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Across Russia, pancakes and butter abound as the country marks a weeklong celebration before the start of Russian Orthodox Lent. Pagan in origin, Maslenitsa calls for plenty of eating, sledding, merrymaking — and even organized fistfights.

Police officers testifying at a federal trial challenging New York City's policy say they were ordered to increase their number of arrests, summons and 250s — the code for stop, question and frisk. The city says these were simply performance goals.

It's been said that to properly understand a magician, you have to get right on stage and watch how the act is done. NPR's Bob Mondello had that chance once with card whiz Ricky Jay — subject of the new film Deceptive Practice — and has a few words about how the showman works.

Under pressure from the New York state comptroller — who oversees one of its largest shareholders — the doughnut chain has agreed to set a goal of using only 100 percent sustainable palm oil to make its doughnuts. Production of palm oil has caused serious deforestation in Indonesia.

In Florida, an investigation into storefront Internet gambling parlors has forced the resignation of Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll, who is stepping down because of her involvement with a group called Allied Veterans of the World. The group runs dozens of what it calls "Internet cafes" — storefront operations where people essentially gamble using electronic slot machines.

Schmidt, who recently traveled to North Korea, will be the first senior executive of a major U.S. tech firm to visit Myanmar since it began political and economic reforms. Myanmar plans to vastly expand its telecom infrastructure. But sanctions remain against members of the military, many of whom hold positions in the telecom sector.

A government study of the medical records of 1,000 kids found no correlation between the number of vaccines a child received and his or her risk of autism spectrum disorder.

In Germany, a new political party has cropped up with one sole aim: doing away with the euro. Unlike past anti-euro parties in Europe, this one is no fringe group. NPR's Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson reports they are banking on German frustration over bailouts of eurozone countries to propel them into office in national elections this fall.

In the ongoing debate about the possible benefits of vitamin D supplements, a study suggests that the vitamin might indeed play a role in mildly reducing high blood pressure. The study was small and looked at just African-Americans, but the authors say the findings warrant further research.

From the radiant voices of a Latvian choir to a fresh young string quartet and a seasoned symphony, NPR's Tom Huizenga and host Jacki Lyden spin an eclectic mix of new classical releases.