over his failed attempt to impose martial law. and — a "spectacular" meteor shower is expected to light up the night sky this weekend —— all around the world. hello, i'm rich preston. let's begin in the middle east. leaders from the arab world, along with the us secretary of state antony blinken, have been meeting injordan to discuss the future of syria. more on that in a moment. first — nearly a week after the overthrow of the syrian president bashar al assad, more details are emerging about the extent of human rights abuses committed under his rule. the bbc has visited a military base, bombed earlier this week by the israelis, which revealed evidence of torture being carried out there. our middle east correspondent,

lucy williamson, went to the base in damascus, and just to warn you her report contains details you may find distressing. the men who protected president assad have gone, the control room at mezzeh military air base scarred by the moment control slipped away, its abandoned assets now targets for israeli air strikes. israel has been systematically destroying the military equipment left by the assad regime, worried about who might end up using it. russian—made aircraft, israeli bombs, militia backed by turkey, iran, the us — this was neverjust syria's war, and outside powers still have a stake here. assad's fall has meant unanswered questions about syria's future, but it's also left unanswered questions from the past.

this airbase held a prison where detainees were reportedly tortured and raped by military intelligence. in one room, we were shown electric shock equipment for interrogations. the only thing more painful than finding your parent or child among the records here is not finding them at all. in the building next door, we found the mother of kurdish prisoner mahmoud hussein searching for his face among the photos on the floor. "he was registered here, but we can't find him," she said. "may god burn assad's heart, the way he burned ours." "what are these documents?", this woman raged. "no—one is helping us. how can i find him among these prison files?" assad's regime was meticulous

in documenting its brutality, but critical evidence here is being lost each day and the desperation of families is growing. in the cemetery outside damascus, we found khalid pulling out bags of bones from a shallow, unmarked grave, each one marked with a name and a prison number — two women and a man. khalid was looking for his brothers, taken by air force intelligence 11 years ago. translation: anyone - who wasn't killed immediately was taken to an area known as the driving school to be slaughtered. i expect this happened to my brothers. when i saw these bags, i thought my brothers might be inside them. syria is beginning a new chapter amid unfinished stories from its past. lucy williamson, bbc news, damascus. that's the latest

from damascus. let's get more on those discussions in the region today. senior officials from the us, turkey and a number of arab countries say they'll support a peaceful transition process in syria. at a press conference in aqaba, jordan's foreign minister said regional powers did not want syria to sink into chaos. talk us through. that radically new and what _ talk us through. that radically new and what they _ talk us through. that radically new and what they said - talk us through. that radically new and what they said today | new and what they said today was the fact that they were meeting, it underlines the sense that inside syria and outside trying as hard as they can to ensure that there is a smoother transition of power as possible. this is good to be difficult. ithink possible. this is good to be difficult. i think the key word is chaos. they talked about that, they don't want syria to slip into chaos, understandably. we were hearing

from some of the foreign ministers that they believe that that means that remnants of the asad regime officials need to take part in the government. it can'tjust be stripped away as we saw in iraq. and libya. the iraqi foreign minister mentioned this, saying we don't want another libya in the region. that's a huge concern for that there were eight arab countries. the other message which we been hearing again and again is this government needs to be representatives of all syrians, all the ethnic groups, all the different political groups. there's a big question over that. we've been hearing from syria, hds which has you had its roots without we've been hearing that same message coming time and time again. some people are suspicious because of its past sub others just wonder that if in the circumstances they are trying to deal with whether it is

possible to navigate towards that kind of smooth transition and live up to those promises evenif and live up to those promises even if the groups involved genuinely believe and want to work towards them. figs genuinely believe and want to work towards them.— genuinely believe and want to work towards them. as well is the arab states _ work towards them. as well is the arab states you'd - work towards them. as well is i the arab states you'd mentioned also involved was the united states for the secretary of states for the secretary of state antony blinken was there. let's take a quick listen at what he had to say. in this region and elsewhere, we've seen how the fall of a repressive regime can swiftly give way to more conflict and chaos, how the shoes of one dictator can be filled by another, or how interference by an outside country can be thrown off only to be replaced by another. that's why it's so important that we and our partners came together today to agree on principles that will guide our efforts to help the syrian people meet these challenges and build the inclusive, non—sectarian, peaceful and sovereign state that they want. antony blinken echoing the word chaos. what did you make of

