Protests in Israel

Protests erupt after Netanyahu fires defense minister for judicial reform opposition, NATO condemns Putin's nuclear rhetoric, and more [What makes a subscription to The Week so valuable now? Click here.]( [The Week Logo]( [Subscribe to The Week magazine]( [Subscribe to The Week magazine]( 10 things you need to know today 1. [Netanyahu fires defense minister for opposing judicial overhaul]( Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday after Gallant called for Netanyahu's far-right government to halt its push to overhaul the judicial system, saying opposition to the plan, including within the military, threatened security. Gallant's dismissal intensified fear that Netanyahu would push through the divisive plan, [triggering massive protests]( overnight and a widespread strike, although Netanyahu reportedly is still considering whether to proceed with the changes. Netanyahu's proposal to give the government greater control over appointing judges and curb the Supreme Court's ability to overturn legislation has fueled weeks of unrest. Critics say the government's effort to weaken judicial independence amounts to an attack on the country's democracy. [[CNN]( [The Jerusalem Post]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=Netanyahu+fires+defense+minister+for+opposing+judicial+overhaul&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 2. [NATO condemns Putin's 'irresponsible' nuclear rhetoric]( NATO on Sunday called Russian President Vladimir Putin's plan to [station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus]( "dangerous and irresponsible." Ukraine condemned Putin's rhetoric, too, calling for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to address Russia's "nuclear blackmail." Putin said Saturday that his decision was similar to the United States' storing of dozens of nuclear weapons in Europe. Putin's remarks were not unexpected, but they marked an escalation of his veiled references to the possibility of a tactical nuclear strike in Ukraine, where his forces are bogged down more than a year after invading. Experts said Putin's decision marked a significant reversal from his previous boasting that unlike the U.S., Russia didn't deploy nuclear weapons in other countries. [[Reuters]( [Aljazeera]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=NATO+condemns+Putin's+'irresponsible'+nuclear+rhetoric&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) Advertisement from Wisebread [Best Rewards Card of 2023 With $200 Bonus]( [Advertisement from Wisebread]( 3. [More tornado threats hamper rescuers after deadly Mississippi, Alabama storm]( Tornado threats continued in the South on Sunday as rescuers searched for victims of a storm that crashed through Mississippi and Alabama over the weekend, leaving at least 26 people dead. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves toured areas that suffered "heartbreaking" damage after President Biden declared a major disaster. Reeves said it was inspiring to see people in hard-hit Rolling Fork stepping up to help neighbors after a powerful tornado flattened the town of 2,000. "It gives me great reason for optimism, and quite frankly makes me damn proud to be a Mississippian," Reeves said. Rescue efforts were hampered by continuing severe weather. Parts of west-central Georgia reported damage from another tornado. [[The New York Times]( [The Weather Channel]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=More+tornado+threats+hamper+rescuers+after+deadly+Mississippi,+Alabama+storm&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 4. [First Citizens acquires Silicon Valley Bank's loans, deposits]( First Citizens BancShares announced Monday that it is [buying a large part of failed Silicon Valley Bank]( which collapsed two weeks ago after a run on its deposits and triggered a crisis that spread across the banking system. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation said First Citizens, one of the largest U.S. regional banks, would acquire SVB's $72 billion in loans at a discount of $16.5 billion, $56 billion in deposits, and all 17 of its branches, which will reopen Monday under First Citizens' ownership. About $90 billion of SVB securities remain in receivership. First Citizens will get a line of credit with the FDIC and an agreement with the regulator to share losses, giving it protection from potential SVB losses. [[Reuters]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=First+Citizens+acquires+Silicon+Valley+Bank's+loans,+deposits&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) Advertisement from Wisebread [Best Rewards Card of 2023 With $200 Bonus]( [Advertisement from Wisebread]( 5. [Hong Kong sees 1st protest since China restricted rights]( About 100 people participated in a rally in Hong Kong on Sunday, the first protest since China imposed tough restrictions on the rights of people in the semi-autonomous territory. The demonstrators were marching against a land reclamation plan in the eastern part of the financial hub. Police imposed tight restrictions on the event, cordoning off protesters from the press. Participants had to wear number tags, and authorities vetted their banners ahead of time, although the demonstrators were allowed to chant slogans in opposition to the project. One demonstrator, requesting anonymity, said the conditions were "ridiculous." "I am here to join a march, not a shame parade," he said. [[BBC News]( [The Associated Press]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=Hong+Kong+sees+1st+protest+since+China+restricted+rights&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 6. [Florence officials invite Florida parents to see Michelangelo's David in person]( Officials at the Florence museum that is home to Michelangelo's Renaissance masterpiece the David on Sunday invited families from Tallahassee Classical School to visit after a sixth-grade art class was shown images of the famous statue, sparking uproar. The school's board forced Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after a parent complained, saying the nude male figure in the statue amounted to "pornography." Carrasquilla was accused of violating a school policy that requires notifying parents before "controversial" lessons. Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for Carrasquilla to visit, saying it was "ridiculous" to confuse art with pornography. [[The Associated Press]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=Florence+officials+invite+Florida+parents+to+see+Michelangelo's+David+in+person&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 7. [Elon Musk values Twitter at $20 billion in email to workers]( Elon Musk sent an email to Twitter employees over the weekend offering them stock grants valuing the social media company at about $20 billion, less than half of what he paid for it, The Information and The New York Times reported Sunday. Musk, who bought the company for $44 billion in October, made the announcement in an email about a new stock compensation program. Musk said the company remains in dire financial shape. He said at one point it was four months away from running out of money and still needed "radical changes" like more layoffs, the Times reported. "Twitter is being reshaped rapidly," Musk wrote, likening Twitter under his control to "an inverse start-up." [[The New York Times]( [The Information]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=Elon+Musk+values+Twitter+at+$20+billion+in+email+to+workers&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 8. [Italy seizes migrant-rescue ship funded by Banksy]( Italy's coast guard on Sunday seized a rescue ship funded by British street artist Banksy, accusing the crew of disobeying an order to go to Sicily under a new law adopted in Italy this year setting rules for migrant charity ships. The 100-foot-long pink and white vessel, named the Louise Michel after a French feminist anarchist, ignored the order to dock in Trapani, Sicily, and instead picked up migrants in Libya's Search and Rescue area. It then assisted people on three other migrant boats in Malta's Search and Rescue area. It docked with 178 migrants on board in Lampedusa, south of Sicily and west of Malta, where Italian authorities seized it. [[Reuters]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=Italy+seizes+migrant-rescue+ship+funded+by+Banksy&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 9. [San Diego State, Miami round out men's Final Four]( San Diego State beat Creighton to advance to the Final Four in the men's NCAA basketball tournament for the first time in the school's history. The Aztecs' Darrion Trammell made the second of two free throws with 1.2 seconds left in the South Regional final to put his team up 57-56, and Creighton didn't have enough time to score again. Miami beat Texas 88-81 in the Midwest final to qualify for its first national March Madness semifinal, rounding out a Final Four that includes UConn and Florida Atlantic. In the [women's tournament]( Iowa beat Louisville and LSU beat Miami to take the first two spots in the Final Four. [[USA Today]( [ESPN]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=San+Diego+State,+Miami+round+out+men's+Final+Four&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) 10. [John Wick: Chapter 4 dominates weekend box office]( John Wick: Chapter 4 [led the domestic box office]( over the weekend, bringing in $73.5 million in ticket sales in its debut. It was the biggest opening yet for the John Wick action franchise, beating the previous high of $56.8 million by John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum in its 2019 debut. The record continued a trend that has seen the series' opening haul rise with each new installment. The original film opened with $14 million at the domestic box office. Chapter 4 also brought in $64 million internationally, for a global total of $137.5 million. Trailing far behind, Shazam 2 dropped sharply to bring in $9.7 million in its second weekend. [[The Hollywood Reporter]( [Share to Facebook]( [Share to Twitter]( [Send in email](mailto:?Subject=John+Wick:+Chapter+4+dominates+weekend+box+office&body=Read the story here: utm_campaign=10_things_newsletter_20230327&utm_source=10_things_newsletter) [The Week's new daily puzzles are here! Click to solve.]( [Read more things you need to know at theweek.com]( MOST POPULAR [Related image]( [John Wick: Chapter 4 scores the biggest opening weekend of the series]( Brendan Morrow [Related image]( [Hong Kong sees 1st protest in years under strict guidelines]( Justin Klawans [Related image]( [Biden's pick to lead FAA withdraws nomination]( Justin Klawans [Related image]( [Actor Jonathan Majors arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman]( Brendan Morrow [Related image]( [Succession: Everything the stars and creator have said about ending the show]( Brendan Morrow [Speed reads banner] [Article image]( [Most of Silicon Valley Bank bought by First Citizens, in latest bid to contain banking crisis, FDIC says]( March 27, 2023 [Article image]( [Putin's decision to move nukes to Belarus irritated the West. Did it also 'humiliate' China?]( March 27, 2023 [Article image]( [Mass protests in Israel after Netanyahu ousts defense minister opposed to judicial overhaul]( March 27, 2023 [Article image]( [John Wick: Chapter 4 scores the biggest opening weekend of the series]( March 26, 2023 [Read more of today's best articles at theweek.com]( [What makes a subscription to The Week so valuable now? Click here.]( [Unsubscribe from this newsletter]( | [Privacy Policy]( © Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036. [The Week Logo]( [Follow The Week at Facebook.com]( [Follow The Week at Twitter.com]( [The Week magazine cover]( Subscribe to The Week [Subscribe]( [Subscribe]( [Subscribe]( [Subscriber login]( [Give a gift]( [Classroom subscriptions]( [Newsletters]( [RSS]( [Ad info]( [Privacy policy]( [Terms & conditions]( [The Week UK]( [Customer service]( [Contact Us]( [Accessibility](