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financial partnerships can endure the test of time. with time comes change. we build relationships that build the world. >> this is bbc world news america. reporting from washington, i'm laura trevelyan. authorities say a terror plot to kill police was just hours away before it was foiled. combating islamic extremists is key to helping. the british prime minister vows to take on those behind recent attacks. >> the world is sickened by this terrorism. we know what we are up against and we know how we will win. >> more than a decade of --

spotted on the red planet. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and also around the globe. authorities say two men killed in anti-terror raids yesterday were just hours away from carrying out a plot to kill policeman. weapons, money, and police uniforms found during the raids. more than 25 people arrested in anti-terror raids in france, germany, and belgium. from brussels, gavin hewitt starts off coverage. >> another european country on edge. this was the queue today waiting to be checked in brussels.

last night in this narrow corridor door in the small industrial town, police say they smashed a terrorist cell. in the darkness, the police went in. men with kalashnikovs and explosives if thought they would've of launched an attack within hours. in the daylight, once again, another group of bewildered citizens struggling to find explanations. next years, there have been radical group. we did not know where exactly, but we knew. it's getting closer. scary. >> this has nothing to do with islam. it's a peaceful religion. these are terrorist gone mad and have nothing to do with religion. >> the details of the plot emerged, prompting police outside their own stations. they were the apparent targets.

symbols of state power. >> plans to assassinate policeman in the street or at the police buildings. >> the suspect that died are said to have recently returned syria. today, five people were charged with participating in a terrorist group. and so belgium, like france, adapt. the army may be called up. police officers told not to patrol alone. >> a small country of 11 million people. but with a large muslim population. 350 young muslims have gone to fight in syria. some say that young muslim men resisted integrating and others say they are alienated. >> there are people going because they are young. they will find a place in society.

why not go there? >> the local a mom blames ideology for the radicalization of young people. >> i think nowadays, the internet is the main source of radicalization. i don't have a solution and i don't think the authorities have one either. >> there appears to be no direct connection between what is here and the attacks in france. the link that does exist is the will to attack our values. the disturbing fact is an estimated 5000 young men and women from europe could've made the journey to syria. as belgium joined france and germany, the head of one of europe's law enforcement bodies of knowledge today that it was impossible to catch all the jihadist. it can't be done, he said.

>> the threat of violent extremism was a major topic of discussion between david cameron and president obama today. speaking after a meeting, the west faced a poisonous and fanatical ideology. creating conflict, terror, and death. bbc's north american editor reports. >> at the end of a two-day visit dominated by the terrorist red david cameron arrived at the white house this morning for a final set of talks with the president. the president said that in the fight against terror, britain and america stood together. >> and a david joins me when i say we will do everything in our power to help france seek the justice that is needed. and all our countries are working together seamlessly to prevent attacks and defeat these terrorist networks. >> a joint group formed to counter domestic extremism. david cameron promised this response.

>> we face a poisonous and fanatical ideology that wants to pervert one of the world's major religions and create conflict, terror, and death. with our allies, we will confront it wherever it appears. >> america did not stand arm in arm with the french last sunday unlike the rest of the world. the u.s. secretary of state john kerry has in seeking to make amends. >> i really wanted to come here and share a hug with all of paris and all of france. >> french police have made a series of arrests. and in berlin where hundreds of lease to part in raids on the alleged islamist site that appeared to be a europewide crackdown. >> this is david cameron's motorcade arriving back at the white house. cyber security is much more

problematic as recent attacks at sony have shown. >> david cameron met with a number of companies engaged in cyber security. the u.s. and u.k. are forming a joint cyber cell to a tackle the threat -- to tackle the threat by hackers. this is a deeply political visit. if you're a prime minister shortly seeking reelection as david cameron is, seen rubbing shoulders with the most powerful man in the world -- and he does -- this is the money shot that political minded dream of. the president and prime minister walking along the west wing. >> john joined me to discuss the comments at the white house. president and david cameron says there will be disjointed group between the two countries to try to combat islamic extremist. how is that going to work?

