UPDATE 1-Technip keeps targets after Q2 earnings drop

PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) – French oilfield services company Technip (TECF.PA) posted an 8.7 percent drop in second-quarter net profit on Thursday after subsea sales fell almost one-fifth.

Chief Executive Thierry Pilenko said the group remained on track to meet its 2010 earnings targets, however, helped by a pickup in the North Sea, growth in Brazil and strong prospects in the Middle East and Asia. Net income fell to 106 million euros ($135.3 million) in the second quarter from 116 million in the year-earlier quarter, the company said in a statement. Sales fell 14 percent to 1.48 billion, of which 688 million came from subsea.

The company carries out infrastructure projects mostly for oil companies in the onshore, offshore and subsea sectors, and has 23,000 staff in 48 countries. It expects to have a fleet of 19 vessels by 2011.

The BP (BP.L) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has not had an impact on Technip so far, meanwhile, CEO Pilenko said, though he added that it was difficult to predict the repercussions.

U.S. authorities said last month that Technip agreed to pay $338 million to settle U.S. allegations involving a scheme to bribe Nigerian government officials for contracts to build liquefied natural gas facilities there. [ID:nN28265604]

In February, Technip set aside some $300 million for possible fines in the case.

Shares in the group have fallen slightly so far this year, giving the company a market value of around 5.3 billion euros. ($1=.7836 Euro) (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Hans Peters)

UPDATE 1-Saudi Dar Al-Arkan Q2 net falls on lower land sales

RIYADH, July 20 (Reuters) – Saudi-based real estate developer Dar al-Arkan 4300.SE said second-quarter earnings fell by almost 30 percent on declining sales of building-ready land, its main revenue source.

Second-quarter net profit was broadly in line with analysts forecasts at 437 million riyals ($117 million), down 29.3 percent from 618.3 million riyals a year earlier, Saudi Arabia’s largest property developer by market value said in a statement to the Saudi bourse.

Analysts surveyed by Reuters had expected on average net profit of 431 million riyals.

“The decline in second-quarter net profit… is due to a decrease in the areas of sold land,” the company said without giving any figures.

Land sales generate the the bulk of revenues and profit for the firm: They accounted for 90 percent of its revenues during the first quarter and 96 percent of its gross profit for the period.

The repercussions of the global financial crisis have led to a drop in the amount of liquidity that goes into land speculation in Saudi Arabia, resulting mainly in a decline in the volume of transactions, industry sources say.

By end-June, earnings per share fell to 0.77 riyals down from 0.97 riyals a year earlier while net operating income fell 26.4 percent to 492 million riyals. (Reporting by Souhail Karam; Editing by Andrew Callus)

Thai plan to choke Red Shirts put on hold

The Thai government suspended its plan to cut water and electricity supplies to anti-government demonstrators camped in a posh central Bangkok neighborhood, heeding pleas from residents and foreign diplomats who live and work there.

But it also withdrew its offer to hold elections in November, bringing Thailand’s months-old political crisis back to square one, days after it appeared that a compromise was imminent.

The ‘Red Shirt’ protesters believe Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s coalition government came to power illegitimately through manipulation of the courts and the backing of the powerful military, and have been demanding new elections in street rallies since March 12. Clashes with security forces and other violence have left at least 29 people dead and 1,400 injured.

A government blockade of the Red Shirts’ barricaded protest zone in central Bangkok was supposed to start yesterday at midnight, but water and electricity were available as usual Thursday morning in the upscale Rajprasong area.

Thousands of Red Shirts protesters are camped on the streets and parks in that area, which is home to several embassies, shopping malls, hospitals and upmarket apartments.

Col Sansern Kaewkamnerd, the spokesman of an agency in charge of suppressing the protest, said late yesterday that the plan to choke off essential services to the ‘Red Shirt’ demonstrators was put on hold because of the repercussions it would have on other residents.

He said European diplomats and others expressed concern to the Bangkok governor that the blockade would effect residents more than the protesters.

“We have to assess who is going to face the impact more: the protesters or people living in the area,” said.

Sansern, said security forces would “not use force at this stage,” but left open the possibility of more violence if the protesters refuse to disperse.

