People in the News

MELBOURNE, Australia — Russell Crowe says he believes the media blew his phone-throwing incident out of proportion.

The Oscar-winning actor pleaded guilty earlier this month to third-degree assault, admitting to a judge that he threw a phone that hit a New York hotel concierge in June. He had to pay a $160 court charge and was sentenced to conditional discharge, which means he must not get arrested for one year.

"I got a $160 court-cost fine for something that would have had more newsprint about it than some very horrific and specific things that we should know about in our community,” he told reporters in Melbourne.

Had Crowe been convicted of the more serious charges initially filed against him — assault and criminal possession of a weapon, the telephone — he could have lost his right to work in the United States and might have faced seven years of prison time.

"Traveling businessmen get touchy or testy with hotel staff in every major city all around the world,” Crowe said. "That doesn’t excuse the fact that I lost my temper ... What I did was stupid. I admitted that straight away.”

Crowe, 41, who won the Academy Award for best actor in 2001 for "Gladiator,” has also starred in such films as "A Beautiful Mind” and "Cinderella Man.”

A new bundle of joy

NEW YORK — Olympic figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi and husband Bret Hedican have welcomed their second child, People magazine reported.

Emma Yoshiko was born Nov. 17 in Raleigh, N.C., the magazine said. The couple also have a 2-year-old daughter, Keara.

Sending music to the boys

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A project sparked by North Carolina-bred singer Charlie Daniels has collected thousands of dollars in donated musical instruments for troops in Iraq.

Daniels donated one of his own instruments to "Operation Heartstrings” earlier this year when he learned that soldiers didn’t have guitars for church services. He asked guitar manufacturers to do the same.

"We never envisioned this much stuff. I’m overwhelmed by the support out there for the troops,” said Daniels. He said "only one company that will remain nameless turned us down.”

Gibson Guitar, one of the nation’s top instrument makers, surprised the Wilmington native by offering 100 guitars worth $35,000 and thousands of dollars worth of accessories.

Rocker receives peace award

ROME — Irish rocker Bob Geldof appealed for fair trade Thursday as he received a peace award in Rome that recognizes his campaigns against poverty.

Geldof, dressed in a striped suit, received the Man for Peace award from former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, who heads the foundation that hands out the prize, and Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni.

"Africa must be allowed to trade itself out of poverty,” Geldof said during the ceremony on Rome’s Capitoline Hill.<