PHILIPSBURG, St. Maarten – A 15-year-old Dutch sailor on Sunday completed the longest leg so far of her attempted circumnavigation of the globe, saying it felt “really weird” to be back on dry land after nearly three weeks out in the ocean.

Laura Dekker, aiming to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world, was in good spirits after completing the 2,200 nautical-mile trip from the Cape Verde Islands off West Africa.

Dekker anchored her ketch just outside Simpson Bay Lagoon after what she called “a very nice trip” so far.

The Dutch teenager started her trip from Gibraltar on Aug. 21 and spent two months in the Canary Islands waiting for the hurricane season to pass.

Dekker’s venture stirred an intense debate about whether young people should be allowed to sail the world’s oceans alone. A Dutch court originally blocked the voyage and only permitted her to set off after she took additional measures to manage the risks.

She bought a bigger, sturdier boat than the one she originally planned to use, fitted it with advanced navigation and radar equipment, and took courses in first aid.

Dekker was born on a boat off New Zealand while her parents were sailing around the world.

Oprah leaves Australia for some R&R in Fiji

SUVA, Fiji – Fresh off an Australian tour with her frenzied talk-show fans, Oprah Winfrey is taking a respite in the South Pacific island nation of Fiji, where the military regime wished her “a great time.”

Fiji’s tourism minister said Winfrey was spending the Christmas holiday there and that officials wanted to respect her privacy. Local media reported she arrived Thursday and that she and longtime beau Stedman Graham were to stay until Dec. 26.

“We know she is here for a holiday and respect that, and the government obviously wants Winfrey to have a great time,” said tourism minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum,

She’s not so gaga about snowy weather in Paris

PARIS – Lady Gaga isn’t having much luck in Paris.

In October, the pop diva’s concerts in Paris were postponed amid nationwide strikes over a government plan to raise the retirement age. One show was rescheduled for Sunday, but it was called off because of snow.

The weather led authorities to ban big trucks from driving through the Ile de France region that includes Paris. Lady Gaga’s trucks couldn’t get to the venue on time, concert venue Bercy stadium said on its Web site.

A concert Monday is expected to go forward as planned, and the canceled show is likely to be rescheduled for Tuesday, Bercy said.

The diva vented on Twitter, writing that “all 28” of the trucks carrying sets for her elaborate show had been detained. She said had wanted to do a show without the sets, but even sound and power equipment was blocked.

“I am furious and devastated,” she wrote, adding that it was “unfair to my fans and to me.”

Baby has daddy’s looks

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Rascal Flatts bassist Jay DeMarcus and his wife, Allison, have had their first child.

A news release says Madeline Leigh DeMarcus was born Friday afternoon in Nashville. She weighed 6 pounds, 9 ounces. DeMarcus says she’s gorgeous and looks just like her daddy.