SYRIANNEWS — broadcast
20260806 030000 UTC
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[00:00:09] Welcome to this episode of the Astoria program and to
[00:00:13] the headlines. Widespread interaction with the extension
[00:00:18] you for but do not of the currency exchange deadline in Al-Jazeera governorate.
[00:00:21] Welcome to the opening of Deir Ezzor International Airport after a hiatus of
[00:00:24] 14 years. Commendation
[00:00:27] for the efforts of the Criminal Investigations Department after the arrest
[00:00:30] of a real estate fraud
[00:00:32] may God make it a good omen for gang in Hama.
[00:00:46] 16 billion old Syrian pounds were exchanged in Raqqa governorate
[00:00:49] the day before yesterday, after the deadline for currency exchange was extended
[00:00:53] until tomorrow, in response to widespread demands
[00:00:56] for an extension of the deadline.
[00:01:00] which was scheduled to end on July
[00:01:03] 30th. With the extension, banks
[00:01:06] and post offices continue to receive large numbers of
[00:01:10] citizens, in conjunction with the continued provision
[00:01:13] of facilities until the end of the new
[00:01:15] deadline. So how
[00:01:17] one, you would fall into trouble and they would take you to did the reviewers evaluate the
[00:01:20] after 14 years of extension decision?
[00:01:23] The currency exchange deadline is good
[00:01:26] for the people. They now have a whole week. Those who couldn't exchange
[00:01:30] can now exchange all their currency. There's a lot of traffic
[00:01:33] at all the banks
[00:01:37] that this and all the banks are exchanging. There isn't a single bank that isn't exchanging all the currency.
[00:01:40] And thank God, the deadline is very good.
[00:01:43] And whoever can now exchange their currency before the entire
[00:01:47] deadline ends.
[00:01:50] The new deadline ends tomorrow and currency can be exchanged
[00:01:54] We are on a field visit with either in cash or through deposits in Sham Cash
[00:01:57] accounts. However, some citizens believe that
[00:02:01] the one-week deadline was not sufficient and are demanding
[00:02:04] another
[00:02:06] extension.
[00:02:08] Honestly, a week is not enough because people first of all don't have enough means
[00:02:12] to communicate about this issue. Secondly, they didn't have an idea
[00:02:16] about the deadline in general. Most people don't have an idea about this issue, you know
[00:02:19] what I mean? And some people, by God, like to save. So a week
[00:02:23] is not enough. I mean, they extended the period, they should have extended it for as long
[00:02:26] as the previous one, at least.
[00:02:31] As for Raqqa, the post office branch in the city
[00:02:34] witnessed a large crowd amidst popular demands
[00:02:41] There are many to Damascus trip from six hours on for government intervention to alleviate the pressure on citizens, in conjunction with a field
[00:02:43] follow-up conducted by the Deputy Governor and the General Manager
[00:02:47] ignited the energy of of the Syrian Post Corporation.
[00:02:50] Let's watch.
[00:03:10] items and not announcing he saw him crying because he did not
[00:03:18] Investigation Branch in Hama People, people, we are working
[00:03:22] that specializes in seizing 13 counters. Those who have a Sham Cash
[00:03:24] account, we deposit to them immediately. Those who have a Sham
[00:03:27] Cash account, good.
[00:03:31] But what caused this large crowd at the Raqqa
[00:03:34] post office specifically? This is due to a number of
[00:03:38] reasons, such as the coincidence of currency exchange operations with
[00:03:42] the payment of retirees' salaries at the same center.
[00:03:45] To address the crowding, several
[00:03:48] measures were taken. We are witnessing an increase in working
[00:03:52] continuous, meaning joint patrols with hours until 7:30 PM at the minimum,
[00:03:54] tourism, patrols with supply, with meaning if a citizen is still there at 7:30 and the hall is full,
[00:03:57] they will not close until they finish, which could be until 12 AM. But
[00:04:00] we went out so that if there are no citizens,
[00:04:03] we close the Raqqa Post Office in Al-Sabkha, Tal Abyad, Al-Jerniah,
[00:04:07] Debsi Afnan, in all the rural areas and the office, and the Director
[00:04:10] of the main Raqqa Post Office No. 2. We increased the counters. We have 13 counters,
[00:04:14] meaning even retirees' salaries today, we delayed
[00:04:17] he's fully recovered. He won't leave them. We told them, people, let's have two days of payments for currency exchange so that the counters
[00:04:21] work
[00:04:23] the base. well
[00:04:24] for exchange.
