WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republican leaders are expected to abandon a proposal for $1 billion in security money for the White House complex and President Donald Trump’s ballroom on Thursday after members of their own party questioned the timing and the lack of detail in the Secret Service request.

Pressured by the White House, Republicans have tried to add the money to a roughly $70 billion bill to restore funding to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Border Patrol. But the security proposal met with backlash from some GOP lawmakers who are questioning the cost and how the taxpayer dollars would be used.

The bill’s text has not yet been released, but the Senate hopes to pass it this week and send it to the House before leaving for a weeklong Memorial Day recess. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., acknowledged “ongoing vote issues” on Wednesday as leaders tired to measure Republican support, as well as “ongoing parliamentarian issues” as they try to figure out what will be allowed in the bill under the chamber’s rules.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said Wednesday that the bill would be “back to square one” without the security money because “the votes are not there.”

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said the effort to add the security package to the bill was a “bad idea” and he does not think there is enough backing to pass it, even if the cost were reduced.

The wrangling comes as Democrats have criticized Republicans for trying to fund Trump’s ballroom when voters are concerned about basic affordability issues — and as some GOP lawmakers have grown increasingly frustrated with Trump. Several GOP senators have spoken out against the administration’s $1.776 billion settlement fund designed to compensate Trump’s allies who believe they have been persecuted, and many were upset by the president’s endorsement Tuesday of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton in the party primary runoff next week against Sen. John Cornyn.

“There’s always a consequence with taking on United States senators,” Thune said Wednesday. The president “obviously has his favorites and people he wants to endorse and that’s his prerogative. But what we have to deal with up here is moving the agenda, and obviously that can become slightly more complicated.”

Republicans could set parameters on Trump’s settlement fund

The “anti-weaponization” fund, part of a settlement that resolves Trump’s lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service over the leak of his tax returns, has unexpectedly become one of the main complications in the bill. Democrats said they would force votes to block it or place restrictions on it.

Democrats have an opening because Republicans are trying to pass the immigration enforcement bill through a complicated budget process that requires a long series of amendment votes. Democrats are considering multiple amendments, potentially to block that new fund outright or to ban any payments to Trump supporters who harmed law enforcement officers in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Those amendments, along with others, could pass as a growing number of Republicans have voiced reservations about the fund. So Republicans are now discussing their own last-minute additions to head that off, potentially placing some parameters on the settlement and who could receive compensation, according to two people with knowledge of the private discussions who requested anonymity to discuss them.

Thune — who said Tuesday that he is “not a big fan” of the settlement and doesn’t see a purpose for it —- said Wednesday that any new language potentially putting restrictions on the settlement is “a work in progress.”

It’s unclear how any Senate Republican changes would be received in the House, even as some Republicans there have also criticized the settlement.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Wednesday that the House will pass the bill “whatever form it takes.”

Tensions rise between Senate and White House

As Republicans challenged the settlement and parts of his agenda, Trump unloaded on the Senate in a social media post.

He urged Republicans to fire the Senate parliamentarian, Elizabeth MacDonough, who said over the weekend that parts of the $1 billion security proposal cannot remain in the ICE and Border Patrol bill. Trump also renewed his long-standing calls for the Senate to pass the SAVE Act, a Republican bill that would require all voters to prove U.S. citizenship, and to end the Senate filibuster.

Republicans need to “get smart and tough,” Trump said, or “you’ll all be looking for a job much sooner than you thought possible!”

While they have been loyal to Trump on most issues, Senate Republicans have resisted his repeated calls — even in his first term — to kill the filibuster, which triggers a 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Hanging over the growing GOP rift is Trump’s surprise endorsement of Paxton. That intervention has Republican senators privately fuming that it could cost them their majority in November as they view the incumbent, Cornyn, as the better candidate in the November general election.

Secret Service request falters as Republicans want more detail

Under the Secret Service’s request, about $220 million would fund security improvements related to the ballroom. The rest would go for a new screening center for visitors, training and other security measures.

