Discover the best memories of your life. And now, bbc world news. This is bbc world as america, reporting from washington, im jane obrien. The u. S. And arab allies launch airstrikes on syria, opening a on the battle opening a new line in the battle against the Islamic State. But we will quickly will work for the security of the region and the entire world. World leaders meet at the u. N. To discuss what is being called the defining issue of our age. And capturing artists in a new light. , and neck for Mission Going behind the scenes. An exhibition going behind the scenes. Welcome to our viewers on Public Television in america and around the globe. For the first time, the u. S. And several arab allies have launched airstrikes into syria to combat Islamic State fighters. It is a military effort that leaders warned would be long and sustained. In addition, the u. S. Launched strikes on another militant group, which the u. S. Said it plotting imminent attacks on america and other western targets. In a moment, we will hear from a pentagon spokesman. But first, john sobel has this report. When president obama said there would be no safe haven for the Islamic State, this time he meant it. Overnight, the u. S. Might was unleashed on sunni extremist targets in syria, from cruise missiles to Fighter Aircraft and drones, and the participation of the air forces of another number of arab countries. Day, thelight of flattened buildings, the rubble, the twisted metal and chaos, the evidence of what had unfolded. That coalition was something the president stressed when he spoke at the white house this morning. Last night on my orders, Americas Armed forces began striking against isil targets in syria. It makes it clear this is not americas fight alone. Above all, the government in the middle east are rejecting isil and standing up for peace and security that the people of the region and the world deserve. Another interesting component is syria itself. Officials here are keen to stress there was no negotiation. We did not seek the regimes commission permission. We did not discuss targets or coordination. What is clear is that syria did not stand in americas way. Has come undere sustained attack from Islamic State. The sunni extremists have taken vast swaths of land, so much so that when city has become the ,ffective headquarters of is and their playground, too, but a look of it. That explains the targeting of the overnight airstrikes. It comes inte the wake of the Islamic State parading its british hostage to reading under duress british hostage, reading under duress from a prepared script. A cancer, an insult to our ues, but such in full insults do not do much harm to the most powerful Jihadist Movement seen in recent history. Notable cameron is one absentee. The Prime Minister says there is more British Armed forces can do. Although what that is, has yet to be spelled out. Theyve got us in their sites and we have to put together this coalition with those countries i mentioned to destroy this evil organization. Thehere was video of attacks. This is, or was, Islamic State control center in rocca. Moment, the u. S. Has the support it needs from the moderate sunni states. As john just mentioned, there was no negotiation, but syria was told of the airstrikes before they were launched. President assad did not condemn the American Action command that has been seen as a notable shift in policy by syria. Reporting now from the United Nations in new york on the widening of the alliance against Islamic State forces. The raid moved the war in syria into a new phase. More complicated than before, perhaps even more deadly, and the start of what is likely to for long commitment america. Ag hottie fighter a g hottie fighter recorded this jihadi fighter recorded this. By ae got attacked coalition of arab countries. As you can see, it has been destroyed. He said he is with al qaeda in syria. Americans are not just hitting Islamic States. This week, the u. N. In new york is at the center of middle east diplomacy and president obama has arrived. Main objective is to bolster what america has done. His main allies were already involved in syria, helping antiassad fighters. Like the head of the opposition recognized by the west, they believe fighting is an fighting assad is the same. Hing we should not briefed not forget that this was revolt by the Syrian People against the regime. We are glad to see other countries joining our fight. The International Community joining our fight. He says the war against is could not be won without destroying the assad assad regime as well. This includes goal states inside the coalition. This is the beginning of a Long Campaign to rid our region of terror. Ideas fromrorists the hearts and minds of young people, and the religious scholars and people of our region. It will take some time. Americans will not get a break from highsecurity. Whether they like it or not, they are now players in the wider syrian civil war, not just the fight against is. Americas air power. What they are trying to do next is recruit ground fighters to take on the Islamic State. That, and not air power, will determine who wins the war against is. For more on that battle against the Islamic State, i spoke a brief time ago with press secretary rear and moral rear admiral kirby. Thank you for joining me, admiral. You have described his campaign as a very successful. In strategic terms, what does that mean . It means that we have hit what we were aiming at. We have had an effect in lsrupting and degrading isi capability in commanding and leading their forces from within syria. I will also say that we are still doing an assessment of the strikes last night. We are still working our way through the analysis there, but every indication we have so far is that we were, in fact, very successful. You also say this is just the beginning. Yes. How long could this Campaign Take . What can americans expect . We have been very clear eyed about the challenges in front of us. We know it will become located and take a serious it will be complicated and take a serious effort by all. We do believe we are talking years. I cannot put an exact number on that. But it is