With the government’s tougher tone, chances of a negotiated settlement appeared almost doomed, just days after the two sides had agreed in principle to a reconciliation plan.

In China, get a divorce to buy second home!

New Delhi, May 13 (ANI): Li Guoliang, 42, is planning to divorce his wife, not to end an unhappy marriage, but to buy a second home.

His decision came after the Chinese government imposed restrictions on a family purchasing a second home, in a bid to curb property speculation.

According to reports by English.news.cn, a divorce could reduce the couple”s down payment by 140,000 yuan (20,505 U.S. dollars) and mortgage payments by 100,000 yuan, said Li, who is considering buying a 720,000 yuan second home for investment in Changsha, the capital of central Hunan Province.

In mid-April, the State Council, or the Cabinet, ordered banks nationwide to raise the down payment for a family to buy a second home to a minimum 50 percent of the value from 40 percent, with a mortgage rate no less than 1.1 times the benchmark interest rate.

“After we get divorced, my wife will claim our house, so that I can apply for a mortgage as a first-home buyer since I don”t have a house under my name. And we will remarry after that,” Li said, adding that he got the idea from a real estate agency.

Chen Ping, a real estate agent in Changsha, has helped many couples apply for the preferential mortgage for the first-home buyer through a “fake divorce,” which was “legitimate and viable, just like reasonable tax avoidance.”

Seemingly a risk free procedure, Feng Kun, a lawyer with the Changsha-based Xiangsheng Law Office, warns that there could be unseen repercussions.

“What if your spouse changes his or her mind and refuses to remarry? It would be a big blow,” Feng said. (ANI)

Shahzad’s links to Pak terrorists will bring bad name to country, admits ‘worried’ Malik

London, May 6 (ANI): Admitting that Faisal Shahzad’s statement that he received bomb-making training in Pakistan’s semi-autonomous tribal region of Wazirstan would a bring a bad name to the country, Interior Minister Rehman Malik has said he is worried about he repercussions of the failed New York bombing plot.

Describing the incident as ‘unfortunate’, Malik said the terror plot was part of a campaign being run against Pakistan by the extremists.

“This unfortunate incident, having been done under the name (of Pakistan) or by a Pakistani will definitely bring a bad name to Pakistan, for which we are worried,” BBC quoted Malik, as saying.

Malik, however, said that since Shahzad was a naturalised US citizen, it was the responsibility of America to investigate the case.

Earlier, Malik had said that Islamabad is yet to receive any formal request from Washington to probe the case.

He termed the bombing plot as a ‘conspiracy against Pakistan’, but added that the government would take stern action against all those involved in the terror plot.

“Pakistan would extend its full support to the US authorities in probing the matter. No one would be allowed to use Pakistan’s territory for any act of terrorism,” he added. (ANI)

Pope may cancel UK visit over Papal-branded condoms gaffe!

London, Apr 26 (ANI): The Pope could cancel his planned visit to Britain over a Foreign and Commonwealth Office memo suggesting that he should bless a gay marriage and even launch Papal-branded condoms.

The shocking proposals were contained in official documents drawn up earlier this month by civil servants that mocked the Pope’s forthcoming visit to Britain in September.

The British Government has apologised to the Pope for suggestions made in the document, but senior Papal aides suggested the Foreign Office had not taken strong enough disciplinary action against those responsible for the document, The Telegraph reports.

No one has lost their job over the memo, which was sent to Downing Street and at least three Whitehall departments, and the civil servant who authorised it, has simply been moved to other duties.

“This could have very severe repercussions and is embarrassing for the British government – one has to question whether the action taken is enough.

“It is disgusting. Britain’s ambassador to the Holy See has been in to see the Vatican Secretary of State and explain what happened and this will all be relayed to the Pope. It’s even possible the trip could be cancelled as this matter is hugely offensive,” a highly placed Vatican source said.

Cardinal Renato Martino, the former head of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, said: “The British government has invited the Pope as its guest and he should be treated with respect. To make a mockery of his beliefs and the beliefs of millions of Catholics not just in Britain but across the world is very offensive indeed.”

