The Papers: 'Rioting thugs' and affordable homes 'stand empty'

Some of the UK's front pages are leading with the far-right protests that are spreading across country. The Express says "Britain cannot let rioting thugs win" and quotes Shadow Home Secretary James Cleverly saying ministers must back the police "to do what is necessary to maintain law and order".

The Times reports that the UK is braced for "at least 30 far-right protests" this weekend.

Police are braced for unrest from the "shameful" far-right, the Guardian reports. It says riot police will be on standby across England and Wales to tackle planned far-right protests this weekend. It also has a photo of journalist Evan Gershkovich greeting his mother upon returning to American soil after he was released as part of a prisoner swap with Russia.

The Daily Mirror has interviewed a young man whose relationship with Huw Edwards "set in motion the star's fall from grace". The man, who was a teenager when Edwards first asked him for explicit photos, tells the Mirror that he feels the BBC presenter "groomed" him.

The Daily Mail reports that the suspect in the Southport murders fronted a campaign for the BBC's Children in Need. In the video, Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, then aged 11 and dressed as Doctor Who, calls on the nation to get involved with fundraising.

The Daily Telegraph has interviewed Tory leadership hopeful Kemi Badenoch, who says the UK needs to have a more honest conversation about immigration. She says there has been a "culture of silence" surrounding the issue.

The i leads with a story on how thousands of "affordable" homes stand empty despite a housing crisis. This is due to housing associations not having the funds to buy them, the paper has been told.

The FT has a story on how the first brain implant made of graphene has been hailed as a "wonder material". It also has a photo of Team GB's Daryll Neita, who made it through the women's 100m heats on the first morning of the athletics at the Paris Olympics.

Meanwhile, the Daily Star says experts are urging people to "learn to love" maggots as the creepy crawlies "could save countless lives".