Morning everyone. The US House of Representatives has passed Donald Trump’s sweeping tax and spending bill, handing the president the first major legislative victory of his second term. Israel’s warships and artillery have launched one of the deadliest and most intense bombardments in Gaza for many months. At home, Creative Australia could face pressure to make “safe” artistic choices, Qantas is pledging to ramp up cybersecurity, and the surprising omission from Anthony Albanese’s top 10 records.
Australia
Gender proposal | The Liberal frontbencher Melissa McIntosh has called for the party to consider gender-balanced candidate pools as an alternative to quotas after close to 100 women took part in a nearly three-hour meeting on building gender diversity in the opposition.
Creative tension | Creative Australia could face increased pressure to make “safe” artistic choices after the Sabsabi review, industry figures fear, with critics warning that a corporate-style risk framework could stifle creativity and marginalise divergent voices.
Qantas pledge | Qantas has said it will beef up its security and threat detection in the wake of a cyber-attack affecting up to 6 million customers, while the privacy watchdog has warned attacks using social engineering to gain access to data are on the rise.
Childcare in focus | The federal government will fast-track legislation in the next sitting week to cut funding to childcare centres that fail to meet safety standards after shocking allegations of sexual abuse by a worker in Melbourne. The state government has appointed the former South Australian premier Jay Weatherill and senior bureaucrat Pamela White to lead an urgent review of childcare safety.
Do the dabke | Curators are hoping that a celebration of the Levantine folk dance forms – Dabke and Tatreez – at the Sydney Opera House on Sunday will help “protect and preserve” history and culture as the Palestinian people continue to come under Israeli bombardment.
World
Israel bombardment | Israel has escalated its offensive in Gaza before imminent talks about a ceasefire. Medics and officials in Gaza reported that about 90 people were killed overnight and on Thursday, including many women and children. About 300 people may have been killed this week.
Trump win | The US House of Representatives has passed Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill” in a 218-214 vote that was almost entirely along party lines. The bill next goes to the president for his signature. Democratic despair will only be increased by a new book which details how Barack Obama warned about Joe Biden’s ailing re-election bid almost a year before polling day, telling him “your campaign is a mess”.
‘Devastated’ | Jürgen Klopp and Cristiano Ronaldo led the tributes from across the football world to Diogo Jota after the Liverpool and Portugal forward was killed in a car accident in Spain along with his brother.
Trump-Putin call | The US president has held a surprise phone call with Vladimir Putin in which the Russian leader repeated his refusal to back down over his maximalist demands in Ukraine. A deputy commander of the Russian navy who had previously led one of the military’s most notorious brigades has been killed near the frontline with Ukraine, Moscow has confirmed.
Stellar discovery | Astronomers have discovered a new object – possibly a comet up to 20km in diameter – hurtling through the solar system and known as 3I/Atlas.
Full Story
Newsroom edition: the perils of covering extreme weather during the climate crisis
Nour Haydar speaks to head of newsroom Mike Ticher and deputy editor Patrick Keneally about why language matters and how crucial it is to refer to the climate crisis when covering extreme weather.
In-depth
Anthony Albanese has revealed his 10 favourite Australian songs for a feature on ABC, a not-very-surprising list featuring Paul Kelly, Cold Chisel and a few others you might have guessed. Andrew Stafford looks at what his choices – all more than 30 years old – say about the prime minister, and the one glaring omission.
Not the news
Jennifer Trevelyan’s debut novel, A Beautiful Family, is a charming debut written from the point of view of a 12-year-old girl on holiday in New Zealand in the 1980s. The youngster’s voice skilfully reveals the imperfection of family life but, Jack Callil writes, the book becomes gets mired in what turns out to be a lacklustre mystery.
Sport
Tennis | Alex de Minaur was relieved to blast back from being a set down against Arthur Casaux and avoid joining the legion of seeds who have already been knocked out of this year’s Wimbledon.
Cricket | Australia’s poor batting starts continued in the second Test against the West Indies in Grenada when they slumped to 93-4 at lunch.
Women’s rugby league | Ahead of the new WNRL season, Chelsea Lenarduzzi has just resigned with the Brisbane Broncos and tells Jack Snape why it hurts that her team have yet to win a title.
Football | World champions Spain take on Portugal this morning in the women’s Euros, while earlier Belgium lost to Italy 0-1.
Media roundup
According to the ABC, a man has died after being shot by police during a siege in the tiny Victorian town of Daisy Hill. Experts are crying out for civics to be taught in New South Wales schools, the Sydney Morning Herald reports. Twelve full-time staff are being axed by the University of Tasmania, the Mercury reports. The Daily Telegraph reports that the golden age of Sydney’s nightlife could return with plans to transform two areas into entertainment hotspots.
What’s happening today
Sydney | The human rights commissioner and NSW police will appear at a public hearing into antisemitism in NSW.
ABS | Monthly household spending indicator released.
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Brain teaser
And finally, here are the Guardian’s crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow.