Tillis said the bill should not have included the other security improvements “because it’s just giving everybody the ‘billion-dollar ballroom.’”

Several other Republicans in the House and Senate have questioned the request, and senators left a briefing with the director of the Secret Service last week saying they needed a lot more information.

People “can’t afford groceries and gasoline and healthcare, and we’re going to do a billion dollars for a ballroom?” asked Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, who lost reelection in his GOP primary on Saturday after Trump endorsed one of his opponents.

Left in the bill is the money for ICE and Border Patrol, which Democrats have blocked for months in protest of the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown.

Democrats demanded reforms for the agencies, but negotiations with the White House yielded little progress. So Republicans are using the complicated budget maneuver called reconciliation — the same process that allowed them to pass Trump’s tax and spending cuts bill last year — to fund the agencies through the end of Trump’s term with a simple majority and no Democratic votes.

Still, passage requires signoff from the parliamentarian and unity from Republicans.

“We’re working on it,” Thune said as he left the Capitol on Wednesday evening.

___

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

There is confusion in the ITV soap over Christina Boyd’s story from the night of Theo Silverton’s murder

Coronation Street fans have shared their confusion over Christina Boyd’s story from the night of Theo Silverton’s murder as they think they ‘know’ what she’s hiding.

As those who follow the ITV soap know, actress Amy Robbins recently reprised the role of Christina Boyd, returning late last year after being double-crossed by her daughter, Daisy Midgeley.

Her return coincided with the exit of Eileen Grimshaw, George Shuttleworth’s ex, and it wasn’t long before a romance was sparked between the undertaker and a usually scheming Christina.

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But both George and Christina have now found themselves at the centre of the drama as they are among those suspected of Theo Silverton’s murder.

Weeks have now passed since the abuser was confirmed as the victim of a murder, which was first revealed would rock the cobbles back in February. At the time, an episode of the ITV soap featuring a flashforward confirmed that a shocking crime would occur on the cobbles, with Betsy Swain making the deadly discovery.

It was confirmed that she would find the murder victim on the night of her mum, Lisa Swain’s, wedding to Carla Connor, and it would either be Theo, Carl Webster, Jodie Ramsey, Megan Walsh or Maggie Driscoll, whose lifeless body she would stumble across as she continued the wedding celebrations.

While Lisa and Carla’s wedding took place on April 23, it wasn’t until a week later, after an episode of the soap was dedicated to each possible victim, that a horrified Betsy was seen discovering Theo dead, with the abuser’s 13-month reign of terror, during which he made the life of his partner, Todd Grimshaw, hell, coming to a dramatic end.

In the build-up to his demise, Todd played a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse to outsmart a vengeful Theo. Todd managed to hide, and he called Christina Boyd to let her and George Shuttleworth know what had happened. It wasn’t long before Christina set off to go and find him, warning George to stay at the house.

Meanwhile, Summer Spellman found herself caught in the crossfire when she came face-to-face with a sinister Theo, who forced her to hand over her phone, which he then chucked out of the window. Soon, outside, a jovial Betsy was given the shock of her life as she stumbled across the villain’s body.

It has since left Todd, George, Christina and Summer in the frame for Theo’s murder, as well as Gary Windass and Theo’s ex-wife, Danielle Silverton. But while all eyes are currently on Summer, Christina’s behaviour has sparked suspicion among Corrie fans.

Viewers have seen her encouraging George to tell the police the truth about seeing Summer running from the direction of Todd and Theo’s flat on the night the latter was killed. Meanwhile, Christina was also pulled back into the station herself after some ‘discrepancies’ in her statement, including, which she said, forgetting she pulled in for petrol when she went to find Todd, who was trying to escape Theo.

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The update left Corrie fans confused, as well as wondering what Christina may be trying to hide as she pushes more and more suspicion onto Summer being the one responsible for Theo’s demise.

