Rounds

• The USMNT is preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with an opportunity to improve its historical standing in the tournament. • Historically, the United States' best performance occurred during the inaugural 1930 FIFA World Cup, where the team finished in third place. • A strong performance in the upcoming tournament could allow the team to erase long-standing records and redefine the course of American soccer.

• U.S. startups secured significant funding during a shortened holiday week, with the energy and AI sectors dominating the largest investment rounds. • Houston-based Joulent led the group with a $1.75 billion strategic financing round backed by National Grid Ventures to support energy infrastructure for AI and compute-intensive industries. • San Francisco's Together AI raised $800 million in Series C funding led by Aramco Ventures, resulting in a post-money valuation of $8.3 billion for its open-source AI infrastructure.

Exclusive: Guardian analysis exposes evidence of racial inequalities in pain relief offered across healthcare‘The epidural failed and no one believed me’How the ethnicity pain gap follows people from birth to deathWomen from Black and Asian backgrounds are less likely than their white counterparts to receive an epidural while giving birth, research has revealed.The findings, based on data collected from more than 2.7 million births in the UK, prompted experts to raise the alarm about an “ethnicity pain gap” that means people of colour are more likely to be deprived of adequate pain relief within medical settings. Continue reading...

Fears of resurgence of HIV/Aids amid loss of access to PrEP drugs as at least 40 people arrested in ‘toxic’ climateA “witch-hunt” is under way in Niger, where dozens of people have been arrested for homosexuality in the west African state following the introduction of a new penal code earlier this year.Up to 40 people have been arrested and 16 men, including high-ranking military officials, have been imprisoned across the country, according to local media. Continue reading...

• Fox and Telemundo have broken viewership records during the World Cup group stage, signaling a massive surge in soccer's popularity within the US. • Fox Sports reported that 84 million Americans tuned into its coverage through June 25, while Telemundo noted that its viewership is pacing at more than double that of the 2022 Qatar tournament. • This growth highlights a historic peak in audience engagement for the sport, positioning both networks as major financial and strategic winners.

• Artificial intelligence dominated the largest U.S. startup funding rounds this week, with AI companies securing the majority of the top 10 deals. • The week's most significant financing event was a $1.5 billion Series F round for Baseten, a provider of AI inference technology. • Biotech emerged as the second-largest sector for venture capital investment, though it trailed significantly behind the AI spree.

• Sweden has secured a place in the 2026 World Cup knockout rounds despite finishing third in their group with four points. • Tunisia has been officially eliminated from the tournament, while Mexico solidified its status as a top contender after a 3-0 victory over Czechia. • Sweden is expected to face the winner of Group I, which will be either France or Norway, depending on the final standings of other third-place teams.