live from seoul, this is bbc news. in an apparent change of position, the ruling people power party say they no longer support yoon. power party say they no longer support yeom— power party say they no longer support yoon. also coming up in this edition _ support yoon. also coming up in this edition of— support yoon. also coming up in this edition of news-day, - support yoon. also coming up in this edition of news-day, the - this edition of news—day, the syrian city of hama has fallen to rebels in the second major blow this week to president bashar al—assad. and: police in new york release new photos of a suspect they want to question over the killing of a us health insurance boss.

hello, welcome to news—day. i'm william lai coming if you in front of the national assembly in the south korean capital where there has been a dramatic morning here indeed. just to get you up to speed what's been happening — the chairman of the ruling party has now come out to say he no longer supports the president yoon. he says that he shouldn't even remain in office. han dong—hoon, the head of the people power party, said the country would be in great danger if president yoon is not suspected. now the opposition, democratic party, they had schedule add vote for saturday evening to impeach and remove president yoon after his failed attempt to bring the country under martial law but it was looking unlikely to pass without the support of a large number of members of the ruling party crossing the floor. but speaking after a meeting at the

parliament, party leader han said they had received evidence overnight that president yoon had ordered the arrest of prominent politicians over grounds that they were among antistate forces. during the brief period of martial law, thatis brief period of martial law, that is what he was referring to. that information was, he said, was enough for them to change the party's position. and without his own party's support, we are now awaiting to see whether president yoon awaits that impeachment vote thatis awaits that impeachment vote that is scheduled for 7:00pm on saturday or leaves office voluntarily. now, while all this is going on, the political wrangling going on, strike action from the various unions has also been ramping up here in south korea to try to apply more pressure on president yoon to step down. i spoke to an international director of the korean metal workers' union. well, i'm sure you have heard that workers have — we are all united in our demand for yoon suk—yeol, who has undermined

the democratic and constitutional order, to step down immediately and for this workers have been going on strike. so yesterday in the metal sector, workers, you know, from hyundai motor, from gm korea, the railway workers and today we also are going on strike again so we have been united in the demand that yoon suk—yeol must step down. so i think the opposition party must realise that their initial response to oppose the impeachment motionjust response to oppose the impeachment motion just fuelled the outrage of workers across the outrage of workers across the country. and how co—ordinated are these different workers groups in — well, carrying out this strike action against the president? well, i mean, from the metal sector, it was a decision of

our central executive committee to respond to this unlawful undermining of democracy by the unlawful calling, declaration, of martial law by broader group that represents union leaders from all the regions of the country and in the big companies that are through export economy made this decision on the fourth that we would go on strike today and tomorrow and that we would refuse weekend work and all come out to rallies on saturday to encourage the president to step down. so in the metal sector, it was a joint decision made in — by the central executive committee. then in the public sector, as you heard, so 70,000 — at least 70,000 metal workers downed tools yesterday and we're going tools yesterday and we're going to be going on strike again today, warning strikes. and in the public sector, they're doing more a sequential kind of way. so 13,000 out of 20,000

railway workers started the strike yesterday and 10,000 education support workers joined them today, and as you might have heard, we all belong to the same confederation called the kctu. in korea which is... called the kct u. in korea which is... , it called the kct u. in korea which is. . .- it includes - is... given... it includes democracy- _ is... given... it includes democracy. given - is... given... it includes democracy. given your. is... given... it includes. democracy. given your aim is... given... it includes- democracy. given your aim is for the president _ democracy. given your aim is for the president to - democracy. given your aim is for the president to be - democracy. given your aim is i for the president to be removed from office, you must be cheered or more optimistic having heard the news this morning that the chairman of the ppp is also calling for that same thing? we in the past. we know what it the ppp is also calling for that same thing?- the ppp is also calling for means- it's _ in the past. we know what it that same thin ? ~ . ., ,~ means. it's ~ . ., that same thing? we are asking the president _ that same thing? we are asking the president to _ that same thing? we are asking the president to vacate - that same thing? we are asking that same thing? we are asking the president _ that same thing? we are asking the president to _ that same thing? we are asking the president to vacate - that same thing? we are asking the president to vacate office. l the president to vacate office. l the president to vacate office. sorry, can you elaborate on the president to vacate office. sorry, can you elaborate on that? �* ., , that? �* ., , that? so i'm not sure if the audience will _ that? so i'm not sure if the audience will _ that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be _ that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be - - that? so i'm not sure if the that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be _ that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be - - that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be - will- that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be - will feel| audience will be — will feel audience will be - will- that? so i'm not sure if the audience will be - will feel| audience will be — will feel the same — i mean, so far, we the same — i mean, so far, we have been through martial law have been through martial law in the past. we know what it in the past. we know what it

