Millions of people have been urged to stay at home as 100mph winds pose a danger to life and cause travel disruption. Rare red weather warnings have been issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland, and more than 700,000 homes in Ireland are without power

• Storm Éowyn – live updates

Flights cancelled, schools closed and millions told to stay amid record gusts, snow and heavy rain

• Storm Eowyn live – latest updates

Flights have been delayed, roads closed and ferry services cancelled as 100mph (160km/h) winds pose a danger to life in parts of the UK on Friday morning.

Rail services were suspended, with rare red weather warnings issued for Scotland and Northern Ireland, after the Met Office said Storm Éowyn was likely to damage buildings, uproot trees and trigger power cuts.

Randwick mayor says vandalism does ‘disservice to reconciliation’ but Greens councillor says statue marks ‘devastating impacts of colonisation’

A statue of Captain Cook in Sydney’s eastern suburbs has been damaged and doused in red paint for a second year in a row.

New South Wales police were investigating after the damage to the sandstone statue of the explorer and naval captain was discovered on Friday morning before the Australia Day long weekend.

Duke’s uncle says he showed ‘great tenacity’ in securing full and unequivocal apology from News Group Newspapers

Diana, Princess of Wales, would be “incredibly touched” and “rightly proud” of the Duke of Sussex for taking on News Group Newspapers (NGN) and gaining an apology for its serious intrusion into her private life, her brother has said.

Charles Spencer praised his nephew after Prince Harry received a full and unequivocal apology and “substantial damages” from the publisher over “serious intrusion” by the Sun, including unlawful activities by private investigators working for the paper.

Fans of the flower – known as Putricia – say they are ‘obsessed’ with the plant, although they have ‘never smelt that before’

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In Sydney, word is spreading: a rare endangered plant named after a deformed penis is beginning to unfurl.

Outside Sydney’s Royal Botanic Garden greenhouse on Thursday, a diverse crowd of hundreds has formed. International tourists wait expectantly by families and young, trendy couples. Babies are everywhere.

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