what he had to say? he chaos. what did you make of what he had to say? he signed a “oint what he had to say? he signed a joint statement _ what he had to say? he signed a joint statement with _ what he had to say? he signed a joint statement with the - what he had to say? he signed a joint statement with the arab . joint statement with the arab foreign ministers and also at the turkish prime minister. turkey has played a very big role in the past, particularly in supporting hds. i think of all the outside powers, turkey is probably the most proactive and what's happened in the last weeks in removing president aside from power. that message yes, it's the one we've been hearing again and again —— president aside. if you look at the us record, move away from syria for a moment and look at gaza. we've heard from antony blinken many times, he's made many visits to the region with plants, with pressure. he hasn't achieved anything. desperately trying to get a cease—fire in gaza, has been unable to do that. we have to look at this on the level of he said principals but there's an element of which will thinking put up the other interesting thing he said is that us has

beenin thing he said is that us has been in touch with hds, direct contact, he said. that's interesting because the us and others still designates it as a terrorist organization it specifically to do with the fate of a missing american journalist who has been missing since 2012. there's been a hope that with the removal of president assad they might be a possibility that he is still alive and finding him. the us has contacted him, it made it a priority of what it wants to do in syria and has contacted hds to discuss that. they also said the us and set out its principles, the ones they talked about injordan to hts to say this is what we believe is the way forward. sebastian, appreciate _ is the way forward. sebastian, appreciate your _ is the way forward. sebastian, appreciate your analysis. - a former professional football player has been elected in president of georgia in a vote in the country's parliament, despite condemnation from the incumbent president and the pro—eu opposition.

they say the election process was illegitimate. mikheil kavelashvili previously played for the manchester city team before going on to become an mp in his home country from the increasingly authoritarian ruling georgian dream party. he was the only candidate for thejob. it comes after 17 days of pro—eu protests across the country's towns and cities. this was the scene outside parliament earlier. the four main opposition groups have rejected mr kavelashvili's appointment and have boycotted parliament. let's speak to liza zhvania, who's the daughter of former georgian prime minister zurab zhvania. very good to talk to you. thank you for being with us. what do you for being with us. what do you make of what we're sitting on the streets of tbilisi today? on the streets of tbilisi toda ? ~ . , today? we are seeing the unprecedented _ today? we are seeing the unprecedented long, - today? we are seeing the unprecedented long, 17 i today? we are seeing the i unprecedented long, 17 days today? we are seeing the - unprecedented long, 17 days of protests outside, garrett the ring thousands of young people, along with more than 500

imprisoned, about 300 of them beaten severely. the so—called government, which has a huge lack of legitimacy locally not only by the opposition but also by large portion of the public as well is internationally has announced, has chosen the new president. someone who even for the electorate of georgian dream is not like us or eligible for the candidacy of presidency. and has been criticized by even the supporters of georgian dream. you say he's not eligible, he ran unopposed in the vote in parliament. there will be people who support him. what kind of person is he and what will he be like in role?-

will he be like in role? more then what— will he be like in role? more then what kind _ will he be like in role? more then what kind of _ will he be like in role? more then what kind of person - will he be like in role? more i then what kind of person he is, it's interesting to see... he has been the spokesperson for the gd, the far right wing. he has been quite aggressive in his speeches but he is never held a political weight as a player within the team. it is important to see this event as other act of taking legitimacy from a public institution. we saw the parliament filled by only gdm piece, which shows the comic nature of the parliament now. now the place of the president is filled by someone who is least likely to oppose anything by that ged leadership. i guess that is why he got chosen for this. and for others to completely

delegitimize the institution of president, which so far remains only independent official institution in georgia. i5 only independent official institution in georgia. is this 'ust a institution in georgia. is this just a blip. _ institution in georgia. is this just a blip. do _ institution in georgia. is this just a blip, do you _ institution in georgia. is this just a blip, do you think - institution in georgia. is this just a blip, do you think or. institution in georgia. is this just a blip, do you think or a| just a blip, do you think or a long—term threat to george's democracy? long-term threat to george's democracy?— long-term threat to george's democra 7~ �* ., democracy? we're facing a huge olitical democracy? we're facing a huge political crisis _ democracy? we're facing a huge political crisis with _ democracy? we're facing a huge political crisis with such - democracy? we're facing a huge political crisis with such huge . political crisis with such huge protests and the lack of gd to respond adequately to the claims by public, by international partners shows only the growing polarization bringing the country into a huge political crisis both locally and internationally. it poses serious threats to the security of the country but to the stability of its economic and social growth and development. the main demands of the protest is to free the

