The 28-year-old rapper, whose legal name is John Jackson, was in police custody after being treated at Bellevue Hospital for a gunshot wound to the thigh.

Jackson and his three unidentified companions told police that that they had just left Justin's, a soul food restaurant owned by rap mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, shortly after midnight when they were accosted in a nearby lot by a lone gunman, who fired and ran away.

The foursome jumped into a 2005 Dodge Magnum and took off, attracting the attention of police when they ran a red light.

Officers stopped them and discovered two semiautomatic pistols in the vehicle, both apparently unlicensed, police said. All four men were arrested after denying ownership of the weapons. Charges were pending.

(Leaked divorce) papers purport to reveal the marriage's steady disintegration. As relations broke down in April 2006, it is claimed the multi-millionaire songwriter lunged at Ms Mills, 38, with a snapped-off wine glass, cutting her arm and leaving her with a scar, after pouring wine over her head. He is accused of flinging his bleeding spouse into a wheelchair before "screaming at her to apologise for 'winding him up'"...

It was also alleged that the 64-year-old broke a promise made before the couple's marriage in 2002 that he would give up using illegal drugs and drinking alcohol to excess.

In another damning claim, it is alleged that a drunk Sir Paul "grabbed the respondent by the neck and pushed her over a coffee table" during a row following her appearance on the Barbara Walters show.

Five months later, in Rome in March 2003 when Ms Mills was four-weeks pregnant, it is alleged that Sir Paul pushed his wife into the bath and then demanded she attend a concert he was giving in the city.

In Long Island in August that year, it is claimed the star became furious after being challenged by his wife over smoking marijuana. "He became very angry, yelled at her, grabbed her neck and started choking her."

Hillary won't have to buy a new ski outfit for Colorado campaigning, as one of the twelve she already has will do nicely.

Senator Rodham-Clinton's assistants have been busy keeping their employers various props packed for her various trips, and also making sure that Hillary's cross never slips over her clothes and touches her skin, leaving a nasty, smoking cross-shaped scar.

Comedy critics say that Hillary's new act, the "Cross Stunt," is her funniest material since the "Sir Edmund Hillary Gag." You may remember. Scrappleface remembers it well, and so does the New York Times. In that classic example of performance art, Hillary claimed upon meeting Sir Edmund Hilary (world renowned for leading the first successful climb to the top of Mount Everest) that she'd been named after him. This slick bit of comedy was lost on everyone who didn't bother to check the records and find out that Sir Edmund Hillary didn't climb Mount Everest until six years after Hillary was born. At the time of Hillary Clinton's birth, Edmund Hilary was an unknown English bee keeper. KOMUDY!

Maryland Republicans decried as"racist"a Democratic congressman's comment that lieutenant governor and Republican Senate candidate Michael Steele "slavishly" supports the GOP.

Steele, a former chairman of the state Republican Party, is black.

Rep. Steny Hoyer made the remark Sunday as he introduced Steele's campaign rival, Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, to a group of black business owners. Hoyer told the group that Steele had a career of"slavishly supporting the Republican Party."

Although the House Minority Whip's word choice did not cause a visible reaction from the crowd, Maryland Republicans were quick to take offense.

State Republican Party executive director John Gibson said in a statement that Hoyer's weekend remarks were"racist attacks"that referred to slavery.

Hoyer apologized for the remark.

"I should not have used that word. If Mr. Steele did in fact take offense, let me assure him that none was intended,"Hoyer said in a statement.

A spokesman for Steele, Doug Heye, said Steele was"very bothered"by the remark.