Tuesday briefing: What happened when the doors of Syria’s most notorious prison were finally opened

In today’s newsletter: The Guardian’s William Christou was the first western journalist to gain access to Sednaya prison. He reflects on what he saw

Good morning. Of all the horrific symbols of the deposed Assad regime, few carry the notoriety of Sednaya, the most feared node in the Syrian government’s repressive prison system. About 30,000 people were killed there between 2011 and 2020, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights estimated, more than in any other single location; for years, groups of 50 at a time were hanged in secret, once or twice a week.

Many were still locked up there a couple of days ago, including women and children, in conditions so disorienting and dehumanising that some were unable to say their names. But early on Sunday, as the rebels swept into Damascus, the doors were opened, and they were freed.

Syria | Bombing raids have hit sites across Syria as regional actors in the Middle East scrambled to defend their interests in the country after the sudden fall of Bashar al-Assad. The US has struck targets associated with Islamic State (IS) in central Syria, while Turkey has attacked US-backed Kurdish forces, and Israel sent troops into the buffer zone beyond the Golan Heights.

US news | A 26-year-old man has been charged with murder over the shooting death of the UnitedHealthcare CEO, Brian Thompson, in New York. Luigi Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Pennsylvania after a customer recognised him.

Media | Rupert Murdoch’s adult children will retain equal control over their father’s media empire upon his death, a Nevada court has ruled. Murdoch had wanted to wrest away power from James, Elisabeth and Prudence and give it all to his oldest son Lachlan.

Courts in crisis | Ministers should consider abandoning jury trials for some crown court cases unless they properly fund a justice system “in serious crisis”, the former lord chief justice has said. Lord Thomas said there had been a “political failure” by successive governments to invest in justice.

Culture | Jacques Audiard’s daring crime musical Emilia Pérez has dominated the Golden Globe nominations, taking 10. Conclave, the papal thriller directed by Edward Berger, got six, including for its script, direction and leading actor Ralph Fiennes, while daring body horror The Substance and Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anora both took five.