The documents, included in a memo headed ‘The ideal visit would see …’, ridiculed the Catholic Church’s teachings including its opposition to abortion, homosexual behaviour and contraception, The Telegraph reports.

Referring to the sensitive issue of child abuse engulfing the Catholic Church, the Government document suggested that the Pope should take a “harder line on child abuse, announce sacking of dodgy bishops” and “launch helpline for abused children”. (ANI)

Iraq’s Arab neighbors wary of Shi’ite sway after vote

(Reuters) – Iraq’s Arab neighbors fear a split Iraqi election could further marginalize minority Sunnis and hope any coalition government formed by the Shi’ite frontrunner will resist Iran’s sway.

World

Many Sunni Arabs had wanted a stronger showing by secularists, who they now hope will bring cross-sectarian balance to any coalition government that could be formed by Shi’ite Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

“These election results show that there is a Shi’ite wave in the region which threatens Arab security in the region. Iran has a hidden role in the Arab region and it supports Shi’ite elements in the area, particularly in Iraq,” said Magid Mazloum from the Center for Gulf Studies in Cairo.

“Sunnis in Iraq are a scattered minority stuck between Shi’ites on the one hand and Kurds on the other. This is bound to create instability in the country.”

Early election results showed Maliki pulling ahead on Sunday in an election Iraqis hoped would end years of sectarian strife, but a divided vote suggested long and fraught talks to form a government are ahead.

But the overall picture, reflecting a nation fragmented by decades of sectarian and ethnic conflict, was still incomplete a week after the vote. Results released so far represent just over a quarter of 12 million votes cast, and may change.

Sunni-led Arab countries, particularly in the Gulf where there are significant and marginalized Shi’ite minorities, worry about the repercussions of Iranian influence in Iraq. They are concerned that the Shi’ite majority is trying to deprive Iraq’s once dominant Sunnis of their fair share of power.

They fear meddling by Shi’ite non-Arab Iran in Iraq, an Arab country with a Shi’ite Muslim majority, could incite their own Shi’ite populations and that sectarian instability in Iraq could spill over.

“The big worry for us is that such a divided and sectarian Iraq is easily penetrated by regional powers and here of course Iran comes as the biggest and meddling regional power,” said Emirati analyst Abdul-Khaleq Abdullah.

“That really does not settle very nicely with the GCC, the smaller Gulf countries,” he added, referring to a bloc of six Gulf Arab states, including top oil exporter Saudi Arabia.

The outcome of Iraq’s first parliamentary poll since 2005 will shape its future as its stability is tested by an upcoming U.S. troop withdrawal and political struggles undermining Iraq’s efforts to re-establish itself on the world stage.

FRAGILE DEMOCRACY

While Maliki’s State of Law bloc appeared to be ahead in seven of 18 provinces, the secularist Iraqiya list headed by former Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a secular Shi’ite, was leading in five.

The Iraqi National Alliance (INA), Maliki’s main competitor and led by a party with close ties to Iran, trailed close behind. Maliki would likely get first go at forming a government.

“From my point of view I hope they mix the authorities together. It’s the best choice they have … That’s why a coalition would be a good thing,” said Yasser Ahmed Ali, 28, an Emirati production engineer.

Final results are not expected for weeks.

“The new Iraq will be an imbalanced Iraq. Results show Shi’ites in the lead,” said Abdullah al-Ashaal, former assistant to Egypt’s minister of foreign affairs.

“Such results are in line of what Iran wants and the Shi’ite coalitions seem to be with Iran.”

Few Arabs thought that elections in Iraq would put pressure on other Arab governments to give voices to their own citizens. But Saudi commentator Abdullah bin Bijad al-Oteiby said the vote showed fragile but growing democracy there.

“Everyone knows that Iraq is still a stage for regional and international influences, but the Iraqi citizen’s awareness of the vote’s value has increased,” he wrote in a column in Okaz newspaper.

Western diplomats say Riyadh, the leading political player in the Gulf, fears Iraq’s democracy inspiring Saudis to question the system of government in the absolute monarchy.

In Kuwait, with often tense ties to Iraq, said it did not matter whether the government was led by Sunnis or Shi’ites.

“Any result of a democratic process in Iraq is a gain for us and the region,” said Ali al-Baghli, Kuwaiti political analyst and former oil minister.