[00:04:29] Also,
[00:04:32] carry out these operations? We heard in the deposit limit via the Sham Cash application was raised to 250
[00:04:35] thousand new Syrian pounds, equivalent to
[00:04:38] 25 million old Syrian pounds, after it was
[00:04:42] 10 million. Also, the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria,
[00:04:47] We were surprised by the good Mohammed Safwat Raslan, announced an extension of the currency exchange
[00:04:50] deadline in the governorates of Raqqa, Deir Ezzor,
[00:04:53] and Hasakah until Thursday, the 20th of
[00:04:57] the current month, i.e., for an additional fifteen
[00:05:02] of supply monitoring, not only for days. Also, new exchange centers were opened, including
[00:05:07] the roads. So, thank God, now the Central Bank branch in Raqqa and the Central Bank in Hasakah.
[00:05:09] The interaction and response of the Governor
[00:05:13] of the Central Bank of Syria to a comment from a citizen
[00:05:17] on Facebook sparked attention.
[00:05:19] The citizen wrote, "I criticized you harshly and perhaps
[00:05:23] I was wrong about you. Today I apologize to you and commend
[00:05:26] you." The Governor responded, "You have the right to criticize,
[00:05:31] make mistakes, for we are human, and do not commend
[00:05:33] me because I am doing my duty."
[00:05:37] How did you react to this event on social media?
[00:05:40] Our first comment is from Hani
[00:05:44] Al-Alawi on Facebook, who says, "A successful step
[00:05:47] and a conscious response to the requirements of the field reality.
[00:05:50] Extending the deadline takes into account the circumstances of the people of the eastern governorates
[00:05:54] and eases the pressure on withdrawal points."
[00:05:57] Hussein Al-Hamoud commented and said, "Thank you for
[00:06:01] this response and this step. I wish
[00:06:05] the number of counters and employees would be increased
[00:06:08] to alleviate this suffering as much as possible."
[00:06:12] As for Mahmoud Mousa, he wrote a comment saying, "If
[00:06:15] people are directed to collect money from each other
[00:06:19] and one person goes instead of five or ten people
[00:06:22] to exchange, that would save their time and speed up
[00:06:26] the process." Abdulaziz Al-Omar made a suggestion
[00:06:29] and said, "First, thank you for the response. But
[00:06:33] honestly, there is a simple and easy solution, which is to obligate
[00:06:36] bakeries, gas stations, electricity and water collection points, and all
[00:06:40] state institutions to accept old currency from citizens,
[00:06:43] in addition to the Post Office and the Central Bank
[00:06:47] for exchange." Our last comment is from Younes.
[00:06:51] Younes wrote on Facebook, "The solution is not to extend the deadline
[00:06:55] week after week, but to open the door for exchange
[00:06:58] until the end of the year at least, while applying anti-money laundering
[00:07:02] and terrorism financing rules and verifying the sources of funds
[00:07:05] when necessary, and linking every exchange operation
[00:07:09] to the numbers of the old and new banknotes
[00:07:12] to ensure transparency and traceability."
[00:07:15] التتبع.
[00:07:19] The old currency loses its legal tender status once
[00:07:23] the exchange deadline expires, while the Central Bank
[00:07:26] continues to receive exchange requests for
[00:07:29] five years, without any commissions,
[00:07:32] fees, or
[00:07:33] taxes.
[00:07:46] Can you imagine shortening the Deir Ezzor
[00:07:51] the road to just one hour? That's a huge
[00:07:55] difference in time
[00:07:58] But this is what was achieved today in Deir Ezzor with the opening
[00:08:01] of the city's airport and the return of air travel to it.
