This is the Global News podcast from the BBC World Service.

I'm Nick Miles, and at 14 hours GMT on Monday the 9th of December, these are our main stories.

Syrians are celebrating the end of the Assad regime after 54 years, but there is also great

concern about what happens now. We'll hear from people on the ground and our international editor about what they're expecting.

And civil defence workers are trying to reach underground cells to release some of the nation's tens of thousands of political prisoners.

Also in this podcast, a new low in Haiti's escalating violence as more than 180 mostly elderly people are killed by gangs accused of witchcraft. And any Semitism is a major threat. And any Semitism has been on the rise. And we have seen incidents that have been targeted at the Jewish community.

Police in Australia say a fire at a synagogue looks likely to have been an act of terrorism.

We begin this podcast in Syria as the country begins its post-Assad future.

Such was the speed with which the regime fell that diplomats and politicians around the world

are still trying to work at what will happen next.

In Syria itself, there are many emotions swirling around at the moment, joy from many

that after 54 years a brutal political dynasty is no more.

But there is also great concern about what happens now.

An overnight curfew was imposed by the rebel group HTS in the capital of Damascus.

Now though people are out on the streets.

Well, shops are open and even some public buses are running.

The rebels now in charge have promised to transfer power to a transitional government,

but that is likely to take days, if not weeks, to happen.

In the meantime, they've been taking action.

As they move forward, they entered some of Assad's prisons

where tens of thousands of political dissidents

have been held and tortured over the last few decades.

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