imprisoned protesters and to hold a new elections with legitimate observers. and along with many other citizens i also do not see a way of de—escalating this political crisis. de-escalating this political crisis. ., ., �*, crisis. you mentioned george's international _ crisis. you mentioned george's international relations - international relations earlier, georgia at that intersection of europe and asia, turkey, russia, what will they be making of what they are sitting on the streets of tbilisi? i5 sitting on the streets of tbilisi? , , . sitting on the streets of tbilisi? , m , , tbilisi? is difficult because as much — tbilisi? is difficult because as much as _ tbilisi? is difficult because as much as we _ tbilisi? is difficult because as much as we have - tbilisi? is difficult because as much as we have to - tbilisi? is difficult because| as much as we have to hold tbilisi? is difficult because - as much as we have to hold good relations with our neighbors, our relations with eu and us has been the guarantee of our security against the threat of russia. and now the so—called government has officially

broken all the ties with the european and american partners. it is placing us in a rather vulnerable political position. especially with internal political crisis that is going on. ~ ., political crisis that is going on. ~ . ., on. we will leave it there for the liza zhvania _ on. we will leave it there for the liza zhvania thank - on. we will leave it there for the liza zhvania thank you i on. we will leave it there for i the liza zhvania thank you very much. let's go to east asia now, and thousands of people have been celebrating on the streets of south korea's capital, seoul, after parliament voted to impeach president yoon suk yeol it was the second attempt to impeach the president after he tried to impose martial law at the start of the month. the move was seen as the biggest test south korea's democracy has faced. 0ur correspondent, jean mckenzie, sent this report from seoul. cheering. in a moment, a protest erupts into a street party, rejoicing the downfall of a president many have long despised.

they'd accused him of being authoritarian, of eroding their democracy. but no one could have guessed what he had planned. when mr yoon stole from the playbook of south korea's past military dictators, dispatching troops to storm the parliament, he committed his final unforgivable act. the biting temperatures would have been enough to force many indoors. but armed with glow sticks and hot packs, they descended here for the 11th day in a row, young women leading the charge. "he said martial law was for the people, but not one of his policies has helped us." as the vote to impeach mr yoon got under way, a solemn warning from parliament. the weight of your ballot is heavy today. it carries the weight of history, the weight

of democracy. enough mps heeded his words. the motion passed by just four votes. the irony here tonight is that president yoon always said that he didn't care about being popular with people or with his party. he wanted to do things his own way, and he didn't mind who he upset. but people in south korea have shown him tonight that in a democracy, in their democracy, you cannot act alone, however much you might try. the dictator president has now disappeared, so happy. today's verdict doesn't mean the president is gone for good, for now, he's suspended. the courts will have the final say. and tonight, mr yoon has said he's determined to fight on.

this is the biggest test korea's young democracy has ever faced — and its past. people's persistence has paid off, the politicians have listened and tonight, this is their victory. jean mckenzie, bbc news, seoul. we can go live to seoul now and speak tojen moon, an international affairs specialist and freelance journalist. very good to get you on the programme. it's quarter past three on sunday morning with you so i'm gratefulfor you staying up so late to talk to us. quite the picture we're sitting on the streets of seoul with the impeachment of president yoon. it raises a question, who is running the country, what state is a democracy in?— country, what state is a democracy in? it's a huge moment _ democracy in? it's a huge moment for _ democracy in? it's a huge moment for this - democracy in? it's a huge moment for this young i moment for this young environment and practised democracy here in south korea. the last 12 years south korea has been in political turmoil

as you watchjune's declaration of martial law sent chills through the country for decades fought authoritarian rule. we also saw the streets the young people partying and now embracing this victory at the national assembly. their parents and grandparents and to get an answer on us for the talk us�*and igh gasses.-. "sci” '" . to get an answer on us for the some died for democracy. right talk us �* and grandparents""**" '" . to get an answer on us for the talk us �* and grandparents and 77" l, . parents and grandparents and some died for democracy. right now after president yoon had now after president yoon had been stripped of his been stripped of his presidential powers the prime presidential powers the prime minister was second in line, minister was second in line, now takes the acting or interim now takes the acting or interim leader. because he is not an leader. because he is not an elected official however he elected official however he will lead south korea with no will lead south korea with no political heft at a time in political will lead sou this country faces challenges at home and abroad for the up north korea's growing nuclear threat and the return of donald trump to the white house. that interim leader _ trump to the white house. that interim leader has _ trump to the white house. that interim leader has limited power. this is now in the hands of the constitutional courts, six months i believe they had

to get an answer on us for the talk us through