In the aftermath of the Palestinian Authority (PA) application for membership of 15 global bodies, which looks to have scuppered a deal to extend peace negotiations, the Financial Times says that US Secretary of State John Kerry is still battling to keep the talks alive. The Telegraph and the Times include similar articles, the latter describing the negotiations as being “on the brink.” The Guardian too covers the downturn in talks, describing Kerry as seemingly more engaged in the prospect of peace talks than the two sides themselves. In an analysis in the Times, David Taylor predicts that Kerry will end up with “much talk and little action” through his efforts.

The online editions of the Guardian, Financial Times and the Times report that a double bombing yesterday outside Cairo University killed a senior Egyptian police officer. The attack, thought to be the work of armed Islamists, is the first major incident since General al-Sisi launched his campaign to become president in a poll in late May. Meanwhile, the Guardian online says that the Muslim Brotherhood released a statement through a London lawyer saying that it could launch legal proceedings against the UK government, if the investigation into the Muslim Brotherhood’s activities announced earlier this week, results in a restriction on its activities.

The Independent and the online editions of the Guardian and Times all report that several US senators have called for Iran’s newly appointed ambassador to the United Nations to be denied a visa to the United States, after it was revealed that the envoy played an active role in the two-year long hostage taking ordeal suffered by American embassy workers in Tehran beginning in 1979.

The Independent online includes an interview with the leader of a Western-backed armed group in Syria, the Syrian Revolutionary Front, who says that his troops fight alongside Islamist groups including Al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra.

In the Israeli media, the lead story is a meeting which took place yesterday between Israel’s lead negotiator Tzipi Livni, her Palestinian counterpart Saeb Erekat and US special envoy Martin Indyk, in what Makor Rishon calls an “emergency” meeting to “salvage” negotiations. Yediot Ahronot, Maariv-NRG and Israel Hayom all publish similar headlines, indicating that the meeting was held in an effort to save the talks. Haaretz says the United States is angry with both Israel and the PA over the current impasse. Writing in Israel Hayom, Yoav Limor says that Israeli security officials don’t believe that the Palestinian leadership is intending to force a breakdown in negotiations. However, the Walla news site reports the exact opposite, saying that Israeli officials believe that a collapse is exactly PA President Abbas’ intention.

Meanwhile, Israel Radio news says that Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has claimed that relations between Israel and Turkey will soon be renewed. He said that progress has been made over an apology and compensation for the families of those killed on board the Mavi Marmara Gaza protest ship in 2009, when activists attempted to prevent Israeli commandos from boarding. Davutoglu is one of several senior Turkish leaders over the past few weeks to herald an imminent deal between Israel and Turkey.