not something we will be done within days or weeks or months. This is a serious threat, a threat to our interest, threat to the interests of those in the region, and advancing, a threat to the iraqi and Syrian People as well. They adapt quickly, by all accounts, a learning organization. What do you expect the Islamic State to do next . It is hard to predict with specificity. Again, they are a very adaptive, smart enemy. We have seen them adapt, react, and change their tactics within a rock. As we have continued to put pressure on them from the air, and the iraqis have put pressure on them from the ground. They changed the way they communicate, the way they operate, the way they control their forces within iraq. Changes we will season inside syria based on last nights event. But we are not alone in this. Our partners and we and our partners are also good at adapting. We know we are in this for the long haul. We will take this very seriously. And we are not going to just take a blind eye to any changes they might enact themselves. One of the problems the new have that you have is that they are moving into communities. How will you root them out . Airstrikes will not be the answer in any case. Military solutions alone will not be the answer. But to get at the question, what we need are Ground Forces. You are absolutely right. The Ground Forces that come from the indigenous forces there, Iraqi Security forces in iraq, a modest a moderate Syrian Opposition that is properly trained. When we talk about needing Ground Forces, those are what we are talking about, indigenous forces. Thedmiral, what about threat that was not mentioned until today . I will not get into the intelligence matters, but we know we we know they were in the endgame in planning an attack on western targets. We know they were very close to doing this. That drove a lot of the sense of urgency last night to hit this group. We think we hit exactly what we are aiming at, and we were going at their capabilities to continue to conduct attacks like this. What we are still assessing and it is too early to say right now with any specificity how much damage we have done. We do know we were very effective in hitting what we were aiming for, but we are still working our way through that. That sense of urgency make them more of a priority than the Islamic State . And no, i think the priority and theired on isil capabilities across the borders. There has been no doubt about that. That is the driver here. But we also have an obligation separate and distinct from isil, and i must remind you that the strikes on the cores on group were only. Protectan obligation to our citizens. We have a terrorist threat that is that imminent and serious, we have an obligation to go after that and eliminate that threat. That is what we were trying to do last night. Admiral kirby, thank you for joining me. Happy to do it. For more on the military action and the threat to the u. S. , im joined by the former secretary of homeland security, michael chertoff. He is now the executive chairman of the turnoff group, Global Risk Advisory group. Chertoffrnoff group group, a Global Risk Advisory group. We have just heard mention of the threat from the admiral. What was that thread . And are they still capable of carrying that out yet complex first, let me what was the threat . And are they still capable of carrying that out . First, let me explain about the group. They are responsible for exploding a french tanker in 2002. He was an al qaeda bodyguard in iraq, and then running operations in iran. These are serious people. The plot was an aviation focused plot, which would have been looking to put explosives on aircraft flying to europe or to the united states. No doubt, the blow that was struck in the last 24 hours had an impact. But i would be surprised if they do not continue, as al qaeda has traditionally continued, notwithstanding how much we hit back at them. But although we have not heard of this group until today, is this actually an old group buy a new name . We have to realize that often these groups shuffle and reshuffle, and rename them sides themselves, just as isis was originally al qaeda in iraq. Withgroup had connections al qaeda in the arabian peninsula, where they have sophisticated bomb making capabilities. One of the leaders of this group is a longtime al qaeda central figure, and that means they are very dangerous. We are talking about airstrikes at the moment. Admiral kirby mentioned troops on the ground, indigenous forces. What is to stop another group like this popping up somewhere else . I think we are seeing that. If you look at the entire area from the west africa region although eight east into pakistan, you see a proliferation of groups. Are more tightly connected into al qaeda and others are competitive with al qaeda. I think this is an Ideological Movement of extremists. In a sense, they will almost start competing with each other to reach to attract recruits. I think we will see a widening in this first phenomena. Shifting the front . Will have to determine what the threats are and prioritize. We cannot do everything at once. I think admiral kirby is quite sensible in warning that this of dealing with the threats will be a process of years, not a week or two. Train quickly to the Islamic State, the administration has made a great deal about building up the coalition. But when the u. S. Is clearly doing all of the heavy lifting, how effective is this coalition . It is meaningful to have several gulf states participating actively in carrying out these rates. It is not only help full, but it sends a powerful message. Intelligence gathering, understanding what is actually occurring on the ground, creating the links with groups that we might work with who are in syria and iraq, having the gulf states involved will be very important. Traditionally, when the u. S. Goes to war, the u. S. Does the heavy lifting. And as far as technology and air power our concern, the u. S. Will pulling their weight and more. The Islamic State is very adaptable. What do you expect them to do next . They will do and im surprised they have not done it already is begin to disperse. I think you said