>> this is bbc world news america. >> funding of the presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newman's own foundation giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good, kovbler foundation, and mufg. >> the oldest trees bear the sweetest fruit. at mufg we believe in nurturing banking relationships for centuries because strong

financial partnerships are best cultivated for the years to come giving your company the resources and stability to thrive. mufg, we build relationships that build the world. >> bbc world news america. >> this is bbc world news america reporting from washington. >> a terrorist attack in the heart of paris. gunmen open fire at the office of a french magazine, killing 12. >> it stopped across from where we were and two guys with black masks got out and fired. >> people express solidarity with the journalists and vowed to protect freedom of speech. collecting the victims of the ebola epidemic in sierra leone.

burial teams are racing against time. >> welcome to our viewers around the globe. vigils are being held for the journalists and police officers being killed in paris. gunmen broke into the office of charlie hebdo and opened fire on the staff. the magazine has been a attached before for publishing cartoons of the prophet mohammed. -- has been attacked before for publishing cartoons of the prophet mohammed. >> people are literally stunned by the horror of what unfolded here in the center of paris in a busy district.

people have come out in solidarity with the staff and the journalists of charlie hebdo. we are hearing that the police may have identified three suspects. they were quick to the getaway car. it was found in the north of the capital. they are naming the three people they are looking for. this is attributed to the associated press, at the moment, who is speaking to an unnamed police official. they are brothers in their late 30's. there is some speculation that they have been linked to algeria. as well as an 18-year-old who is not from paris. there are two properties being searched and night and there is lots of speculation on social media about what the men have been up to in the past. one official said they were linked to a terrorist network and there is speculation that he

was convicted in 2008 of terrorism charges are helping to funnel fighters to iraq. those men are at large and there is enormous speculation. very little from the interior minister, at the moment. let's have a look at the days event. -- the day's events. there are disturbing images. >> paris -- paris, midmorning, gunfire. cries from the streets below. men with assault rifles arrive at the office of the satirical magazine, charlie hebdo. people take cover behind cars. five minutes later, the gunman

leave and shoot an injured police officer in the head. witnesses say that they sa y they have avenged the prophet mohammed. they spoke in flawless french and had time to pick something up before driving away. in the attack, 12 were killed, two were police officers and the others were journalists. >> i can still hear the shots ringing through my years. i never would have believed i would hear shooting on my street. everyone was running away. it is very frightening. this to not just happen. if feels like a religious war. >> we wanted to run there to see what was happening. when we realize this shots --

the shots were coming from there, we head. >> the magazine have published drawings of the prophet mohammed. the attackers chose the weekly editorial meeting and called out some victims by name. among those killed were the editor and bodyguard. a cartoonist and another well-known cartoonist. in france, it is described as the darkest day in the history of the french press. hollande went past the amulets is to visit the scene of the attack. he said it was a terrorist operation and revealed that other attacks had been prevented in recent weeks. >> we are threatened because we are a country of freedom and because we are a country of feed him -- freedom, we will face

these threats. we will punish these attackers. no one will act against the principles of the french republic. >> he described the men and women killed as heroes who died for the idea of freedom. the car used by the attackers was found abandoned in a northern suburb. there is now a huge police operation to try to find these men. the country has gone on the highest state of alert, with extra security on the metro, at religious buildings, and media offices. >> when the president visited here he said it was a difficult national moment and spoke of the need to consider national unity. france is secular and many argue that the freedom of the press is non-negotiable. vigils for those who died and

defense of the right to mock. in the streets, a nervous capital. bbc news paris. >> we are as far as we can go down the street. there are some police and a forensic investigation at charlie hebdo. they picked the right day. it was the editorial meeting on wednesday and they got the print run today. all of the editorial staff and cartoonist would be in the building. there are questions if it was really well planned. they came to his office first and stormed into his building. a shot two rounds before realizing they were in the wrong building. the staff in that building were

