Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Herbst.

Israel's government has passed measures to speed up settlement building in the occupied

West Bank, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will move forward on a controversial

plan to overhaul the judiciary.

In Pierce Daniel Estran has more from Jerusalem.

And Israeli official says the cabinet has granted new powers over West Bank settlement

building to a far-right pro-Settler cabinet minister Bitzel El-Smotrich.

He seeks to expand settlements, on land that Palestinians seek for their own state.

Till now, top Israeli political leadership has had to approve every step in the settlement

building process and leaders sometimes tabled projects that sparked international controversy.

Now settlement building will require fewer approvals.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he will no longer freeze a contentious

plan to overhaul the judiciary.

That is because opposition leaders have suspended negotiations to reach a consensus on the issue.

Daniel Estran, NPR News, Jerusalem.

Swiss citizens have approved a referendum aimed at reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions

by 2050.

Lisa Shline reports 59% of voters supported the so-called climate law, which will slash the

country's dependence on imported oil and gas.

Their dramatic rapidly melting glaciers in the Swiss Alps persuaded a majority of Swiss

voters.

It was time to switch from fossil fuels to renewable energies to try to stop global warming.

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