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Trump’s conservative allies warn Congress faces critical ‘test’ with $9.4B spending cut proposal

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Some of the White House’s conservative House allies say they’re interpreting the upcoming vote on President Donald Trump’s $9.4 billion spending cut proposal as a “test” of what Congress can achieve in terms of rolling back federal funding. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he would not speak […]

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The 1% Club’s tricky alphabet question knocks out a whopping 18 players – but would you have been one of them?

THE 1% Club’s questions once again proved to be too much for most after one query wiped out almost a fifth of the studio.

During one particularly savage round, 18 hopefuls were sent home when they failed to spot the correct sequences of letters. Did you manage to get it right?

A man in a suit looks thoughtfully at something off-camera.
ITV
Lee Mack was stunned by how many people got knocked out[/caption]
Quiz question: Which word lacks three consecutive letters in alphabetical order?  Options: Unopenable, Understandable, Unquestionable, Undefinable.
ITV
There were four options to choose from[/caption]
The 18 Out game show set with contestants.
ITV
The question knocked out 18 people[/caption]
Contestants on a game show.
ITV
The tricky question was a brainteaser[/caption]

The jaw-dropping moment unfolded in series two, episode five of the hit ITV quiz show, where host Lee Mack watched in disbelief as a simple-sounding question exposed just how tricky the game can be.

Players were shown four words and asked to spot the one that does not contain three consecutive letters from the alphabet.

The options were, Unopenable, Understandable, Unquestionable, and Undefineable.

It might look easy on the surface, but spotting sequences like ‘DEF’ or ‘RST’ hidden in the words proved harder than expected.

Players had just 30 seconds to examine the words and pick out the correct answer.

The answer turned out to be C, ‘Unquestionable’. ‘ Unopenable’ contains ‘NOP’, ‘Undefineable’ includes ‘DEF’, and ‘Understandable’ also hides ‘RST’. That left as the only one without a consecutive alphabetical trio, making it the right answer.

Eighteen contestants failed to spot it, knocking them out of the game in one fell swoop. The shock exit had jaws dropping in the studio.

Host Lee Mack kept his cool, but couldn’t hide his surprise as players who had breezed through earlier rounds were taken out by the sneaky wording.

The question came late in the game, reserved for the sharpest minds — but it still managed to trip up even the most confident contestants.

Previously, a whopping 20 players were wiped out in a brutally challenging picture question.

The result of the 30% question changed the face of the game, shedding half of the remaining current players.

Lee read aloud to the group: “How many RIGHT FOOTPRINTS can you see in the sand.”

An image was then displayed showcasing an assortment of footprints in the sand.

Players were then given 30 seconds to differentiate between the right and left feet.

The image then turned the eight right feet green in order to correctly display which of the options the players should have been looking at.

The 1% Club airs on ITV1 and ITVX.

Quiz: Which word lacks three consecutive alphabetical letters?  Options: Unopenable, Understandable, Unquestionable, Undefinable.
ITV
Did you get the correct answer?[/caption]

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Abandoned £118million fairytale theme park that would have been a Disneyland rival – but closed after four years

AN abandoned fairytale theme park that cost just under £118million was forced to close after just four years.

Mirapolis opened in 1987 in Courdimanche, France – less than an hour via train from Paris – featuring French legends and stories throughout the attraction.

Giant whimsical faces at an amusement park.
Mirapolis originally opened in 1987
Mirapolis amusement park entrance with large mural and Gargantua head.
The theme park was based on French legends
Aerial view of Mirapolis amusement park.
Getty
One ride was inside a statue of Gargantua[/caption]

Architect Anne Fourcade was inspired to create the park after visiting the Disneyland theme park in California in 1980.

Rides included ‘The Dark Ride’, which was inspired by ‘City of Ys’ legend.

The ride was modern for the time, with a terrifying sea monster, sunken head and an underwater scene that even had animatronics.

It was thought it could have been a rival to Disneyland Paris, which opened in 1992 and was around an hour away, with both based on fairytales and childhood stories.

Not only that, but it hoped to welcome as many as 600,000 tourists a year, according to AD magazine.

Yet according to the LA Times, the “French theme park experience began only in 1987,” which meant a boom in new attractions that weren’t being run correctly.

After just four years the park was closed, waiting to be rebuilt.

It was reportedly one of the biggest financial fails of the history of France.

The expectations for the park were said to have been too optimistic and were based off of incorrect market research.

This included looking at American tourists compared to French tourists, when it came to elements like eating habits and ticket prices.