very lucky. imagine the horror of those in adjacent offices. one said it was like a war zone. the pictures suggest the way they have training. it's the way they hold their weapons. they are quite focused. you do not get a spraying arc that you would have if someone without any training was firing. they have plenty of ammunition. the speculation tonight on social media that the brothers identified may have only recently come back from syria. >> let's hear from our security correspondent, frank gardner. >> a brazen in a european capital. they have been on alert for something like this. not on this scale. the gunman dressed in the manner

of many jihadists and appeared well trained. . they escape from the scene on hindered. -- well-trained. they escape from the scene unhindered. >> is the forefront of the battle of the west versus islam. this is a country that ranks high as a target. >> the terrorist attack did not come out of the blue. there have been a number of less serious attacks by lone individuals. in june, last year, the police arrested a jihadist with a machine gun. over the christmas operiod that was no deterrent to whoever carried out the attack. charlie hebdo pokes fun at every

religion and ignores request to tone down provocative cartoons, insisting on free speech. it was car bombed and named as a target by al qaeda in lemon -- in yemen. it was too soon to be linked. france, like britain, as a major problem with jihadists going to syria and back. it has more extremists. mainstream muslims have condemned the attack and others go further. >> i encourage all of society, including muslims, to firmly state that islam is open to as much scrutiny as any religion. we cannot segregate islam from

critique when our holy texts criticize all other religions. >> the attacks in paris have disturbing echoes of the attacks in mumbai in 2008. a gun man has wreaked havoc in the heart of the city. governments will be asking themselves how to stop this happening here. frank gardner, bbc news. >> president hollande asked them to pull together and this hour of need and we are expecting there will be a day of national mourning and one minute silence. of course, the flags are currently at half mast. >> thank you. for more, i can speak to rick stengel from the state department.

this was an attack on france. how alarming was it for the united states? >> not just an attack on france. it is an attack on freedom of expression -- freedom, to use satire or comedy and much larger than just an attack on france. we have to defend those valleys. -- values. >> you are doing a hearts and minds effort. you look at what the west is up against and it is almost impossible. people walked into offices and shoot journalists. >> it has been around for hundreds of years. our partnership with france is older than britain. it has been about fundamental values, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly. what we are seeing with other

publications at reprinting the cartoons and with imams and clerics condemning this, there will be a revolt into this. it will buttress freedom of speech. >> you have moroccans and egyptians coming out and attacking -- condemning the attack. what more would you like american allies to do? >> we salute them. the thing we forget about is that the line share of muslims are peaceloving who would be disgusted by this attack. we want to see the silent majority not be so silent. coalition partners in arab countries are coming together

and we welcome that and saluted. -- salute it. >> you need an active minority of imamas to change their message. is there anything you can do to get them to do that? >> one of the things we try to do -- and we realize it is regional local arab, this kind of extremism -- we try to bolster our partners. we have an recognition in the region that this is something we really have to repair and something that has gotten out of control. even in response to the horrific shooting today we see revulsion and disgust. it suggests that is the case. >> obama has condemned the attack and offered any support the americans can lend.

is there more the americans can do? >> live a long and close collaboration with the french. they are very good, as you know. we offer as much support. the department of homeland security is looking at the safety of embassies and american residents around the world. that is something we aren't looking at and are vigilant about. -- we are looking at and are vigilant about. >> rising from the ashes of ground zero, a church in manhattan is rebuilding to become a beacon of light. >>the tail end of the missing air asia plane that crashed into the java sea has been found and holds the black boxes. we have this report. >> the first images of the

missing air asia plane stuck in the murky waters of the java sea. these were taken by an underwater robot that search teams deployed. officials in jakarta say this is a major breakthrough. >> i am confident that this is part of the tail, from the images that we are seeing. it is clearly visible. >> this has come on the 11th day of the international search mission. this american warshhip has been looking for any signs of wreckage. analysts say that, if the tale is not damaged, it could reveal important clues. >> that is where the black box is going to be. it is having two things at once. we see the tail and the physical state of it.

