It's never too soon to get ahead on the upcoming week. Here is a look at some of the stories sure to grab headlines this week.
Edward Snowden speaks at South by Southwest. The world's most infamous traitor or famous whistleblower --depending on your view -- will take place in a Monday morning panel at the annual event. Snowden will speak via videoconference about how technology can fight surveillance. The highly anticipated discussion may be the most controversial thing to arise out of the festival where technology and music merge.
Two important Supreme Court decisions are possible. The High Court takes on campaign finance reform on Monday when it reveals its ruling on the constitutionality of limits on aggregate campaign contributions. It's all about what restrictions the constitution allots the government to impose on the role of funds in elections. Think of this as a sequel to 2010's Citizens United decision, which stated corporations have a right to spend money in elections.
The other major ruling focuses on affirmative action. The Supreme Court directly tackles the long, hotly debated topic as it takes on Michigan's affirmative action ban.
The Great Lakes State added a 2006 constitutional amendment which bans the state from accounting for race and gender "in public education, employment and contracting constitutes discrimination or preferential treatment."
Yet another winter storm targets the nation. Spring may be days away, but winter is still bitterly holding on to the country. The forecast includes snow in the northern Rockies and Sierra Nevada on Monday before moving to New England and upstate New York, according to the Weather Channel.
The third anniversary of Syria's civil war is approaching. Save the Children will release a report on the state of children in Syria Sunday night. The report will highlight how it's affected the country's youngest population.
It's time to lock up those March Madness brackets. The beginning of the annual college basketball tournament is exactly a week away. So, you have seven days to firm up your bracket, enter your office pool or prepare to avoid the entire tourney.
