Weekly News Briefs from New York Times

TO: Deirdre Frontczak

FROM: Mallory Hansen
DATE: April 18, 2017
SUBJECT: Highlights of the New York Times for April 5-17, 2017

Its Frances Turn to Worry About Election Meddling by Russia (Higgins, Andrew.
Monday, April 17, 2017, Europe)
Francois Fillon has had a surprising increase in support over the last month in opinion
polls and is now the lead as of this past Sunday. Russia has made it clear that they are
backing two candidates, Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen, both who have close
relations with Putin.
Claims of false news and hacks on opponents computers have made people very
unsettled about the upcoming election due to the resemblance of the United States
election. Sputnik News states that they are presenting Russias take on events not creating
false news.
French citizens eagerly wait to see the results of the first round of presidential elections,
which will be held this Sunday. Supporters of the liberal front-runner candidate question
Russias interference in their campaign while similar situations unfolding about the
United States election.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/17/world/europe/french-election-
russia.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fworld&action=click&contentCollectio
n=world&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtyp
e=sectionfront

A Homebody President Sits Out His Honeymoon Period (Davis, Julie Hirschfeld.
Sunday, April 16, 2017, Politics)
The first 100 days of a new presidents term is typically a crucial time to rally
support and prove themselves and their plans as beneficial to the American people.
At this point in presidency, Obama had made nine out of state appearances and
taken 3 overseas trips and George W. Bush had visited 23 states by mid-April.
Mr. Trump has not traveled west of the Mississippi or abroad since his time in office.
This is a risky strategy for Trump deciding to not travel, strive for the support of the
public, or promote his political agendas.
With no announcement of big policy initiatives, the White House comments that he
is putting traveling on the back burner while he focuses on the ambitious United
States agenda and reversing Obama-era regulations and policies.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/us/politics/travel-trump-obama-
bush.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fus&action=click&contentCollection=us
&region=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=12&pgtype=sec
tionfront

Antarctic Ice Reveals Earths Accelerating Plant Growth (Zimmer, Carl. Wednesday,
April 5, 2017, Science)
 Science has proven that in order for plants to grow, they must go through a process
called photosynthesis, which combines carbon dioxide, sunlight, water and
nutrients from the soil to produce glucose.
Scientists have recently discovered that air bubbles that have been continuously
getting trapped in ice in Antarctica, which have preserved a variety of samples of the
atmosphere over time. Through analyzing the ice, discoveries have shown that
plants have grown at a much faster rate in the last century than at any other time in
the last 54,000 years.
Plants destroy a chemical called carbonyl sulfide found in the atmosphere, so as
plants grow there is less carbonyl sulfide. However, since the Industrial Revolution,
humans have increased carbonyl sulfide into the atmosphere through
manufacturing plants. This being said, the levels of carbonyl sulfide in the
atmosphere have remained steady due to the offsetting balance that the increase of
plants can reduce carbonyl sulfide at a quicker rate.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/05/science/carbon-dioxide-plant-growth-antarctic-
ice.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fearth&action=click&contentCollection=e
arth&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=s
ectionfront

Wine Industry Finds a Companion in a Competitor: Marijuana (Asimov, Eric. Friday,

April 14, 2017, Food)
For several years, recreational use of marijuana has been legal in Colorado, Oregon,
and Washington. In these states, there has been a decrease in sales within the
alcohol industry mainly in the beer and liquor industry.
With the legalization of marijuana on the most recent ballot, California wineries are
not beginning to panic. Individuals in the wine industry feel that wine and week can
coexist in harmony. These individuals see alcohol and marijuana, not as an
intoxicant but a flavor and taste that is very distinguishable.
Collaboration is viewed as a likely scenario. Companies provide the entire
experience with food, wine and cannabis. The commercial use of weed wine is also
in the rise, which has been created by a Spanish wine that had been fermented with
marijuana. The combination of wine and marijuana are predicted to have large
impacts on areas of regulation, tourism, and hospitality.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/14/dining/wine-marijuana-cannabis-
industry.html?ref=dining