BBC News, The Guardian, The Times and The Financial Times report on US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that Iran has allowed al-Qaeda to establish a base in the country. Pompeo told reporters yesterday: “Unlike in Afghanistan, when al-Qaeda was hiding in the mountains, al-Qaeda today is operating under the hard shell of the Iranian regime’s protection.” Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif rebuffed the claims, writing on twitter: “From designating Cuba to fictitious Iran ‘declassifications’ and AQ claims, Mr. ‘we lie, cheat, steal’ is pathetically ending his disastrous career with more warmongering lies. No one is fooled. All 9/11 terrorists came from @SecPompeo’s favourite ME destinations; NONE from Iran.” Pompeo also confirmed long standing reports that senior al-Qaeda member Abu Mohammed al-Mari was assassinated in Tehran last summer.

BBC News and The Guardian report that an Egyptian court has overturned the prison sentences of two women convicted of posting videos that “breached public morals” on the popular social media platform TikTok. While the women were acquitted of charges, they are still required to pay fines nearing £15,300.

Sumaya Bakhsh writes for BBC News about the 27-year-old man name Hamad who set himself on fire in Kuwait last December. The act sent shockwaves across the country because Kuwait “seems an unlikely setting for the kind of desperate circumstances that would push someone to carry out such an extreme act. But Hamad is a member of Kuwait’s stateless Bidun. Bidun is Arabic for ‘without’ – without nationality, which for members of the community means facing restricted access to wider society; without status, meaning tougher paths to education, medical care and employment. And – tragically for Hamad and his family – without hope.”

BBC News reports that Tunisia has ordered a four-day nationwide lockdown to stem the growing spread of COVID-19 across the country. The government has avoided imposing a national lockdown up to now, but the country is facing an increasing infection rate with 300 confirmed daily cases. Since the start of the pandemic the country has seen 160,000 confirmed cases and more than 5,000 deaths.

The Telegraph reports that Oman has appointed its first crown prince as part of the country’s new reforms of its succession laws. Thirty-year-old Dhi Yazan will succeed Sultan Haitham bin Tariq al-Said. Yazan is a graduate of Oxford University and previously served as minister for sport, culture, and youth, and held a positing at the country’s embassy in London. The reforms were announced this week, a year after the death of Sultan Qaboos, who fathered no children and designated no successor.

The Telegraph reports on the different approaches the UK and Israel have taken in their vaccination programmes. The paper notes that in the UK “thousands of pensioners have received bewildering letters from the NHS, asking them to drive for up to 45 minutes to receive a coronavirus vaccine. The letters are often delayed, do not arrive at all, or may even land on the doorstep of someone who has passed away. But 3,000 miles away in Israel, a radically different approach has led to 20 per cent of the population receiving the jab – and without healthcare workers needing to lick a single envelope. The paperless system uses a text messaging service, mobile phone app and a cohort of multilingual health workers to badger patients into booking a vaccine appointment as soon as possible.”

Reuters reports that France has condemned Israel’s plans to advance the construction of 800 homes in the West Bank. In a statement, the French Foreign Ministry called “on the parties to avoid any unilateral measures that could jeopardise the two-state solution founded on international law and agreed parameters.”

The Telegraph reports on the sentencing of a Turkish evangelical sex cult leader. Adnan Oktar was handed a one thousand year prison term by a Turkish court for crimes including sexual assault, sexual abuse of children, fraud and espionage. Oktar promoted creationism and was known for “surrounding himself with scantily dressed women whom he called his ‘kittens’.”

The Independent reports that despite a UN embargo, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) delivered aid to Benghazi on a US-sanctioned Syrian airline. Experts claim that the same plane was used to transport fighters and weapons into Libya. The WFP delivered 16 tonnes of emergency medicine and medical supply from the UAE to Benghazi as part of the UN’s emergency response initiative.

The Guardian reports that the UK spent “£2.4m over the last four years to help Saudi Arabia’s military comply with international humanitarian law – during which time the Gulf state has been accused of indiscriminately bombing and killing Yemeni civilians… the campaign group which helped uncover the figures said the revelation embroiled the UK in ‘the world’s worst humanitarian crisis’ where thousands of civilians have been killed since the civil war in Yemen began in March 2015, largely from indiscriminate bombing by a Saudi-led coalition, supplied by western arms makers.”

The Times reports on Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s efforts to improve relations with the European Union in light of the country’s economic struggles. Erdogan has reportedly offered to commence talks with Greece over tensions in the Mediterranean Sea. The paper notes: “The sharp shift in Mr Erdogan’s normally acerbic strongman’s rhetoric came after the EU threatened to impose sanctions over Ankara’s Mediterranean expeditions, which have dragged in various states including France, which sent warships to the sea for military exercises with the Greek navy, and led to an accidental collision between Greek and Turkish frigates in August.”

Reuters reports that Egypt is the latest country to open its airspace to Qatar. This comes after Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt ended their boycott of Qatar. Egypt’s national carrier is due to resume flights to Qatar beginning on 18 January while Qatar Airways plans to restart flights to Cairo on Friday.

All the Israeli media cover the death of Sheldon Adelson. Yediot Ahronot quotes US President Donald Trump, “Sheldon lived the true American dream. His ingenuity, genius, and creativity earned him immense wealth, but his character and philanthropic generosity his great name. Sheldon was true to his family, his country, and all those that knew him. The world has lost a great man. He will be missed.” Israel Hayom, the paper owned by Adelson, includes a range of high-profile obituaries, including from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who wrote, “It is difficult to describe what Sheldon did for the Jewish people and for Israel. Sheldon was one of the biggest donors in the history of the Jewish people. He gave to Zionism, to the settlements, and to the state of Israel. He made enormous financial contributions to many institutions – to medical and scientific research, to higher education.” Haaretz questions whether “the passing of the casino mogul, political megadonor and major force in the world of Jewish philanthropy marks the end of the Adelson era altogether or merely signals the beginning of a new chapter.” The paper notes the role of his widow, Dr. Miriam Adelson, “when it came to giving away their fortune to political and philanthropic causes, the Adelsons absolutely worked as a team, with Miriam actively involved – and, in some cases, the person driving their decisions.” Adelson would have been called as a witness in Netanyahu’s trial, connected to allegations of media manipulation in Case 2000. Kan Radio News notes legal experts said the decision not to take pre-trial testimony from Sheldon Adelson despite his failing health, which the State Attorney’s Office knew about, was a mistake. The State Attorney’s Office said they paid ongoing attention to the matter and that they knew about Adelson’s failing health, but they decided not to summon him to give pre-trial testimony.