“Kuwait was threatened by Iraq several times when it was under a Sunni ruler (Saddam Hussein). It was Sunni Iraq that threatened Kuwait and it was Sunni Iraq that invaded Kuwait,” he added.

(Additional reporting by Raissa Kasolowsky and Rania Oteify in Dubai, Eman Goma in Kuwait, Marwa Awad in Cairo and Ulf Laessing in Riyadh; Writing by Cynthia Johnston; Editing by Samia Nakhoul)

Gene switch discovery may help humans regrow body parts

London, Mar 16 (ANI): Scientists have discovered a gene which they claim could help make regrowing amputated limbs, broken backs and even damaged brains a reality.

The gene p21, researchers claim, appears to block the healing power enjoyed by some creatures including amphibians but lost through evolution to all other animals.

By turning off p21, the process can be miraculously switched back on, the academics from The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia said.

In their study, they found that mice lacking the p21 gene gain the ability to regenerate lost or damaged tissue.

Unlike mammals, which heal wounds by forming a scar, these mice begin by forming a blastema, a structure associated with rapid cell growth.

As per the researchers, the loss of p21 causes the cells of these mice to behave more like regenerating embryonic stem cells rather than adult mammalian cells. This means they act as if they creating rather thane mending the body.

Their findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provide solid evidence to link tissue regeneration to the control of cell division, reports The Telegraph.

Professor Ellen Heber-Katz, the lead scientist, said: “Much like a newt that has lost a limb, these mice will replace missing or damaged tissue with healthy tissue that lacks any sign of scarring.

“While we are just beginning to understand the repercussions of these findings, perhaps, one day we”ll be able to accelerate healing in humans by temporarily inactivating the p21 gene.

“In normal cells, p21 acts like a brake to block cell cycle progression in the event of DNA damage, preventing the cells from dividing and potentially becoming cancerous.

“We propose that any future therapy would involve turning off p21 transiently during the healing process and only locally at the wound site. This might be done through locally applied drugs. This should minimise any side effects.” (ANI)

Pak must get rid of ‘non-state’ actors to save itself from destruction: Editorial

Islamabad, Sep.15 (ANI): The Pakistan Government has continuously denied the presence of any terror groups inside the country’s boundaries, saying the outfits which are carrying out terrorist activities are ‘non state’ actors. However, an editorial in one of the leading English dailies of the country has said Islamabad must get rid of these non-state actors if it wants to avoid disastrous repercussions.

The Daily Times editorial highlighted the phenomenal rise of terrorist groups in South Punjab and said authorities must re-think on its policy due to which the problem has now gone out of its hands.

“This is not a good trend. Pakistan must re-evaluate its options in regard to regional security and review the policy which gave rise to the phenomenon of non-state actors. Our internal security demands that,” the editorial said.

It referred to the numerous incidents where terrorist attacks across the country were traced to have links with outfits based in South Punjab.

“A majority of the ‘non-state actors’ now operating in the region and also targeting the state of Pakistan have come from South Punjab, with Bahawalpur as epicentre, simply because first Sipah Sahaba and then Jaish-e-Muhammad have found the backwardness of the region suitable for recruiting terrorists,” the editorial stated.

Pakistan continues to look at the extremist elements in terms of ‘good’ and ‘bad’. The problem with such a policy is that these elements cannot be controlled effectively. They have their own agenda which goes against the security and sovereignty of Pakistan, it added.

The editorial also raised questions over the uncontrolled expansion of madrassas in the region which are involved in imparting hatred for other religions.

“It is not permissible that the local administration should tamely accept the expansion of one madrassa while the city already has an estimated 1,000 of them, all presumably teaching a brand of Islam that never suited the state of Pakistan,” it said.

It also raised fears that South Punjab could well become another Swat if the government fails to act in time and curb the expansion of terrorist groups in the province.