@Welsh_Mayflower said: “My suspicions have been Christina ever since she said out loud that she was taking George’s jumper to the dry cleaner in earshot of Lisa. Exactly what you’d say to pin it on someone else. #Corrie #Christina.” @Hey_Judexx questioned: “#corrie. What are George and Christina up to? She went for petrol on her way to get Todd? She was in a traffic jam?? On the way to Inkerman Street?”

@AnnyTrish asked: “So, Christina convinces George to rat on Summer. What’s she hiding #Corrie.” @LisaJon64241298 posted: “Did Christina do it? because she really is pinning for Summer to be thrown under the bus. Surely it must be Theo’s Ex wife or son……… who knows her bratty daughter #Corrie.”

@teenamassam shared: “Christina killed Theo, I’m sure of it now, although my timing could be out #Corrie @sarahlawson84 added: “I hate to say it, but I think the devious side to Christina is coming out again. Deflecting onto George, now Summer when she’s been loose with the truth herself #Corrie.”

It comes as Jodie’s latest target was revealed in the ITV soap

Coronation Street fans have said they are ‘baffled’ as they were left with the same question as Jodie Ramsey’s latest plot was uncovered.

Jodie’s latest target has been revealed in the ITV soap, which comes months after the mysterious character’s debut during Corrie’s epic crossover with Emmerdale, dubbed Corriedale, which aired in January and featured a horror multi-vehicle pile-up.

As fans know, Jodie was seen tied up in a van driven by Emmerdale returnee Graham Foster. While they weren’t directly involved in the crash, Jodie made an escape bid and, after being injured, ended up in the hospital, where she came across Shona Platt, later revealed to be her long-lost sister.

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But since then, Corrie fans have been repeatedly left confused by the new character, who, as well as trying to get in between Shona and her husband, David Platt, has also showed worrying behaviour towards other Weatherfield residents, including Bernie Winter having entered her home and cut her face out of a wedding pictures, which is now in her secret trinket box.

She now, however, seems to have a new ally on the street. After pretending to leave Weatherfield for a break in the Lakes, Daniel Osbourne has been seen striking up a friendship with Jodie, which comes after she let herself into his father, Ken Barlow’s, home.

After discovering that Daniel was away, she ended up stealing Ken’s spare key, she was seen letting herself into his flat. She was surprised to find Daniel inside, and he was even more surprised to see her there. While Daniel initially told her to go, Jodie managed to convince him to let her stay. He ended up opening up to Jodie about his ordeal with Megan Walsh, who has been exposed for grooming teenager Will Driscoll.

Jodie also opened up to Daniel, claiming that David came on to her and he had lied to Shona about it, telling his wife he’d mistaken Jodie for her, which Corrie viewers know is true. When Jodie eventually said she was going to leave and find a hotel, Daniel seemed to soften towards his home intruder and offered to let her stay the night, admitting he wouldn’t mind her company.

She’s since made herself at home, but Jodie will soon be back up to her scheming tricks as Daniel tells her she will have to leave now that his family know he’s back, as he’ll have his son, Bertie, back at home with him.

It wasn’t long before Daniel found himself facing more trouble as heading to Roy’s Roll following its re-opening, Nina Lucas showed Daniel and Jodie some vile online posts, suggesting Daniel knew about Megan grooming Will and that he was once guilty of grooming Summer Spellman.

During Wednesday’s (May 20) episode of Corrie, Daniel headed to the Bistro with Jodie, where he scrolled through the reaction to the video from an account named ‘Truthteller’. She told him to ignore it, but when he started to doubt his previous theory that Megan herself was behind it all, Jodie looked to nearby David, accusing him of looking over at them, leading to Daniel confronting him.

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It was later that viewers were made aware that it was Jodie behind the account. As she offered to stick around a little longer rather than look for her own place, Daniel suggested he sort them some food. Once alone, viewers saw Jodie take out her phone and secretly post another message as ‘Truthteller’, which read: “How Daniel Osbourne is still a teacher, I don’t know. He clearly has a dodgy history with his students, if his assault on Max Platt is anything to go by. Imagine having a vendetta against a kid when you’re an adult, even worse a teacher.”

