Vin Diesel has made a bold claim regarding Cristiano Ronaldo and the Fast film franchise, as the two were spotted all smiles in an Instagram picture alongside one another earlier this week

18:53, 13 Dec 2025Updated 18:54, 13 Dec 2025

Vin Diesel and Cristiano Ronaldo have been spotted together(Image: Instagram / @vindiesel)

Vin Diesel has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has had a role written for him in the next instalment of the Fast film franchise. The Hollywood star shared a snap of himself with the Portuguese footballing idol on Instagram this week, showing them smiling as they gave a thumbs up.

And captioning the snap, Vin Diesel – real name Mark Sinclair – wrote: “Everyone asked, would he be in the Fast mythology…I gotta tell you he is a real one. We wrote a role for him…@cristiano.”

And it didn’t take long for social media to go into a meltdown as a result of the photograph, with many users taking to the comments section to share their excitement of seeing Ronaldo swap the pitch for the silver screen. One joked: “We got Cristiano in Fast x before GTA 6 TOO, this is wild,” while a second added: “When legends meet expect greatness.”

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The next instalment of the Fast series comes in the form of Fast & Furious 11, which is expected to be billed as ‘Fast Forever’. It is also expected to be the final movie of the saga, which initially launched back in 2001 and starred Vin Diesel, alongside Michelle Rodriguez and the late Paul Walker.

The street racing series is set to launch the next instalment in 2026, despite recent delays, and movie lovers could see Ronaldo play a part, if Vin Diesel’s claims are true. It comes as Ronaldo has already announced that he will be dipping into the world of cinematography earlier this year.

Back in April, the 40-year-old revealed that he had launched his very own film studio alongside British film producer and director, Matthew Vaughn. A statement on his X account at the time read: “Cristiano Ronaldo loves movies; Matthew Vaughn loves sport – and they both love a good story.

“Both have been disruptive champions at their game and will now combine the world of sport and storytelling through the launch of UR MARV, an independent joint venture film studio embracing innovative technology, with a nod to tradition.

READ MORE: Four Man Utd players given ‘special treatment’ when club’s infamous hierarchy was leakedREAD MORE: Gary Neville compares Mo Salah to Cristiano Ronaldo amid Liverpool row – ‘best in the world’

“Through UR MARV, Ronaldo and Vaughn have financed and produced two action films together and are about to start a third in the same series. They look forward to announcing the first release soon.”

It comes as Ronaldo is seemingly winding down an illustrious footballing career which has cemented him as one of the greatest to ever play the beautiful game, enjoying legendary stints with Sporting CP, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Al-Nassr.

Currently under contract with the latter until 2027, football fans expect next summer’s World Cup in North America to be his final major tournament with the Portuguese national team. However, the forward’s participation at the event was cast into speculation last month when he received a straight red card for an elbow on Dara O’Shea during a qualifier against Northern Ireland.

Cristiano Ronaldo could make his way onto the silver screen(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)

While violent conduct usually carries a three-match ban, Ronaldo has had his second and third match bans suspended for a year. After sitting out Portugal’s final qualifier with Armenia, it means that he will not miss any of his nation’s group stage games at next summer’s competition unless he commits a similar offence.

A statement from FIFA read: “If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately.”

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A senior Hamas commander who was one of the architects of the 7 October 2023 attacks on Israel has been killed in a strike on Gaza City, according to the country’s military.

Raed Saed was targeted in response to an attack by Hamas in which an explosive device injured two soldiers on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.

It is the highest-profile killing of a senior Hamas figure since the Gaza ceasefire came into effect in October.

Gaza health authorities said the attack on a car in Gaza City killed five people and wounded at least 25 others, but there has been no confirmation from Hamas or medics that Saed was among the dead.

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Raed Saed

Hamas condemned the attack in a statement as a violation of the ceasefire agreement but stopped short of threatening retaliation.

An Israeli military official described Saed as a high-ranked Hamas member who helped establish and advance the group’s weapons production network.

“In recent months, he operated to re-establish Hamas’ capabilities and weapons manufacturing, a blatant violation of the ceasefire,” the official said.

The 10 October ceasefire has enabled hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to return to Gaza City’s ruins after a war that began after Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and seized 251 hostages in an attack on southern Israel.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed more than 70,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to health officials in Gaza.