“What is most worrisome about the dominance of Jaish-e-Mohammad and other terrorist organisations in South Punjab is the fact that the local centres of power in the region are likely to succumb to it in the same way that the people did in Swat after warlord Fazlullah was allowed by the MMA government in the NWFP to establish his satrapy there,” the editorial concluded. (ANI)

BJP leader Munde detained at Mumbai airport

Mumbai, Sep.7 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Gopinath Munde was detained at Mumbai airport by state police on Monday before he could go to violence-hit Sangli district to address a meeting there.

Officials said he was detained as his address could aggravate the tense situation in the district.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Brijesh Singh said Munde was prevented from going to Miraj in wake of communal clashes there. His boarding pass was seized.

The trouble had started on Anant Chaturdashi day-September 3– when some pro-Hindutva organisations tried to raise an arch on the Ganesh idol immersion procession route, depicting murder of Mughal warrior Afzal Khan by Shivaji as recorded in the Maratha history.

This led to a clash between two groups and violence that had repercussions in Sangli city also. (ANI)

Maoists’ frequent Bandh calls badly disrupt life in Bastar

Bastar (Chhattisgarh), Sep.1 (ANI): In Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, which is one the most Maoist infested districts of the State, the frequent shutdown calls by Maoists have badly affected people’s daily lives.

One of the worst affected are local train services which make it difficult for people to commute to their workplaces.

Routine Bandhs badly affect the train services, which ultimately troubles hundreds of passengers who commute from Jagdalpur of Bastar to rest of the country.

“I keep travelling for my business purpose and after arriving here I came to know that the train is not coming anymore and might not come for the next two days. Many a times, Maoists issue a threat saying that the train should not move beyond Jagdalpur and we face a lot of difficulty. The bus fares are more expensive than the train,” said Manoj Pandey, one of the stranded passengers.

“Due to the Maoist violence and their frequent calls for shutdown, the common men are affected a lot. In fact recently in Bastar, when the Maoist stopped the movement of vehicles, a man who had fallen ill and had to be taken to Narayanpur for immediate treatment, died,” said P. B. Ramna, an analyst on local issues in Bastar.

Ramna tells the violent activities of Maoists at times have tragic repercussions for the public at large. Like in 2007, the Maoists blasted off High Tension Towers due to which electricity could not be restored for many days here. Such incidents also affect the people seeking medical attention e.g. the life saving drugs cannot be stored as refrigerators cannot work.

He said Maoists often trigger violence to push Government on back foot and demoralise security agencies here.

According to M. R. Nayak, Station-in-charge at Jagdalpur, people are scared of confronting Maoists.

“Whenever there is any Maoist threat, we get orders from our superiors to stop the movement of trains,” said M. R. Nayak, station in-charge, Jagdalpur.ccording to the state finance department one-day shutdown causes a loss of Rs. 2,700 crore to exchequer.

Naxals call for frequent shutdowns to make their presence felt in the region. But the main sufferer remains the common man.

People here expect the Government to take necessary steps for their welfare and to establish a fearless environment. (ANI)

Maoists’ frequent Bandh calls badly disrupt life in Bastar

Bastar (Chhattisgarh), Sep.1 (ANI): In Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, which is one the most Maoist infested districts of the State, the frequent shutdown calls by Maoists have badly affected people’s daily lives.

One of the worst affected are local train services which make it difficult for people to commute to their workplaces.

Routine Bandhs badly affect the train services, which ultimately troubles hundreds of passengers who commute from Jagdalpur of Bastar to rest of the country.

“I keep travelling for my business purpose and after arriving here I came to know that the train is not coming anymore and might not come for the next two days. Many a times, Maoists issue a threat saying that the train should not move beyond Jagdalpur and we face a lot of difficulty. The bus fares are more expensive than the train,” said Manoj Pandey, one of the stranded passengers.

“Due to the Maoist violence and their frequent calls for shutdown, the common men are affected a lot. In fact recently in Bastar, when the Maoist stopped the movement of vehicles, a man who had fallen ill and had to be taken to Narayanpur for immediate treatment, died,” said P. B. Ramna, an analyst on local issues in Bastar.

Ramna tells the violent activities of Maoists at times have tragic repercussions for the public at large. Like in 2007, the Maoists blasted off High Tension Towers due to which electricity could not be restored for many days here. Such incidents also affect the people seeking medical attention e.g. the life saving drugs cannot be stored as refrigerators cannot work.