means. it's means. it's part modern traumatic korean modern history, and someone who has destroyed or undermined the democratic and constitutional order, they should vacate office. �* , , ., order, they should vacate office. �*, ., ., office. let's give you an idea office. let's give you an idea of how multir— office. let's give you an idea of how popular president - office. let's give you an idea l of how popular president yoon is currently with the people here in south korea — a gallop poll has his approval rating at a new low ofjust13%. we are yet to hear syria have

islamist rebels in syria have made another breakthrough in their surprise offensive against government forces by seizing a second major city in the country. the central city of hama. it comes after the rebels captured the city of aleppo last week which reignited a civil war in the country. this footage shows rebels entering the city apparently unopposed. you can see fighters riding through near empty—streets and being welcomed by cheering local people. the rebels then turn the camera around and film themselves celebrating. the syrian army says it has now withdrawn its forces from hama effectively creeding control there to the opposition. 0n there to the opposition. on thursday, in a televised speech, the leader of hezbollah accused israel and the us of sponsoring the insurgent offensive in syria saying that the countries are aiming to overthrow the syrian regime. he

said hezbollah will continue its support of the syrian government of bashar al—assad. meanwhile, the united nations secretary general, antonio guterres, has said the international community has failed to de—escalate tensions in the middle east. i emphasise urgent need for immediate humanitarian access to all civilians in need and the return to the un facilitated political process to end the bloodshed. all parties are obligated under international law to protect civilians. tens of thousands of civilians. tens of thousands of civilians are at risk in the region already on fire. well, for more on the situation, our middle east correspondent hugo bachega sent this update from the turkey/syria border. this is a major victory for these rebels in this astonishing offensive. hama is home to one million people. it is the second big city that's been captured by the rebels in

this offensive against president assad after aleppo. now, with this capture, it is going to be much difficult for the regime to launch any kind of counter—offensive to try to reclaim aleppo and for the rebels, it puts them closer to the key city of homes which is a strategic hub connecting the capital, damascus, to the north of the country and also to the coast —— homs. this is an offensive that's been led by islamist rebels from a group known as hts, they're saying they're not going to stop in hama and they will continue and that the next stop in this campaign is the city of homs. so a major setback for president assad. we know that in the past, he relied on russia and iran to crush the opposition in syria. russia now is busy with its war in ukraine. the iranians are still reeling after a huge israeli campaign against its proxies across the middle east. so we still don't know how or if the

president is going to react to try to stop this advance. it could threaten the survival of his regime. in other news. a massive police operation is still under way in new york after a hooded gunman shot dead the chief executive of one of america's biggest health insurance companies. police released two new photos of a person of interest last seen on a bike in central park fleeing the shooting on wednesday morning. ros atkins of bbc verify has the latest. brine thompson was shot dead on wednesday morning. he was attacked a few blocks from times square in central park just outside the hilton hotel in manhattan. police now say this man is a person of interest as they pursue their investigation. the first known sighting of the gunman is by the 57th street subway station. this cctv image obtained by the washington post is time—stamped

6:15. the next sighting according to us media is 6:17 at a starbucks. the police released this image from inside the cafe. then at 6:30, we see the cafe. then at 6:30, we see the same man in this video — published by the new york times. he appears to be on the phone. nearby is the hilton hotel. brine brian thompson was attending a conference there and according to police 1523 00:11:27,570 -->