Newspaper headlines: UK on red alert for 'storm of the century'

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By BBC News
Staff
PA Media

Many papers feature grave warnings about Storm Eunice. The Sun calls it a 100mph "killer storm", and highlights an appeal for people to stay home as Eunice "roars in".

"Red alert!" is the headline in bold across the front of the Metro - reflecting the rare threat-to-life weather warning issued by the Met Office. The paper says chaos is expected across the country - parts of which are still reeling from Storm Dudley.

According to the Daily Mail and the i newspaper, the UK is bracing for a harmful "sting jet" storm. The Mail says there are fears that the dangerous weather phenomenon - a narrow, focused region of exceptionally strong wind - could bring the sort of destruction last seen in the Great Storm of 1987.

The i focuses on a warning to people tempted to pose for "selfies", to stay away from seafronts.

"Storm of the century," is the headline on the Daily Express. It says troops are braced to tackle the worst weather in three decades.

A number of the papers highlight American and British concerns that Russia is orchestrating "false flag" operations in eastern Ukraine. They suggest these would be used by Moscow as a pretext for invading its neighbour within days.

The Times reports that senior government figures in Whitehall are "convinced" President Vladimir Putin is "about to invade", suggesting Russia is building up forces before what the paper calls a "horrendous" attack.

The Daily Telegraph gives an example of one such attack. It says shells hit a nursery school in Ukraine, wounding three people.

The Guardian says that while Russia continues to deny intending to invade, Britain believes President Putin is moving his troops nearer the border, not sending them back to barracks.

Officials tell the paper that reinforcements from 14 battalions are in the process of arriving. They also suggest a pontoon bridge, briefly set up in Belarus in the past few days, is "an example of unusual military behaviour".

"Is this what Putin means about pulling out troops?", asks the Metro. Next to the headline is a photo of a Russian launcher firing a rocket during an exercise near Ukraine's border.

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"Inhumane" is the headline on the front of the Daily Mirror. The paper leads with its own investigation, suggesting thousands of elderly residents have been forced out of private care homes, because of what it calls a "tsunami" of closures.

The Department of Health tells the Mirror that it is doing everything it can to support care staff, including through a recruitment fund worth £462m.

It was "tears and cheers" at the Winter Olympics on Thursday, according to the the Daily Mail.

While it says the "disgraced Russian skater" Kamila Valieva missed out on a medal, Great Britain was finally guaranteed its first one of the games.

The men's curling team won a place in the final and in the "game of stones". The paper reckons Bruce Mouat and his men have a shot at gold.