He said Maoists often trigger violence to push Government on back foot and demoralise security agencies here.

According to M. R. Nayak, Station-in-charge at Jagdalpur, people are scared of confronting Maoists.

“Whenever there is any Maoist threat, we get orders from our superiors to stop the movement of trains,” said M. R. Nayak, station in-charge, Jagdalpur.ccording to the state finance department one-day shutdown causes a loss of Rs. 2,700 crore to exchequer.

Naxals call for frequent shutdowns to make their presence felt in the region. But the main sufferer remains the common man.

People here expect the Government to take necessary steps for their welfare and to establish a fearless environment. (ANI)

Oz cricketers Clarke, Johnson may get smaller IPL pay packets

Melbourne, Aug.29 (ANI): Australian stars such as Michael Clarke and Mitchell Johnson have been warned that as and when they decide to join the Indian Premier League (IPL), they can expect far smaller wage packages than they would have received by joining for the inaugural tournament.

Clarke has expressed a desire to enter the IPL next year, after refusing to enter the player auction for the first two years – as did Johnson – to focus on their international careers.

But the IPL sides have all filled their international quotas, and new players can only join if the franchises buy out the contracts of rostered players to sign them.

Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharya told the Herald: “Every team has a cap. If I buy out a player, I only have the cap of the player I buy out.”

Teams will hardly be buying out the contracts of their highest-paid stars, therefore Clarke and co. must settle for vastly smaller sums.

“It should be interesting,” Bhattacharya said. “But let’s not forget that a new auction will be held the following year, because the initial one was for three years only. If I were a player, I would give it a good whack [next] year and think I’m going to get a really nice price [the following] year.

“I don’t think a smart player like Michael Clarke would see this on a one-year basis,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Bhattacharya, as saying.

Clarke earned the ire of IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for pulling out of the auction last year, and hopes there will be no repercussions.

“I’d definitely like to take part in it at some stage, I just need to work out when’s the right time, and hopefully Lalit will let me play, more importantly,” Clarke said. (ANI)

Global Vitamin D deficiency rates rise highest in South Asia

Washington, July 1 (ANI): Vitamin D deficiency is on the rise across the globe, with the highest rates recorded in South Asia, say experts.

A study involving six regions Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East and Africa, North America, and Oceania showed that the highest rates of Vitamin D deficiency occur in South Asia and the Middle East and the problem is widespread and on the increase.

It can have potentially severe repercussions for overall health and fracture rates.

Vitamin D is mainly produced in the skin upon exposure to sunlight, and, to a lesser extent, is derived from nutritional sources.

It plays an important role, through its influence on calcium levels, in the maintenance of organ systems, and is needed for normal bone mineralization and growth.

The researchers say that suboptimal levels of vitamin D may lead to increased risk of osteoporosis and hip fracture and, in severe cases, to the development of rickets, a softening of bones in children that can lead to skeletal fractures and deformity.

They suggest that an increase in urbanization, where people tend to live and work indoors, as well as cultural practices that tend towards sun avoidance and the wearing of traditional clothing that covers the skin might be behind the increasing rates of Vitamin D deficient people.

Moreover, aging, female sex, less time spent in the sun, and lack of vitamin D fortified foods in the diet can also contribute to lack of what is known as sunshine vitamin.

A research article on these findings has been published in the scientific journal Osteoporosis International1. (ANI)

Nick Cannon has no grudges against Eminem

London, May 25 (ANI): Rapper Nick Cannon has admitted that he holds no grudges against Eminem, who made fun of his marriage to pop-diva Mariah Carey in a song.

Eminem a.k.a Marshall Mathers III, sparked a feud with Cannon after referring to his relationship with Carey in the track ‘Bagpipes From Baghdad’.

Eminem rapped in the song: “Nick Cannon better back the f**k up. I’m not playing, I want her back, you punk. Nick Cannon, you pr**k, I wish you luck with that f**kin’ whore.”

Cannon, who wed the Hero singer last year (08) after a whirlwind romance, was left fuming over the lyrics and vowed Eminem’s words will have “repercussions”.

Eminem later admitted that his lyrics were ‘a little harsh’, insisting he totally understood Cannon’s reaction.

