The US Senate is hunkering down to consider and vote on the first phase of President Joe Biden’s USD 1 tn bipartisan infrastructure bill, with a final vote to be held in a matter of days, the Associated Press reports. This bill calls for USD 550 bn of new spending to upgrade roads, bridges, waterworks, broadband and the electric grid. Senators will also vote on a budget blueprint that will be a precursor to a USD 3.5 tn social, health, and environmental bill to be considered later this year.

Also worth knowing this morning:

• Tunisian president Kais Saied has relieved the finance, environment and ICT ministers of their positions as part of his sweeping purge of Islamists from the government, Reuters reports.
• An Israeli court has proposed a compromise between settlers and Palestinians facing eviction in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah, whereby Palestinian residents can remain in their homes and retain “protected status” provided that they pay an annual fee to a settler organization, the Guardian reports.