Israel has pulled troops back from city positions, and aid flows have increased, but violence has not completely stopped.

Palestinian health authorities say Israeli forces have killed at least 386 people in strikes in Gaza since the truce, while Israel says three of its soldiers have been killed.

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Eight people also injured in fighting with ‘terrorists’ in disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan.

Published On 13 Dec 202513 Dec 2025

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At least six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed in a “terrorist” attack on a United Nations base in Abyei, a disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan, the Bangladesh army said.

The attack on Saturday also injured another eight people, the army stated.

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“The situation in the area is still unstable and clashes with terrorists are ongoing,” the army said in a statement, adding that the authorities were working to provide medical treatment and rescue operations for those injured.

There was no immediate comment from the UN mission.

The attack comes just a month after the United Nations Security Council voted to renew a UN Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNISFA), the peacekeeping mission in the oil-rich disputed region between Sudan and South Sudan, for another year.

Bangladesh is one of the largest contributors to UN peacekeeping missions, and its troops have long been deployed in Abyei, a volatile region disputed between Sudan and South Sudan.

UNISFA’s peacekeeping mission was first deployed in 2011.

The 4,000 police and soldiers of UNISFA are tasked with protecting civilians in the region plagued by frequent armed clashes.

The Abyei region is split between two different groups with different loyalties.

The Ngok Dinka tribe have strong ethnic, cultural and linguistic ties to the Dinka of South Sudan, while the Misseriya are a nomadic Arab tribe with links to Sudan.

Abyei’s future was a critical feature of the 2005 peace deal that was signed between the Sudanese government and rebels that ended the civil war then and led the way to South Sudan’s independence.

However, unrest in the disputed area with South Sudan also continues at a time when Sudan is devastated by a more recent civil war that erupted in April 2023, when two generals started fighting over control of the country.

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which have been committing atrocities in Darfur and other regions, have also been active in Abyei.

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US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday that two US service members and a civilian were killed by a lone gunman affiliated with the so-called “Islamic State” in central Syria. 

What do we know so far? 

In post on X, CENTCOM said the ambush also left three other service members wounded. “The gunman was engaged and killed,” CENTCOM added. 

Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said the soldiers in Palmyra were conducting a “key leader engagement” in support of anti-IS and counterterrorism operations in the region. 

“The soldiers’ names, as well as identifying information about their units, are being withheld until 24 hours after the next of kin notification,” Parnell said.  

US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is also known as the secretary of war, called the attacker a “savage” on X.

“Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life known the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you,” Hegseth said.     

US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said he strongly condemns the “cowardly terrorist ambush targeting a joint US-Syrian government patrol in central Syria.”

IS attacker was member of Syrian security forces 

The Syrian Interior Ministry said there were “prior warnings from the internal security command” to allied troops operating in the desert areas of central Syria.    

“The international coalition forces did not take the Syrian warnings of a possible IS infiltration into consideration,” Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Anwar al-Baba said on Syrian state television.    

The Syrian Interior Ministry also said that the attacker was member of the Syrian security forces and held “extremist ideology.” 

First deadly IS incident towards US forces in post-Assad Syria 

The shooting is the first deadly incident towards US forces in Syria since rebels ousted President Bashar Assad last year. 

Assad, who maintained close ties with Russia and Iran, fought back an uprising from rebels in 2011, which then ignited a civil war that lasted more than a decade.

As the war raged, IS took control of the major Syrian city of Raqqa in 2014 and also seized the major metropolis of Mosul in neighboring Iraq that same year.

IS had later lost control of almost off all of its territory in 2019 after a series of airstrikes from the US, France, Jordan and several other countries. The US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces were crucial in driving IS out of Syria.  

10 years since the Paris Attacks: Is ISIS still a threat?

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Since Assad’s ouster, the new Syria administration under Ahmad Sharaa has sought closer ties with the US particularly in the area of counterterrorism, with Syria joining the US-led Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in November. 

Reuters and other outlets also reported in November that Syria foiled two IS plots to assassinate Sharaa.  

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As the Trump administration escalates pressure on Venezuela, experts warn that Nicolás Maduro’s downfall could open the door to a successor “even worse” than the dictator himself and unleash a landscape dominated by drug cartels, guerrilla factions and armed warlords who have embedded themselves across Venezuela for decades.

