Pierre Balanian

People in both countries are taking to the streets to protest against high inflation and the collapse of the local currency. Washington’s punitive measures against Syria compound the two countries’ economic crisis amid the coronavirus emergency. As people become increasingly impoverished, trafficking and smuggling grow.

Yesterday in Tripoli, in a clash between demonstrators and the army, there was one dead and 39 wounded, including 4 soldiers. The demonstrators are perhaps mercenaries. Opposition launches attack - former Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s Future Party, Walid Jumblat's Progressive Socialist Party, Samir Geagea's Lebanese Forces - against Hassan Diab's government. The governor Riad Salame considered "protector of the corrupt."

Virtual pilgrimages to the Mausoleum. Patriarch Karekine II makes a lone prayer visit. The speech of Prime Minister Pashinian. Silence, darkness and light. Turkish denial.

Bassam Al Hallak died after seven hours of agony. Nobody did anything for him, not even the UN, his son Haitham said. Unemployed for two years, he feared the epidemic would plunge his family in greater poverty. Seen as carriers of the virus, Syrian refugees endure discrimination.

Despite nine years of war, Syria seems to be most effective at dealing with COVID-19. The opposition has accused the government of hiding the real extent of the outbreak, a claim dismissed by the WHO. An Emirati prince called Assad to offer friendship and help. Some cities are on a lockdown. The epidemic is monopolising hospital services. In Aleppo, ventilators are made locally.

Christians and Muslims shut churches and mosques to pray at home. Medical staff cheered for a minute. Lebanon has many doctors but few medical facilities. The poor (70 per cent of the population) and two million Syrian and Palestinian refugees are at risk. Curfew from 7pm to 5am. Lebanese abroad (especially in Africa) kept away for fear of infections. Students in Europe are unable to receive money from banks. Hezbollah leader makes historic speech, slamming banks for clinging onto money that could become waste paper as a result of the world crisis.

Fines of up to 5 million lire (about 2500 US dollars) for restaurants, cafes or bars that welcome customers seated. Banks, pharmacies, food shops, public offices will remain open and citizens are obliged to self-isolate in the home for 14 days, with extenuating exceptions. Beirut airport could also close. Hassan Nasrallah: Christians and Muslims, stay home. God wants your health, not common prayer. The rediscovery of prayer in the family.

Closed for years, Aleppo airport reopens tomorrow. In response to Turkish threats, the Syrian President said that “the battle to liberate the countryside of Aleppo and Idleb will continue regardless”.

Two days after Vladimir Putin visited the war-torn country, Russia and Turkey reach a truce in Idlib, but one full of contradictions according to various observers. Jihadi mercenaries leaving Idlib and east of the Euphrates continue to move to Libya via Turkey.

The Turkish president wants to establish an (economic) caliphate in Libya where the Ottoman Empire began its implosion. “Ataturk was wounded in Libya,” he said. The Turkish parliament is set to vote 2 January on sending troops to Libya. However, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt and Libyans themselves are against it. Erdogan's only ally is Qatar. Sunnis are divided.

Syrian media report advances by the Syrian army against terrorist stronghold. The Syrian army attacked on land, Russian ships fired rockets from the sea, and Russian planes struck from the sky. Rebels fired at villages and Aleppo’s Al Layramoun district, killing 14 civilians, 5 children included. At least 302 people died in rebel-held areas.

David Hale has come with several demands to help Lebanon in crisis: a technocratic government, agreement on maritime and land borders with Israel, and a government with Nawaf Salam, not Hariri. More and more incidents are triggering clashes between Sunnis and Shias. Shia and Sunni clerics reject provocations. Violence broke out in Tripoli.