for vehicles.

Earlier this month, Tesla was dethroned as the world’s largest EV automaker, replaced by China’s BYD, which produced 2.26 million electric vehicles last year.

Michelle Chapman, The Associated Press