Yesterday’s conviction of Israel’s former-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of bribery is covered by the Financial Times, Telegraph, Independent, Times, Independent i and the online edition of the Guardian. In a dramatic and scathing verdict, a Tel Aviv court ruled that Olmert had personally received round £96,000 during his time as Jerusalem Mayor to smooth over construction of the prominent ‘Holyland’ real estate project. Olmert will be sentenced later this month, but is expected to face a prison term, effectively ending any hopes he harboured of making a political comeback.

The online editions of the Guardian and Times both report that US Secretary of State John Kerry made a sudden return to Israel and the Palestinian territories last night in a bid to broker an agreement to continue peace talks. Progress has stalled over Israel’s scheduled release of a fourth and final batch of Palestinian prisoners, which Israel agreed in order to allow the resumption of peace talks in July. Israeli leaders want a Palestinian commitment to continue negotiations before the release.  However, the Palestinian Authority (PA) insists Israel must fulfil its commitment to free prisoners regardless. The BBC and Guardian online both report a suggestion that the United States is considering releasing convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard to help smooth a resolution to the impasse.

The Times online reports that more than 1,000 people have been killed or injured in Syria during a vicious battle near President Assad’s hometown in the Latakia province between Assad’s forces and Islamist opposition groups seeking his downfall.

The online editions of the Guardian and the Times say that Prime Minister David Cameron has ordered an urgent investigation, including an MI6 probe, into the activities of the Muslim Brotherhood in the UK. It comes following claims that since being ousted from power in Egypt last summer, the Muslim Brotherhood is planning its international response from London, with a flat in Cricklewood the possible hub of its activities.

The Israeli media this morning is firmly dominated by yesterday’s conviction of Ehud Olmert. Both Yediot Ahronot and Israel Hayom have produced enlarged editions this morning to accommodate their extensive coverage of the story. It is also the headline item in Haaretz and Maariv-NRG, which both stress that not only Olmert but other senior political and business figures such as former-Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski and former Bank Hapoalim chairman Danny Dankner were also convicted. There is consequently significant comment on the verdict, with Yediot Ahronot’s Sima Kadmon’s writing that “the magnitude of the shock cannot be overstated” after the judge outlined a world in which, “People who were supposed to serve the public to the best of their ability and who only thought about what was best for them.”

In other news, Israel Radio reports this morning on John Kerry’s sudden visit to the region to resolve the impasse in peace negotiations, saying that Kerry will meet again this morning with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, following lengthy talks last night. Meanwhile, Maariv-NRG covers suggestions that a resolution to the stalemate could involve the release of Jonathan Pollard by the United States. However, Israel Radio news says that from an American perspective there would need to be real agreement on extending talks for Pollard’s release to take place. Yediot Ahronot speculates that if Pollard is freed, Israel may need to agree to release high-profile Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti, currently serving five life sentences for the murder of Israelis.