a day after the fall of president assad, families hunt for hidden corridors and cells hoping to find relatives not seen for a decade. also tonight... a teenager goes on trial for the murder of elianne andam, stabbed on her way to school last year — the jury is told it was over a teddy bear. police in the united states question a man in connection with the shooting of a health insurance boss in new york. the premier league referee david coote has been sacked after an investigation into his conduct. and the golden globes — kate winslet is one of several british actors nominated for the prestigious award. and coming up on bbc news... a crucial night at the london stadium, as struggling mangers julen lopetegui and gary o'neill go head to head, with west ham hosting wolves in the premier league.

increases for customers to tackle its telling debts. —— tjhames water's plans for the future. —— thames water's plans for the future. good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. thousands of people have gathered outside a prison near damascus in a desperate search for relatives who've been missing for years. a day after president assad was toppled, rebel forces freed many of the prisoners, who'd been held here in appalling conditions at saydnaya prison — but former inmates suggested others could still be concealed inside. our correspondent barbara plett usher, the first western journalist to enter damascus as the city fell, reports tonight from the prison. celebrations continue in syria after the islamist rebel forces swept through the country

at extraordinary speed from aleppo to horns and finally damascus. we'll hear from our correspodent yogita limaye in damacus as rebel leaders — including abu mohammed al—jolani — who ousted president assad, say they've begun the process of forming a transitional government. and we'll hear from our russia editor steve rosenberg in moscow, where the man who ruled syria for almost 30 years is now thought to be. but first to barbara plett usher in damascus. thousands of prisoners left by president bashar al—assad. thousands of people searching for their loved ones, and they don't know if they are alive. translation: my son, son-in-law _ are alive. translation: my son, son-in-law and — are alive. translation: my son, son-in-law and my _ are alive. translation: my son, son-in-law and my sisters - are alive. translation: my son, son-in-law and my sisters have i are alive. translation: my son, . son-in-law and my sisters have been son—in—law and my sisters have been detained for ten years and we do not know anything.

they believe there is a secret entrance _ they believe there is a secret entrance from _ they believe there is a secret entrance from the _ they believe there is a secret entrance from the kitchen - they believe there is a secret entrance from the kitchen to | entrance from the kitchen to place with hidden doors, but they don't know where it is, and they don't have any idea how to get there. translation: we have any idea how to get there. translation:— have any idea how to get there. translation: ~ , ,., translation: we urged the prison uuards we translation: we urged the prison guards we are _ translation: we urged the prison guards we are here, _ translation: we urged the prison guards we are here, come - translation: we urged the prison guards we are here, come back, - translation: we urged the prison| guards we are here, come back, and we don't know how to get them out... this is the organisation who brought them from aleppo and damascus to help to find any hidden cells under this building. translation: we cannot confer with

the presence — translation: we cannot confer with the presence of _ translation: we cannot confer with the presence of my _ translation: we cannot confer with the presence of my detainees. - translation: we cannot confer with the presence of my detainees. we - translation: we cannot confer with | the presence of my detainees. we are doing _ the presence of my detainees. we are doing all_ the presence of my detainees. we are doing all we _ the presence of my detainees. we are doing all we can with the help of search_ doing all we can with the help of search dogs through the terms... that— search dogs through the terms... that was— search dogs through the terms... that was the bbc arabic special correspondent reporting from that prison. let's talk to a correspondent barbara plett usher who has spent the day there. describe what it has been like. you know, there was a stampede of people to go to this prison when the rebels opened it up. bashar al—assad had an extensive network of detention centres around the country, into which many people disappeared, many of them opposition figures are suspected of being opposition figures and that is why when the rebels would take territory the first thing they would do one of the first thing they would do one of the first thing they would do one of the first things they would do is to set people free. members present people had been set free but there was disbelief there were underground cells, hidden cells, where many more were still trapped, so when it was open you thousands of people coming, yesterday and today, hoping they would be able to find their loved

ones there. so we walked into the prison, managed to squeeze through the doors when there was a surge of excitement thinking some discovery had been made, because they were right in the perils of the building, using a jackhammer, basically, to heat up the floor, hoping they could find a tunnel that would lead them to these hidden cells. that was a false alarm. they didn't find anything, but you really got the sense of how desperate this search is. i was speaking to people there and i said, you know, this is a new era, that the rebels have led to the fall of bashar al—assad, basically, i guess asking if this was a tender may be able to move on, and the answer was definitely no. "how can we move on if we don't have their sons and their brothers? we want our sons and their brothers? we want our sons and their brothers? we want our sons and our brothers back and we also want a new country", so very much a sense they are still in the dark grip of the past year and the horrors of the past have to be dealt with if they want to move forward. barbara plett usher with the latest

