Syrians struggle with acute food insecurity

Syrians are struggling with an acute food crisis as the country's staple food rationing system could hardly meet people's basic needs experiencing years of conflict and foreign occupation.

Once a thriving exporter of wheat and other foods, Syria is now grappling with the challenge of feeding its own people. The latest report from the World Food Programme (WFP) shows that approximately 55 percent of Syria's population, which equates to 12.9 million people, are facing food insecurity, with 3.1 million of those individuals severely affected. 

Despite the ongoing fuel crisis in the country, the machinery at government-operated bread supply points remains in operation around the clock, which are the primary source of the staple food for all Syrians. 

The unique Syrian flatbread is a dietary staple for local people every day. However, this essential food is now in short supply.

Two years ago, the Syrian government introduced a system where each family is issued a smart card to regulate the purchase of Syrian flatbread. 

"A family can buy up to four bags of bread per week, and it's only available for purchase on Tuesdays and Thursdays, not on any other days," said Ziyad, head of a bread supply station in Damascus.

This rationing system means that an adult is limited to a maximum of two flatbreads per day. But many ordinary Syrian families have little access to meat or vegetables, relying almost exclusively on bread.  As a result, undernourishment is a widespread issue in the country.

"Flatbread is a staple food for us. The country is sparing no effort to provide it for us, but it's not enough to feed all of us," said a local resident Fatima.

Prior to the Syrian crisis, the country's annual wheat production was around six million tons. That figure has now dropped dramatically to 500,000 tons, a mere tenth of the pre-crisis levels. 

Several factors contribute to this decline, including the reduction in the agricultural workforce due to the conflict and the scarcity of production equipment. However, the Syrian government attributes a significant portion of the food crisis to the occupation of the country's wheat-producing regions by foreign forces.

Syrians struggle with acute food insecurity

China's Shenzhou-18 crew members on the Tiangong Space Station are preparing for their second extravehicular activities (EVAs) by conducting training that includes science experiments and orbital maneuvers.

Astronauts Ye Guangfu, Li Cong, and Li Guangsu have completed one-third of their six-month mission with stable physical and operational conditions in orbit, since they aboarded the Tiangong two month ago.

During their training, the astronauts used advanced remotely control systems for rendezvous and docking operations on in-orbit training systems and metacognitive training systems, practicing skills such as recognizing images, manual docking, remote docking, and safely undocking of the spacecraft under different initial conditions.

Throughout the training, the astronauts monitored the orientation and relative distance and speed of target spacecraft on screens, practicing precise control of the speed and orientation using specialized handles.

Last week, the crew also underwent exercise-based cardiopulmonary function tests. These tests assess the cardiovascular and respiratory capabilities needed for upcoming spacewalks, using methods to simulate exercise-induced metabolic demands.

The Shenzhou-18 crew was launched into space on April 25, as the third manned mission during the application and development stage of China's space station and the 32nd flight mission of the country's manned space program overall.

The crew members completed their first spacewalk on May 28, according to the China Manned Space Agency.

China's Shenzhou-18 crew trains for 2nd spacewalk