And it left Corrie fans flocking to social media with the same question. @StuartBeckMP said: “I’m baffled by Jodie so far, she just keeps doing seemingly random acts for no reason. Her petty vendetta against Shona has been odd, her literal mystery box is even odder, and now she’s sabotaging Daniel’s life and career to presumably just keep living with him? #Corrie.”

@tardisgirl93 wrote: “Are we actually surprised that it’s jodie behind that account? it was a bit too obvious. I honestly don’t get her character at all…. #corrie.” dan_stylezz1226 asked:” Seriously like what exactly is her character’s motives?? I feel this is just gonna carry on until towards the end of the year or next year.” @em2thecee questioned: “What is her end game here? Does she come in, create chaos and then leaves?” @xcodi_spencer added: “I knew it was Jodie! but why is she doing this??”

The county council issued an update to repairs at Selby Swing Bridge on the A63 bypass over the River Ouse to the east of the town.

North Yorkshire Council said it is unable to confirm a timeline for repairs (Image: North Yorkshire Council)

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A council spokesperson said: “After a steel plate became detached from the bridge in March, two-way traffic lights and a 20mph speed limit were put in place until investigations and temporary repairs could be designed and carried out.

“During these repairs, we uncovered issues with more plates, so the 20mph restriction and speed ramps remain in place.

“This is not a straightforward repair, and we are working with partners on a design scheme.

“We are unable to confirm a timeline for repairs, but we expect it to be later this year.

“We will provide updates when possible and are committed to keeping disruption to a minimum.”

(Image: Newsquest)

Rupert Smith’s eyes would flicker ‘from side to side, up and down’, before finally ‘locking to the side’

A baby was diagnosed with an incurable, one-in-a-million condition – after his parents noticed his eyes would “flicker from side to side”. Rupert Smith, who turns one on May 28, was diagnosed with alternating hemiplegia of childhood (AHC) in January this year.

His parents, David, 40, and Siobhan Smith, 36, first noticed baby Rupert’s eyes were “flickering from side to side, up and down” before “locking to the side” when he was just two weeks old. Rupert was also having breathing difficulties and episodes of his body tensing up, but extensive testing returned normal results.

But when Rupert had to be resuscitated at six months, genetic testing finally revealed the ultra-rare condition. Since, mum Siobhan had to perform CPR in Tesco on her little boy before he was airlifted to hospital and he now requires round-the-clock care to manage unpredictable episodes of paralysis, seizures and serious medical emergencies. Two big emergencies have followed at eight and 11 months old.

The life-threatening, progressive condition is linked to no fewer than seven neurological conditions, including tremors, Parkinson’s, ADHD, autism, stroke, Alzheimer’s, cerebral palsy, and epilepsy.

As a result, he is in the care of neurology, respiratory, cardiology, physiotherapy, speech and language, dietetic, hospice and community nurse care down the chain from Great Almond Street hospital to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

The family are now fundraising £1.5m to prepare them for an emergency trip to the US for treatment, and a cure if it becomes available, and to fund research and raise awareness. David, a police officer from Broughton, North Wales, said: “At about two weeks old we noticed his eyes were flickering side to side, up and down, then they’d lock to one side, so we had him tested for neuroblastoma but that came back okay.

“Then he started having rigid episodes where his whole body would tense up, along with the eye movements, which they thought was epilepsy but those tests were normal.”

The family were asked by the NHS, who were “learning on the job” given the rarity of the condition, to film his seizures to help them gain a better understanding.

David said: “They were so confused to what it was. The testing started at two weeks old, but in hindsight we think the stress of being born was why he was struggling to breathe in that first week. It’s incredibly difficult, we’re both absolutely exhausted and anxious.