Venezuela today is less a centralized dictatorship and more a patchwork of criminal territories controlled by cartels, Colombian insurgents and regime-aligned militias. Analysts told Fox News Digital that U.S. policy now confronts not only Maduro but an entrenched ecosystem of non-state armed groups that could seize power in a post-Maduro vacuum.

Roxanna Vigil, a fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and former U.S. national security official focused on Latin America, said the trajectory is now binary.

PUTIN DOUBLES DOWN ON BACKING MADURO AMID MOUNTING US PRESSURE ON VENEZUELA

Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro brandishes a sword during an event at the military academy in Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2025. (Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo)

“The way I see it, what comes next will largely depend on what direction this U.S. pressure campaign goes in,” Vigil said. “If it goes in the direction of escalation and conflict, that means there’s going to be very little control — or even less ability to influence what comes next.”

The danger, experts say, is not simply a stronger version of Maduro but the rise of armed actors who already control swaths of Venezuelan territory. Vigil said that an uncontrolled collapse could unleash something far more dangerous than the current regime. “You could have someone potentially worse than Maduro,” she said.

Jason Marczak, vice president and senior director at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, told Fox News Digital those power centers include some of the most violent criminal syndicates in the Western Hemisphere.

Bolivarian National Police fire tear gas toward opposition demonstrators in Caracas, Venezuela, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2014. Venezuelan security forces backed by water tanks and tear gas dispersed groups of anti-government demonstrators who tried to block Caracas’ main highway Saturday evening. (AP Photo/Alejandro Cegarra)

“It’s hard to imagine things getting any worse than they are under Nicolás Maduro. But what’s critical is not just Maduro leaving, but those around him — those who will only be further perpetrators of the injustices that Maduro puts forward — that none of them are allowed to just come to power.”

If either opposition leader María Corina Machado or Edmundo González fail to fill the vacuum in a post-Maduro Venezuela, experts point to a crowded field of dangerous actors who could attempt to seize power if Maduro suddenly falls.

RETIRED GENERAL HAILS TRUMP’S ‘HOLISTIC’ CRACKDOWN ON VENEZUELAN DRUG TRAFFICKING AS SHOWDOWN ESCALATES

Diosdado Cabello

Diosdado Cabello emerges as the most feared and influential figure in the regime. La Nación describes him as the longtime number two of Chavismo, with sweeping control over party machinery and the propaganda apparatus. His power stretches from internal political enforcement to the interior and justice portfolios.

Cabello was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2018 for corruption, money laundering, embezzlement and links to drug-trafficking networks inside the state. Reuters reporting documented how the United States later increased rewards for information leading to his arrest as part of broader efforts to target the Cartel de los Soles. Analysts say a government headed by Cabello could consolidate party power, state security forces and media control under a single hardline operator.

Minister of Interior and Justice Diosdado Cabello (C) talks to the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez (L) as Vice President of the Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez (R) looks on at Simon Bolivar International Airport on July 18, 2025, in Caracas, Venezuela.  (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)

Jorge Rodríguez 

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly and one of Maduro’s closest political operators, is another senior figure positioned for any succession scenario. La Nación highlights his prominence inside the ruling elite, noting his roles as mayor, communications minister, and key strategist.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez for actions that undermine democratic institutions, according to an Atlantic Council summary of OFAC designations. Experts caution that Rodríguez could impose a more technocratic — but no less authoritarian — version of Chavismo, pairing negotiation skills with control over electoral processes and state information systems.

Vladimir Padrino López 

Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuela’s long-serving defense minister, is portrayed by La Nación as the backbone of the military establishment and the guarantor of Maduro’s survival. The armed forces remain loyal because of him, forming an axis of power between Padrino and Maduro.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Padrino López as part of Maduro’s inner circle for sustaining an authoritarian system and enabling repression. Observers warn that if Padrino were to assume leadership, Venezuela could shift toward an even more militarized model — one in which political authority is openly fused with military command structures.

Vladimir Padrino Lopez, Venezuela’s defense minister, speaks during a press conference accompanied by the military high command at the Ministry of Defense in Caracas, Venezuela, on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019. (Carlos Becerra/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Delcy Rodríguez 

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s vice president, is described as a central political operator within the regime and part of a powerful governing duo with her brother Jorge. Her influence spans institutional, economic and diplomatic spheres. The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Rodríguez as part of Maduro’s inner circle for helping dismantle democratic governance, and the European Union lists her under measures for human rights violations and the erosion of the rule of law.

