What To Watch For Through The End Of The Olympics; Billie Eilish's Evolution; More Masks In Schools?

Plus, what it takes to get an abortion in the South. [View this email online]( [NPR]( by Korva Coleman and Christopher Dean Hopkins First Up [Carli Lloyd of the U.S. women's soccer team looks dejected after Monday's defeat in the semifinal match against Canada at the Tokyo Olympics.]( Francois Nel/Getty Images Here's what we're following today. The struggles of the U.S. women’s soccer team at the Olympics finally caught up with them in the semifinals on Monday: A 1-0 loss to Canada means [a bronze medal will be the best the powerhouse team can do](. With the end of a federal eviction moratorium lifted this past weekend, about 3.6 million Americans face losing their homes as soon as today. Help was supposed to be on the way, but in many cases the $50 billion in aid set aside by Congress got caught up in bureaucracy at the state and local levels. Some areas have created their own eviction bans, but [renters in the vast majority of states now have no such protections in place](. [U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona visits a summer program at a Los Angeles school in mid-July.]( Al Seib/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images Education Secretary Miguel Cardona says children need to be back in school this fall, wearing masks and ready for instruction. Cardona noted some school districts will have trouble getting students to wear masks, because [some state legislatures have banned mask mandates](. He says those lawmakers are following ideology rather than science, which won’t keep kids safe. Accessing abortion in the South is tricky, costly and time consuming. Several southern states have blocked many people’s access to the procedure, forcing some to travel for days and hastily find care for their other children so they can obtain the procedure. As Mississippi and other states petition the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade altogether, [reproductive rights advocates say they fear "abortion deserts" and the impacts that huge geographic gaps in care will have on patients](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- The Tokyo Olympics Ashley Landis/AP As we enter the homestretch of the most dramatic Olympics in recent memory, attention turns from the pool to the track, and sports like soccer and basketball reach their most pivotal moments. [Here's what to keep an eye on through the closing ceremony](. U.S. gymnast Simone Biles will compete in the Olympic balance beam final, says USA Gymnastics. She had withdrawn from other events to focus on her mental health. [She’ll be joined by fellow gold medal gymnast Suni Lee](. The Japanese public is slowly starting to embrace the Summer Olympic Games, despite earlier polling showing they had opposed it because of the pandemic. Many young Japanese are excited about the medals that the country's athletes are winning — [they’ve picked up 17 gold medals so far, the most Japan has ever captured](. However, Tokyo remains under a state of emergency, and most Japanese fans are doing the same as everyone else in the world — watching on their TVs or other devices. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Picture Show [Athletes compete in the men's 3000m steeplechase heats on July 30, 2021.]( Andrej Isakovic/AFP via Getty Images Soak in the photos of the biggest moments from the Tokyo Summer Games, and some lesser-known ones too. From the steeplechase course to the boxing ring to the badminton court, [here are a few of our favorites so far](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Today's Listens [Billie Eilish's second album, Happier than Ever, is out now.]( Courtesy of the artist Pop singer Billie Eilish has a lot to feel hopeful about. She's released her second anticipated album, Happier Than Ever, and it's packed with evolving musical styles, and lyrics that examine the ways that young women are seen and exploited. [Hear her NPR interview]( or [read it](. The Minneapolis airport is showcasing a new set of voices in its public address system messages: its employees'. After an open audition, TSA agents, cart drivers and gate agents recorded new reminders to passengers. [Hear about the process]( or [read about it](. As of last month, about 13 million uninsured Americans got access to free health insurance plans — but they'll have to hustle if they want to sign on. There are less than two weeks left to enroll during the pandemic special enrollment period. [Hear more about the program](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. --------------------------------------------------------------- Enjoying this newsletter? 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