8+ min ago (450+ words) It was an emotional homecoming for hundreds of loved ones as the warship HMS Prince of Wales returned to Portsmouth. The "3bn aircraft carrier has been used to showcase the UK's ability to run complex military operations worldwide. The vessel has travelled 40,000 nautical miles since deploying in April, but now 1,600 personnel have returned to cheering crowds at the naval base. The Royal Navy's flagship had been scheduled to return on Monday, but came back early due to bad weather. The aircraft carrier is part of the UK's Carrier Strike Group, which includes Portsmouth destroyer HMS Dauntless, which also returned home from deployment. Crowds gathered early to catch a glimpse of their loved ones and mark the end of their 2025 mission, codenamed Operation Highmast. Among the crowds, parents Vicky and Alan Mackinnon had travelled from Orkney to greet their sons Callum and…...

13+ min ago (358+ words) More than 140 people dressed as elves ran through a park in Scunthorpe earlier to raise money for the mental health charity MIND. It was the first time the Mental Elf 5k Festive Fun Run was held in the town and was hosted in Central Park. The charity's Mental Elf runs take place across England and Wales during November and December. Ms Klusaite said: "Mental health is important all times of year, but I think especially in winter, because the weather is getting colder, it's getting darker. "We really need to take make sure that we do things to take care of our mental health," she explained. The charity runs one to one counselling and runs groups to help people with anxiety, stress and depression. Chloe Jaksics from North Lincolnshire Mind said there is a support group every afternoon and a phone…...

30+ min ago (295+ words) Arthur Green was one of four Bath try scorers in a captivating win at StoneX Stadium Tries: Malins 2, Gonzalez 2 Cons: Farrell 3 Drop-goal: Farrell Tries: Arundell 2, Du Toit, Butt, Green Cons: Russell 4 Pens: Russell Henry Arundell's late try edged a statement win for Bath at Saracens as the visitors moved top of The Prem. The reigning champions scored 19 unanswered points as they came from behind to seal a victory that puts them three points clear after six games. Two tries from Max Malins either side of one from Juan Martin Gonzalez gave the hosts a five point lead at the break, with Arundell and Thomas Du Toit responding for Bath. Scores from Will Butt and Arthur Green gave the visitors the lead for the first time in the match before Gonzalez's second teed up a grandstand finish at 29-29. But Arundell wrapped…...

38+ min ago (704+ words) After using dating apps with little success for eight years, a woman met the love of her life just two weeks after deciding to ditch them. Lowri Rose, 26, from Cardiff, said she had been using the apps on and off since she was 18 but she grew increasingly unhappy with how they made her feel. Having initially sought "validation" through them, she said she found app users to be too focused on her appearance and she had received unsolicited "vulgar" messages from people on one app. Lowri said she quit the apps when she was 24 and met her fiance at a dinner hosted by mutual friends. Lowri, a social media manager, said they both felt a strong connection after meeting each other that day in April last year. "I just knew that we were going to get married and he just…...

39+ min ago (1250+ words) A landmark law to increase the number of organ donors has had little impact 10 years after it was introduced, according to a charity and an academic. Wales was the first UK nation to adopt the "soft" opt-out legislation on 1 December 2015, which presumes a person's consent to donate their organs when they die, unless they or their family have indicated otherwise. Conner Marshall's mother said consenting to his organ donation wishes following his murder that same year had been "humbling" despite the "stomach-wrenching" thought of losing him. The NHS Blood and Transplant service (NHSBT) said presumed consent was not a silver bullet to closing the gap between donation and transplantation. The organ donor consent rate increased by about 15% during the first three years of the opt-out law, but dropped to its lowest level in a decade last year. The Covid pandemic,…...

41+ min ago (411+ words) Rohit Sharma has retired from Tests and T20 internationals India 349-8: Kohli 135 (120), Rahul 60 (56); Baartman 2-60 South Africa 332 all out: Breetzke 72, Jansen 70; Kuldeep 4-68 India won by 17 runs Rohit Sharma broke the record for the most sixes hit in men's one-day internationals as India edged South Africa by 17 runs in the opening game of their series in Ranchi. After being asked to bat, India posted 349-8 with Virat Kohli hitting a record-extending 52nd ODI century with a brilliantly paced 135 off 120 balls. He shared 136 with Rohit, who made 57 off 51 balls, for the second wicket. Rohit, who already held the record for the most sixes across formats in international cricket (now 642), hit three sixes to overtake Shahid Afridi's 15-year record of 351 ODI maximums. India were 161-2 in the 22nd over when the former captain was dismissed and run-scoring became more difficult in the middle overs but the hosts were superbly marshalled…...

44+ min ago (681+ words) Hondurans are casting their ballots in a general election that is being dominated by threats from US President Donald Trump. There are five presidential candidates on the bill, but the poll is essentially being seen as a three-way race between former defence minister Rixi Moncada of the leftist Libre party, TV host Salvador Nasralla from the centrist Liberals, and businessman Nasry "Tito" Asfura, of the right-wing National Party. Trump has thrown his support behind Asfura and threatened to cut financial aid to the Central American nation if he does not win. The most recent opinion poll puts Nasralla in the lead, but with 34% of voter saying they are still undecided, it could be anyone's race. Outgoing president Xiomara Castro, who was the country's first female president when she took office in 2021 for the Libre party, is not allowed to run…...

44+ min ago (792+ words) Hondurans are casting their ballots in a general election that is being dominated by threats from US President Donald Trump. There are five presidential candidates on the bill, but the poll is essentially being seen as a three-way race between former defence minister Rixi Moncada of the leftist Libre party, TV host Salvador Nasralla from the centrist Liberals, and businessman Nasry "Tito" Asfura, of the right-wing National Party. Trump has thrown his support behind Asfura and threatened to cut financial aid to the Central American nation if he does not win. The most recent opinion poll puts Nasralla in the lead, but with 34% of voter saying they are still undecided, it could be anyone's race. Outgoing president Xiomara Castro, who was the country's first female president when she took office in 2021 for the Libre party, is not allowed to run…...

48+ min ago (200+ words) Falkirk manager John McGlynn tells BBC Scotland: "We're a little bit disappointed, because we think we're better than that. "We're not far away from being a right good side and we've got to take belief from coming here and putting in a dogged performance. "We turned the ball over too much and that's where we feel we could have done better. Still, we're very proud of the players - it's not easy coming here. "Our fans are going home happy because it's a good point. We go to the next game and Motherwell are a very good side. We have to dust ourselves down and get ready for that." Premier League: Chelsea under way against leaders Arsenal Qatar GP: Norris loses place as he bids to win F1 title after early Safety Car Premier League: Isak & Gakpo score as Liverpool beat West…...

51+ min ago (330+ words) Sixteen years ago John Judson had an idea - to gather a few biker friends together and donate gifts to a Christmas present appeal. Since then the event has snowballed and on Sunday more than 250 bikers rode in convoy to deliver hundreds of presents to Newark Salvation Army in Balderton, Nottinghamshire. It makes "a massive difference to children in need" according to John who is astonished at how the event has grown from just 17 bikers in the first year. "You feel humble that all these people have turned out for something you've done," he told the BBC. Mr Judson has handed the mantle to fellow biker Mark Spindley who organised this year's event. "This is all about supporting the Salvation Army and getting toys for the children who aren't so lucky on Christmas morning," he explained. Mr Spindley, who led the…...