Not only that, but the stories and characters the park was based on were mainly only known to French locals, unlike the international fame of Disney‘s characters.

After the closure of the amusement park back in 1991, it sat abandoned for a year waiting for a buyer.

When a buyer didn’t emerge, a crew of journalists and operators created a film on the closed-down park with the attractions being opened for one last time.

From 1993 onwards, the buildings were gradually demolished, with some of the rides sent to other amusement parks.

For example, the ride ‘Dragon des Sortilèges’ went to Spreepark and Les pirates went to Meli Park.

In 1995, arguably the most iconic part of the park – the Gargantua statue – finally lost it’s head.

The statue was the second tallest hollow state in the world behind the Stature of Liberty, and was of the giant from the story ‘The Life of Gargantua’ and of ‘Pantagruel’ from the 16th century.

The Dark Ride was located inside the statue and took guests on a journey through the giant’s body with 120 animatronics.

In 2017, the park would have celebrated its 30th anniversary and to mark the occasion, an exhibition was set up showcasing the history of the park.

And in 2018, plans were revealed to built an “eco-friendly tourist resort” on the same site although this was also abandoned in 2019.

There was also a £70million Disney-like theme park that nearly opened in one of the UK’s coolest cities.

Plus, the £346milion theme park that wanted to be the ‘English Disneyland’ in the 1980s… but was never built.

Construction of a giant's head at Mirapolis amusement park.
The park was only open for four years
Giant Gargantua maquette overlooking Paris.
Over the years, the park was eventually dismantled

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Belmont Stakes 2025 horse numbers and post positions – full list of runners and riders for Saratoga showpiece

THE final leg of the iconic Triple Crown series is here as attention turns to Saratoga for the Belmont Stakes!

And you will notice each horse has a number on them to track during the big race. Follow yours with the FULL list of runners and numbers for the Stakes below…

Jockey on horse during morning workout at Saratoga Race Course.
Reuters
Journalism is looking to secure back-to-back Triple Crown wins[/caption]

1 Hill Road

Jockey: Irad Ortiz Jr

Trainer: Chad C Brown

2 Sovereignty

Jockey: Junior Alvarado

Trainer: William Mott

3 Rodriguez

Jockey: Mike E Smith

Trainer: Bob Baffert

4 Uncaged

Jockey: Luis Saez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

5 Crudo

Jockey: John R Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

6 Baeza

Jockey: Flavien Prat

Trainer: John Shirreffs

7 Journalism

Jockey: Umberto Rispoli

Trainer: Michael McCarthy

8 Heart Of Honor

Jockey: Saffie Osborne

Trainer: Jamie Osborne

Illustration of Belmont Stakes field showing horses' silks, post positions, and opening odds.
AP
Full list of runners and riders for the Belmont Stakes[/caption]

Responsible gambling 

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

  • Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
  • Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
  • Never chase their losses
  • Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
  • National Council on Problem Gambling – https://www.ncpgambling.org/
  • Gamble Aware – www.begambleaware.org

For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1-800-522-4700 or go to ncpgambling.org/chat

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I’ve dubbed Lilibet the ‘jigsaw girl’, Meghan Markle’s bizarre birthday photos shows exactly why, says expert

PRINCESS Lilibet has been hailed as a “jigsaw girl” following her fourth birthday photo.

On Wednesday, the daughter of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated her birthday – with the duchess sharing two photos of the young tot.

Black and white photo of a woman hugging a child.
Instagram/Meghan
Meghan Markle shared this photo of Princess Lilibet for her fourth birthday this week[/caption]
Woman holding two children on a balcony.
Instagram
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex like to protect the privacy of Lilibet and Archie by concealing their faces[/caption]
Photo of Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor on her first birthday.
PA
One of the only photos we’ve seen of Lilibet’s face was her first birthday picture[/caption]
Three people seated on a television show set discussing a royal exclusive.
Supplied
On The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show Charles Raw and Sarah Hewson spoke to host Bronte Coy, with Charles calling Lilibet a ‘jigsaw girl’[/caption]

One showed Princess Lilibet as a newborn, while the second was a picture of Lilibet in the present day.

However, both snaps showed a partial view of Princess Lilibet’s face for privacy.

Speaking on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, former Sun Royal Correspondent and author Charles Rae discussed the intimate post, with host Bronte Coy saying it showed “almost Lilibet’s whole face.”

He said: “I like your definition of almost the full face. 