>> it will have these groups of officials that look at reasons why extra ms. him -- extremism takes hold. and they are going to look at the people who are returning from syria. the foreign fighters that have gone there and how to tackle that sort of people. you see the recognition that maybe they haven't been taking this problem seriously enough. i think that even read new to urgency and renewed focus, particularly on the terror threat and security of that because of what has happened in france and in belgium. >> urging congress not to impose new sanctions against iran while these delicate negotiations are going on. does it make a difference with the prime minister calling for u.s. senators? >> it's unusual we get everything that david cameron is going to be picking up the phone

to senators mccain, corker, and kirk to try to keep them on board with the president. of course, david cameron is stressing i'm not telling them what to vote. i just want them to know that we are on the same page is the president and these are very delicate discussions and it would be best if you didn't intervene and call for sanctions to be tightened just at a time when these negotiations are a difficult phase. president obama, i believe more sanctions would be counterproductive and would undermine voluble international unity. >> the theater of these press conferences is always fascinating. his big photo off the white house. they speak the same language? >> couldn't be better. if i was david cameron's minder i would line back to the u.k. now for the next six or seven

hours with a very big grin on my face because effectively, barack obama, in words, and in deeds dave -- gave david cameron everything he wanted. the most wonderfully staged and orchestrated walk down the west wing. they took it slowly. it was like a production of west wing frankly. and at the news conference today, david cameron is one of my closest friends and i have the highest regard him. he could not have done more, we .5 months out on election, i'm sure he's thinking, i will bank that. >> the two leaders are also working together in a coalition to take on the islamic eight. the aircraft carrier is playing a crucial role. they are carrying out airstrikes over iraq and syria.

mark received rare access to the ship and those carrying out the mission. >> if you want to learn about america's fight against islamic state, start here. this one ship carries 5000 people and the strikeforce of 60 jets. this whole effort involving thousands of people using billions of dollars worth of equipment is required to put just a couple of hundred aircrew over northern iraq and area. this one ship is now providing nearly one third and it does so from the base of any political restrictions. >> the crew will last 9.5 months.

most of the crew remain out of harms way, working their watches while the aircrew pummels the enemy. the u.s. navy can keep this up for as long as it takes. >> that means we dropped 144 some point. >> in less than three months on station, they've flown more than 1000. many missions don't release their weapons. it's not easy finding a target in the chaos below. each jet carries a selection of drones and missiles. >> two 500 pound j dance. >> few pilots know their target for taking off.

instead, their missions can last hours. loitering over iraq, refueling multiple times from airborne tankers until maybe they get given a target. >> this task group has been operating more than 2.5 months. what do you think you have achieved so far? >> our job here is to degrade and ultimately destroy isis. i think we have succeeded in halting isis momentum. and as we continue, the iraqi ground get stronger and more capable. it will have a great effect and ultimately achieve the desired degradation and ultimate destruction of isis. >> it's night before the mission

we watch set off for iraq miles earlier returns. deck landings see more dangerous at night. >> they brought all the ordinance back? >> he's downloading now just to get it ready to be placed on the flight deck. that's all right. we are out there in case he needed anything. >> nobody thinks of this is a quick mission. >> this ship they can keep it up as long as the pentagon deems their mission effective.

>> the operation to take on the islamic state. it has been referred to the supreme court. an international out by after last 50 times last friday. 50 more lashes have been postponed on medical grounds. last may, he was in just 10 years in prison and 1000 lashes for insulting. angry at the publication of the cartoon of the prophet mohammed. they use a water can to hold back crowds. the protest was part of a nationwide rally called by the country's islamist party. prosecutors at the international criminal court said that there is a preliminary inquiry to possible war crimes. disclose the recent palestinian moved to join the court.

a move that could lead to the investigation of actions in gaza and the west bank. you are watching bbc world news america. these orphans have lost their parents to the ebola virus. the challenge is helping them build a brighter future. at least 170 people have died following heavy rain and flash floods. more than 100,000 have been displaced. they were just south of the capital. >> the residents have been blunt, coming to terms. what they call home is now gone. the residents are fearing the worst. >> for property in human lives. right here, there needs to be a

house. two boys survived that morning. 118-year-old is still missing. >> the community here is almost given up hope of finding him alive. >> i am trying to mobilize people just to help me. >> further south, the devastation is much bigger. roads and bridges have been destroyed completely, leaving thousands stranded and vulnerable. even those efforts are not getting to the navy fast enough.

