Spielberg wants others to donate money (AP)

Film director Steven Spielberg is to donate $1.5m (￡797,685) to the tsunami relief effort.

The donation will be split between charities Save the Children, Care and Oxfam who are all working in the devastated areas of Asia.

Spielberg's publicist said that while the director usually kept his charity donations private he had gone public to encourage others to contribute.

Singer Willie Nelson will headline a US benefit concert on Sunday.

The Tsunami Relief Austin to South Asia concert will be held at Austin Music Hall in Texas, with artists Patty Griffin, Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Bruce Robison also taking part.

"This came together unbelievably quick," said organiser and musician Michael Hall.

"The scope of the tragedy has really affected everyone I've talked to. People really want to pitch in ."

Proceeds from ticket sales will be spread between the American Red Cross, Unicef and Doctors Without Borders.

Actress Sandra Bullock has already announced a $1m (￡525,000) donation.

And Leonardo DiCaprio has also given a "sizeable" sum to Unicef towards its relief efforts.

Meanwhile, the Bollywood film industry has mobilised to raise money for the victims of the tsunami which struck on 26 December, with the death toll reaching 150,000.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan along with other stars have given millions of rupees for the relief and rehabilitation of children orphaned or left homeless by the disaster.

Former Miss India-turned-Bollywood actress Poonam Dhillon is planning to visit remote areas affected.

She also wants to follow the example of actor Vivek Oberoi by adopting an entire village to help provide long term assistance.

US TV host Jay Leno is auctioning off a Harley Davidson motorbike signed by celebrities to raise money.

He will be asking all his guests in the forthcoming weeks to add their signatures to the vehicle before letting it go to the highest bidder.

Several telethons have also been organised around the world to bring more attention to the fundraising drive.

US television network NBC will screen a celebrity TV special on 15 January, featuring musical performances, encouraging viewer donations throughout the hour-long show.

And 70 Hong Kong music and movie stars including Jackie Chan and Andy Lau re-recorded We Are the World in Mandarin and Cantonese to raise funds.

The song will not be released as a single, but will be played regularly during a Chinese telethon on Friday in aid of victims of the Boxing Day disaster.

(Agencies)

unbelievably : not easy to believe（難以置信地）

pitch in : to start to work or eat eagerly, esp. in a group（開(kāi)始大干特干）