Leonardo DiCaprio, who filmed "The Beach" on Thailand's Phi Phi island, donated an undisclosed amount to UNICEF and set up a link on his Web site for others to donate. (Photo: CRIENGLISH.com/Yahoo)

    BEIJING, Jan. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Celebrities across the globe were mobilizing to help relief efforts in countries affected by the deadly earthquake and tsunamis in southern Asia and eastern Africa.

    Leonardo DiCaprio, who filmed "The Beach" on Thailand's Phi Phi island, donated an undisclosed amount to UNICEF and set up a link on his Web site for others to donate.

    The tsunamis have been "devastating, absolutely devastating," the 30-year-old actor said Tuesday during a news conference in Rome Tuesday to promote his new film, "The Aviator" in Italy.

    "It is a horrific, horrific situation for all involved," DiCaprio said.

    Country singer Willie Nelson will headline a benefit concert Sunday night at the Austin Music Hall in Austin, Texas. Local musician Michael Hall organized the event, wanting to do more than just write a check.

    "I started at the top," said Hall of his first call to build a lineup, "and when Willie said, `Count me in,' I knew we were off and running."

    Patty Griffin, Spoon, Joe Ely, Alejandro Escovedo, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis and the Geezinslaws also were slated to perform. Proceeds of tickets for the concert at the 3,000-capacity Music Hall will go to the American Red Cross, UNICEF and Doctors Without Borders.

    "Miss Congeniality" actress Sandra Bullock donated $1 million to the American Red Cross, it was announced Monday, and NBC Universal cable will hold a celebrity telethon on Jan. 15.

    The hour-long program is set to air live on the East Coast and on tape delay in the West at 8 p.m. Details on performers weren't announced. The special will be shown on the NBC network and on the USA, Bravo, Trio, Sci-Fi, MSNBC and CNBC channels.

    Phone lines will remain open throughout the evening for donations, NBC Universal said. Clear Channel has agreed to promote the special on its radio stations nationwide.

    Overseas, the 1985 African famine relief benefit song, "We Are the World," was being revived for relief efforts by celebrities including Jackie Chan, Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung. The latest rendition, called "Love," has new Chinese lyrics. The performers, and William Hung of "American Idol" fame, raised nearly $6.2 million at a weekend show.

    India's leading classical musicians will perform Friday in Bombay to raise funds.

    But, officials say, the average citizen is doing the bulk of the giving.

    "We've never seen anything like this before," UNICEF spokeswoman Marissa Buckanoff said Tuesday. "In one day last week we received more online donations that we have received in all of 2003."

    UNICEF has received more than $20 million in aid from U.S. citizens. The Red Cross is up to more than $79 million, and Oxfam is at $12 million.

    The death toll around the Indian Ocean rim from the Dec. 26 earthquake and tsunamis approached 140,000 Tuesday.

(CRIENGLISH.com)