>> and we have another two to three months of rainfall. if they were to continue, then we would obviously have a bigger crisis. >> government says the only way it can help all these people is a significant international support. >> they have been shunned by communities. >> behind these playful smiles is great pain.

all these children have a tragic tale to tell. most are ebola orphans. most of lost family to the virus. >> several of them died. it was hopeless and i don't even expect that sometimes. although i miss a good number of them. i am happy for them. and i wish to help. >> he has arrived in the last few days. let's [indiscernible] -- >> [indiscernible] >> he tells me how he and his

sister were cast out by their own family. they roamed the streets for two days. eventually, they were brought here. >> [indiscernible] >> you look like a very strong boy, i think. >> yes. >> you will be ok. >> yes. i will be ok. >> you have no idea what they've and through by looking at them. some have lost all of their extended family. others have been outcast from their community. recently have nowhere else to go. >> collecting the corpses of his mother. it's too much for that child. >>: part of the job is to help reunite orphaned children with

their extended families. today, he's checking up on the 12-year-old. and we hear about more children that need help. >> may have lost family to ebola and are now being cared for. >> the uncle says he asked them to take them away. he starts the process of having them brought to the orphanage. back at st. george's, partly funded by the u.k., there is still optimism. >> not everything is lost for them. they might have loss or pain. >> bbc news, freetown.

>> ebola orphans. after the story of the missing british craft finished 10 years ago and has been found on the surface of ours. it disappeared just as it approached the red planet. it comes after the death. >> somewhere in alien landscape, it was missing for more than a decade. the first signal was meant to be a tune by the band blur. but there was no sign of it and the assumption was that the spacecraft and crashed christmas day of 2003.

>> we do not have a signal. >> the man behind the mission was a colorful figure who died last year. so we will never know if today's news was that it actually made it. >> it is great that it landed. >> a small but distinct shape, too bright to be a boulder and right in the landing zone. >> this is a life-size copy that helps explain what happened. start deploying its solar panels. scientists reckon that something went wrong. the panels did not all deployed

which meant the radio transmitter inside could not get it signals. this british mission to mars came tantalizingly close to working. >> for the scientist that manages the mission, there is a missed -- a mix of emotions. >> frustration that it did not only deploy. >> he believed it inspired a new generation of. many are now working on another mission to mars. a european rover due to be launched in a new year's time. >> beagle two did land on mars. to reach me and most of the bbc

team, go to twitter. thanks for watching and please do tune in next week. quest -- >> make sense of international news at bbc.com/news. >> funding is made possible by the freeman foundation. giving all profits to newman zone for charity and pursuing the common good. kovler foundation. and mufg. >> it's a global truth that we can do more if we work together. our banking relationships span

cultures and support nearly every institute. success takes partnership and only through discipline and trust can we create something greater than ourselves. we build relationships that build the world.

gwen: europe on age. iran in slough. 2016 hopefuls jockeying for position in the president's state of the union presale. tonight on "washington week" -- >> we will continue to do everything we can to help power seek the justice that is needed. gwen: the european terror attacks continue to reverberate as the u.s. and other nations grapple with the best way to stay on guard. >> we have to be on the offense around the world and kill them over there before they have a chance to kill us here. gwen: a brewing standoff over iran, between congress and the white house and its allies. to sanction or not? >> we should not impose further sanctions now. that would be counterproductive and it could put at risk