The implications of Russia’s engagement in Syria are widely covered this morning. The Independent and the online edition of the Financial Times both report that a rare meeting will take place between US President Obama and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in New York on the eve of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly next week. Both articles speculate that the two leaders may agree to some sort of accommodation over Syria. A separate piece in the Financial Times comments on the intrigue surrounding Putin’s upcoming speech at the UN General Assembly on Monday, with speculation that he may suggest an accommodation in Syria which involves linkage to the situation in Ukraine. Meanwhile, the Telegraph online reports that Russia is planning military drills in the eastern Mediterranean.

The Telegraph online also covers comments by Germany’s Chancellor Angela Merkel, who said that the West will have to engage with Syria’s President Assad and other regional stakeholders such as Iran and Saudi Arabia if it wishes to end the Syrian Civil War.

In Syria itself, the Times online reports that government forces have dropped at least 13 crude barrel bombs on the historic city of Palmyra, damaging some of the priceless antiquities there. The city was recently captured by ISIS. The Independent online covers comments by a Syrian Kurdish leader, who said that although he is opposed to the Assad regime, its defeat to Islamists such as ISIS would be a “disaster for everyone.”

The Guardian, Telegraph and Independent i all cover an argument in Israel between Transport Minister Israel Katz and the head of the Civil Aviation Authority over the wedding last night of supermodel Bar Refaeli. The Civil Aviation Authority had agreed to temporarily close air space over the wedding venue, to ensure drones for photographs, a hot air balloon and a helicopter in which Refaeli and her husband were to arrive. However, Katz insisted that air space is a public area and threatened to fire the head of the Authority if the closure went ahead.

In the Israeli media, Maariv and Yediot Ahronot lead with yesterday’s unanimous approval by the security cabinet to adopt new measures combatting rock and firebomb attacks, following a spate of incidents in recent weeks targeting Israelis in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The new measures include a minimum four-year sentence and a relaxation in the rules of engagement for servicemen, which under some circumstances can include the use of live fire. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “We intend to change the norm that has taken root here, that these lethal and murderous objects can be thrown in the State of Israel with no response or prevention.” However, Israel Radio news reports comments made by opposition leader and Zionist Union head Isaac Herzog, who called the decision too little, too late and a mere attempt to create favourable headlines.

The other major item, covered prominently by Yediot Ahronot, Maariv and Israel Hayom is the ongoing search for a new head of Israel’s police force. Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan was this week forced to withdraw the controversial appointment of former IDF Brigadier General Gal Hirsch, due to Hirsch’s involvement in arms trading following his military career. However, there appears to be no obvious alternative, although Erdan is reportedly determined to appoint a figure from outside the police force, which has been mired in scandal in recent years.

Meanwhile, Maariv suggests that Jordan’s King Abdullah refused a meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu due to recent violence at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Netanyahu yesterday publicly reiterated that Israel has no intention of altering the status quo at the site.