The Guardian reports that US Secretary of State John Kerry met for two hours yesterday with Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Zarif and although no concrete progress was made, both sides brought additional experts to the meeting as efforts gather pace to agree an outline to a deal on Iran’s nuclear programme before the end of March. The Times also reports the Kerry-Zarif meeting but highlights comments made by Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who described the talks as “astonishing” given that a recent International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report said that Iran has not complied with its commitment to transparency over its atomic development.

The Times online also suggests that Iran’s spy chief, Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Sulemani will oversee an attack on ISIS forces in the Iraqi city of Tikrit, which will also involve US air support. The article says the impending offensive on Tikrit is the strongest indication yet of US-Iranian military cooperation regarding ISIS.

The Guardian online reports that Jerusalem’s Mayor Nir Barkat yesterday helped put an end to a terrorist stabbing attack in the centre of the city. An 18-year-old Palestinian stabbed an ultra-Orthodox man at a junction, who was lightly wounded and then attempted to attack others. However, Mayor Barkat happened to be passing the scene with his convoy and exited the vehicle with his bodyguard, helping to subdue and apprehend the attacker.

The Guardian also reports the account of a 14-year-old Palestinian girl who was held in Israeli detention for 44 days for throwing stones at Israeli vehicles and for possession of a knife. She claims that she was intimidated into signing a Hebrew affidavit which she did not properly understand with the false promise that she would be released. The legal system in the West Bank is operated by Israel’s military and not the same civilian courts which administer justice within the pre-1967 borders.

The Telegraph online covers comments made yesterday by Israel’s police chief Yohanan Danino, who said that there is sufficient evidence to open a formal investigation into wrongdoing regarding expenditure of public money at the Netanyahu family’s homes in Jerusalem and Ceasarea. The State Comptroller issued a report last week on the matter and referred some items to the Attorney General, who is expected this week to make a decision on whether to conduct criminal proceedings. In the meantime, the police gathered damning evidence from a former employee at the Netanyahus’ Jerusalem home.

In the Israeli media, the top story in Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom is the stabbing incident in Jerusalem yesterday, which saw Mayor Nir Barkat help in overpowering and subduing the terrorist. It is also a major item in Maariv and Haaretz. The front page headline in Israel Hayom quotes Barkat, saying, “There can be no hesitation when facing a terrorist.” Israel Radio news quotes Defence Minister Moshe Ya’alon, who said Israel will act with determination against such attacks.

Maariv leads with a piece by lead columnist Ben Caspit who claims that the Likud election campaign has veered off course following the State Comptroller’s report into the alleged excessive expenditure of public money on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s homes. Caspit also predicts that another State Comptroller report, this time on Israel’s housing situation, will be damaging to Netanyahu and Likud. The report is expected to be published soon and Caspit says it “will place emphasis for the first time since the election campaign begun on social and economic issues. Netanyahu has nothing to say for himself on those issues. He is going to be exposed in his disgrace.”

Israel Radio news reports that there was disappointment overnight as the Israeli film Aya, nominated for an Academy Award as best live-action short film, did not win an Oscar.