“I’m dubbing Lilibet the jigsaw girl because over the four years, all we’ve seen is an ankle, an arm, a bit of a nose, maybe a forehead.”

He added: “I’m all for them protecting their children.

“I’ve got no problems with that as well. 

“But, you know, this sort of half bits of the child, it doesn’t do anything for me.”

Royal Correspondent Sarah Hewson pointed out that the last time we had a proper portrait of Lilibet was three years ago to mark her first birthday. 

She shared: “Apart from that, we haven’t really seen her face. We see the backs of them. 

“We do know so little about Lilibet because they moved to California

“They are very protective over their children’s privacy and they have every right to do so. 

I’m dubbing Lilibet the jigsaw girl because over the four years, all we’ve seen is an ankle, an arm, a bit of a nose, maybe a forehead

Charles RaeFormer Sun Royal Correspondent and author

“We know that their safety is a huge issue.”

We last got a glimpse of Princess Lilibet in a little beekeeper suit, which was shared by mum Meghan on Instagram – but it was taken from behind.

A person and a child in beekeeping suits near a beehive.
Instagram/meghan
Meghan recently shared this photo of Princess Lilibet in a beekeeping suit[/caption]

GUARDED FAMILY

Bronte continued: “They’re releasing bits of the kids, but in a very guarded way still. 

“But both Harry and Meghan have been accused in the past of hypocrisy in this area. 

“As a parent, of course, I do understand it is completely a prerogative what you share of your children online. 

“They have said things in the past about their privacy.

“And then now Meghan having launched her Instagram in January, she has been releasing more and more of the kids, which is her decision.”

Child watching sunset over ocean.
Instagram
Meghan shared this photo of Archie from behind for his birthday[/caption]

Sarah claimed it is “fair play” what the Duke and Duchess of Sussex share on Instagram now that they are no longer senior working royals.

The couple famously stepped down in 2020 and now live in the star-studded Montecito California, in a £12million mansion with Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, four.

Sarah added: “With Harry and Meghan, of course, we’d all love to see more because we’re really interested in those little children.

“But I think it’s entirely fair that they say, ‘you know what, it’s on our terms’.

“And that’s what this is, very much on their terms, Meghan on her own platform, the images they choose to curate.”

KATE AND WILLS’ VIEWS

Prince William, Kate Middleton, and their three children walking down a path.
Getty
The Prince and Princess of Wales recognise George, Charlotte and Louis ‘play a public role’, according to experts[/caption]

She pointed out that Prince William and Princess Kate may have a different approach with their own kids, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.

The royal expert explained: “I think with the Waleses, they recognise that their children are going to play a part in public life. 

“And they are being funded by the public as well.

“And they are going to take on significant roles in the future of the country and the monarchy.

“And therefore they recognise that they need to share. 

“But they’re also quite careful about when they share those moments of their children’s lives. “And there are pretty stringent restrictions on what can be shown and what can’t.”

Charles agreed, saying: “You know, their children are eventually going to be on the royal treadmill.

“But they are very cautious with the times that the children have access to the public, or the public have access to them.”

How Princess Kate cleverly manages George, Charlotte and Louis’ image – but manages to retain their privacy

KATE Middleton and Prince William are raising three of the most famous children in the UK - but strongly prioritise protecting their privacy as much as possible.

According to royal experts, the Prince and Princess of Wales are keen to get the balance between shielding their kids and also letting the public get to know their future king.

Royal author Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “Prince William always vowed to protect his wife and children from the problems of being a royal and in the spotlight as much as possible, and he promised Kate’s parents he would do everything in his power.

“Both William and Kate are determined that their three children will have as normal a childhood as possible to give them a good start in life.”

Instead of hiring a formal photographer to capture intimate family moments, the duchess prefers to snap them herself. 

Phil said: “Kate takes her own pictures of them on birthdays and special occasions so that she can control their image, but also make sure they are happy to be photographed.”

Phil explained that the family spends a lot of time at Anmer Hall in Norfolk where they can disappear from the public gaze.

He said: “The paparazzi pretty much leave them alone and they can go off in woods and on beaches without being disturbed.

“Kate’s mum Carole is there a lot of the time and is very close to them, particularly George.

“They go to normal nurseries and mix with normal kids at school in London.”

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Incredible new footage of Ukraine’s Op Spiderweb shows smuggled drone taking off & swooping on Putin’s burning bombers

THIS is the moment a smuggled Ukrainian drone launched from the roof of a lorry — and blitzed a Russian Tu-22M3 bomber in a direct hit.