[00:08:05] The General Authority for Civil Aviation
[00:08:09] and Air Transport announced the reopening of Deir Ezzor Airport
[00:08:13] after its rehabilitation, with the arrival of the first domestic
[00:08:16] flight of Syrian Airlines from Damascus
[00:08:20] Airport, signaling the return of regular
[00:08:23] air flights between the two cities and facilitating
[00:08:27] travel for the people of the governorate. Let's watch.
[00:09:12] The airport was not a simple step, but rather came after
[00:09:16] extensive maintenance and rehabilitation work that included its main
[00:09:19] facilities, from aircraft runways and the control
[00:09:22] tower to parking lots and arrival
[00:09:25] and departure halls, after extensive damage, with the destruction
[00:09:29] rate exceeding 80%. Today, the airport returns
[00:09:33] to receive air traffic again. So how
[00:09:36] was the experience of the travelers?
[00:09:38] Let's watch. The trip
[00:09:42] was excellent and the reception was
[00:09:46] very good. The flight attendants
[00:09:49] did their best and the employees did their best.
[00:09:53] We are comfortable. How is it? It's very
[00:09:56] good, honestly.
[00:10:00] and excellent facilities at the airport. The reception and services, and our departure from
[00:10:03] Damascus airport were also easy. There were no delays
[00:10:07] at all. In 45 minutes, we were here, thank God. Things are very
[00:10:11] good. I mean, the opening of the airports has relieved
[00:10:14] people from the hassle of travel. We used to see accidents happening on
[00:10:19] that there are flights, there will be no more accidents, there will be no more problems.
[00:10:23] حوادث ما راح يظل في شيء.
[00:10:28] So, Deir Ezzor Airport opens its doors not only
[00:10:31] to receive domestic flights, but also for the first
[00:10:35] plane arriving from outside the country to
[00:10:39] Deir Ezzor, specifically from the State of Kuwait.
[00:10:42] The return of Deir Ezzor Airport to service was met with widespread
[00:10:46] interaction on social media platforms. So how
[00:10:49] were your comments? Hanan says on Facebook,
[00:10:53] Hanan Deir Ezzor,
[00:10:57] the country and the people.
[00:10:59] Abu Musab wrote on Facebook, "Good news.
[00:11:03] May God complete it well, from good to better, God willing.
[00:11:06] An important and useful step for many, especially those
[00:11:10] who are sick and travel to
[00:11:12] Damascus, as it saves them the suffering of travel and the dangers
[00:11:16] of the road." Wissam commented on Facebook
[00:11:19] and says, "Regarding the airport, it has been neglected for
[00:11:22] a long time, so this is considered a beautiful
[00:11:25] and clean work. God willing, in the future, visits
[00:11:28] and airlines will increase, and the city will flourish." Ghassan
[00:11:31] Ahmed wrote a comment and said in it:
[00:11:34] "Ghassan, from the heart of the rubble, hope is born, and from
[00:11:38] the place that once distributed death, the first
[00:11:42] flights of life are launched today
[00:11:45] pain and silence, Deir Ezzor airport opens
[00:11:48] its doors again, not only to receive planes,
[00:11:52] but to reconnect the fragments of the world."
[00:11:55] And we conclude with Adham's comment on Facebook, who
[00:11:59] said, "I am overjoyed
[00:12:02] airport not only serves Deir Ezzor, but also the eastern
[00:12:05] region. Travel hours from Damascus to some areas used to reach
[00:12:09] nine hours, and today, by air,
[00:12:12] it is much less. Imagine
[00:12:15] the difference."
[00:12:19] The Syrian civil aviation sector is working to enhance the readiness
[00:12:23] of airports and aircraft in terms of technical
[00:12:26] and operational infrastructure, within plans aimed at improving
[00:12:29] the level of air services and rehabilitating specialized
[00:12:33] cadres, especially in the areas of maintenance
[00:12:36] and technical safety.
