thousands of syrians gather outside a jail used to detain political prisoners as they continue their search for relatives. a man is charged with murder over last week's fatal shooting of a healthcare chief executive in new york city. and concern in south korea over who is in control of the country, as president yoon is barred from travel. hello, i'm sally bundock. we start in syria where work is under way to build a transitional government. after the seismic events of the last two weeks that saw the fall of the assad regime, power is consolidating

into the hands of abu mohammed al—jolani, the islamist rebel leader widely seen as the mastermind of assad's downfall. on monday, he met mohammad ghazi al—jalali — who was bashar al—assad's prime minister until last weekend. he has now been replaced, but says he will still help with a smooth transition of power. aru na ayengar reports. scenes of joy as scenes ofjoy as syrians pour into the capital damascus for a second day. women, children and familiesjoined with second day. women, children and families joined with rebel soldiers to celebrate freedom from the regime of former president bashar al—assad. seven communities around the world celebrating, viz the ecstatic crowds in london. look how happy _ ecstatic crowds in london. look how happy they _ ecstatic crowds in london. look how happy they are. _ ecstatic crowds in london. look how happy they are. now- ecstatic crowds in london. ii_f7f7< how happy they are. now we should be able to go back home,

see ourfamilies, visit should be able to go back home, see our families, visit the graves of our loved ones that were murdered by assad and then hopefully we will be able to build a better and brighter syria. build a better and brighter s ria. a . ~ build a better and brighter s ria. , syria. back in damascus, stories of _ syria. back in damascus, stories of horror - syria. back in damascus, stories of horror i'm - syria. back in damascus, stories of horror i'm notl syria. back in damascus, - stories of horror i'm not hard to find for the best man is a5, he has no teeth, he says bashar al—assad soldiers broke them because he belonged to a rebel militia. they also cut off parts of his tongue and gave him mice to eat in prison. this prison has become a symbol of the atrocities committed by serious form of government. relatives have been heading there, seeking loved ones, some who disappeared years ago. thousands of supporters are believed to have been tortured and killed and now at last the doors are open. just days ago rebels freed thousands of prisoners here. many believe prisons are still trapped here in secret underground cells.

these photos are seen as heroes deliberating these people but can a group that has a jihadist past deliver the democratic movement many here want? this woman says, " they are from our country, they are not islamic state, we are not afraid of them, i don't think they will force us to cover ourselves from head to toe." syria stability depends right now manwaring military clothing, mohammad ghazi al—jalali. here he was meeting the interim prime minister to discuss the way forward. he succeeded in uniting rebel groups and capturing the whole country in under two weeks. he said rewards will be given for information on assad officials involved in war crimes. the us government said it was important syriansjoy government said it was important syrians joy was translated into effective governance and added this. there was no us involvement in what the rebel groups did over the course of the weekend in

damascus. we were not involved in any way. we watched it unfold and very much the way you did. unfold and very much the way ou did. ~ . ., you did. meanwhile syrian refugees _ you did. meanwhile syrian refugees are _ you did. meanwhile syrian refugees are facing - you did. meanwhile syrian refugees are facing a - you did. meanwhile syrian - refugees are facing a dilemma of whether to return home. countries across europe including the uk are reassessing syrian refugee cases and looking to send some claimants back home. like germany. _ claimants back home. like germany, like _ claimants back home. like germany, like france - claimants back home. like germany, like france and | claimants back home. l «e: germany, like france and like other countries we have paused to a silent decisions on cases from syria while the home office reviews and monitors the current situation.— current situation. what will s rian current situation. what will syrian refugees _ current situation. what will syrian refugees return - current situation. what will syrian refugees return to l current situation. what will l syrian refugees return to and how can those living in the country deal with the demons of the past? with me is said shehata from bbc arabic. good morning. as was outlined, steps are now being taken to inform the government, tell us more. the leader of the hts is

in control of the situation now. he met with the interim prime minister mohammad ghazi al—jalali and the new prime ministerfor the al—jalali and the new prime minister for the transitional government. they are trying to make a peaceful transition to the new government. in make a peaceful transition to the new government. in order to make or preserve _ the new government. in order to make or preserve the _ the new government. in order to make or preserve the peace. - make or preserve the peace. they have some experience in politics where he was the head of this government, established years ago but about a year or more he was prime minister. before the minister of development and humanitarian affairs. he had a degree and has a degree in engineering and

another degree in law. he has some qualifications but he was leading a government and ad lib. . it is different story. many challenges for him, who is going to use any minister from the bashar al—assad government aifstg’kesj�*eisaffe�*s�*agtfiwee ' ' so how can you find new names �* al—assad aifstg’kesj�*eisaffe�*s�*agtfiwee ' ' �*al—assad government the bashar al—assad government so how can you find new names from other factions? from other factions? so how can you find new names so how can you find new names from otherfactions? it needs from otherfactions? it needs to be a coalition government, to be a coalition government, governments that represent all governments that represent all sections and factions in the sections and factions in the serum government. there are serum government. there are many challenges but at least it many challenges but at least it looks like a peaceful scene in looks like a peaceful scene in the transition of power in the transition of power in syria now. in syria now. in the transition of power in syria "ow-— the transition of power in s ria now. :, syria now. in the meantime there is attention _ the transition of power in syria "ow-— the transition of power in s ria now. :, syria now. in the meantime there is attention _ syria now. in the meantime there is attention in - syria now. in the meantime there is attention in the - syria now. in the meantime. there is attention in the arab world as to what israel is syria now. in the meantime there is attention in - syria now. in the meantime there is attention in the - syria now. in the meantime. there is attention in the arab world as to what israel is doing at the moment, talk us doing at the moment, talk us through what israel has been up through what israel has been up to in the last few and weeks. to in the last few and weeks. the israeli army launched many the israeli army launched many

