Israel passes reform law despite mass protests

Israeli MPs have passed into law a highly controversial bill despite mass protests which aimed to thwart it. The law removes the power of the Supreme Court to overrule government actions it considers unreasonable. It is the first to be approved in a series of bitterly contested reforms aimed at curbing the power of courts. The planned reforms have triggered some of the biggest protests in Israel's history, with opponents warning they imperil Israel as a democracy.