celebrations continued deep into the night in syria as people celebrated their new found freedoms after the ousting of president assad. and coming up — the sightings of mystery drones flying over newjersey and surrounding us states reaches fever pitch. hello, i'm nicky schiller. we start in the south korean capital seoul where huge crowds are gathering outside parliament ahead of the second impeachment vote of the president over his botched attempt to impose martial law earlier this month. let me take you to the live pictures from seoul where it is just gone two in the afternoon. thousands of people are on the streets. last week more than

100,000 turned out — today more are expected. they're urging mps to remove president yoon suk yeol from office. a first attempt failed because of a governing party boycott, but some members have since said they will back this motion. mr yoon has refused to step down, despite being the subject of a criminal investigation. 0ur correspondent in seouljean mackenzie sent this update from outside parliament. as you can see, huge crowds already started gathering outside the parliament here, urging mps to vote to remove the president from office. very, very shortly, on when they get this vote, on whether to impeach him. last week we had more than 100 people out on the streets that make 100,000 people out on the street today but today it is expected to be even bigger. has been 11 days here since the president tried to impose martial law here and stunned this country and people have been protesting every single day since in freezing, freezing temperatures. it is

bitingly cold today and already volunteers are walking around the crowd throwing out hot packs to try and keep people warm. this has been an incredibly unsettling week for people here in south korea as it's not really been clear who is in charge of the country for much of the week the president was in hiding. we didn't see him. but then on thursday he came out again this defiant speech —— came out and gave this defiant speech defending his decision to impose martial law and he said he was not going to leave and fight till the end so now it is really up to politicians to decide whether to force him from office. forthis whether to force him from office. for this to happen, some members of his party, the ruling party, need to vote with the opposition. last week they shielded him, they boycotted this vote, but this week it does feel different as the president has dug in and as people's calls here on the street to remove him and grow even louder, nowjust11% of the public support this. a

handful of party mps have come out and said they will vote in favour of impeachment but this is an anonymous photo so we really won't know the result until it happens. but south korea's democracy is at stake here. mryoon korea's democracy is at stake here. mr yoon has dealt korea the biggest blow to democracy that it the biggest blow to democracy thatitis the biggest blow to democracy that it is faced in its short history and people out here on the streets today are desperately, desperately hoping that the politicians are going to listen to them. that is jane mckenzie outside parliament, shejust failed this. mckenzie outside parliament, she just failed this. this mckenzie outside parliament, shejust failed this. this is mckenzie outside parliament, she just failed this. this is a live pictures in seoul where you can see the protesters are waving flags and the police have just said that at least 200,000 people are expected at this rally in seoul. last week, and we saw 100,000, but the police are estimating that at least 200,000 people are expected there. now, and you

can see the crowd spreads all around that parliament building. let's speak to christina ahn who's an international co—ordinatorfor the campaign korea peace now. thank you forjoining us and bbc news. what do you think is going to happen today? i bbc news. what do you think is going to happen today?- going to happen today? i think the have going to happen today? i think they have enough _ going to happen today? i think they have enough votes. - going to happen today? i think they have enough votes. the l they have enough votes. the members of yoon's party have come out to say they will vote for the impeachment and it is the result of an incredible activism and you are seeing 200,000 people to protest and call for yoon's impeachment. he has historic low popularity and i think the younger generation realise that democracy is really at stake so it has been

incredibly inspiring as the world and especially in the united states as we are about to face a similarly authoritarian leading leader in the second trump administration to witness ordinary people take to witness ordinary people take to the streets, urge their members of elected officials to do the right thing and defend democracy. pam do the right thing and defend democracy-— do the right thing and defend democra . �* , democracy. am interested in the generational— democracy. am interested in the generational divide _ democracy. am interested in the generational divide because - democracy. am interested in the generational divide because a i generational divide because a lot of the younger people, we have heard songs being used but mr yoon's supporters tend to be older? , ., , ,., , older? yes, absolutely. majority _ older? yes, absolutely. majority of _ older? yes, absolutely. majority of the - older? yes, absolutely. i majority of the protesters, older? yes, absolutely. - majority of the protesters, i would say a0%, have been young women in their 20s, their 30s. these are, you know, the generation that did not experience martial law or dictatorship, as you noted. martial law instituted actually 44 years ago was the last time

