Residents in Syria expect sufficient basic services amid uncertainty

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Residents in Syria expect sufficient basic services amid uncertainty

2024-12-16 17:12 Last Updated At：21:17

Residents in Syria's second-largest city Aleppo are seeing their lives start to return to normal after the fall of the Assad government, focusing on the availability of basic services and hoping for a better future despite the uncertainty ahead.

Syrian armed opposition forces, led by Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of Damascus on Dec 8, ending over five decades of the Assad family rule. The rapid change of political landscape in Syria sparked uncertainty about the country's future.

Since the outbreak of the Syrian conflict, Aleppo, which was considered the economic engine of the country, has faced great difficulties with a major shortage of basic services such as electricity and water.

Some Syrians believe that it will take time for the situation to improve but remain positive about the future.

"Talking about the subjects of humanitarian and services and day-to-day needs is premature because it has been a short time since we got rid of the previous government. But we are optimistic about the coming days, and there is a popular desire to change the current reality to a better future," said a Aleppo resident.

Some locals expressed concern over the shortage of basic supplies and the fluctuating cost of living.

"The difficulties are many and cannot be counted, which is the availability of basic necessities that were denied to us and were not given enough attention (to its quality), such as bread, gas, mazut (fuel oil), water, even heating and transport and other things we were denied of," said a Syrian woman.

"The prices are somehow at average. There is an increase in vegetable prices and a decrease in fruit prices. We have not had water for three days. This is the fourth day without water. Today, we were given electricity. There is a decrease in prices and availability of bread, but domestic cooking gas prices have increased, and mazut (fuel oil) is not available," a man said.

Despite issues with water and power supply, some locals in Aleppo consider the current situation to be acceptable.

"The situation is a little better than before, but the traders are not merciful to us. The electricity providers with private generators are not merciful to anyone. The price of an ampere is 100,000 lira (about seven U.S. dollars), and we have been out of work for a while. Electricity and water pose problems, but things are good overall," said another Aleppo resident.

The situation in Syria has undergone a dramatic shift in recent days. Mohammed al-Bashir, head of the "Syrian Salvation Government" in Idlib formed in 2017 by the HTS and other Syrian militant groups during the Syrian civil war, announced on Dec 10 that he has been tasked with heading a transitional government in Syria until early March 2025.

Giant pandas in Macao capture hearts of visitors

2024-12-16 17:32 Last Updated At：21:07

A panda family of four in Macao has won the hearts of an increasing number of people with their fluffy appearance and adorable behaviors, attracting 290,000 visitors last year.

A pair of giant pandas Kaikai and Xinxin were chosen as a gift of the central government to the Macao Special Administrative Region in 2015. They gave birth to twin brothers Jianjian and Kangkang in Macao in 2016. The panda family is now living a happy and leisured life.

"This is our Kangkang, the younger twin. He's a little smaller in size and has a more pointed face, just like his dad Kaikai. He's also very smart and always gains affection of his breeders by acting in a cutesy manner," said a panda caretaker.

In the panda pavilion, Macao's Seac Pai Van Park, the panda family receives attentive care from their zoo keepers. They enjoy fresh local bamboo, fruit, and high-fiber biscuits every day, with special fruit and bamboo cakes on their birthdays.

"They're actually quite familiar with us. Since they're now adult pandas, we can't interact with them the same way we did when they were younger, like being in the same space. However, we still have regular interactions, such as touching them safely, which they seem to enjoy. Sometimes we clean biscuit crumbs off their mouth or nose. This helps them get used to our voices and smells, building their trust in us, which makes it easier to carry out medical checks for them," said the caretaker.

As the 25th anniversary of Macao's return to China draws near, an increasing number of locals are visiting the park to see the panda family, wishing for them to thrive in Macao and bring even more happiness to the people, just as their names suggest.