The Brief

The following was originally published in the Up First newsletter as part of the NPR Network's coverage of the World Cup, Soccer Edition. For more updates from Juliana throughout the games, subscribe to Up First, or check out the new World Cup tab in the NPR app.

We're at the final stretch of the World Cup. It feels like just yesterday, international fans were arriving in the U.S. and marveling at Buc-ee's and unlimited free soda.

The semi-finals are:

• Tuesday: France vs. Spain @ 3 p.m. EST in Dallas 
• Wednesday: England vs. Argentina @ 3 p.m. EST in Atlanta

By Wednesday night, we'll know who's heading to the final, which is this Sunday at 3 p.m. EST in New Jersey.

Here's what to know about the teams going into the last four games:

🇫🇷 France

Kylian Mbappe #10 of France celebrates the team's 1-0 victory in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 match between Paraguay and France at Philadelphia Stadium on July 04, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Buda Mendes

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Getty Images

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Last World Cup trophy:  2018

Reaching the final will be a chance at rewriting history for France. The team made it to the last match in 2022 but lost to Argentina.

This time, France has returned with a vengeance — particularly thanks to Kylian Mbappé, who's responsible for eight goals.

🇪🇸 Spain

Lamine Yamal #19 of Spain looks on during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Spain and Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium on July 10, 2026 in Inglewood, California.

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Carl Recine

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Getty Images

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Last World Cup trophy: 2010

One of the tournament's highlights has been watching Spain's 19-year-old star Lamine Yamal take on titan after titan. Now, his team is facing its biggest contender yet.

While this will be the first time Yamal and Mbappé are battling at the World Cup, the two have played against each other before. Most recently, in 2024, when Yamal helped his team come out on top.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

England's midfielder #10 Jude Bellingham celebrates after scoring the equalising goal during the 2026 World Cup football tournament quarter-final match between Norway and England at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens on July 11, 2026.

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PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA

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AFP via Getty Images

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Last World Cup trophy: 1966

 A trip to the final would perhaps be sweetest for England. The team hasn't won a World Cup in 60 years — despite reaching the quarter or semi-finals multiple times since then.

Nearly all of England's goals were made to Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane. My eyes will be on the duo and my ears on the fans in case they sing "Hey Jude" like they did at the last game.

🇦🇷 Argentina

Lionel Messi #10 of Argentina during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Quarter Final match between Argentina and Switzerland at Kansas City Stadium on July 11, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri.

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Carl Recine

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Getty Images

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Last World Cup trophy: 2022

All eyes are on Argentina to see if the team can be the first to win the World Cup back-to-back in decades. To do so, the defending champion will face England. The two haven't competed on the global stage in 24 years. "It'll be a special match because I've never played against England," Lionel Messi told FIFA.

What we know for sure: Justin Bieber, Madonna, Shakira and BTS will be there, performing at the World Cup's first-ever final half-time show.

What else to watch this week:

🎉 The global sleepover at our house is wrapping up. So many international visitors from across the globe visiting cities coast to coast, has left many feeling like this summer has been one big party at our place. For immigrant communities in New York, it's been a welcome respite.

💻 The World Cup has been the perfect distraction for so many it has actually cut into the productivity of the global economy. While some are watching to see if it bounces back, we're curious what will bring us together and captivate our collective attention next?

Copyright 2026 NPR

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

The National Weather Service issued an extreme heat warning effective from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 8 p.m. Thursday.

Temperatures are expected to reach 110 degrees across much of inland L.A. County through Thursday, with the hottest conditions forecast Wednesday, according to the weather service.

Here are some things you can do to prepare ahead of time:

• Start hydrating now and throughout the day — experts recommend drinking two to four glasses of water per hour during extreme heat to stay hydrated. 
• The UV rays are the strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., so plan to be indoors unless you absolutely have to be outdoors. 
• Know the warning signs of heat stroke, heat exhaustion, heat cramps, skin problems, dehydration, and respiratory problems.
• Check-in on those at high risk like older adults, outdoor workers, pregnant women, young children and those who live alone.
• Make sure children and pets have everything they need in order to remain indoors during peak heart hours. 
• Sign-up for power outage alerts and know where the nearest cool down center is to you. 
• Avoid hot cars and remember to never leave children or pets unattended in a vehicle.

