Two houses, both alike in enmity

Israel, Iran, the US, Mexico, Canada, the Philippines, and Hungary.

“Forcibly separated by their respective tribes’ animosity, forced marriage, and years of exile into the wilderness, these two ill-fated lovers meet again for the last time before their deaths thanks to the intervention of Majnun’s elderly messenger.” Illustration from Nizami Ganjavi’s Khamsa, c. 1550-1600, illuminated manuscript, Library of Congress, Washington DC.

Hello,

Here are the five things you need to know today:

• ISRAEL. IRAN. Trump and Netanyahu come together, and apart, on Tehran.

• UNITED STATES. Washington winds the clock back on climate regulations.

• MEXICO. CANADA. Trade threats, cartel theatre and Cuba pressure test USMCA.

• THE PHILIPPINES. Diplomacy abroad, war at home.

• HUNGARY. What might follow Orbanism, for Budapest and Brussels.

Correction: yesterday's image was attributed to the wrong author and has now been updated. Thanks to eagle-eyed reader Ivo for pointing this out.

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ISRAEL. IRAN. Peace in their own time

Trump and Netanyahu come together, and apart, on Tehran.

Benjamin Netanyahu met with Donald Trump Wednesday to press Israel’s concerns over the direction of Iran talks. Trump said he “insisted” negotiations would continue. Netanyahu formally joined Trump’s “Board of Peace” initiative.

INTELLIGENCE. Netanyahu arrived to caution rather than coordinate. Israel fears Washington could settle for a quick, narrow, nuclear accord — leaving missiles, proxies, and the regime untouched. Positive public comments about initial US-Iran talks have sharpened this anxiety. Still, Trump made clear after the meeting that negotiations would proceed. If a deal could be “consummated”, that was preferable. If not, Tehran was already familiar with the price, he said.

FOR BUSINESS. Trump is portraying ambivalence. Military threats, and action, have been shown to be a genuine tool. But a deal would be preferred ahead of US midterms. Netanyahu’s political convictions, and re-election prospects, are less flexible. Regime change, or bludgeoning Iran into submission, would win votes. Netanyahu also needs a free hand in Gaza and the West Bank. He may not like the Board of Peace, but he needs to keep his enemy’s enemy close.

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UNITED STATES. Emissions possible

Washington winds the clock back on climate regulations.

The White House said it would rescind the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2009 “endangerment finding”, which underpins regulations on emissions via the Clean Air Act, calling it the “largest deregulatory action in American history”.

INTELLIGENCE. The endangerment finding is the legal basis for federal climate law.