HMS Prince of Wales, Britain's largest warship, has left Portsmouth Naval Base to lead the UK Carrier Strike Group to the Arctic and North Atlantic, marking the second phase of Operation Firecrest focused on readiness, training and NATO interoperability. It is accompanied by the Type-45 destroyer HMS Dauntless and carries an air group that includes F-35 jets and several types of helicopters. More than 1,200 British personnel are deployed, working with Norway, Denmark and Germany. The ship will host military and political leaders in Oslo for forums on Northern European security. A former Royal Navy chief has warned earlier this year that the navy is in its most parlous state in the 60 years he has been on the active list.
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XAU/USD
• NeutralRelevance: low
| Market | Gold |
|---|---|
| Close on 10/16/2026 | 4,165.63 |
| Change that session | -0.13% |
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