Analysts note that Rodríguez has increasingly taken control of critical sectors, including the oil industry, placing her at the center of the opaque revenue structures that sustain the regime. A transition led by her, they warn, could tighten state control over the economy and political apparatus even further.

Cilia Flores, wife of Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, talks to the media during a simulation of the government’s official July 30 vote for a new assembly, in Caracas, Venezuela July 16, 2017.  Marco Bello/ Reuters

Cilia Flores

Cilia Flores, the first lady and a longtime Chavista power broker, rounds out the circle of figures identified by La Nación as essential to Maduro’s hold on power. Flores has held senior positions, including National Assembly president, attorney general, and member of the PSUV leadership.

The U.S. Treasury sanctioned Flores in 2018 as part of broader actions targeting Maduro’s inner circle and their networks of corruption, a move widely reported by Reuters. Her family members have also faced sanctions or indictments linked to narcotics cases. Analysts say Flores’s political reach and influence inside the party and the legal system make her a pivotal actor in any succession calculus.

In this April 13, 2019, file photo, Gen. Ivan Hernandez Dala, (L), head of both the presidential guard and military counterintelligence, and Venezuela’s Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez, (R), in Caracas, Venezuela.  (Ariana Cubillos/AP)

Iván Hernández Dala 

Hernández Dala heads Venezuela’s military counterintelligence service (DGCIM) and commands the presidential guard, making him one of the most feared figures in the security apparatus. His control over internal repression gives him significant leverage in any power struggle. He was designated by the State Department in 2019 for his involvement in gross violations of human rights.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) wrote that under his command “Abuses reportedly carried out by the DGCIM and SEBIN include brutal beatings, asphyxiation, cutting soles of feet with razor blades, electric shocks, and death threats.” 

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Marczak and Vigil beieve Washington’s next moves — and whether they drive negotiation or escalation — will determine whether Venezuela moves toward democracy or toward something even worse.

As Marczak put it: “A win isn’t just Nicolás Maduro leaving… A win is actually a transition to democratic forces.”

Efrat Lachter is an investigative reporter and war correspondent. Her work has taken her to 40 countries, including Ukraine, Russia, Iraq, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan. She is a recipient of the 2024 Knight-Wallace Fellowship for Journalism. Lachter can be followed on X @efratlachter.

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President Donald Trump has set his sights on his next renovation project: Washington, D.C.’s golf courses, according to a new report.

The president, who frequently spends weekends on the fairways at his various properties, is seeking to redevelop the three public golf courses in the nation’s capital, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“If we do them, we’ll do it really beautifully,” he told the outlet on Friday after reportedly describing the courses as run down and neglected. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum echoed this sentiment, describing one course as “in total disrepair,” adding that Trump is trying to bring it “back to what it was originally envisioned to be, which is the finest municipal golf in the country, right here in our capital.”

In his pursuit to remake the green spaces, he is attempting to wrest control from the National Links Trust, a non-profit with a 50-year lease to operate, restore and maintain the affordability of East Potomac Golf Links, Rock Creek Park Golf and Langston Golf Course.

Earlier in 2025, the administration ordered the group to take dirt resulting from the demolition of the East Wing of the White House or risk defaulting on its lease with the government, people familiar with the matter told the outlet. The group accepted and trucks were seen dumping piles of soil onto one of East Potomac’s courses.

Despite this, the Interior Department told the National Links Trust that it violated its lease and delivered an official default notice. Trump said that the courses will fall under the administration’s control if the group does not remedy alleged violations by the end of the year.

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President Donald Trump has set his sights on his next renovation project: Washington D.C.’s public golf courses, according to a new report. (Getty Images)

“Such a move could make it easier for Trump to implement his vision for the East Potomac course, which sits on a prime stretch of Washington real estate along the river,” the outlet reported, noting that the course is “at the top of his list.”

In a statement, the group disputed the administration’s assessment.

“National Links Trust respectfully disagrees with the characterization that we are in default,” a spokesman for the National Links Trust told the newspaper. “National Links Trust appreciates the president’s interest in the D.C. golf courses and looks forward to the opportunity to partner with the administration to improve these historically significant facilities.”

