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The controversy over the recent Paris auctions of Hopi objects boils down to competing definitions of what is sacred. The same tension exists elsewhere in Indian Country where economic development projects are proposed for land Native Americans consider to be holy.

In 1979, then-Maryland Attorney General Stephen Sachs argued the case Smith v. Maryland before the U.S. Supreme Court. The case revolved around the warrantless collection of phone call information. Sachs defended the practice at the time, and he won. But the case now has a new life: the government cites the case as the legal basis for the National Security Agency's bulk collection of metadata from millions of Americans' phone calls. Now, Sachs says that practice goes far beyond what he argued in 1979, and constitutes a "massive intrusion" on Americans' privacy.

Davis was shot at point blank range with a shotgun on Dec. 13 and had been hospitalized in critical condition. The family announced her death "with unspeakable sadness," but also thanked the community for its outpouring of support.

Bright colors, intricate dance sequences, melodramatic plots and great music are hallmarks of India's movie industry, which got its start 100 years ago. NPR's Scott Simon explores the Indian cinema with Rajinder Dudrah, aka Doc. Bollywood.

When a powerful tornado hit Moore, Okla., back in May, two dozen people died and more than a thousand homes were destroyed. In the aftermath, the first priorities were food, clothing, housing and furniture. Now a good Samaritan is providing Christmas tree ornaments, too.

Two strangers tell their stories to a wandering narrator in Bruce Wagner's new The Empty Chair. It's a pair of novellas meditating on grief, love, spirituality and the nature of storytelling. Reviewer Colin Dwyer says Wagner manages to both tease out the threads that bind the stories, and relish the spaces between.

It's not just lack of quality or freshness that can put a damper on your in-flight meal: Our senses are scrambled at high altitudes. Those sweet and salty sensors might be off as much as 30 percent while in flight.

By the end of December, interns are nearing the midpoint of their first year of intense, hands-on work with patients. That's long enough for the young doctors to feel committed to their chosen career but not nearly far enough along to see the finish line.

If you want to give back while you travel, volunteer vacations are your best bet. Here's how to find the best and most ethical ways to volunteer when traveling. NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Shannon O'Donnell of Grassroots Volunteering, a website that shares low-cost opportunities.

In studying the connection between economics and yearly trends in what he calls "shark-human interactions," shark attack expert George Burgess spotted a pattern. NPR's Rachel Martin asks Burgess about going to the beach.