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The chief minister of India's most populous state came from humble origins, but Mayawati, as she is known, has not been shy about displaying her wealth. Recently, the show of opulence at a political rally — where she accepted a garland made entirely of money — seems to have gone too far, even by her standards.

A parliamentary commission has stopped short of calling for a full ban but recommended that lawmakers bar wearers of the garment from public buildings like schools and hospitals.

Talk of the Nation asked friends and colleagues at NPR to remind us of some of the remarkable men and women who died in 2009. The staff responded with personal stories about the people who inspired them — people like Kim Peek, "The Real Rain Man," and centenarian Ann Nixon Cooper, who was mentioned during Barack Obama's election speech. But there were others who've touched our lives who weren't famous at all.

Some of the thousands of jobs that were lost in Lenoir and other North Carolina towns went to Dalingshan, a South China industrial city with factories as far as the eye can see. One of the biggest operations was owned by Lacquer Craft, an Asian furniture giant.

Where Do You Stand on Same-Sex Marriage?

Dalia Mogahed, a Muslim, is one of 25 people President Obama tapped to advise him on faith issues. She may have met the president exactly once, but to Muslims, she's a celebrity — thanks to the headscarf, or hijab, she wears every day.

Hepatitis C is the most common blood-borne infection in the U.S., affecting four million Americans. We'll explore the cost of the disease to society, and how clean needle exchange programs can prevent its spread.

New York City has more IV drug users than any other city in the U.S. To prevent the spread of blood-borne diseases like hepatitis C, it has a wide network of clean syringe exchange programs.

Two decades ago, Xiao Bin, a 42-year-old factory worker, claimed he saw tanks crush student demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. After he spoke to American journalists, he was sent to labor camp — and his story became a well-known cautionary tale.

Today's markets, restaurants and bakeries offer a wide array of food choices for people with special dietary needs or personal preferences. In this month's Food Hour, we'll talk about baking and buying delicious vegan, gluten-free and sugar-free foods.