airstrikes in syria. about more airstrikes in syria. about more than 100 according to the syrian observatory for human rights based on the uk. it targets many military bases, or houses and centre is near damascus which are suspected

houses and centre is near damascus which are suspe ofd against them. the security of israel is parity and that this was temporary steps and co—ordinated with the americans. hopefully it will be temporary and peace will prevail between the two countries.— prevail between the two countries. :, ~ :, :, the rapidly developing events in syria mark a major turning point in the middle east and are being closely watched amid concerns about further regional stability. lebanon said it was closing all its land border crossings with syria except for one. jordan closed a border crossing with syria and israel has issued warnings to villages in southern syria as its forces to discuss this, i'm joined by benjamin radd — political scientist and senior fellow at the ucla burkle centre for international relations. good to see you. good to be here. there _ good to see you. good to be here. there is _ good to see you. good to be here. there is a _ good to see you. good to be here. there is a question - good to see you. good to be i here. there is a question about iran now and it's standing in the region given what has been going on in the last few weeks. your thoughts? we going on in the last few weeks. your thoughts?— going on in the last few weeks. your thoughts? we have to look back at the _ your thoughts? we have to look back at the last _ your thoughts? we have to look back at the last 13 _ your thoughts? we have to look back at the last 13 or _ your thoughts? we have to look back at the last 13 or 14 - back at the last 13 or 1a

months. going back tojust before the october seven hamas attacks against israel. iran is operating through it proxies and hamas is enjoying close lessons with allies in syria able to facilitate transfer of money and personnel. all of this has not been severely weakened and undermined if not eliminated as the result of the decimation of the hamas leadership, hezbollah leadership, hezbollah leadership and co—ordinated attacks on the houthis and the removal of bashar al—assad and power removes the protection of power removes the protection of power along the borders.- power along the borders. given what ou power along the borders. given what you said. _ power along the borders. given what you said, going _ power along the borders. given what you said, going forward i power along the borders. given | what you said, going forward as the new government comes together, what do you see happening next?— together, what do you see happening next? iran has to strive to make _ happening next? iran has to strive to make sure - happening next? iran has to strive to make sure it - happening next? iran has to strive to make sure it has i happening next? iran has to i strive to make sure it has good tires with whatever government comes into play. has do not

comes into play. has do not come out as a stalwart defender of assad and shedding tears over the demise of his regime. assad was a minority sacked of sheer islam which is what iranian is are, majority of them are. many of the machine keeping other religious groups suppressed, using very oppressive tactics to deny them rights and basically entrench their own power. iran is to distance itself from its past and makes it does not interfere with whatever governing system emerges out of syria, whatever the coalition looks like. in terms of _ the coalition looks like. in terms of the impact this has on the region, how significant is this? since hamas attacked israel in october last year there has been key moments where we said is this a turning point? is this a turning point? what is your thoughts on what is happening in syria now and what it means for the meeting

going forward? it what it means for the meeting going forward?— going forward? it is not a turnin: going forward? it is not a turning point _ going forward? it is not a turning point so - going forward? it is not a turning point so much i going forward? it is not a turning point so much as| going forward? it is not a. turning point so much as it going forward? it is not a i turning point so much as it is another advance and the stage of weakening iran or iran losing its regional power. it has now lost the ability to directly influence events that happened in lebanon because it no longer has any allies that bought lebanon. and its ability i am entering this proxy groups has been substantially weakened. we are now left with a situation where what may emerge as another arab state that could be potentially hostile to iran and circumvent further and weaken its ability to dominate or seek to challenge the saudis or other regional muslim states. for supremacy. that will be a big turning point for how iran received in the next few months and coming out, whether it seeks to make a deal with the west understanding the bind it is in or digs in and basically doubles down on very aggressive posture. iran has two options at this point and its leverage has been severely limited.

thank you for your input. we will have more on what is happening in syria a little later on in this programme. now let's turn to south korea where its military intelligence chief has been suspended from duty and the police chief banned from leaving the country in the continuing fallout from president yoon suk yeol�*s failed bid to impose martial law. tens of thousands of people have come out in protest since yoon's short—lived martial law order, calling for him to resign or be impeached. let's speak to robert kelly, professor of politcal science at pusan national university. professor, these latest developments today, more politicians are leaders taking a hit because of the president's martial law antics.

bring us up to speed on what is going on in south korea at the moment. :, , ., moment. right now there is a sense of drift _ moment. right now there is a sense of drift in _ moment. right now there is a sense of drift in the _ moment. right now there is a sense of drift in the centre. i sense of drift in the centre. everybody waiting to see what is going to happen. the street protests and pressure on the president to resign are fairly intense. the conservative block that has prevented his removal thus far. if there is another impeachment, the votes will probably be closer and perhaps in a mother so they would get the votes. the president has been making offers to share power with party leaders from his own block and the legislator, all of this on the fringes of concert visuals and, not very