we have an idea of what may have happened. we can see whether it matches. >> getting the tail out of the water will be challenging. bad weather conditions have meant that search teams have not been able to get into the sky to look for wreckage from above and powerful wind and murky waters has meant that divers have been unable to pullout any more bodies. -- pull out any more bodies. the agonizing wait continues. with this, many hoped they will get the answers they have been waiting for. bbc news, jakarta. >> the ebola virus has killed 8000 and infected 20,000

almost all in west africa. the way the bodies are buried are crucial to stop the outbreak from going further. spending the day with the burial team, we have this report. >> the body collectors get ready for another day at work. they have been doing this for months. beneath the intimidating suits teachers, students ordinary sierra leonians are taking on the fight against ebola. this is just as important. >> dignified burial. >> they say they understand why removing bodies is so crucial. >> the epidemic is ebola. we have to tell them it israel

and you have to follow the principles. >> the team braces themselves. corona died early this morning according to his family. almost every death in the home has to be treated as ebola. if it is confirmed, the rest of the community remains at risk. >> in the next village, another heartbreaking scene. a baby died last night. his name was arthur. it is unlikely to be ebola. he cannot take any risks. >> very difficult. >> how many bodies do you think you have collected? >> so many bodies. >> when you go home, do you

think about the day and have dreams about what you are seeing? >> sometimes. sometimes i pray, you know? sometimes, i think about things. >> another body and another distraught daughter. she died after showing classic symptoms of ebola. this is the fourth body the team has come to collect in as many hours. it is the body of henry who complains of feeling unwell. last night, he was dead. >>. is how the day ends at the main cemetery. -- here is how the day ends at the main cemetery. bbc news freetown. >> they be -- baby arthur just

one of the many killed by ebola. the spread does seem to be slowing down. too many have already died. for good news, today christians are celebrating christmas. the greek orthodox community has reason to celebrate. right instruction -- reconstruction has started on the church. the new church designer has spoken to the bbc. >> we are building the reconstruction of the church of saint nicholas at ground zero. the idea is a tiny church. it is the location. it is the place. it is the significance.

it was this tiny house and behind it, the twin towers. i was contracted to build this in a special place, ground zero. i was conscious that the church will be the only non-secular building in the area. the stones come from vermont. we could not bring the greek stones. we are the greek orthodox church of america. we will rebuild it with american stone. i was trying to do it in a way that reflects the vision of orthodoxy. i made a mosaic that you see

presenting a model of a church. there is a certain resemblance in the model and the child in the middle, sitting on the throne. i went and decoded the idea that it was an analogy between the modern. i have done this systematically. it exposed a metamorphosis or a change of form from the shape of the church. the church has to not only be for greeks. it has to be for everybody. it will be built using tiny slices of marble.

you see the kcupola and outside. it will be like candlelight. it will signify the building over a forest of oaks in the neighborhood. >> a new church in manhattan. our main story before we go, paris was the scene of a terrorist attack that left 10 journalists and two police officers dead. the gunman broke into the offices of charlie hebdo a well-known satirical magazine that have been attacked for publishing cartoons of the prophet mohammed. the president has appeared on national television and appeal for solidarity, saying tomorrow will be a day of mourning.

the suspects have been identified. that brings the show to the close. thank you for watching. i will see you back here tomorrow. >> make sense of international news. >> funding of the presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation. the newman's own foundation, giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good. kovler foundation. and, muifg. >> it is a global truth that we can do more homework together.

our banking relationships span coulters and support almost every entity across the globe. success takes partnership. only through discipline and trust can we create something greater than ourselves. mufg, we build relationships that build the world. >>

narrator: it's an old country with a long history of refined civilization. yet, deep in the countryside of france, wild creatures are stirring. wilderness is making a comeback in a drama unfolding all across europe -- and france plays a large part in the story. creatures once on the verge of extinction are being granted the space and tolerance to find their way back. eagles, otters badgers, and bats -- even the great predators -- are regaining their old hunting grounds. from paris to provence to the pyrenees, it's the rise of a new republic.