live from syria, thank you. so what of bashar al—assad, syria's deposed leader? today the kremlin refused to say where he was, adding there were no plans for a meeting between him and president putin. but yesterday, russian state media reported he was in moscow and had been granted asylum. our russia editor steve rosenberg has the story. at the syrian embassy in moscow, it was all change. up went the flag of the syrian rebels to mark the ousting of bashar al—assad. ironically, syria's leader had fled to russia, although his exact whereabouts are unknown. the man who has reportedly given assad asylum was giving out medals — to russian soldiers who'd fought in ukraine. from vladimir putin, no mention of syria. events there are a huge blow to the kremlin. that is because for nearly a decade president putin had poured resources

into keeping assad in power. he became moscow's man in the middle east, shored up by russian firepower. and i'd better stop there because it's about to get very loud indeed. a few years back, we visited russia's airbase in syria, khmeimim. from here, fighterjets were conducting airstrikes on rebel positions. russian bases in syria gave it a foothold in the eastern mediterranean, but without assad, would it lose that? a few years back, we visited russia's airbase in syria, khmeimim. today, i asked president putin's spokesman what would happen to its bases. dmitri peskov told me that would be discussed with syria's new leaders. losing its staunchest

ally in the middle east, that is painfulfor the kremlin. vladimir putin had invested heavily in assad, determined to keep him in power. in the end, it wasn't enough. the russian public too has questions about the last few days. "i was surprised our military didn't step in to help syria's army," alexander says. "but it's good assad's in moscow and that we don't abandon our guys." "of course, it would have been better if the situation had turned out differently," says yelena. "but things don't always go the way you want them to." vladimir putin is used to getting his own way. he hasn't in syria. steve rosenberg, bbc news, moscow. what is the situation now in the capital, damascus? our correpsondent yogita limaye managed to get into the city this morning. shejoins says she joins says now. yogita. she joins says now. yogita-— she joins says now. yogita. she joins says now. yoaita. ~ , , she joins says now. yoaita. ~ , ., yogita. well, 'ust in the past over and over yogita. well, 'ust in the past over and the — yogita. well, just in the past over and over the past _ yogita. well, just in the past over and over the past several- yogita. well, just in the past over and over the past several hours i and over the past several hours actually we have heard some massive explosions, massive air strikes,

believed to be carried out by the israeli air force. we don't have confirmation yet. as far as politically where does syria go next, we know the leader of hayat tahrir al—sham has met with the interim prime minister to figure out the way forward. on the ground, shops, businesses, restaurants mostly closed. we went to some government buildings and police stations in the city and outside those we actually saw fighters from hts deployed there and many thought us they had actually been brought in from idlib, the region in syria controlled by hts, that they had been brought in to control the city. there is a curfew from five in the evening until five there is a curfew from five in the evening untilfive in the morning but before that in the centre of the city it was still very much a second day of celebrations for many civilians, hundreds and possibly thousands of people coming in cars, chanting, singing and cheering, posing for selfies and photos with the rebel fighters, and there was a

constant barrage of gunfire, of celebratory gunfire such that the roads all around the square were literally strewn with bullets. yogita, thank you. since yesterday thousands of syrian refugees have been trying to return home from places like lebanon and jordan and it has been confirmed that the uk, unlike most major european countries, has passed asylum decisions and kisses from sorry about the home office reviews and monitors the current situation. our political editor chris mason joins us from westminster. can you tell us more about this? fit, us from westminster. can you tell us more about this?— more about this? a real sense today of a real-time _ more about this? a real sense today of a real-time insight into _ more about this? a real sense today of a real-time insight into the - of a real—time insight into the dilemmas _ of a real—time insight into the dilemmas of foreign policy making with the _ dilemmas of foreign policy making with the fluidity of the situation on the — with the fluidity of the situation on the ground in syria so that decision, _ on the ground in syria so that decision, as you say, from the home office _ decision, as you say, from the home office to _ decision, as you say, from the home office to pause asylum claims from syria. _ office to pause asylum claims from syria, there had been some concerns in the _ syria, there had been some concerns in the house — syria, there had been some concerns in the house of commons today from some _ in the house of commons today from some mps_ in the house of commons today from some mps about the prospects of some of the _ some mps about the prospects of some of the outgoing... the fallen regime trying _ of the outgoing... the fallen regime trying to— of the outgoing... the fallen regime trying to come to the uk and

