What the papers say: Thursday's front pages

Thursday's front pages are dominated by Jozef Puska, 31, who was remanded in custody after being charged with the murder of primary school teacher Ashling Murphy.

The Irish Times and the Irish Examiner leads with the special sitting of Tullamore District Court where Jozef Puska, who was charged with the murder of Ashling Murphy, was heckled as he was taken from a Garda car into the court.

The front page of today's Irish Examiner.

Subscribe today at https://t.co/MHATHcCk0C pic.twitter.com/eQtaFkf1eJ

— Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) January 20, 2022

The Irish Daily Mirror, the Irish Daily Star, and the Irish Daily Mail all also lead with the appearance of Mr Puska in court over the murder of Ashling Murphy, with Ms Murphy's family in court for the hearing on Wednesday night.

Good morning

Here is today's front page of the Irish Daily Mirror pic.twitter.com/NekzlMLRxn

— Irish Daily Mirror (@IrishMirror) January 20, 2022

Thursday’s front page pic.twitter.com/7h8YJ8gmoX

— Irish Daily Star (@IsFearrAnStar) January 20, 2022

And the Belfast Telegraph reports on the British government's U-turn on double-jobbing for politicians in Northern Ireland.

Morning readers! Stay with @BelTel for all your breaking news.
Here's a look at the front page of today's Belfast Telegraph:https://t.co/3AlGJmrP8Y #Tellitlikeitis pic.twitter.com/rRPS6tjNIv

— Belfast Telegraph (@BelTel) January 20, 2022

Elsewhere, British papers report Boris Johnson is continuing to doggedly “cling to power” despite facing a coup, a loss in the polls and an explicit direction from one ex-minister to “in the name of God, go”.

The Daily Telegraph says Boris Johnson is refusing to quit despite around a dozen Tory MPs submitting letters of no confidence, with the paper citing former cabinet secretary David Davis as saying the prime minister will need to be dragged “kicking and screaming” from his office.

The front page of tomorrow's Daily Telegraph:

'Johnson: I won't quit if rebels force vote'#TomorrowsPapersToday

Sign up for the Front Page newsletterhttps://t.co/x8AV4Oomry pic.twitter.com/vCbqqYZTOi

— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) January 19, 2022

The Guardian, the Daily Mirror and Metro also quote Mr Davis as directing the prime minister: “In the name of God, go!”. The latter also features Mr Johnson’s scrapping of Covid rules, with masks no longer mandatory and a return to the office in England.

Guardian front page, Thursday 20 January 2022: 'In the name of God, go': Tory anger builds as PM clings on pic.twitter.com/PAgujtvkVc

— The Guardian (@guardian) January 19, 2022

Tomorrow's front page: In the name of God, go! #tomorrowspaperstoday https://t.co/ZOIyYFFkL7 pic.twitter.com/5ZlTsW5E6W

— The Mirror (@DailyMirror) January 19, 2022

Tomorrow's papers tonight 📰

RETURN TO THE OFFICE

🔴 WFH over
🔴 Mask rules eased
🔴 Self-isolating 'to end'#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/25eEOTZs7L

— Metro (@MetroUK) January 19, 2022

The British prime minister is determined to cling onto power despite more MPs turning on him as well as the public, says i.

Thursday's front page: Johnson clings on to power... for now#TomorrowsPapersToday

Latest from @singharj @RichardVaughan1 @HugoGye: https://t.co/o9splvFpFI pic.twitter.com/FTb17Kw7t4

— i newspaper (@theipaper) January 19, 2022

The Times reports Tory “plotters” have agreed to grant Mr Johnson a reprieve until the investigation into Downing Street’s lockdown parties is concluded.

Thursday’s TIMES: PM fights on as plotters pull back from the brink” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/K04lDcxP2I

— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) January 19, 2022

The Independent covers both the prime minister and the easing of Plan B Covid restrictions.

Thursday’s INDEPENDENT Digital: “Face masks and isolation axed in end to plan B” #TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/IiGtLtw2Rt

— Allie Hodgkins-Brown (@AllieHBNews) January 19, 2022

The Sun writes Mr Johnson has come out “just ahead of the Pork Pie plotters” after a day of “extraordinary drama” in parliament.

Tomorrow's front page: Boris Johnson battles through a day of extraordinary drama - coming out just ahead of the Pork Pie plotters https://t.co/wDc3hPcL2y pic.twitter.com/KwSPA4k63D

— The Sun (@TheSun) January 19, 2022

The Financial Times adds Mr Johnson is buying time after a defection of one of his MPs to Labour and ex-minister Mr Davis telling him to quit.

Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Thursday 20 January https://t.co/guVcGzOOF0 pic.twitter.com/uHKOeS5PQN

— Financial Times (@FinancialTimes) January 19, 2022

And the Daily Star also carries the drama, declaring on its front: “Our lame duck prime minister still refuses to do the right thing”, with a depiction of Mr Johnson as an actual rubber duck.