NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

Miss USA wins Miss Universe title

LAS VEGAS

A 20-year-old beauty queen from Rhode Island was crowned the new Miss Universe on Wednesday, beating out 88 other women in a televised competition at the Planet Hollywood casino on the Las Vegas Strip.

Olivia Culpo took the crown from Leila Lopes of Angola after strutting in a purple and blue bikini and a red velvet gown.

Miss Philippines, Janine Tugonon, came in second, while Miss Venezuela, Irene Sofia Esser Quintero, placed third.

Sam Donaldson faces DUI charge in Del.

LEWES, Del.

ABC News veteran and former correspondent Sam Donaldson is facing a drunken driving charge in Delaware.

Police in the southern coastal town of Lewes say the 78-year-old Donaldson was stopped Dec. 1 for a traffic violation.

Police say the officer determined Donaldson had been drinking and gave him field-sobriety tests.

Donaldson was arrested and later released. An arraignment is set for Friday.

Concert proceeds go to organizations

NEW YORK

The Robin Hood Foundation says it is beginning to distribute $50 million in proceeds from last week’s benefit concert to organizations helping victims of superstorm Sandy.

Madison Square Garden spokeswoman Michelle Isaacs said Wednesday the money was raised through ticket sales, merchandising and charitable auctions at the Dec. 12 show, which featured Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Who and the Rolling Stones, among others. More revenue is expected to come in.

Robin Hood says it is distributing roughly 40 percent of the money to organizations based in New Jersey, with the rest in New York and Connecticut.

The devastating storm tore into the New York metropolitan region Oct. 29.

Michael Douglas watches court case

NEW YORK

Michael Douglas has been watching from a New York courtroom audience as federal appeals judges consider the validity of his son’s nearly 10-year prison sentence for drug crimes.

A three-judge panel of the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals listened to lawyers in Cameron Douglas’ case Wednesday. The judges didn’t immediately say whether they thought the sentence was legally justified.

Michael Douglas watched the proceedings and left the courthouse about an hour afterward. The Academy Award-winning actor said outside court there wasn’t much to say.

Cameron Douglas initially made a cooperation deal with the government and was sentenced to five years in prison for selling drugs. He was sentenced to another 41/2 years after he was caught using drugs in prison.

Vindicator wire services