so so through works and films like december 12 which captured the period that it was instituted so you are saying this extraordinary movement of grassroots young people, lots of women. i'm sure you've heard about the feminist movement in south korea so it is an extraordinary time and to witness a country like south korea which is one of the largest democracy in asia potentially going to an authoritarian state. we often hear about it being such a resilient democracy so this is a crucial vote. we believe they

have enough votes, nine members of ppp have come forward to say that they will vote for the impeachment this time so what happens next is it will go to the constitutional court. the challenge there is they haven't filled all the seats. it is a nine person caught and they have only six seats because thatis have only six seats because that is the quorum necessary to verify that he is constitutionally violated the rules of law and democracy so thatis rules of law and democracy so that is a question but that they have up to six months to deliberate and if they do all decide to vote for him then, judge ford that he is to be impeached that is is lawful, then they have a snap election and that happens in a two—month time. and that happens in a two-month

time. . ~ and that happens in a two-month time. ., ~ , ., and that happens in a two-month time. . ~' , ., , and that happens in a two-month time. ., ~ ,, , . time. 0k, thank you very much forjoining _ time. ok, thank you very much forjoining us— time. 0k, thank you very much forjoining us on _ time. ok, thank you very much forjoining us on bbc— time. 0k, thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news. - prince andrew says he "ceased all contact" with a businessman accused of being a chinese spy after concerns were raised by the government. in a statement, the duke of york said the pair met through "official channels" and had never discussed anything of a "sensitive nature". the man in question lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the uk on national security grounds. graham satchell reports. 0nce once again prince andrew are underfire. hisjudgement is under fire. his judgement is called underfire. hisjudgement is called under question as to he was targeted by a suspected spy working further chinese communist party. a statement issued by the duke of york's office said...

prince andrew has a long history of promoting trade links with china stop the revelations that he was in a close working relationship with a man who worked for chinese intelligence has been made public after the man known only as h6 was barred from the uk on national security grounds. when mis national security grounds. when m15 became suspicious of h6, they searched his phone. they found a letter from they searched his phone. they found a letterfrom prince andrew's senior advisor dominic hampshire. it said... and ina and in a note he had written to himself, the alleged spy said... in what may be an significant escalation in this story, the times are reporting that the alleged spy attended

events at buckingham palace, st james's palace and windsor castle topic raises the question— how much influence did he have at very highest levels of the british establishment? m15 has become more worried in recent times about china's influence and intelligence gathering in the uk. ~ , ., , uk. we see that chinese authorities _ uk. we see that chinese authorities playing - uk. we see that chinese authorities playing the i uk. we see that chinese i authorities playing the long game in cultivating contacts to manipulate opinion in china's favour, seeking to co—opt and influence notjust prominent parliamentarians from across the political and that people much earlier in their careers in public life, gradually building a debt of obligation. the chinese embassy have called the allegations of spying a baseless smear but there are now growing calls from some politicians of h6 to be named in the interests of national security. it in the interests of national security-— security. it was his girlfriend... - security. it was his girlfriend... princej security. it was his - girlfriend... prince andrew sto - ed girlfriend... prince andrew stepped being _ girlfriend... prince andrew stopped being a _ girlfriend... prince andrew stopped being a working . girlfriend... prince andrew - stopped being a working member of the royalfamily stopped being a working member of the royal family of details were revealed about his friendship with convicted sex

offenderjeffrey epstein. ever since questions have been asked about how the prince is funding his dirty room mansion in windsor and while there is uncertainty about the prince's finances, it is hisjudgement that has once again come under the closest scrutiny. graham satchell, bbc news. syrians rejoiced late into the night on friday to celebrate their new found freedoms five days after a lightning rebel advance ended over 50 years of rule under the assad family. thousands of people packed into the main square in damascus, setting off fireworks, sounding their car horns, and waving a new national flag — that of the rebel forces. in aleppo, residents danced in the streets and set fire to a huge billboard depicting the assads. diplomatic moves are gathering pace to stabilise the country. jordan is due to host a series of meetings later bringing together arab and international leaders. 0ur international editorjeremy bowen has more from damascus. this ancient city has seen countless upheavals overfive millennia.