[00:12:49] Owning a home in Syria has become a dream for many
[00:12:53] families, especially
[00:12:55] after the widespread destruction that afflicted cities, towns, and villages
[00:12:58] due to the missiles and barrel bombs of the former regime. But
[00:13:02] imagine that your home survived the war, then you return
[00:13:05] after years of absence to find out that the home
[00:13:09] has been stolen, not the furniture or
[00:13:12] its contents, but the ownership of the home
[00:13:15] itself. This is how real estate forgery gangs
[00:13:19] and property usurpation flourish, and many Syrians
[00:13:22] who were absent from the country
[00:13:25] for many years have been victims. Even if
[00:13:28] the true owner returns, the process of recovering their property
[00:13:32] may become complicated after it has been fictitiously
[00:13:35] sold more than once before being transferred to
[00:13:39] a new owner. Yesterday, the Criminal
[00:13:43] arrested a gang
[00:13:47] properties through the use of forged personal
[00:13:50] identification cards and impersonating property owners, exploiting
[00:13:54] their absence from Syria to complete fraudulent
[00:13:58] sales. Let's follow the confessions of the
[00:14:01] gang members. Two pieces of land, one in
[00:14:04] Sha'our and one in Ma'arin. Abu Ibrahim and I agreed
[00:14:08] that we would sell them. One
[00:14:11] has an area of 25 dunams and the other has an area of three
[00:14:14] dunams. He told me that we need a woman whose picture
[00:14:17] will be put in the name of the owner of the land so that we can proceed
[00:14:20] with this transaction. We agreed. We took Abu Ibrahim to a woman,
[00:14:23] and indeed, she took it. The woman agreed with him that he would give her a thousand
[00:14:27] dollars in exchange for her stamping on behalf of the woman in the forgery
[00:14:31] process, on behalf of the owner of the property. Abu Muhammad and Abu
[00:14:34] Ibrahim came to me because they wanted to forge an ID so that I could go and
[00:14:38] stamp them so that they could transfer
[00:14:41] the land.
[00:14:43] The criminals were arrested inside the real estate registration department,
[00:14:47] meaning they were caught red-handed while attempting to transfer
[00:14:51] the ownership of one of the properties. But
[00:14:53] how did they
[00:14:57] the confessions that they used a woman to impersonate the real
[00:15:01] owner. So what were the steps that followed
[00:15:04] that? We came, we brought her picture
[00:15:07] and we came to Abu
[00:15:11] Mamdouh and told him that we need to get an
[00:15:14] ID for her. Abu Ibrahim and Abu Muhammad
[00:15:18] came to me and asked me for a forged ID,
[00:15:19] and then
[00:15:22] they asked for a second forged ID. So I contacted the person
[00:15:26] and secured them for them. And of course, they brought me
[00:15:29] a family record and they brought me pictures and the required IDs,
[00:15:33] and I forwarded them to the man, and the man prepared
[00:15:36] the IDs, and Abu Ibrahim brought them from
[00:15:39] Azaz. And of course, I took $200 for each ID.
[00:15:42] دولار
[00:15:45] So how did you comment on social media
[00:15:48] about this event? Our first comment is from Rabah on
[00:15:52] Facebook, who says, "Thank
[00:15:56] the wonderful effort in uncovering the crime before it was completed.
[00:15:59] May God bless your efforts, heroes, and protect you from all
[00:16:03] harm." Iman commented
[00:16:05] and said: "They will not be held accountable,
[00:16:09] not since the fleeing regime, and still many houses are stolen
[00:16:13] and it is difficult to prove their ownership, unfortunately, due to repeated
[00:16:16] sales." Nasser wrote on YouTube a comment
[00:16:19] in which he said, "Greetings to the public security forces and the Ministry
[00:16:23] of Interior. We realize that the burden is heavy. This
[00:16:26] is not to mention the rest of the criminals, the perpetrators of massacres and the thieves
[00:16:29] who seize state property and lands, and fabricate fires,
[00:16:33] and traffic in drugs and weapons." Our last
[00:16:36] comment is from Rateb Hassan on Facebook, who says,
[00:16:39] "Rateb, during the regime's days, they would do it in agreement with security
[00:16:43] officers. They would issue lost replacements or make you think
[00:16:47] that they want to buy from you
[00:16:49] and ask for an overseas account number. If you gave them
[00:16:55] the branch on charges of smuggling money out of the country or financing, or
[00:16:59] a whole film would begin until you waive your
[00:17:01] property."
