Redmond O'Neal, the troubled son of Ryan O'Neal and the late Farrah Fawcett, was back in jail after a judge found he committed a drug-related probation violation.

O'Neal, 24, appeared yesterday at a brief hearing before Superior Court Judge Michael Tynan after being jailed Dec. 29.

O'Neal was released from jail last year after a series of drug-related arrests and told to attend a drug treatment program that would be his last chance to avoid up to six years in state prison.

It was unclear what prompted Tynan to find O'Neal in violation of his probation, but the program required O'Neal to undergo frequent drug testing.

MICHELLE OBAMA'S BROTHER WELCOMES SON

Oregon State University in Corvallis says President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama have a new nep-hew. A university spokesman says Austin — son of the first lady's older brother, Craig Robinson, and his wife, Kelly — was born Monday, weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces.

Robinson is head coach of the OSU men's basketball team. He has two children from a previous marriage.

BATTERY CHARGE AGAINST ACTOR DISMISSED

A judge has dropped a misdemeanor battery charge against Gerard Butler.

A Los Angeles Superior Court spokeswoman said the charge was dismissed at a hearing yesterday after the actor completed community service. Butler faced up to six months in jail if convicted. His attorney declined to comment.

City prosecutors say the Scottish-born star of "300" had a run-in with a photographer on Oct. 7 after leaving a premiere party for the film "RocknRolla."

BARKER GIVES $5M FOR ANTI-WHALING SHIP

Five million dollars for an anti-whaling ship? Bob Barker says the price is right.

Barker, 86, donated that amount to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which named its new 1,200-ton anti-whaling ship The Bob Barker.

The ship had its first clash with whalers yesterday when it joined two other Sea Shepherd vessels aiming to stop a Japanese whaling mission near Antarctica.

Barker, a longtime animal activist, stepped up his efforts even more after retiring from his 35-year gig hosting "The Price Is Right." Barker said he was "genuinely proud" to be associated with Sea Shepherd.

OCTOMOM SAYS DOC DID 'NOTHING WRONG'

Octuplets mother Nadya Suleman yesterday defended the fertility doctor who helped her conceive 14 children, saying in a video posted to RadarOnline.com that he did "absolutely nothing wrong."

The California Medical Board on Monday accused Beverly Hills fertility doctor, Michael Kamrava, of gross negligence in transferring too many embryos, repeatedly transferring fresh embryos when frozen ones were available and failing to refer Suleman for a mental health evaluation. His license could be revoked or suspended.

— Advertiser News Services