But the Republican president has no interest in working with the organization.

“I think what we’re looking to do is just build something different, and build them in government,” he said.

He’s also shown interest in hiring Tom Fazio, a famed golf course architect, to create designs for a new East Potomac course and hopes to host a professional golfing event in the capital in the near future.

open image in gallery

East Potomac Golf Links, located near the Potomac River, is “at the top of the list,” according to The Wall Street Journal. (East Potomac Golf Links, Facebook)

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The course, which dates back over a century, offers views of the Washington Monument. (East Potomac Golf Links, Facebook)

The president’s renovation attempts have triggered consternation among some golfers in Washington, D.C., who fear Trump’s beautifying efforts could boost prices and render the courses unaffordable for residents.

But, Trump said that, if he takes over the three courses, D.C. inhabitants will receive lower rates than visiting golfers.

If Trump is successful in his bid, it would add to the many changes he’s made to the nation’s capital since returning to office in January. At the White House, he’s paved over the Rose Garden, installed towering flag poles on the lawn, affixed gilded furnishings to the Oval Office and began constructing a massive ballroom where the East Wing once stood.

He’s also proposed building a victory arch on the banks of the Potomac and is considering renovating the Reflecting Pool that sits in front of the Lincoln Memorial.

A White House spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

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NEED TO KNOW

• A nasal spray has been recalled across the United States
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised customers to “immediately discontinue” use of the ReBoost Nasal Spray
• “There is a reasonable probability that adverse health consequences, including life-threatening infections, will occur with use of the product in the immunocompromised population,” the organization said

A nasal spray that was distributed across the United States has been recalled due to its potential to cause “life-threatening infections.”

MediNatura New Mexico Inc. has recalled its ReBoost Nasal Spray, as the homeopathic product “has been found to contain yeast/mold and microbial contamination with one species identified as [bacteria] Achromobacter, at levels above specifications,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Tuesday, Dec. 10.

“There is a reasonable probability that adverse health consequences, including life-threatening infections, will occur with use of the product in the immunocompromised population,” the FDA said in a memo.

“Symptoms may include fever, swollen sinuses, headaches, face pain or pressure and facial numbness,” the Hawaii State Department of Health, which also announced the recall, stated.

The department advised consumers to “contact their physician or healthcare provider if they have experienced any problems that may be related to taking or using this product.”

ReBoost nasal spray.

State of Hawaii, Department of Health

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As of Dec. 10, the Albuquerque-based homeopathic company says it has not yet received any reports of “adverse events” related to the recalled product, according to the FDA and the Hawaii State Department of Health.

PEOPLE reached out to MediNatura for comment on Sunday, Dec. 13, but did not receive an immediate response.

ReBoost Nasal Spray is a homeopathic spray containing the herb echinacea and other natural ingredients, per the MediNatura website.

It is “designed to reduce nasal congestion” among other symptoms, per the company.

The recalled lots of the product — which is packaged in a white and yellow carton containing a 20mL spray bottle — have a lot number of 224268 with an expiration date of December 2027, according to the FDA. (The NDC number is 62795-4005-9 and the UPC# is 787647 10186 3.)

MediNatura ReBoost nasal spray packaging.

fda

The agency has advised customers to “immediately discontinue” use of the product, which was distributed across the U.S. both in-person and via online sales.

Anyone who purchased the spray directly from MediNatura can request a refund via recall@medinatura.com, while those who bought it elsewhere are advised to return it to the point of purchase, the FDA said.

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By ED HOLT and EMILY COOPER

Published: 12:31 EST, 13 December 2025 | Updated: 12:32 EST, 13 December 2025

A mother accidentally drove her car into a swimming pool with her daughter strapped into the backseat after she hit the accelerator instead of the brake.

The incident took place at the Jean Boiteux pool in the southern French town of La Ciotat just after 8:30pm on December 11. 

Surreal pictures from the scene show the 38-year-old mother’s Jaguar XF – which new costs around £35,000 – completely submerged under the water.

French media reported that the mother confused the break and accelerator pedals. 

As a result, the car slammed through a fence before hitting the glass window and plunging into the pool while swimmers were in the water.

The mother and her five-year-old daughter were both still in the car when it started sinking. 

Two lifeguards and a witness jumped into the pool and were able to rescue the mother and daughter.