[00:17:05] About 20 days ago,
[00:17:08] the Criminal Investigation Branch of the Internal Security Forces in
[00:17:12] Aleppo arrested a gang of eight
[00:17:15] people who specialized in forging official documents to seize
[00:17:19] properties belonging to citizens residing outside the country.
[00:17:34] Dear viewer, is it enough
[00:17:38] for the restaurant to look clean for your heart to be reassured
[00:17:42] about the food you eat? The truth
[00:17:45] is that apparent cleanliness does not always reveal what goes on inside
[00:17:48] kitchens, nor the extent of the safety of the ingredients
[00:17:51] used in preparing meals. This is where
[00:17:55] the role of oversight tours comes in to protect the health
[00:17:58] of consumers. In Daraa, the competent authorities conducted
[00:18:02] a joint oversight tour targeting a number
[00:18:05] of restaurants to ensure compliance with health requirements
[00:18:09] and the quality of food materials,
[00:18:12] and to announce prices, in addition to cleanliness
[00:18:15] standards within
[00:18:16] the establishments.
[00:18:19] Of course, during the follow-up series from the governorate, from our departments, from the supply
[00:18:23] department, the health department, and the tourism
[00:18:26] department, we conducted a joint tour with
[00:18:29] the governorate and to the markets, and we dedicated
[00:18:33] this tour yesterday and today to restaurants. The restaurants
[00:18:36] were, of course, at several levels. There was a noticeable
[00:18:40] level of cleanliness in some restaurants, and in some restaurants, there was
[00:18:43] negligence in cleanliness and in the issues of presenting food
[00:18:47] prices and storing food
[00:18:50] in refrigerators.
[00:18:53] So what did the oversight tour detect?
[00:18:57] Violations related to cleanliness and compliance
[00:19:00] with health standards and price
[00:19:03] announcements. But did the competent authorities content themselves with issuing
[00:19:06] warnings or did they take other measures against
[00:19:10] the violators? Let's continue. Of course,
[00:19:12] by decision of the Governor, he ordered
[00:19:14] the closure
[00:19:17] of these restaurants that do not comply with the instructions, initially
[00:19:20] two, initially two, and a warning for two initially.
[00:19:24] As for the tours, they are continuous,
[00:19:26] and the tours in the future are also
[00:19:31] health, with there is full coordination, and God willing,
[00:19:34] we will continue this campaign until we achieve what we aspire
[00:19:38] to, as supply tours and tourism tours. The Directorate of Tourism
[00:19:41] and Health are continuing daily patrols, but two types of patrols,
[00:19:45] and they know what is halal and haram and they know what is right
[00:19:48] and what is wrong.
[00:19:50] Yes, and the measures did not stop at closure, but also included
[00:19:54] imposing financial fines and referring the owners of some
[00:19:58] violating establishments to the competent judiciary, within
[00:20:01] the framework of tightening control over food safety and consumer
[00:20:04] protection. There was widespread interaction with the video
[00:20:07] of the oversight campaign. How did you comment on it? Our first comment
[00:20:11] is from Mashari Al-Zaabi, who says on Facebook, "This is
[00:20:15] good news. Everyone should follow the rules and care about cleanliness
[00:20:18] and prices." Umm Firas tells
[00:20:21] you, "May God bless you. This is an important
[00:20:25] step. Restaurants must take into account people's health, and there must be
[00:20:28] invoices showing the sources of meat and the date
[00:20:31] of purchase." Shahd said on
[00:20:34] Facebook, "We are in dire need
[00:20:39] restaurants, but for everything related to food. May God help
[00:20:43] those who serve the citizen." And we conclude with
[00:20:46] Ahmed Al-Hariri's comment on Facebook, who says, "Excellent step,
[00:20:50] and it needs continuous follow-up, because people's health
[00:20:54] is a red line and there should be no compromise whatsoever. Strict
[00:20:57] penalties and closing violating restaurants are the only way
[00:21:01] to control quality and obligate establishment owners to cleanliness and health
[00:21:05] safety rules. We hope for renewed and increased oversight, and to publicly name
[00:21:09] all violating restaurants to be a lesson for others
[00:21:12] and a real protection for the consumer."