you had an intern that said they would like to put themselves in the population. If you want to get a look at how that works, look at how, has put hasselves and how hamas put themselves amongst the population. It will make it harder because there will be more collateral damage. Michael chertoff, thank you for joining me. The World Health Organization says new figures suggest 70 of those infected with ebola in west africa have died, higher than previously thought. It is also warning that at 20,000 ifld be it is not dealt with. It has already called killed 3000 across west africa. World leaders gather at the u. N. With the goal to act on Climate Change before it is too late. In hong kong, more than 1000 students have taken their fight for democracy to the center of the city on the second day of a weeklong strike. The bbcs hong kong correspondent has this report. Clashing with police, student activists applaud their top leader. They want him to honor them by speaking to the public on the future of Voting Rights in the city. We are fully listening to the demands expressed by the Hong Kong Federation of students. And the students of various universities. But the students say they are being ignored. Wish that they could come up and directly face the students. If there is no response, we will have no choice but to initiate another session, both in scale and level. As they are on strike. Academics and intellectuals have been speaking for democratic reform around the world. There are obvious parallels here. These young activists have much more modest demands. They want the chinese president , seen here with some of hong kongs richest, to relax restrictions on who can run. The students are well versed in chinese politics, but determined to fight for the right of the public to have a say in who can lead the city. Bbc news, hong kong. While much of the attention in new york today is focused on the airstrikes in theory, there were also highprofile discussions taking place on Climate Change. 100 20 worldf leaders, the uns secretarygeneral called the topic the defining issue of our age. The bbcs david sheckler and has this report. From the melting of the ice in the far north of the arctic to the rising sea level threatening lowlying countries like bangladesh, to the fear of and drought intensifying in the grain belt of the united states, Climate Change is described by the United Nations is potentially devastating. Climate change is a defining issue of our age. Today, the u. N. Called a special summit on global warming. More leaders turned up than ever before on the subject. But for years there has been deadlock in negotiations. Getting anywhere has always been a struggle. The talking started in 1992 at the earth summit in rio. That year, Carbon Dioxide totaled about 28 billion tons. Five years later, the twoyear joe the kyoto treaty try to tackle global warming. At the copenhagen summit five years ago, which failed to reach a global agreement, emissions 20 n for more than 34 billion tons and rising. And they are said to be 40 billion tons with no sign yet of falling. World eyes are on the because polluter, china, where there are public demand for cleanup. Today, the chinese Prime Ministers signaled a shift. Missions, he says, will peak as soon as possible. That is a in climate diplomacy. Chinas emissions, they are bigger than the u. S. And will europe combined at the moment. If theyre going to make a big stand, they need to target themselves for international Climate Change. Carbon dioxide swirling above america, europe, and china. Some countries are cutting emissions on their own. The u. N. Wants a global deal next year. But there is no guarantee of getting one. The work of an artist is meant to be the main focus of attention, but what about the creators themselves echoing new collection of photographs is putting the spotlight on the people behind the paintings. What about the creators themselves . A new collection of photographs is putting the spotlight on the people behind the paintings. It is curated by Pablo Picassos grandson. Picasso. Livier same here with i am here with my grandfather. A new exhibition here in. Ashington it is a extraordinary view inside the artist view of the world. Show howwas to different it can be to be an artist. Justan have artists with they just take the pictures and leave. Or you can have an artist that is visually shy and does not act very properly. Others. Have when you say my father, Pablo Picasso, you see how he plays with the camera. And he does it very naturally. But not everyone is the same. I want to show the difference between Pablo Picasso and others. One of my favorites is the valley. But alsoible painter, a crazy man. For him, life is not boring. Grandmother was amazed at it. She wanted this gentleman, this nice man, a beautiful lover. These are my origins. That creatingnd so much and being so vivid was not easy for one life. And this is why Pablo Picasso had so many lives and so many women. Reflecting on his own hand own Family History and a glimpse into the lives of a famous artist. That brings our program to a close, but you can find much more on todays website. We are also on twitter. Thank you for watching. Tune in tomorrow. Funding of this presentation is made possible by the freeman foundation, newmans own foundation, giving all profits to charity and pursuing the common good for over 30 years, kovler foundation. Beijing tourism. And union bank. Discover the best memories of your life. Bbc world d im Henry Louis Gates jr. Welcome to finding your roots. In this episode, we help solve family mysteries for the novelist stephen king and actors Gloria Reuben and courtney vance, each of whom knew virtually nothing about their fathers origins. Their childhood memories are haunted by silences and loss. Remarkably, the stories that we recovered intertwine with major events in American History and introduce our guests to relatives they had no idea they had. To uncover these longlost family members, weve used every tool available. Genealogists help stitch together the past using the clues their ancestors left behind, while geneticists utilize the latest advances in dna analysis to reveal secrets