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Russia's prime minister finds himself in the unusual position of being on the defensive after protests claiming widespread fraud in recent parliamentary elections. But a definat Putin spent more than four hours Thursday responding to critics on a TV call-in show.

All I want for Christmas is some toffee and navel oranges. Dry-aged steaks wouldn't be bad, either. NPR's science desk denizens share the mail-order foods they'd be happy to see land on the doorstep this week, from traditional to outrageous.

The first week of the year means big profits for weight-loss firms. Some companies are looking to expand their customer base by specifically targeting men. Others are teaming up with big employers.

President Obama used a recess appointment to name Richard Cordray head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Unlike similar appointments, the Senate hadn't technically recessed.

Volkswagen has come a long way since it tried to market cars to Americans with the "Fahrvergnugen" slogan. The company has adapted to the U.S. market with bigger, less quirky cars. It seems to have paid off, as sales rose last year in the U.S. — but the company is set on becoming No. 1 worldwide.

A new report from a bipartisan group warns that with the exception of Ron Paul's plan, the GOP candidates' economic proposals would likely worsen the nation's debt problem. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget also says the candidates need to spell out specific cuts rather than offering vague targets.

The four things to watch for in Louisiana are Romney's share of the vote which must be 25 percent or more for him to gain any of the delegates who are in play Saturday. Also if he gets a large enough share of Catholic and evangelical votes, that could help him get to 25 percent as well.

When Teddy Roosevelt became a New York police commissioner in 1895, he vowed to clean up the city's endemic vice and corruption. It didn't exactly work out. New Yorkers liked the idea of standing up to corrupt cops, but they rebelled when Roosevelt tried to enforce a ban on Sunday drinking.

Trayvon Martin punched him on the nose and then slammed his head into a sidewalk, Zimmerman told police, according to the Orlando Sentinel. It's the most extensive account so far of the older man's claim of self defense.

Eddie Alterman, an editor for Car and Driver magazine, says he doesn't want to live in a world without stick shift vehicles. "It's a world without guys building treehouses for their kids. It's a world without train sets. It's a world without fun." Alterman has started a movement to save the manual shift.