Scotland's papers: Scotland's march to freedom and punish Putin calls
A number of papers lead with the lifting of remaining legal Covid restrictions in Scotland. The Herald highlights that the vaccine passport scheme will end from Monday while face masks will no longer be required from 21 March.
The Metro calls the announcement a "march to freedom" after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon published the Scottish government's framework for living with Covid. The paper points out that while masks will no longer be mandatory, the Scottish government will continue to "strongly recommend" people wear them.
The Scottish Daily Express reports that self isolation and access to free testing remains "for now", amid uncertainty over how long the initiatives will be funded. The UK government announced it would end free mass testing in April, but the Scottish government is still seeking clarity on how this will impact Scottish labs.
A number of papers continue to feature the conflict in Ukraine as their lead story. The Daily Telegraph focuses on US President Joe Biden's warnings, quoting him as saying that Russia is preparing to advance deeper into Ukraine, potentially leading to "untold suffering to millions of people" in an all-out war.
"Twisted Putin is ready for bloodshed" is the Scottish Daily Mail's take on Mr Biden's warning. The paper quotes him saying that the US has evidence Russia is moving blood and medical supplies to its border camps, in readiness for a full-scale assault.
Sanctions imposed by the western allies are the focus of the lead story in the Times, which says the US, EU and UK promised to immediately block Russia from raising money in western financial markets while targeting dozens of Russian oligarchs and their business interests.
"Putin takes Europe to the brink of war" is the i newspaper's take on its front page. But the paper says the UK's sanctions, announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, have been criticised as "tepid" and for failing to hit Mr Putin hard enough.
The Scottish Sun says the UK is sending more weapons to Ukraine "within days" as it focuses on Boris Johnson's criticisms of Mr Putin, describing him as "in an illogical and irrational frame of mind". "Stop mad Vlad" is the paper's headline.
The Scotsman highlights that First Minister Nicola Sturgeon joined a "chorus" of voices who condemned the UK's sanctions in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine as not going far enough. The paper says Downing Street rejected suggestions that the steps would have little effect.
The UK is sanctioning five banks and three "very rich Russians" as tanks approach Ukraine, the Daily Star says. It also quotes criticism of the "tepid" response and it asks, using a dismissive nickname for the PM: "Is that how to deal with bullies, Bozo?"
The Daily Record reports Hibs player Ryan Porteous is being investigated by police after he was accused of hitting a woman with a plastic cup on a night out, leaving her injured.
The National leads with the Scottish Parliament refusing consent for a Nationality and Borders bill - which would enable the UK government to remove someone's citizenship without having to tell them. MSPs said the bill would interfere with devolved powers, raises serious concerns over child welfare and could harm efforts to deal with human trafficking, the paper reports.
Fife Council has been silent on questions over a teacher who raped pupils over 11 years, according to The Courier. The paper says it has pressed the council on key issues - including the claim that a staff member ignored a pupil's initial complaint.
The Glasgow Times publishes images of police seizing a large cannabis haul from an abandoned furniture warehouse in the southside of Glasgow.
The Edinburgh Evening News says it has heard from a community group that crime is "blighting" the city's Royal Mile on a daily basis, with thieves stealing from businesses and drug deals happening in public spaces.
A staff shortage at a hospital in Aviemore meant that a local councillor was sent on a three-hour drive to Inverness in order to have an X-ray, reports The Press and Journal.
The Evening Express leads with a number of proposals to improve areas of Aberdeen, including a £100m facelift for the beach front and a £1.5m plan to improve café culture on one of the city's central streets.
And the Evening Telegraph reports that organisers of Sausage and Cider Fest are planning to bring the festival to Dundee in May this year.
