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The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court oversees surveillance of suspected spies and terrorists. Its power has grown since the passage of the Patriot Act. Critics worry about the secrecy that surrounds the proceedings, but FBI agents say undue concern about civil liberties hinders surveillance.

Knitting together Iraq's fractious sectarian and religious groups into a cohesive political body is the goal of Iraq's Dec. 15 parliamentary election. It may only reinforce Iraq's sectarian divisions.

The Chronicles of Narnia dominated box office receipts this weekend. The film relies heavily on digital effects for its spectacular images and action sequences, impossible to achieve using traditional film techniques -- but at a much greater cost. Alex Chadwick talks with Slate contributor Edward Jay Epstein about whether digital effects are ruining Hollywood.

Peasants relocated to make room for a reservoir in northern China's Hebei province claim local leaders pocketed more than $7 million in compensation funds owed to them. Those who tried to organize a recall vote were bribed, beaten or jailed into submission. The case typifies recent rural protests.

In his Nobel Prize speech Wednesday, British playwright Harold Pinter delivered a scathing critique of U.S. and British foreign policy. Some reviews of his speech praised it for its dramatic force, while others derided it as childish and uninformed. We hear two excerpts from that speech.

Lebanese voted for a new parliament Sunday against the backdrop of an economic meltdown that is transforming the country.

A Danish newspaper recently republished editorial cartoons that depict the Prophet Mohammed -- a serious offense in the Islamic religion, which has strong prohibitions against idolatry. The cartoons set off protests against Denmark and the Western world in many Islamic nations, and burning the Danish flag is a central part of the protests. But just where do Muslim protestors get their Danish flags?

We've all had these moments in movie theaters or in meetings when we hear the annoying ring of a phone and suddenly realize, to our horror, that it's our own phone. Engineers are trying to solve this problem. They're developing polite cell phones that can tell when to keep quiet, and when it's OK to interrupt.

Anna Deavere Smith is renowned for her one-woman shows, which have helped redefine modern theater. In her new book, Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts-for Actors, Performers, Writers, and Artists of Every Kind, she talks about the joy and pain of her peculiar profession.

In a land where the ground is always frozen, one creature has nourished man both physically and spiritually. Anthropologist Piers Vitebsky discusses The Reindeer People, his book about the Eveny herders of Siberia.