RED TOP REVIEW
Energy prices 'will hit the weakest'
The story of the day among all of the papers remains yesterday's shock 35% increase in gas prices and 9% increase in electricity costs announced by Centrica, the parent firm of British Gas. The Daily Record says the poor and the elderly will be forced to go without heating this winter and warns that "people will die".
Shear terror in Perthshire
The Record's headline writers go to town on a strange tale from the Bridge of Cally Hotel in Perthshire: "Shear Terror: Drunk Aussie sheep farmer holds naked Swedes captive in Highlands hotel room."
Karadzic - under all that hair
The Sun has an interesting exclusive picture which shows Bosnian Serb "beast" Radovan Karadzic after the beard and long grey hair, behind which he had been hiding for the past 13 years, were shaved and trimmed.
Sheikh your money
On a lighter note, the paper asks: "Credit crunch, what credit crunch?" with a tale headlined: "Sheikh flies Lamborghini 6,500 miles to Britain for an oil change."
Antigua victim 'fought robbers to protect bride'
The Mirror has a new take on the story which has gripped Britain this week - the tragic murder in Antigua of young medic Catherine Mullany while she was on her honeymoon. The tabloid says her new husband Ben, who was left brain dead in the attack, fought the robbers to protect his bride.
Hovis is manna from Heaven for Rooney
Elsewhere, the paper reveals that Hovis has turned to the impish smile of footballer Wayne Rooney as the new face of its bread. It says the Manchester United striker, 22, will pick up £150,000 for a series of TV adverts.
BUSINESS
By Nathalie Thomas
Under-fire HBOS considers sell-off
HBOS is considering selling off some of its assets after posting a 51% drop in first half profits this morning.
Chief executive Andy Hornby said the bank would look at offloading parts of its business if it is offered a favourable price, but failed to comment on speculation that its Australian unit is up for sale.
HBOS reported that underlying profit including negative adjustments fell to £1.45bn in the first half of the year, down from £2.96bn in the first six months of 2007. It took a £1.1bn hit on debt securities. However, HBOS shares jumped over 5% this morning as banking analysts said the results contained no nasty surprises.
TELEVISION
By Fiona Leith
Karma please
Not happy enough carrying the weight of atonement with him everywhere he goes, tonight Earl's novel approach to karma rubs off on his new wife, Billie, in My Name Is Earl. Trouble is, as Earl would say, Billie's idea of a karmic resolution differs wildly from his. Keep an eye out for Napoleon Dynamite and Blades Of Glory star, Jon Heder.
• My Name Is Earl, Channel 4, 10.45pm
Love letters
Gwyneth Paltrow and Daniel Craig both perform beautifully in Christine Jeff's take on the life of Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes. It spares nothing as it delves into the passionate, poetic, yet deeply troubled relationship between the two wordsmiths.
• Sylvia, BBC1, 11.35pm
Kitchen confidential
Had your tea? If not, then look away now, as Matt Allwright, who now appears to be vying for the consumer champion mantle with Nicky Campbell, takes to the road on his motorbike to investigate viewers' concerns about what happens behind the closed doors of the local restaurant kitchen.
• Rogue Restaurants, BBC1, 8pm
FASHION
By Kayt Turner
There's no place like home
Jan Leeming may have thought that wearing her ruby slippers to the Wizard Of Oz opening night party would get people thinking she was as young as Dorothy. Well, maybe her feet are like Dorothy's, but the top half is definitely the Wicked Witch of the West.
Go vest, my son
It's admittedly the premiere of Leo Gregory's film, Cass (by Scot John S Baird) but there is no need to go out with your vest pulled down to your navel. I don't think I can eat my lunch now.
A shoe-in for Paris
I think the multi-talented Paris Hilton is casting about for someone to help put her shoes on. She has staff for that, right?
SPORT
By Andrew Smith
Murray confident of win over Tursunov
Andy Murray will face Dmitry Tursunov in the third round of the Cincinnati Masters today as he bids to push into the top eight ahead of the US Open next month. The Scot, nursing a knee problem, yesterday beat American Sam Querrey 7-6 6-1 to set up a meeting with a player he fancies his chances against. "I have played Tursunov three times and beaten him three times," he said.
Murray is hoping to build on his semi-final appearance at the Toronto Masters last week, where he was beaten by the unstoppable Rafael Nadal, who yesterday racked up his 30th straight victory on the circuit that has earned him the French and Wimbledon slams, and the Queens and Tortonto titles.
Burns' widow to unfurl league flat at Celtic
Tommy Burns' widow Rosemary is to unfurl the league flag. She was asked to perform the duty at Celtic's SPL opener on August 10 by club chairman John Reid, who said it would be "an honour" for the club and "in memory of that fact she is part of the Celtic family and stood together with Tommy in everything he gave the club".
Former player and manager Burns was the club's head of youth development and died of skin cancer at the age of 51, only six days before Celtic clinched the title in May.
Rangers up against Kaunas again
Rangers face a nerve-shredding evening in Kaunas following their lifeless 0-0 draw with the Vladimir Romanov-sponsored Lithuanian side in the first leg of the second round Champions League qualifier last night. Defeat in next Tuesday's return would leave Walter Smith's men out of European football at the first hurdle, only three months after reaching the UEFA Cup final.
INTERNET
Website of the day
Here's an antidote to the thousands of nauseating 'isn't my pet gorgeous?' sites that lurk on the net like fur balls. This is a collection of aesthetically challenged critters from around the world.
A host of plug-ugly pugs and grizzled guinea pigs.
The full article contains 1077 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
