STEVEN SPIELBERG - SPIELBERG DONATES $1.5 MILLION TO TSUNAMI VICTIMS

Hollywood director STEVEN SPIELBERG is donating $1.5 million (GBP798,000) to the post-tsunami relief effort, and hopes his actions will encourage other wealthy celebrities to do the same.

The RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK film-maker's cash pledge will be split between charities CARE, SAVE THE CHILDREN and OXFAM.

Generous Spielberg usually keeps his charity donations a secret, but wanted this contribution to be announced in a bid to persuade others to donate, his publicist says.

The news comes two days after SPEED actress SANDRA BULLOCK revealed she's giving $1 million (GBP526,000) to help the humanitarian crisis in south-east Asia.