ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin’s grandson, says he wishes he hadn’t apologized for telling lies about the former Alaska governor because he’s “never lied about anything.”

Johnston said in an interview on CBS’ “The Early Show” to air today that he wishes that he hadn’t issued the apology to Palin.

“I don’t really regret anything,” said Johnston, who has appeared nude on the cover of Playgirl. “But the only thing I wish I wouldn’t have done is put out that apology ’cause it kind of makes me sound like a liar. And I’ve never lied about anything. So that’s probably the only thing. The rest of the stuff I can live with.”

CBS said the interview was taped Thursday in Los Angeles.

Johnston is the two-time fiance of Palin’s eldest daughter, Bristol, and the father of Bristol’s son Tripp. Bristol Palin’s teen pregnancy thrust the couple into the national spotlight during Sarah Palin’s run as the GOP’s vice presidential candidate in 2008.

Johnston has expressed an interest in politics, filing papers last week to run for office in his hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, next year.

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While he has not officially declared which political office he aspires to, his manager, Tank Jones, has said Johnston is interested in a run for mayor or city council. Earlier this month, Jones confirmed the 20-year-old Johnston planned to run for office as part of a reality TV show.

Actor Hogan barred from leaving Australia

SYDNEY – Actor Paul Hogan, star of the “Crocodile Dundee” movie trilogy, has been barred from leaving Australia until he pays a disputed tax bill, his attorney said Thursday.

The 70-year-old actor, who currently lives in Los Angeles, arrived in Sydney last Friday to attend the funeral of his mother, Florence Hogan.

Hogan was served with an Australian Taxation Office order that prevents him from leaving until he settles a multimillion-dollar tax bill, lawyer Andrew Robinson said. “These may not be the appropriate circumstances to effectively make Paul a prisoner of Australia,” he told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio.

Teenage Dutch sailor reaches Canary Islands

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MADRID – A 14-year-old Dutch sailor aiming to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world says she has reached Spain’s Canary Islands off northwest Africa.

Laura Dekker says on her website she has finished the first stage of the trip.

Laura says she’ll “have to look at land for a while now.” She is expected to stay in the Canary Islands for two months.

Laura set off from Gibraltar on Aug 21. She says she spotted land after four days at sea.

The message, dated Wednesday, gave no details as to where on the seven-island archipelago she was. Messages sent to her website Thursday were not immediately answered.

Her venture has stirred an intense debate about whether young people should be allowed to sail the world’s oceans alone.

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Woman held in DiCaprio case

LOS ANGELES – A judge says there is enough evidence for a woman to stand trial on a charge of slashing Leonardo DiCaprio’s face with glass during a 2005 party.

A preliminary hearing ended Thursday with 40-year-old Aretha Wilson being ordered to face one count of assault with a deadly weapon. DiCaprio was not in attendance.

Wilson was returned to Los Angeles in the five-year-old case after waiving extradition from Canada.

She has pleaded not guilty and remains jailed in lieu of $150,000 bail.


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