Miraculously no one, including the swimmers in the pool, was injured in the incident. 

The Jaguar XF completely submerged underwater at the Jean Boiteux pool in La Ciotat

Police officers examine the scene after two lifeguards and a witness pulled the mother and child from the car

The local town hall confirmed: ‘The occupants were able to be extracted from the vehicle, and there were no injuries.’ 

Firefighters, as well as national and municipal police, were all in attendance at the scene.

An operation is now underway to remove the car from the pool.

Although there is no obvious damage to the pool itself, it will remain closed for several weeks as the 900 cubic meters of water, polluted by the vehicle, will be drained.

Reacting to the images, one local commented on the Ville de La Ciotat page: ‘At first I thought it was AI.’

A second wrote: ‘A true miracle! Luckily there were still lifeguards around at this time!’

The AA has issued advice on what to do if your car enters a body of water.

Their first tip is to release your seatbelt and open the windows rather than the doors as these are the best exit points while underwater.

French media reported that the mother confused her break and accelerator causing the car to slam through a fence, hit a glass window and plunge into the pool

Electric windows may work even when a car is submerged but if not, you will need to break them.

You can break a window using the metal prongs at the base of your headrest or by using the buckle of the seatbelt.

As a last resort, you can use your arms or legs to break the car windows but this may result in bodily harm. 

‘If there are children in the car, free them and get them out first,’ the AA website suggests.

It will take approximately two to three minutes for a car to fill up so it is advised that you stay calm, breathe deeply and prepare yourself to swim.

Once out of the vehicle, swim to the surface but be aware of any debris floating on the surface.

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That’ll flood the engine! Mother drives her car into swimming pool with daughter, five, still inside after hitting accelerator instead of the brake

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The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for parts of the UK this weekend, with heavy rain expected in Cumbria, Scotland and north-west England leading to possible flooding and power cuts

Wind and rain was forecast for much of the UK this weekend(Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

Parts of the UK face travel mayhem this weekend as flooding and torrential downpours threaten to wreak havoc, with weather experts issuing stark warnings about “threats to life” from rapidly flowing rivers.

The Met Office has forecast significant flooding and widespread travel disruption on Saturday, with western Scotland and north-west England bracing for “heavy and persistent rain”. The deluge is likely to trigger power outages, widespread flooding, and severe travel delays, according to forecasters.

Yellow weather warnings have been issued for late Saturday afternoon, with more than 100mm of rainfall forecast in some areas. Cumbria is predicted to bear the brunt of the extreme weather, where the Met Office said more than 200mm of rain “could accumulate in places during this 48-hour period”.

Rainfall is expected to begin across western Scotland by late Saturday morning, whilst coastal regions could be battered by winds reaching 60-70mph. Further weather alerts have been issued covering north Wales, north-western England, western Scotland and Northern Ireland for Sunday.

READ MORE: UK snow: Maps turn purple as flurries spread for White Christmas – 11 areas hitREAD MORE: Where is hot and sunny in January – the destinations not to missMap of UK showing weather warning areas in yellow(Image: PA Graphics/Press Association Images)

The Met Office has issued grave warnings about threats to life from deep and rapidly moving rivers, alongside “possible power cuts and loss of other services to some homes and businesses” as a result of the anticipated rainfall. Forecasters cautioned that certain communities risk being isolated by floodwater blocking roads.

Northern Ireland, including Belfast, is also expected to see persistent rain throughout Sunday. The Met Office warned: “The rain will be heavy and persistent at times with accumulations of 20-30mm expected to develop widely. Over 50mm could accumulate across higher ground.”

According to the forecaster, rainfall in Northern Ireland is expected to ease by Monday morning, with the rest of the UK following suit. However, parts of north-west England will continue experiencing showers until late Monday afternoon.

Britain is forecast some snow later this month(Image: WXCharts)

In contrast, the weekend weather elsewhere will be markedly different. The southern half of Britain is set for dry and bright conditions, accompanied by much calmer winds.

The Met Office predicted clear skies, along with patches of frost, mist and fog across southern England on Saturday morning. Sunday is forecast to remain dry for most areas throughout the day. Increased cloud cover is expected, followed by a band of rain gradually pushing south-east through Sunday night into Monday.