for modern syria, though, with its old flag restored, nothing matches the fall of the assads. the end of the first week without an assad in charge since 1970 brought thousands of syrians into the umayyad mosque to thank god for their deliverance. all chant. the chant is, "the people want the execution of "bashar". chanting continues. the regime's collapse and liberation from assad's brutal security state are powering a sense of great optimism. for all the people here, this puts the seal on it — this is absolute proof that they have won and the regime has gone. just flying one of these black, white and green flags a couple of weeks ago could've got you arrested, jail time, or even a bullet. the fighters of hay�*at tahrir al—sham — hts — are still basking in their achievement. that white flag used by syrian islamist fighters

was also behind the new prime minister in a broadcast. hts insists it's renounced its former extremist ideology. some syrians do not believe them. samir, overwhelmed, back from britain after 44 years, is hoping for a tolerant future. it is our country, this is not al—assad country. he is gone now. i don't know how we are going to resolve it. he has been corrupting this country for 50 years but these are the people who are going to build the country, so wish us the luck — everyone in the world. and please, please, leave us alone. leave us alone, 0k? we appreciate your support but we don't want anyone to interfere with our decisions, what we are going to do. this is their decision. syria's future is full of challenges. hts is an islamist group. what will that mean for girls and for women? how do syrians getjustice

for the regime's crimes? they meant it when they called for assad's execution before the prayer. their new rulers told them to celebrate the blessed revolution, so they did. syrians understand that it won't be easy to overcome 50 years of dictatorship and 1a years of war, but this was a day to seize and enjoy. thousands converged on umayyad square in the centre of damascus. it's as if an enormous weight has been lifted off a nation. i have never seen so many smiling people in syria. we are free! we are feeling... we are free! ..the feelings of freedom! we never feel like this. i want all the world to see us! we are free now. south, north — we are free! the fighters are the heroes now, bringing their kids, posing for photos with other peoples.

but when the party is over, people need to eat in an economy smashed by war and corruption. i asked this woman and her daughters what they need. just needed freedom to do. no taxes, no stolen money taken from us. just we want to be independent. we want to be an independent people. syria is an independent country. nobody controls us. nobody can rule us — just the syrians themselves. it's too soon for firm answers to syria's problems but the placards set an agenda — bring the assads to justice, civil rights for all, and syria is for every syrian, no matter who they are. jeremy bowen, bbc news, damascus. let's get some of the day's other news now. the bbc has complained to apple after the tech giant's new iphone feature generated a false headline from bbc news about a high—profile murder in the united states. the corporation has asked apple to "fix the problem".

the singer paula abdul has settled her sexual assault lawsuit against british television producer nigel lythgoe. in the legal action filed one year ago, ms abdul accused mr lythgoe of twice sexually mr lythgoe of twice sexually assaulting her, the first time assaulting her, the first time allegedly when they worked allegedly when they worked together on the talent show together on the talent show american idol. ms abdul told the bbc american idol. ms abdul told the bbc she was relieved for the legal she was relieved for the legal battle to be over. battle to be over. us president—elect donald us president—elect donald trump says he'll end trump says he'll end daylight saving time daylight saving time in the united states, in the united states, describing it as very costly and inconvenient. describing it as very costly and inconvenient. he said his republican party he said his republican party would use "its best efforts" would use "its best efforts" to eliminate the practice to eliminate the practice of moving clocks forward of moving clocks forward and backward by an hour and backward by an hour during the year. during the year. is a former georgian dream mp to georgia now where to georgia now where the country's political crisis the country's political crisis is set to deepen with a former is set to deepen with a former manchester city footballer set manchester city footballer set be appointed president by georgia's disputed be appointed president by georgia's disputed parliament to replace parliament to replace the current pro— european the current pro— european president who's refusing president who's refusing to leave office. to leave office. friday saw the 16th friday saw the 16th successive day of successive day of mass pro—eu demonstrations mass pro—eu demonstrations sparked by georgian dream delaying accession talks. sparked by georgian dream

mikheil kavelashvili, this is the scene live in parliament. the four main opposition groups have rejected him and have boycotted parliament, insisting that the elections held in october were rigged. that is what is going on inside parliament. let me take you outside where you can still see that the protesters are still on the streets for another day stop. does make another day. does make another day. live to our correspondent rayhan demytrie who's in the georgian capital, tblisi. what do we expect to happen today2. what do we expect to happen today? mps from the ruling georgian dream party will vote for the country's next president. it is actually an electoral college which exists of 300 members and

they are made up of mps and other local government officials who are loyal to the georgian dream party so this voting will take place in a short while and it is expected that today georgia's parliament will vote and choose the country's next president. now, all of this is taking place amidst massive protests that are happening across the country for more than two weeks. people are protesting the parliament which they are saying is illegitimate because they are saying that 0ctober saying is illegitimate because they are saying that october 26 parliamentary electio