The incredible footage, part of Ukraine’s covert “Operation Spiderweb,” tracks the FPV drone from launch to impact in stunning detail.

Drone footage showing ground magnetic anomaly; yaw re-aligned.
The drone is seen lifting off from what appears to be a transport vehicle
Drone footage of a burning aircraft.
Twitter
It then flies over Russian territory as smoke billows from other targeted hits[/caption]
Aircraft cockpit view with altitude readings and GPS data.
The FPV then flies lower, ready to strike one of Vladimir Putin’s military aircraft

It shows the drone lifting off from the top of what appears to be a transport vehicle — camouflaged as part of everyday infrastructure.

The FPV is then seen skimming across enemy territory and diving into a high-value target at Russia’s Belaya airfield.

As the drone closes in, smoke is already seen rising from previous strikes – the aftermath of a calculated blitz that’s left Russia‘s long-range air force in shambles.

The strike is part of a larger, high-stakes campaign that’s left a trail of wreckage across four of Russia’s strategic air bases, including Olenya, Ivanovo, Dyagilevo, and Belaya.

“This operation was directly led by the Head of the SBU Vasyl Malyuk on the instructions of the President of Ukraine, Supreme Commander-in-Chief Volodymyr Zelensky,” the SBU confirmed.

The operation delivered a staggering $7 billion blow to Vladimir Putin’s long-range bomber fleet – responsible for relentless missile assaults on Ukrainian cities.

METICULOUS PLANNING

Operation Spiderweb wasn’t just a lucky hit – it was a meticulously planned sting, 18 months in the making.

Ukrainian intelligence forces smuggled kamikaze drones into Russian territory using everyday lorries and nondescript shipping containers.

These mobile launch units — disguised as ordinary freight — were quietly parked in rest areas and verges near key military airfields.

Illustration of a map detailing a Ukrainian drone operation against Russian airbases.

Clueless Russian lorry drivers unwittingly delivered the deadly cargo, pulling up next to bases like Belaya without attracting attention.

The containers sat silently until the moment came — then their lids blew open and a swarm of FPV drones rocketed into the sky.

The attack was timed with precision.

Dozens of drones launched in coordinated waves, overwhelming Russian air defences.

Some were able to fly so close to the bombers they landed directly on the fuselage before detonating.

The mission was personally overseen by SBU chief Vasyl Malyuk under direct orders from President Zelensky — a top-level hit with maximum impact. 

Drone footage of a plane exploding on a runway.
Previous footage of the attack showed planes left burning on the runway
Drone footage of Ukrainian bomb drones destroying a plane.
The SBU targeted Moscow’s fleet one by one

PUTIN’S FURY

But Mad Vlad didn’t take the humiliation lying down.

Just days after Operation Spiderweb torched a third of Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, Putin hit back — and hard.

In the dead of the night on Saturday, Kharkiv was pounded by Russia’s biggest drone and missile assault yet.

At least three people were killed and 21 injured, including a baby just six weeks old and a 14-year-old girl.

Across Ukraine, air raid sirens wailed as Russia launched 206 drones and nine missiles, targeting multiple regions including Donetsk, Dnipro, Ternopil, and Odesa.

Ukrainian air defences managed to shoot down 174 drones, but the damage was done.

In just 48 hours, Russia fired more than 400 drones and 45 missiles, killing at least six and wounding over 80 across the country.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the blitz “rained down” destruction, calling for more pressure on Moscow to end the bloodshed.

Who is The Spider?

By James Halpin, Foreign News Reporter

It remains unclear who quarterbacked Ukraine’s incredible drone strike operation for their spy agency – the SBU.

But Vladimir Putin’s goons have accused a Ukrainian ex-DJ of being the spy behind Operation Spiderweb.

Desperate to save face, Russian war bloggers have named the man they think ran Ukraine’s operation inside the the country as Artem Timofeev.

Artem, 37, is a former Ukrainian DJ and is believed by the sleuths to have owned the lorries used to carry the containers to the strikes.

One pro-Russian blogger said: “Artem is now wanted in connection with a terrorist attack in Irkutsk region.

“Four lorries were registered in his name, and one of them was the source of the drones that launched [in an attack on a Putin airbase].”

Artem’s wife Ekaterina Timofeeva, 34, is also suspected to have aided him.

According to pro-Kremlin Russian media, Ekaterina describes herself as a “witch” and is the author of B-list erotic novels.

Read more here.

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