“This is our life, it’s completely changed since he was born. You plan your life around a baby, get excited, plan for them to meet their brothers. There’s a huge psychological, financial impact on us, and Rupert’s health is so uncertain, so our future is too.”

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Rupert was thought to be healthy beyond some breathing difficulties, when he was born in May 2025. But when his parents noticed his abnormal eye movements and breathing difficulties they took him to hospital.

Tests for neuroblastoma, lumbar Punctures, EEGs, ECGs, MRI and CT scans and cameras down his throat returned normal results. It was only after his first near-death episode the genetic condition was revealed. The condition is extremely hard to manage, because health episodes can be prompted by a huge variety of inconspicuous causes.

Siobhan, a pharmacy technician, told Talk to the Press: “We’re on edge all the time. You can’t take your eyes off him at all. It’s very unpredictable, one minute he can be smiling, next minute he’s having a life-threatening seizure.

“It’s not something Dave or me carry, it’s just a misspelling in his genes. Episodes are triggered by stress on the body; if he’s tired, hungry, too excited, too hot, cold, exposed to water. Even going outside can cause a seizure.

“This last set of seizures – over 48 hours he probably had 12 – was triggered we think by teething. Something as little as that can cause a significant event. We have his oxygen, rescue medications with us everywhere we go.

“We can’t allow him to become too excited, too upset or too happy because that can trigger something. To not allow your child to be too happy is really hard to take. But he’s still so smiley, and so determined.”

The family are fundraising, with proceeds being split towards preparing the family for an emergency trip, and funding research into cures and treatments. They have raised £285,000 so far – and say the extra money raised will go to funding the research of the condition through research foundations RARE Hope CareAHC (focused on a cure) and For Henry AHC (focused on treatment).

The family are hopeful a trip to the US for treatment can happen soon, with specialist consultations and clinical trials on the horizon. The family say “emerging therapies such as Antisense Oligonucleotide (ASO) therapy and genome editing show genuine promise”.

Siobhan said: “He has two brothers, George, who’s six, and Henry, who’s four, and they’re obviously aware of it, but don’t know how life-threatening it is. It’s difficult for them because Rupert’s spent a lot of time in hospital and they’ve been passed from pillar to post.

“But they love him, and he adores them. They stimulate him, perhaps that’s why he’s so determined, because he sees his brothers and wants to do what they’re doing.

“We’d do anything for him. He’s beautiful, everyone who meets him falls in love with him. That’s why we’ve got so much support, everyone wants to do what they can to help because he’s so resilient. But there’s only so much you can take, he’s had to deal with more than most people do in their life, and he’s not even one yet.”

Dave and Siobhan’s brother, Liam, are flying out to Boston for a conference on AHC research progress and its future in June, but Rupert is not well enough to travel yet.

Instead, he will mark his first birthday on May 28 when over 50 landmarks, including the CN Tower in Toronto, Ally Pally and Cardiff Castle will light up with “Rupert’s Rainbow” to raise awareness.

Siobhan said: “Time is critical. We’re hoping treatment comes through in 12 months, and a cure hopefully in a couple of years. But we’ll need to fund Rupert’s treatment to allow him to develop normally while they work on it. We just need to be in a position to pounce on it when treatment or a cure is available. We’re hopeful.”

Rupert’s fundraiser can be found here

St Lawrence Parish Church garden party will take place at The Manor House in Heslington on Saturday, June 6, from 2pm to 5pm.

The garden, known for its appearances on the front cover of The English Garden magazine and features in various other notable national and international publications, will be open to ticket holders only.

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Since Covid, the garden has only been opened to the public once.

The event also marks the 82nd anniversary of D-Day and will be attended by Ken Cooke, York’s only remaining veteran of the Normandy campaign.

Attendees can enjoy refreshments, including tea and cakes, while a saxophone quartet provides the musical backdrop.

Tickets must be obtained in advance, with numbers limited.

