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Celeste Headlee of member station KNAU reports on a new classical work that incorporates Native American musicians, singers, and dancers. Guardians of the Grand Canyon, composed by Brent Michael Davis, honors the Havasupai tribe which owns a large part of the canyon.

NPR's Julie Rovner reports on the rising costs faced by HMOs participating in Medicare. Early indications from industry surveys suggest more companies than ever will pull out of the program for financial reasons, causing thousands of people to have to change their health care plans.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports the price of a barrel of crude oil dropped today in response to Saudi Arabia's announcement that it is ready to increase its productions. The Saudi decision could mean somewhat lower fuel prices in the United States.

Mary Ellen Mark is a celebrated photographer. Her most recent work is an askew shot of controversial Atlanta Braves pitcher John Rocker and Minnie Mouse in last week's New Yorker. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is currently featuring Mark's work in a major exhibit. Peter Clowney has a profile.

Apart from its better-known roles in bluegrass and Dixieland, the banjo was once a sought-after status symbol in late 19th-century America. Young ladies learned to play parlor music on the banjo; there were banjo societies and banjo virtuosi; and manufacturers fought wars over who could make the fanciest banjos. On top of that, this was primarily a northern phenomenon. It's chronicled in a new book, America's Instrument: The Banjo in the 19th Century, by Philip Gura and James Bollman. Paul Brown reports. (7:45) (America's Instrument: The Banjo in the 19th Century is published by University of North Carolina P

Quil Lawrence reports on the Kurds living in northern Iraq. Because of UN air patrols, the Kurds are relatively independent of Iraqi control, and have a greater level of freedom and prosperity than many other people in Iraq.

Composer and conductor Robert Kapilow talks about his new symphony, DC Citypiece, a musical tribute to the monuments in the nation's capital. In composing the work, Kapilow talked to hundreds of Washington residents about the personal significance of their favorite monuments. He says the word,monument means something to remind or warn.

NPR's Ina Jaffe reports a study published this week shows the success of an effort by the state of Georgia to make sure children of welfare families are immunized against diseases like polio and diptheria. But some have criticized the program -- which imposes sanctions against welfare families if kids don't get their shots. The study can be found in week's issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Host Bob Edwards talks to two members of the House, Democrat Shelley Berkley of Nevada and Republican Jack Quinn of New York, about what they heard from constituents back home over the July 4th holiday. Congresswoman Berkley and Congressman Quinn both say that the high costs of gasoline, healthcare insurance, and prescription drugs were among their constituents' greatest concerns.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports on the possibility that Deutsche Telekom will acquire Sprint, if federal regulators succeed in blocking the proposed merger between Sprint and Worldcom. But a merger between the German telecommunications company and Sprint also could face opposition from regulators.