ANKARA
France has observed a minute of silence in remembrance of the 12 victims of the bloody gun attack on the headquarters of the Charlie Hebdo satirical magazine in Paris.
Public transport in Paris was also halted at 1200 local time (1100 GMT) on Thursday as bells tolled in churches across the country including at the famous Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.
President Francois Hollande observed a minute of silence at the police headquarters in the French capital.
In public places, offices and primary schools, colleges and universities around the country people stopped working and stood to observe the minute of silence.
'Day of mourning'
Prime Minister Manuel Valls, members of his cabinet and personnel attached to the Prime Minister's office gathered in the courtyard of the Hotel de Matignon, the Prime Minister's residence, for the ceremony.
At the Mosque of Paris, religious leaders including Muslims, Jews, Protestants, Catholics, Orthodox and Buddhists gathered to observe the silence.
In a press release, the Ministry of Education invited "all staff and all students" to observe the commemoration and the flags of all institutions under the Ministry were ordered to be flown at half-mast for three days.
French MPs also gathered in the National Assembly and the Senate.
Hollande had declared Thursday a "day of national mourning" a day earlier.