Now, Cannon has also revealed that he has no grudges against the rapper.

“I never even considered it as beef. It’s not beef. It’s just, Hey, I heard the record. I said what I had to say. I feel exactly the same way by it and stick by everything, but I think it’s one of those things where it becomes that it’s not really that big of a deal, you know?” The Daily Star quoted Nick, as telling The Entertainment Weekly. (ANI)

Eminem wishes Cannon, Carey “the best” after sparking feud with song

London, May 20 (ANI): American rapper Eminem has admitted that his derogatory new track mentioning Mariah Carey was a little harsh, and that even though it has sparked a war of words with Nick Cannon, he only wishes the couple “the best”.

The singer, real name Marshall Mathers III, sparked the feud with Cannon after he referred to his brief relationship with Carey in ‘Bagpipes From Baghdad’.

In the song, Eminem rapped: “Nick Cannon better back the f**k up. I’m not playing, I want her back, you punk. Nick Cannon, you pr**k, I wish you luck with that f**kin’ whore.”

After the song came out, Cannon accused Eminem of “racial bigotry”, and vowed that the rapper’s words will have “repercussions”.

But Eminem is adamant that he was not looking for a fight.

He has admitted that his words were “a little harsh”, and that Cannon’s reaction is fully understandable.

“As a kid (I had a crush on Carey), definitely. With the song ‘Bagpipes From Baghdad,’ there’s a line on there, I mean, I kinda spazed out (went crazy) on that record but I guess I spazed out on every record,” the Daily Express quoted him as saying.

“There’s a line on there that was a little harsh, you know, it’s a harsh line, it was pretty intense… but the way I look at it, I said it, I had no idea he was going to take it like he took it. I had no idea Nick Cannon was gonna start wildin’ out on me…

“I heard about some of the things he was saying, I didn’t read his blog or anything. …He’s supposed to defend his wife. I expected him to do that. But at the end of the day, it’s a line I said, I meant to say I wish them the best.

That’s what I meant to say… I didn’t plan on taking it (to battling), hopefully it doesn’t, but you know, it is what it is,” he added. (ANI)

Nick Cannon accuses Eminem of ‘racial bigotry’ after Carey rap

Washington, May 11 (ANI): American actor Nick Cannon has accused rapper Eminem, real name Marshall Mathers III, of “racial bigotry” after the latter made a derogatory new track mentioning Mariah Carey.

Cannon, 28, who married Carey, 39, last year, is furious with Eminem, 36, for putting his and his wife’s name in a controversial song, which is featured on his latest album ‘Relapse’.

In his latest LP, Eminem had recorded Bagpipes From Baghdad, and in it he comments on his alleged romance with Carey – one that she vehemently denies.

“Nick Cannon better back the f**k up. I’m not playing, I want her back, you punk. Nick Cannon, you pr**k, I wish you luck with that f**kin’ whore,” Contactmusic quoted Eminem as rapping in the track.

But Cannon isn’t going to let the star get away with his comments – vowing that Eminem’s words will have “repercussions”.

“A mediocre (at best) Eminem record that sounds like it was written in 2001.

At first, I thought it was old material that had been dug up from when dude ‘fantasised’ about having a pretend fling with Mariah. … But all of a sudden I hear my name in the verse! My first reaction was like, ‘This is his new s**t? Wow, that’s too bad’,” he wrote on his blog.

“Maybe I’m going too far, but I thought we got past the days where white men could spew vulgar obscenities at our beautiful queens and get away with it.

“What’s next? Are we going to let this trash say something horrible about our lovely first lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama? Or would Marshall have talked sideways out of his neck like this about Oprah Winfrey? This act of racist bigotry cannot go unnoticed.

“Calling my wife a ‘c**t’ and a ‘whore’ is way worse than anything Don Imus could have ever said. So trust, repercussions will be served. Anybody got Al Sharpton’s number?!

“So, Miss Marshall, I’m going to make you wish you never spoke my name and regret the ungodly things you said about my wife. This is going to be fun!

It’s however you want it! Just remember, you did this to yourself! Your legacy has now been tainted from this day forth! You will now be known as the rapper who lost to corny-ass Nick Cannon!” he added.