As we all prep for this heat wave, here are ways and places to cool down: 

Pools

• Algin Sutton Swimming Pool: 8800 S. Hoover St.
• Celes King III Aquatic Center: 5001 Obama Blvd.
• LA84 Foundation/John C. Argue Swim Stadium: 3980 Bill Robertson Lane
• South Park Pool: 345 E. 51st St.
• Van Ness Aquatic Center: 5720 2nd Ave.
• Jackie Tatum/Harvard Pool: 6120 Denker Ave.
• Jesse Owens Swimming Pool: 9835 S. Western Ave.
• Edward Vincent Jr. Pool: 826 E. 67th St., Inglewood, CA

Cooling centers

Here are cooling centers in Inglewood:

• Inglewood Main Library: 101 W. Manchester Blvd. 
• Inglewood Senior Center: 111 N. Locust St. 
• Darby Park: 3400 W. Arbor Vitae St. 
• Rogers Park: 400 W. Beach Ave.
• District 2 Community Center: 1201 N. La Tijera Blvd.

Here are cooling centers in South LA:

• Algin Sutton Recreation Center: 8800 S. Hoover St.
• South Los Angeles Senior Activity Center: 7020 S. Figueroa St.
• Jim Gilliam Recreation Center: 4000 S. La Brea Ave.
• Angeles Mesa Branch Library: 2700 W. 52nd St.
• Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune Regional Branch Library: 3900 S. Western Ave.
• Hyde Park Miriam Matthews Branch Library: 2205 W. Florence Ave.
• John Muir Branch Library: 1005 W. 64th St.
• Mark Twain Branch Library: 9621 S. Figueroa St.

Note: Most of these locations welcome pets, but it is always best to call ahead if you are bringing an animal.

Sign up for power outage alerts

Visit your power company’s website or contact them by phone to determine if you are scheduled for a rolling power outage.

For example, Southern California Edison may turn off power in high fire risk areas to reduce the threat of wildfires, what’s known as public safety power shutoff (PSPS). Sign up or update your contact information on the SCE website to receive emails, texts or phone calls about public safety power shut off events and other outages in your area.

If you do not have an SCE account, you can sign up for ZIP Code Alert, these alerts are helpful when you want to stay informed about a location where you are not a customer.

Here’s how to sign up for ZIP code alerts:

• Text alerts: To sign up zip code text alerts, text “ENROLL” 28954.
• Voice alerts: To sign up for ZIP code voice alerts, call 1-855-549-3800.
• Email alerts: To sign up for ZIP code email alerts, click here.

SCE also offers its Medical Baseline Program for those whose households require the regular use of electrically powered medical equipment.

The program provides an additional 16.5 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per day and helps offset the cost of operating the medical equipment. Those interested can dial 2-1-1 to learn more.

This story first appeared on The LA Local.

Los Angeles County is asking residents whether streets, parks, buildings and other public property named after former labor leader César E. Chávez should be renamed.

The county launched a six-question, anonymous survey seeking public input on a potential renaming process after sexual abuse allegations against Chávez published earlier this year prompted officials to reconsider how the leader is commemorated.

In March, a New York Times investigation alleged that Chávez sexually assaulted women and underage girls within the United Farm Workers movement, including fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta. The allegations sparked reevaluation over Chávez’s legacy across the nation. In Los Angeles County, including Boyle Heights and East L.A., Chávez’s name appears on streets, schools, parks and murals.

Following the investigation, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a motion by supervisors Hilda Solis and Lindsey Horvath directing the county Chief Executive Office and County Counsel to develop a “community-driven process for the renaming parks, streets, County facilities, real property, monuments, and other County programs that bear the name of César Chávez.”

The survey asks residents what concerns they have about renaming streets or properties across L.A. County and what matters most to them in a renaming process. 

“We want to ensure our process continues to reflect our community’s vibrant history, diverse cultures, and shared values,” the survey reads.

The survey also suggests that local residents, historians, indigenous groups, labor organizations and other community stakeholders could help guide the renaming process.

How to weigh in

Take the survey here. (You can toggle between English and Spanish on the top right corner)

Deadline: Residents have until July 25 to complete the survey.

Hundreds of people in the city of Carpinteria joined a miles-long march Saturday against the Trump administration's mass deportation effort and to mark one year since scores of community members were detained during large-scale raids there and in Ventura County.

Last year, federal immigration agents descended on two licensed cannabis facilities in California’s Central Coast.

In one day, agents detained more than 300 people.

This included a lecturer at CSU Channel Islands, who subsequently faced nearly 20 years in prison for allegedly throwing a tear gas canister back at a Border Patrol agent.