obviously— trying to come to the uk and obviously there has been substantial change. to— obviously there has been substantial change, to pause, reflect and review — change, to pause, reflect and review. then there is the dilemma that what— review. then there is the dilemma that what on earth to do around this organisation we have been learning about— organisation we have been learning about in— organisation we have been learning about in the last couple of days, hts _ about in the last couple of days, hts we — about in the last couple of days, hts. we have seen the foreign secretary— hts. we have seen the foreign secretary in the comments this afternoon — secretary in the comments this afternoon reflecting on the collapse of the _ afternoon reflecting on the collapse of the assad region and him fleeing the country. he described assad as a monster. _ the country. he described assad as a monster. a _ the country. he described assad as a monster, a butcher, a drug dealer and also _ monster, a butcher, a drug dealer and also in — monster, a butcher, a drug dealer and also in that. but what to do about— and also in that. but what to do about hts — and also in that. but what to do about hts when they are a proscribed terrorist _ about hts when they are a proscribed terrorist organisation? there was a suggestion— terrorist organisation? there was a suggestion this morning from a senior— suggestion this morning from a senior minister that there would be a swift _ senior minister that there would be a swift decision taken on whether or not actually — a swift decision taken on whether or not actually the uk should now engage — not actually the uk should now engage with them given they are a potential— engage with them given they are a potential power. the language from the prime _ potential power. the language from the prime minister and potential power. the language from the prime ministerand foreign secretary— the prime ministerand foreign secretary tonight was much more cautious— secretary tonight was much more cautious on that.— cautious on that. political editor chris mason. — cautious on that. political editor chris mason, thank _ cautious on that. political editor chris mason, thank you. - cautious on that. political editor chris mason, thank you. other i chris mason, thank you. other news... a jury at the old bailey has been hearing how a 17—year—old stabbed a girl

to death as she was on her way to school in south london in a dispute over a teddy bear. 15—year—old elianne andam died in croydon in september last year. hassan sentamu, who went on trial for her death today, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter but denies muder. adina campbell is outside court. i , the court heard that elianne andam was a close friend of hassan sentamu's ex girlfriend but the pair had recently split up and had recently met up to exchange possessions but hassan sentamu had turned up to that meeting empty—handed and batters when elianne andam decided to intervene and take back a plastic bag the ex—girlfriend was planning to give to him —— that is when she decided. witnesses said they saw hassan sentamu chasing, cornering and then repeatedly stabbing elianne andam, who died at the scene. a bus driver who died at the scene. a bus driver who gave evidence today said he tried to save her life and was with her in the final moments before she

died. he became visibly upset and broke down in tears. thejury died. he became visibly upset and broke down in tears. the jury was also shown police body cam footage showing the moment hassan sentamu was arrested. he had blood on his trainers and on his hands. hassan sentamu claims his autism spectrum diagnosis led to diminished responsibility. he has admitted manslaughter but denies murder. the trial continues.— energy companies say the vast majority of people who lost power during storm darragh at the weekend have been reconnected to the grid, but thousands are still cut off. a number of railway lines are closed in wales and the south west of england due to fallen trees and debris, and dozens of flood warnings are in place. chris page reports. in the stillness following the storm, this was the sound of normality returning. trees have been lifted, roads unblocked and costs counted.

the owner of this car in londonderry is thankful that nothing worse happened when a tree came down. we're just lucky that it didn't actually hit the house, with young children in there. we are in a state of shock, to be honest. i've probably only come around now. in northern ireland the gales were some of the strongest in recent years. well, one of the most striking sights after storm darragh is here on the coast of county antrim. electricity generation was suspended at ballylumford power station because one of the chimneys was damaged. across the uk, tens of thousands of homes and businesses remain without power tonight. this pub in powys has lost trade this pub in powys has lost trade at a particularly busy time. at a particularly busy time. it's been a really it's been a really stressful situation. you know, we've easily already — stressful situation. you know, we've easily already — if you don't even count today — if you don't even count today — we've lost easily £15,000. we've lost easily £15,000. and almost a0 flood warnings and almost a0 flood warnings have stayed in place have stayed in place in england and wales. in england and wales. in york, the river ouse has in york, the river ouse has overflowed its banks. overflowed its banks. although the storm is over, although the storm is over,

darragh is still causing disruption. darragh is still causing disruption. chris page, bbc news. chris page, bbc news. police in the united states are questioning a person of interest in connection with the killing in new york of the health insurance executive brian thompson. it's not been confirmed that he is the suspect. nada tawfik is in new york. this is somebody who has been held in pennsylvania?— in pennsylvania? that's right, a potentially _ in pennsylvania? that's right, a potentially significant _ in pennsylvania? that's right, a - potentially significant development in this case. sources, according to our us partner cbs, so that

in this case. sources, according to our us partner cbs, so ti fake ids, brian thompson. severalfake ids, including a newjersey id, which is significant because, remember, authorities say the person they are looking for checked into a hostel on manhattan's upper west side using a fake id, and they also say the person had a laptop. all of this police are using to piece together, questioning this man in altoona, pennsylvania. we are waiting to see what police here in new york have to say officially on the record, and whether they will, in time, confirm whether they will, in time, confirm whether or not this is the suspected gunman. in the meantime, as i say, a potentially significant development in this case. this suspected gunman's photo has been plastered all over the city and in the 1427 00:16:4