The blog, which featured on Cannon’s official website, has since been taken down due to an overload of comments.(ANI)

Will Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson reunite as couple?

Washington, May 7 (ANI): Speculation is rife that actress Lindsay Lohan and DJ Samantha Ronson may reunite as lesbian couple, with the two having an on-again, off-again relationship.

Sources say that the reunion between the two appeared possible, especially, after Lohan spent a night on May 5 with Ronson at her Los Angeles home, and after the actress revealed that she was still “in touch” and was friends with the DJ.

“Sam might eventually take Lindsay back … It wouldn’t surprise anyone,” People magazine quoted a source close to the couple as saying.

A friend of Lohan’s says that this break-up could be like other times in the past.

“It’s a cycle that can go on forever. Now that things have died down a little and Lindsay is behaving herself and showing Sam what she wants to see, Sam’s strength to stay away eases up,” the friend said.

But another source said that Ronson had “no plans to take her back”, and that a reconciliation would not happen without serious repercussions.

“Sam’s family will literally lose all respect if she goes back to Lindsay, and that’s what’s convincing her things are really over,” the source said.

“They do text, [blackberry messenger], have visits. Lindsay plays stupid mind games saying she is being pursued by major celebrity actors. She has a lot of free time to play all these childish games.

“Sam knows in her head, life is truly better off without Lindsay – even if her heart sometimes says otherwise,” the source added. (ANI)

General Katawal ‘turns down’ Maoist Government’s sack order

Kathmandu, May 3 (ANI): Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff, General Rookmangud Katawal, who was sacked by the Maoist government on Sunday morning, has reportedly refused to accept the cabinet letter on his sacking.

The government’s chief secretary, Bhoj Raj Ghimire, handed over the sack letter to General Katawal soon after the cabinet decision, but he refused to accept it, describing the decision as unconstitutional.

He said he would consult his lawyers on the government decision.

Both General Katawal and Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka (the incoming army chief) were at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar when the cabinet took the decision.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) had held separate and joint meetings with both generals prior to the cabinet meeting, which was boycotted by the allies.

Meanwhile, a meeting of Nepal Army generals called by General Katawal is underway at the headquarters, discussing the cabinet decision and its repercussions, Nepal News reported. (ANI)

Jamie Foxx suffered 11 months of mental trauma at 18

Washington, Apr 20 (ANI): American actor Jamie Foxx has revealed that he went through 11 months of mental trauma after someone slipped drugs in his drink when he was 18-years-old.

Foxx, 41, real name Eric Marlon Bishop, revealed to the LA Times the harrowing past he went through and how much it affected him.

“When I was 18, somebody slipped something in my drink and it ripped me apart,” Contactmusic quoted him as saying.

“I had to go to the hospital. I mean, I was gone, it was the kind of trip that… you’re losing your mind. I kept thinking, ‘I can’t live like this’.

“It didn’t go away, either – for 11 months, I had flashbacks.

“After what happened when I was 18, when I was at music school, at International University in San Diego, I had a roommate named Mark, a white kid from Nebraska, he would have to talk me to sleep because I would have all of these crazy thoughts.

“I would go down to the pianos… and I would just play music for hours on end just to keep my mind from the crazy stuff,” he said.

The flashbacks continued to haunt him even as he played real-life schizophrenic Nathaniel Ayers in ‘The Soloist’, and he even suffered panic attacks and bouts of paranoia as he filmed the movie.

“I thought about just walking away from this movie,” he revealed.

But he did not give up and instead sought the help of psychiatrists, asking them for help and advice, so that he could portray Ayers, a mentally challenged musician, without personal repercussions.

“I got really worried, I felt all these things. I went to a psychiatrist and I actually asked, ‘Can I catch schizophrenia?’ Now I know you can’t, but I also knew I had this thing happen to me before, and it felt like it was going to happen again,” he said.

Adding: “It’s one thing to go crazy and not know it, but, if you feel yourself slipping in, then it’s like drowning, going down. That’s how I felt as a teenager, and just getting close to it again, I could feel the sweat coming, and I felt like I had to run out of there.” (ANI)