George Retes — a father, U.S. citizen and veteran who worked as a security guard at one of the facilities — was also detained and held incommunicado for days, before getting released without charges.

Jaime Alanís García, a father and farmworker, died from injuries he sustained after falling from a greenhouse roof. On Saturday, marchers carried posters with the deceased man’s image that read “REST IN POWER.” Several others carried signs that read “ABOLISH ICE.”

Multiple marchers told LAist they went to the facility in Carpinteria in solidarity with family members who raced to the area when they heard about the raids last summer.

Mitch Lillie, a member of grassroots organization VC Defensa, said the day is seared into his memory. More than anything, he recalls the sound of community members frantically trying to reach their loved ones on the phone. “They were just bawling,” he said.

Some marchers danced in prayer as they made their way through the city.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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From the beach to the field  

The marchers first gathered at Carpinteria State Beach, just steps away from the Pacific Ocean. Then, under the scorching summer sun, they headed toward Glass House Farms, one of the cannabis facilities targeted by the federal government.

One man shouted “Viva Trump!” from inside his car as the marchers crossed a residential street. Elsewhere, dozens of drivers jovially honked at the marchers in support.

Along the way, the marchers made brief stops at shopping plazas. At each site, Bianca Perez used a staple gun to affix signs on trees and utility poles. She’d decorated each sign with faux monarch butterflies – a symbol honoring multi-generational migration across North America. At each of those sites, she explained, federal immigration agents have detained other community members, including on this year’s Father’s Day.

Perez is part of grassroots organization Carpinteria Sin Fronteras. Like VC Defensa, the group sends out alerts about the presence of federal immigration agents in the area. Perez and other volunteers also help community members locate loved ones when they fail to come home.

“We hold their stories super close to our hearts, with a lot of respect and love,” she said. “It is hard not to take all that in . . . A lot of the time, we are the first call when one of their family members has been taken.”

Bianca Perez posted signs in places where community members have been detained.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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The day that changed everything

Outside of Glass House Farms, local leaders and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal made short speeches before a sun-worn crowd. Many recalled where they were when they first heard about the raids on July 10, 2025.

Teresa Alvarez, executive director of the Carpinteria Children's Project, was giving a tour of the nonprofit’s facilities when the news came down. Without vacillating, she and her team ran out the door, she said. But when they got to the field and saw rows of armed federal immigration agents, fear almost overtook her.

“I knew I needed to be here. But as a mom and an immigrant myself, I was terrified — especially when I realized I had no cell service and wasn't sure what would happen if things happened to escalate,” she added.

Alvarez and the other speakers underscored that although the federal government has not carried out large-scale raids in recent months, community members should not dial down on their advocacy.

“People are dying at detention centers and on the street on their way to work,” she added, reminding marchers about Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a builder who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Houston, Texas earlier this month.

“That could have been my dad,” she said. “That could have been your dad.”

Mitch Lillie speaks to community members outside of Glass House Farms in Carpinteria.

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Julia Barajas

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LAist

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VC Defensa’s Lillie said that, although July 10 is now a “day of mourning,” it’s also a day of resistance. He recalled tear gas and pepper bullets raining down on him and fellow protesters. He also remembered perfect strangers helping each other.

On Saturday, he encouraged the marchers to join a grassroots organization of their choice and help their immigrant neighbors any way they can — whether it’s by giving them a ride to a court appointment or by helping those who’ve lost their breadwinners pay rent.

“That is how we transform a tragedy,” he said.

The 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in Los Angeles are officially two years away, and applications are now open to volunteer at the Games.

Organizers are seeking 60,000 people for roles like providing translation or guiding guests and athletes. They want volunteers for job categories including communications, driving, ceremonies and technology.

The bulk of volunteer positions will be in Los Angeles, with some opportunities in Oklahoma City, which will host a handful of competitions, and the Olympic soccer tournament sites, too.

Volunteering presents a potential way for some locals who balked at high ticket prices to participate in the summer Games, but they're a substantial commitment. Volunteers need to be available for 10 eight-hour shifts during either the Olympics or Paralympics if they want to participate.

A large volunteer program is a regular facet of the Olympics. In 1984, the last time L.A. hosted, nearly 29,000 people volunteered during the event.

To volunteer this time around, applicants need to be at least 18 years old and be proficient in English. Volunteers don't need to be local to Los Angeles or live in the U.S.

The first step is applying through LA28. Selected applicants will then have a chance to be interviewed in person in Los Angeles or online.