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Government figures released today show that nearly one million Medicare recipients now enrolled in HMOs will have to find another source of care next year. As NPR's Julie Rovner reports, HMOs are abandoning Medicare in record numbers, saying the program doesn't pay enough.

As NPR's Tom Goldman reports, 29-year-old Michael Bennett of Chicago is given a good chance to win a gold medal in the heavyweight division of the Olympics, even though he only took up boxing six years ago. Even more surprising than his late start is how he honed his skills: Bennett learned to box from fellow inmates when he was in prison. www.bennettboxing.com

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports on a very conservative appeals court that made a series of important and controversial decisions that made it to the Supreme Court this past term. The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals was upheld by the Supreme Court on its ruling that a key part of the Violence Against Women Act was unconstitutional. But the Supreme Court rejected the 4th Circuit's decision that the Miranda warnings to a criminal suspect were not necessary if a court were confident the defendant's confession was given voluntarily.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden in Gaza reports that while Israeli and Palestinian leaders continue the search for peace at Camp David, both sides are also preparing for the worst. There are fears that a failure at Camp David could lead to a fresh eruption of violence.

Robert talks with Suzanne Rodgers, Northwest Editor of the Belfast Telegraph in Northern Ireland, about the prisoners who had been released under the Good Friday peace agreement. Some of the former prisoners are now working as taxi drivers and club bouncers, while others have gotten jobs doing "community work."

Kathy Witkowsky reports on a controversial plan to re-introduce grizzly bears into the Bitterroot mountains of Montana and Idaho. Opponents of the plan fear that the presence of the bears will endanger human lives. Supporters argue that grizzly attacks on humans are extremely rare and that any problem bears will be removed or killed.

NPR's Ted Clark reports the summit at Camp David has reached a critical stage. President Clinton is holding intensive talks with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators, and he is expected to decide within the next day or so whether there is any hope for a breakthrough.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr wonders if all the time spent on speculation about presidential running mates is time well spent.

THINKING -- Commentator Donald McCaig says the countryside can be noisy, with the sounds of thunderstorms or the peeping of frogs and bleating of sheep. But on summer evenings it's quiet enough to hear yourself think. He says that's unlike the city, where the challenge is not so much the din, as knowing what the noises mean. (2:30)NOTE: MUSIC AFTER THIS PIECE WAS HARMONICA VIRTUOSO RICHARD HUNTER, FROM HIS CD "THE SECOND ACT OF BEING FREE" ON TURTLE HILL PRODUCTIONS, PO BOX 651, MONROE, ct 06468-0651. PHONE: 203-459

NPR's Steve Inskeep has a report on the running speculation over who will be tapped to run for Vice President on the Republican ticket. George W. Bush spent today on his ranch, where he said nothing about who will be his runningmate. Bush aides also had no comment, even about when an announcement might be made. But former Defense Secretary Richard Cheney, who headed up Bush's vice presidential search committee, has told colleagues he is the leading contender for the job and is doing nothing to tamp down the swell of news reports that he is Bush's choice.

Linda talks to Jacob Weisberg, SLATE magazine's chief political correspondent, about the latest round of political ads for the presidential campaigns.

NPR'S Jim Zarroli reports that Deutsche Telekom and Voicestream Wireless made it official today. The German telecom giant will acquire the Bellvue, Washington company in a stock and cash deal valued at more than 50-billion-dollars. The deal, if approved, would create a wireless phone service capable of operating in the U.S., Europe and Asia. The merger may face stiff opposition in Washington, though. Some lawmakers are concerned that the German government holds a majority stake in Deutsche Telekom.

NPR's Claudio Sanchez reports that a study released today by the RAND Corporation concludes that public school students have greatly improved their academic test scores since 1990. The study shows that one major reason for the gains is smaller class sizes.

NPR's Ted Clark reports the Camp David summit ended today without an agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians, but President Clinton said significant progress was made, and both sides remain committed to peace.

Secretary of Defense William Cohen told a Senate committee today that the United States would not be able to deploy an anti-missile defense system without the help of its allies -- some of which have been critical of the system. Cohen, however, said he was not discouraged by recent setbacks to the system's testing program. NPR's Guy Raz reports.

NPR's Alex Chadwick concludes a two-part Radio Expedition series on Palmyra, a small, privately owned coral atoll a thousand miles south of Hawaii. The rainy island remains uninhabited by humans. It swarms with bird and animal life, and the lagoons are filled with schools of large tropical fish. The Nature Conservancy hopes to purchase Palmyra from the three American brothers who own it.

Host Bob Edwards talks to NPR's Ted Clark about the status of the Middle East peace negotiations at Camp David. According to the White House, President Clinton will keep the two sides talking as long as there is a possibility of success.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports on the uproar over a FBI computer program that sifts through e-mail for evidence for investigations. Civil Liberty advocates say it's an unconstitutional loss of privacy, but the FBI argues it's no different from tapping phone lines.

Commentator David Frum says the problem with political conventions is not that they're boring. It's that they are staged, which is not going to change as long as there are television cameras are there.

Steve Young of Vermont Public Radio reports on a new agricultural temp agency. It helps dairy farmers find workers when they need help, and allows them take vacations, which was impossible for farm families before.

NPR's Michael Sullivan reports from Kabul on the plight of women in Afghanistan. Two weeks ago Taleban leaders in Afghanistan issued an edict banning women from working for foreign aid agencies. The ban is the latest action by the Taleban to curtail the activities of women under its interpretation of Islamic law.

A note on some of the other stories we're following today.

Steve Krueger reports on how and why a new wireless company could be worth 50 Billion dollars in less than a year. That's how much Detsche-Telekom is offering for Voicestream Wireless, a Seattle-based firm.

NPR's Mary-Ann Akers examines some of the problems causing the extraordinary number of flight delays and cancellations this Summer. More Americans fly each year, and an aging air traffic control system and overused airports are contributing to aircraft delays.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden in Jerusalem reports on reaction to the collapse of the Middle East summit among Israelis and Palestinians.