Snowstorms, Diamond Heists, and Celebrating Holi

Snow Season Continues

California's Sierra Nevada received another batch of heavy snow yesterday, just over a week after parts of the state were buried under 6 feet of precipitation. This latest round—which is expected to transition to heavy rain today and into the weekend—may hamper efforts to dig out from historic snowfalls in recent weeks. Across the northern central US, a separate system stretching from Wyoming to Michigan could drop up to a foot of snow.

California's mountain ranges have seen a total of 48 feet of snow so far this winter, partly the result of nine atmospheric rivers battering the region since December. Also known as "rivers of the sky," the phenomena are narrow, 1,000-mile-long conduits of warm, tropical air tending to track jet streams toward the poles (see explainer). The area could also see flash floods as heavy rains melt the several-foot thick snowpack. 

Snow in the Plains and Midwest will likely disrupt major cities like Chicago and Detroit, while Minneapolis approaches one of the snowiest seasons on record. The same system could also cause flash flooding in many areas of the South. See national weather charts here. 

Israel's 'Day of Resistance' 

Protestors in Israel are set to carry out a planned “day of resistance” today, the latest in ongoing demonstrations over proposed changes to the country’s judicial system. Reports suggest the protests are Israel's biggest in a decade, with hundreds of thousands of people taking part. 

Spearheaded by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the overhaul would give the government control over selection and dismissal of judges, allow lawmakers to override Supreme Court decisions with a simple majority, and more (see overview). Israel has a history of judicial reforms—and lacks a formal constitution like the US—and proponents of the bill argue changes made in 1992 yielded too much power to the Supreme Court. Others have argued the proposal may allow Netanyahu to avoid a conviction in his ongoing corruption trial. 

The protests forced US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to cut a trip to Tel Aviv short, where he was meeting with Israeli officials to address escalating hostilities in the West Bank. 

'The (Near) Perfect Crime'

A Belgian appeals court yesterday acquitted the last four suspects who had been charged for their involvement in looting millions of dollars worth of diamonds at the Brussels international airport in 2013. The court ruled the investigation wasn't sufficiently reliable, allowing the four suspects to walk free. 

Only one person has been convicted and sentenced to five years in prison, while another 18 were acquitted in 2018. A small portion of the loot, estimated to be about $67M in 2013, was recovered. 

The February 2013 robbery, which took less than five minutes, was likened to the Hollywood film "Oceans Eleven" for its clean execution, with no lives harmed. Eight thieves dressed as heavily armed police officers cut through security fences at Brussels airport and headed for a Swiss-bound plane, where they stole 120 parcels of gems from the nearby Antwerp global diamond hub. The 29 passengers on the plane were reportedly unaware of what was happening.  

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Politics & World Affairs

In-Depth

> The Panopticon

Aeon | Myles Zhang. For almost 20 years, British philosopher and social theorist Jeremy Bentham was preoccupied with designing a cheaper, more efficient, and more humane prison. (Watch)

> Gen Z's Dating Revolution

Insider | Daniel Cox. Today's young adults are revolutionizing the dating scene by finding romantic relationships within their social circles rather than with strangers. (Read)

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