The garden party is being held in aid of church funds for the parish church in Lawrence Street, the second largest parish church in the city.

For more information and tickets contact info@stlawrenceparishchurch.org.uk

Diana Henry is the Telegraph’s much-loved cookery writer. She shares recipes each week, for everything from speedy family dinners to special menus that friends will remember for months. She is also a regular broadcaster on BBC Radio 4, and her journalism and recipe books, including Simple and How to Eat a Peach, are multi-award-winning. A mother of two sons, Diana can satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.   

That amounts to an average of four dogs taken every day, according to police figures analysed by Direct Line, which revealed around 25,000 reported dog thefts over the past 11 years.

French bulldogs, Staffordshire bull terriers, and dachshunds remain among the most frequently targeted breeds.

Adam Burgin, head of trading and customer at Direct Line, said: “Any reduction in dog theft is welcome, but it’s important not to confuse lower numbers with lower risk.

“More than four dogs a day were still stolen in 2025 and, with over 25,000 dogs taken in the last 11 years, it’s clear this issue hasn’t gone away.

“Certain breeds, particularly French bulldogs and staffies, continue to be targeted, and we see the emotional and financial impact this can have on owners.

“Dog theft often results in lengthy recovery periods and, in many cases, permanent loss, especially when animals are stolen opportunistically or sold on quickly.

“While it’s encouraging to see more dogs reunited with their families, the reality is that most stolen dogs still don’t come home.

“Thieves can strike at any time, so taking preventative steps – such as keeping pets identifiable, ensuring microchips are up to date, and remaining vigilant – can make a real difference.”

Direct Line suggests that increased public awareness and the introduction of the Pet Abduction Act in May 2024, which made pet theft a specific criminal offence in England and Northern Ireland, may have contributed to an 11 per cent drop in thefts compared to the previous year.

Despite this decline, the insurer emphasised that the risk persists, particularly for certain breeds.

‘Mouse’ went missing in Buckinghamshire during a walk at a local golf club (Image: PA)

Staffordshire bull terriers, German shepherds, and dachshunds all saw rises in thefts, while cocker spaniels recorded the fastest year-on-year increase despite ranking eighth overall.

An estimated 344 stolen dogs, around 21 per cent, were reunited with their owners.

The issue remains deeply personal for those affected.

Anne Maynard’s adult female Jack Russell, Mouse, went missing from Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, in December 2023.

She said: “Every day has been a struggle.

“I still cry every day, we’ve searched so much I no longer know where to look.

“I’ve tried everything within my means to find her but there’s been nothing. We check every Jack Russell we see.

“We’re sent pictures which could be Mouse, they look so similar and we have to really scrutinise the photo but no sign of her yet. We will not give up.

“We have so much hope that we’ll find out what happened that dreadful day.

“Thieves have no idea what happens when they do what they do.

“It’s devastating, heartbreaking and life-changing.

“We just want our girl back home where she belongs.

“Someone has an opportunity to turn our lives back round again. Please give her up.”

Anne Maynard is offering a £6,000 “no questions asked” reward for the safe return of Mouse (Image: PA)

Fears of pet theft remain widespread among dog owners.

Half of owners surveyed by Direct Line said they worry about their dog being stolen, with 33 per cent saying they only ever walk their dog on a lead and 26 per cent supervising their dog while in the garden.

Other security measures include motion-activated cameras (18 per cent) and tracking devices (17 per cent).

Annalisa de Carteret, pet loss support manager at Blue Cross, said: “The uncertainty of not knowing where your pet is, or if they are safe, can be just as painful as bereavement, but without the closure that comes with it.

“This can make the trauma even harder to process, especially for children who may be left distressed and confused by the sudden loss of a cherished member of the family.

“Reaching out to someone who understands the emotional impact of losing a pet can make a real difference.

“At Blue Cross, we provide a vital lifeline for devastated owners whose much-loved companions have been stolen, offering practical support and a listening ear during an incredibly difficult time.”