Newspaper headlines: NHS funding plea and a plastic 'scourge'
AFP/GettyA government pledge to curb the use of plastics - to be formally announced by Theresa May later - is widely previewed.
The Daily Mail says powerful media coverage including its own "Turn the Tide on Plastic" campaign has helped persuade the prime minister to act.
The Politico website is more cynical - arguing the policy is "a rebranding of sorts", aimed squarely at young voters with a concerted show of support for the eco-friendly issues they care about.
It says environmentalists have generally welcomed the government's initiatives, but that many remain sceptical of the promise that the UK can become greener after it leaves the EU.
'PR stunt'
Theresa May is facing "fresh reshuffle embarrassment", according to Huffpost UK, following claims that she breached the ministerial code with a PR stunt in Downing Street.
The website says Labour has complained that a photograph of the prime minister standing alongside a "parade" of Conservative party chairmen and vice-chairmen broke the rule which forbids the use of government property for party political purposes.
The shadow minister for the Cabinet Office, Jon Trickett, has called on Mrs May to apologise - but a government spokesman told Huffpost that a photo outside No 10 with a party political dimension was "quite acceptable".
A week after the controversial decision to free the serial sex offender, John Worboys, the front page of The Sun claims the so-called M25 rapist, Antoni Imiela, is being considered for parole.
It says he has served fewer than 14 years of seven life sentences.
The paper is aghast at the possibility of Imiela's release - declaring he is the kind of "wicked maniac for whom the phrase 'throw away the key' was invented".
The scandal surrounding the release of Worboys, it says, must not happen again.
Media 'muzzle'
A government defeat in the House of Lords on Wednesday night on the issue of press regulation is picked over by the majority of papers.
The Daily Mail says unelected peers were "eager to muzzle the media" as they voted in favour of what The Daily Telegraph describes as "effectively restarting Leveson".
The Sun sees the move as a war on the press, and argues it could have "disastrous consequences".
Voters will be horrified, it says, if the government is forced to spend millions of pounds of public money on yet another inquiry into the press.
Emoji turn-off
If you are in the mood for romance, it seems you can't beat old-fashioned gestures.
A guide to love in the digital age by the publisher, Mills and Boon, is featured by most of the papers, with The Times one of several to report that holding hands, having a cuddle and buying surprise gifts topped a survey of romantic acts.
According to the Mail, more than half of those questioned claimed prolific mobile phone use was the biggest passion killer.
It says the guide urges lovers to "use emojis wisely" by avoiding images that smack of innuendo.
"There's nothing romantic about a digital prawn, aubergine, or the one of the guy sword fighting," it says.
