Stars raise money for Haiti earthquake victims

George Clooney has hosted a benefit concert for Haiti earthquake victims featuring A-List names such as Madonna, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Jay Z.

Other acts who appeared in the two-hour Hope for Haiti telethon included Bono and Rihanna, who pre-recorded their performances in London on Friday.

It was shown on all major US TV channels, YouTube and on MTV in the UK. It was broadcast on Haiti's Radio One.

An estimated 1.5 million people have been left homeless by the earthquake.

In pictures: 'Hope for Haiti'

The official death toll from the 7.0-magnitude quake has risen to 110,000.

The benefit concert took place in New York, Los Angeles, London and Haiti, and is being screened again on UK TV channel MTV and its sister channel Viva from 2100 GMT on Saturday.

Clooney, who organised the event, said: "At the core of every religion is the belief that we care for one another, we take care of each other especially in times of need.

"The Haitian people need our help, they need to know they're not alone, they need to know that that we still care."

The telethon's organisers were hoping for a record global audience. Its performances from London included Beyonce singing her hit Halo, accompanied on the piano by Coldplay's Chris Martin.

She changed the lyrics, and sang "Haiti we can see your halo, we pray you won't fade away".

Jay Z also debuted a song, Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour) with U2's Bono and The Edge.

Coldplay's Chris Martin and Beyonce Knowles dueted

It featured Jay Z rapping about the earthquake while Bono and singer Rihanna's lyrics included "Not going to leave you stranded."

As well as musical collaborations, the show broadcast shocking images from the earthquake and interviews with Haitians.

More than 100 Hollywood and music stars took part.

Some of them performed while others, including director Steven Spielberg, singer Stevie Wonder and TV star Ellen DeGeneres, took telephone pledges from viewers.

The line-up featured the cream of Hollywood, including Clint Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Robert De Niro, Matt Damon, Cameron Diaz, Denzel Washington, Will Smith, Robert Pattinson, Halle Berry, Julia Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jack Nicholson, Tim Robbins, Ben Stiller, Michael Keaton, Tom Hanks and Michael Keaton.

Actress Julia Roberts took donations from the public for the people of Haiti

LA-based journalist Sandro Monetti told BBC Radio 5Live: "Hundreds of millions are pouring in from what has been a very effective telethon.

"It was quite a line-up all brought together by George Clooney.

"The tone was very sombre and classy, different from the upbeat nature of telethons we have in the UK. With that turnout of stars it was quite something."

He added that Madonna gave $250,000 (£155,000), Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie gave $1m (£620,000) and supermodel Giselle Bundchen gave $1.5m (£0.93m).

Clooney had donated $1m during the telethon, his spokesman told Reuters news agency.

Actors Mel Gibson, Drew Carey, George Clooney and Daniel Craig were at the gig

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio signed a cheque for $1m to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, which was started by former presidents Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean - who set up the charity foundation Yele Haiti - Bruce Springsteen, Jennifer Hudson, Mary J Blige and Shakira performed in New York.

Madonna sang Like A Prayer with the backing of a choir, while Sting sang Driven To Tears.

Rihanna, meanwhile, performed a cover version of Bob Marley's Redemption Song, which she has released to raise money for the people of Haiti.

The live programme could be seen online via YouTube, MySpace, Hulu, Fancast, AOL, MSN, Yahoo!, Bing.com, BET.com, MTV.com, CNN.com, VH1.com and Rhapsody.

Sting and Madonna each performed at the show

As well as donations from viewers, more money will be raised through the sale of songs performed on the show, via iTunes.

Meanwhile, Rod Stewart, Leona Lewis, JLS and Michael Buble have signed up to provide vocals for a Haiti charity single, organised by Simon Cowell.

They will record a cover of REM's ballad Everybody Hurts.

• Wyclef Jean's charity foundation has taken on a new accounting firm after the rapper admitted on Friday it had made mistakes.

The finances of the Yele Haiti Foundation were questioned last week after it was revealed it had paid Jean, 37, to perform at fund-raising events and bought advertising air time from a television station he co-owns.

On Wednesday, the Grammy-winning artist told talk show host Oprah Winfrey the charity had "learned from our mistakes".

"In moving forward, I think we're going to be stronger than ever," he said.

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