Met Office chief meteorologist Rebekah Hicks warned: “The north west of the UK is set for a very wet weekend. We have issued numerous severe weather warnings for rain, and it is possible that these could be upgraded so I’d advise people to keep an eye on the forecast and for Met Office weather warnings.”

The rain will eventually spread throughout the country this weekend

Jonathan Day, flood duty manager at the Environment Agency, cautioned: “Significant surface water flooding impacts are possible in parts of the north of England on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. There are also possible significant river flooding impacts in parts of the north of England on Sunday and Monday, with minor flooding impacts possible more widely across northern England over the weekend.”

Floods Minister Emma Hardy stated: “I’m in continual contact with the Environment Agency as heavy rainfall is forecast for parts of the north of England, especially Cumbria, this weekend.

“We’re co-ordinating with local authorities and emergency services to keep communities safe, and I thank them for their vital work. I urge people to follow local advice, sign up for flood warnings, and stay up to date with the latest information.”

1 flood warning (flooding expected)

• River Derwent at Buttercrambe Mill

35 flood alerts (flooding possible)

• Groundwater flooding in the West of Dorset
• Holderness Drain
• Kempsey Village
• Lower Frome and tributaries
• Lower River Derwent
• Minor Watercourses from Heighington to Dunston
• River Avon in Worcestershire
• River Cherwell from Lower Heyford down to and including Oxford
• River Churn and its tributaries
• River Dee catchment in England from Whitchurch to Chester
• River Dikler from Condicote to Little Rissington
• River Evenlode from Moreton in Marsh to Cassington and also the River Glyme at Wootton and Woodstock
• River Foulness and Market Weighton catchment
• River Leach from Northleach to Mill Lane near Lechlade
• River Lugg south of Leominster
• River Piddle and tributaries
• River Ray and its tributaries from Shipton Lee to and including Islip
• Rivers Brathay, Rothay and Winster
• River Severn in Gloucestershire
• River Severn in Shropshire
• River Severn in Worcestershire
• River Thame, Horsenden Stream and Chalgrove Brook
• River Thames and its small tributaries from Calcutt to Lechlade
• River Thames and tributaries from Buscot Wick down to Kings Lock
• River Thames and tributaries in the Oxford area
• River Thames for the Abingdon area
• River Windrush from Bourton to Newbridge
• River Yeo and Parrett, The Levels
• River Yeo and River Parrett Moors around Muchelney and Thorney
• Severn Vyrnwy confluence
• Tern and Perry catchments
• The tidal Rivers Bure, Ant and Thurne
• Upper Bristol Avon area
• Upper River Derwent
• Upper River Derwent, Stonethwaite Beck and Derwent Water

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There was no immediate confirmation from Hamas or from medics that Saad was among the dead.

Published On 13 Dec 202513 Dec 2025

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Updated: 15 minutes agoUpdated: 15 minutes ago

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The Israeli military sats it has killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saad in a strike in Gaza City.

The attack on Saturday killed four people and wounded at least 25, according to Gaza health authorities.

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There was no immediate confirmation from Hamas or from medics that Saad was among the dead.

In a post on Telegram, the army alleged that the commander had been operating to re-establish Hamas’s capabilities, which have been severely depleted by more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza. It described him as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023, attacks on Israel.

If Saad was killed, it would be the highest-profile assassination of a senior Hamas figure since a fragile ceasefire deal came into effect in October.

An Israeli defence official told the Reuters news agency that Saad had been targeted in the attack, describing him as the head of Hamas’s weapons manufacturing force.

Hamas sources have also described him as the second-in-command of the group’s armed wing, after Izz al-Din al-Haddad.

Saad used to head Hamas’s Gaza City battalion, one of the group’s largest and best-equipped, those sources said.

The Wafa news agency reported that an Israeli drone hit a vehicle at the Nabulsi junction in the west of Gaza City, resulting in casualties.

The agency did not report on specific numbers, and it was not clear if the attack was the one that allegedly killed the Hamas member.

Since the ceasefire started in October, Israel has continued to attack Gaza daily – reaching nearly 800 times and killing at least 386 people – in a clear breach of the agreement, according to authorities in Gaza.

Israel also continues to block the majority of aid trucks from entering the enclave. The United Nations General Assembly on Friday overwhelmingly backed a resolution demanding that Israel open unrestricted humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip, stop attacking UN facilities, and comply with international law, in line with its obligations as an occupying power.

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