THE MET Office has issued rare red weather warnings for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland on Friday as Storm Éowyn approaches the UK, bringing winds of up to 100mph (161km/h).
The warnings, which indicate a danger to life, are in place from 07:00 GMT to 14:00 for Northern Ireland and from 10:00 to 17:00 for Scotland's central belt, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, BBC reported.
Amber warnings cover other areas of Scotland and northern England, while yellow warnings for wind, rain, and snow apply to the rest of the UK.
BBC Weather described the storm as potentially the "storm of the century" for the Republic of Ireland.
The storm is expected to cause widespread disruption, including damage to buildings, fallen trees, and cancellations of flights, trains, and ferries.
Roads are likely to be severely affected, and power outages could last for days in some areas.
Train operators, including Avanti, LNER, Lumo, and Northern, have advised against travel in northern England and Wales on Friday.
In Northern Ireland, education minister Paul Givan announced the closure of all schools on Friday, prioritising children’s safety. He recommended remote learning to minimise disruption to education.
In the Republic of Ireland, Met Éireann has issued red weather warnings for the entire country, forecasting gusts over 80mph.
Storm Éowyn will initially affect south-western parts of the UK early on Friday, with heavy rainfall and strong winds, before moving north-east. Snow is also expected in parts of Northern Ireland, Scotland, and northern England.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)