Family budgets go into tailspin

NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

The hike in the price of diesel dominates the front pages of all the papers. Analysing its impact, while the Mail Today writes, 'Family budgets go into tailspin'; the Hindustan Times observes, 'Freeing prices may help release money for development'.

The growing anger in the Arab world against an anti-Islamic film and the consequent attacks on US embassies in Yemen and Egypt are highlighted on the front pages of most papers. In this context, the Indian Express writes, 'Centre likely to block anti-Islam film on internet'.

Samajwadi Party Chief Mulayam Singh Yadav's press interaction after the national executive meeting of the party gets wide coverage. The Statesman quotes him as saying, 'Third Front decision after Lok Sabha polls'. The Hindu reports him as saying, 'I am not a saint to refuse the post of Prime Minister'.

Most papers carry pictures of hundreds of people in waist deep water in the sea off Idinthakarai protesting against the loading of fuel in the Koodankulam nuclear power plant. The Times of India, highlighting the Supreme Court decision writes, 'SC: No stay on fuel loading at plant but will scrutinize safety issues afresh'.

The Mail Today, in an exclusive story, 'Cartoonist arrest forces govt rethink on sedition', writes that Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni has written to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram requesting the Centre to revisit the Sedition Act and suitably amend it.

Most papers report that the British Government has set up a 2 million pound fund to help Indian and other foreign students who were left stranded after the British government revoked the London Metropolitan University's license to admit and teach international students.

And finally, the Asian Age informs us that the Chief of the Montreal Protocol, the climate change agreement ratified by all the countries of the world, has said that the parties to the protocol have phased out 98 percent of the ozone depleting chemicals. This will ensure an ozone recovery to pre 1980 levels by 2050.