[00:21:14] للمستهلك
[00:21:18] The Directorate of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection
[00:21:22] urged citizens in Daraa to report any complaints, especially
[00:21:26] regarding food safety and the quality of food
[00:21:29] materials, affirming its full
[00:21:32] readiness to receive complaints and take the necessary measures as appropriate,
[00:21:35] in a way that contributes to consumer protection.
[00:21:50] And to the most circulated clips of this day, there is an inspection tour
[00:21:53] by the CEO of the Syrian Petroleum Company and the head of
[00:21:57] HKM American company at the Al-Suwaidiyah gas plant
[00:22:01] and the Al-Rmeilan fields.
[00:22:03] We are now in the control room at the Al-Suwaidiyah gas plant, which
[00:22:07] is a facility that has not seen any updates or significant development work
[00:22:11] since 1992.
[00:22:14] Therefore, this part will be one of our priorities to ensure
[00:22:18] its modernization and care.
[00:22:20] It is a highly important facility for the country,
[00:22:24] and a very important facility for this field. This is
[00:22:27] a vital part of the infrastructure of this entire
[00:22:30] field. From our point of view, it is a very
[00:22:33] strategic facility for the country, and also a very
[00:22:36] strategic resource for our company. We could
[00:22:39] not be happier to be here. We are
[00:22:42] excited for what the
[00:22:44] future holds.
[00:22:50] From Al-Jazeera to the coast, there is the launch
[00:22:53] of the Syria Summer Festival 2026 activities in Latakia city.
[00:23:52] And to beautiful Turkey, a Turkish child gives his friend
[00:23:55] a bicycle after
[00:23:59] own one.
[00:25:36] Perhaps today, on this occasion, we can revive what
[00:25:39] the tyrants tried to bury and rebuild our present
[00:25:42] with our past.
[00:25:58] The textile industry tells a chapter of history.
[00:26:03] It was a mirror of the taste of the people
[00:26:06] of Damascus, who learned from it precision in work,
[00:26:10] patience,
[00:26:10] and giving.
[00:26:19] We promise our people and the world that we
[00:26:22] will embroider paintings of peace and weave carpets of bounty
[00:26:25] and compose poems for those who reciprocate our sincere feelings
[00:26:29] and intentions.
[00:26:43] Today, the Syrian economic delegation and the Lebanese economic delegation
[00:26:47] are meeting in Damascus.
[00:26:54] Memoranda of understanding will be signed
[00:26:58] between the Chambers of Commerce between
[00:27:00] the two countries. We hope these visits will be
[00:27:03] a start to restoring the Syrian-Lebanese
[00:27:07] relationship to what it was.
[00:27:57] UN-Habitat, which is the funder and implementer
[00:28:00] of the project in Al-Bayat neighborhood.
[00:28:05] We are trying to plant a flower in the destroyed
[00:28:08] neighborhoods. Currently, we have several projects, including the
[00:28:11] Cairo Garden project, which is currently being implemented by UN-Habitat
[00:28:15] and the Homs
[00:28:16] City Council.
[00:28:19] In addition to lighting projects, God willing, with solar energy in the entire
[00:28:23] neighborhood, God willing.
[00:28:24] تعالى
[00:28:28] Today we visited to follow up on the projects.
[00:28:43] challenges and difficulties here, but at
[00:28:46] the same time, we
[00:28:49] the people of Homs.
[00:29:47] Many young men were arrested, of course, I escaped, I was able
[00:29:51] to escape, but I couldn't help but wish I was still
[00:29:53] filming.
[00:29:59] We are now going to a gas strike location to get a sample.
[00:30:17] He comes down here. We won't let him out until
[00:30:20] the underground. We are, of course, blessed by Allah, glorified be He, that we don't
[00:30:23] negotiate with
[00:30:25] القعد
[00:30:32] Then shoot.
[00:30:46] We are filming at the same spot where the regime
[00:30:48] gathered all the people and gathered its witnesses to
[00:30:51] deny the chemical crime.