First Thing: Senate holds marathon vote on Donald Trump’s ‘big beautiful bill’

Democrats have attacked bill for its $1.2tn in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps. Plus, Israel ratchets up bombing of Gaza as scores of people killed on Monday

Good morning.

The US Senate is still holding a marathon vote on a sprawling budget that is vital to Donald Trump’s agenda and would see sweeping tax breaks and cuts to healthcare and food programs if passed.

Senators have convened at the Capitol for a process known as “vote-a-rama”, in which lawmakers will propose amendments to the legislation over what is expected to be many hours.

Democrats say the bill’s tax cuts would disproportionately benefit the wealthy at the expense of social programs for lower-income Americans.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (yes, it is formally called this) is expected to add an estimated $3.3tn to the national debt over the next decade. Republicans are rushing to pass the bill Trump’s self-imposed deadline of 4 July.

What’s in the bill? Among other things, $1.2tn in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing stricter work requirements; $4.5tn in tax cuts; rolling back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits; and a $350bn infusion for border and national security.

What have opponents said? The rift with Trump deepened as Elon Musk vowed on X to unseat lawmakers who support the bill: “Every member of Congress who campaigned on reducing government spending and then immediately voted for the biggest debt increase in history should hang their head in shame! And they will lose their primary next year if it is the last thing I do on this Earth.”

This is a developing story. Follow our live coverage here.

Israel launches waves of Gaza airstrikes after new displacement orders that kill at least 60 people

Israel ramped up its offensive in Gaza on Monday, with new displacement orders sending tens of thousands of people fleeing the north of the devastated territory and waves of airstrikes killing around 60 people, according to local officials and medical staff.

On Monday, Israeli tanks and infantry pushed into the Zeitoun neighborhood on the eastern edge of Gaza City and shelled several areas in the north, while aircraft bombed at least four schools after ordering hundreds of families sheltering inside to leave, residents said. In the afternoon, an airstrike hit a crowded cafe on the shore in Gaza City, killing at least 22 people, including women, children and a local journalist.

The violence in Gaza came as a senior adviser to Israel’s prime minister was due to arrive in Washington for talks on a new ceasefire, after Donald Trump called for a deal to end the 20-month war and free 50 hostages held by Hamas.

What is the current aid situation? More Palestinians were killed on Monday as they sought aid: Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said it had received the bodies of 11 people who were shot while returning from an aid site associated with the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Fund, and 10 others were killed at a UN aid warehouse, according to the health ministry.

Is a ceasefire edging closer? It could be. Yair Lapid, the Israeli opposition leader, on Monday added his voice to those in Israel calling for an end to the war. “There is no longer any benefit for the state of Israel from continuing the war in Gaza. Only damage on the security, political and economic level,” Lapid told a meeting of parliamentarians.

In other news …

Disabled corporate workers at Amazon have accused the company of engaging in “systemic discrimination”, aggressively quashing their attempts to organize, and using artificial intelligence systems that they allege do not comply with US disability laws.

Mexican authorities have found 20 bodies in the state of Sinaloa, a region gripped by a factional drug war that is reaching new heights of violence.

A heatwave has engulfed southern Europe, with punishing temperatures that have reached highs of 114.8F (46C ) in Spain and placed almost the entirety of mainland France under alert.

Istanbul police fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse a crowd on Monday, after allegations that a satirical magazine had published a cartoon of the prophet Muhammad.

Stat of the day: There are 25 million naturalized Americans. Trump’s justice department aims to strip some of them of citizenship for certain offenses

The Trump administration has codified its efforts to strip some naturalized Americans of their US citizenship in a recently published justice department memo, which directs attorneys to prioritize denaturalization over certain crimes, which would include “any individuals convicted of crimes who pose an ongoing threat to the US”. At the center of the move are the estimated 25 million US citizens who immigrated to the country after being born abroad, according to data from 2023 – and it lists 10 different priority categories for denaturalization.

Don’t miss this: When the digital nomad dream turns sour

Working remotely from a beach in a far-off land sounds like bliss – and the number of people doing it has soared since 2019. But between bouts of illness, relentless admin and crushing loneliness, many have found comfort in the 9-5 back home.

Climate check: UN expert urges criminalizing fossil fuel disinformation, banning lobbying

Elisa Morgera, the UN special rapporteur on human rights and climate change, is calling for criminal penalties against those peddling disinformation about the climate crisis and a total ban on fossil fuel industry lobbying and advertising, as part of a radical shake-up to safeguard human rights and curtail planetary catastrophe.

Last Thing: China hosts first fully autonomous AI robot soccer match

The pitch was not the only artificial element on display at a soccer match on Saturday. Four teams of humanoid robots took each other on in Beijing, in games of three-a-side powered by artificial intelligence. The game got feisty. At least two robots were stretchered off after falling over.

Sign up

First Thing is delivered to thousands of inboxes every weekday. If you’re not already signed up, subscribe now.

Get in touch

If you have any questions or comments about any of our newsletters please email [email protected]