Something

     undef $newsheadline;
        $newsheadline = $title;
        $newscontent = $newsitem{$_};
        $newsauthor = $author;
        $newstime = $time;
        $total .= page("news_item");
    }
.....
sub page{
 my ($name) = @_;
  require $datadir."mainfile.pl";
  my $c=0;
  foreach(@mainword){
    if(lc($_) eq lc($name)){
      $mainpage[$c] =~ s/<\&([\s|\S]+?)\&>/eval($1)/eg;
      return $mainpage[$c];
    }
    $c++;
  }
  print "Could not find page '$name'";
}
....
$mainpage[$c] = " sasd asd  ... <& return $newsheadline; &> ";