conflagrations massacres. starting february third on d w. this is d w news live from berlin turkey attack syria's kurds in a move that could seriously aggravate the war in that country turkish forces have long launch a ground an air offensive against the syrian region of our free as they step up efforts to oust kurdish fighters that russia and the united states are calling for restraint. also on this program in the u.s.

donald trump faces a government shutdown and nationwide protests exactly a year after he came to power we'll have the latest for you from washington. and the world's top skiers take on the harlem come the most dangerous slope in downhill racing there was a surprise winner this year we'll tell you who mastered the mountain. hello and welcome my name is christopher spring a good to have you with us turkey has begun a military operation to oust kurdish fighters from the northern syrian town of freedom and its surrounding villages officials say turkish forces have launched a ground an air offensive on the region the army says it hit shelters and hideouts used by militants from three separate groups including the. u.s. backed white p.g.

militia the move opens a new front in syria's civil war the syrian government. has warned against any incursion and is also threatening to shoot down turkish jets turkish president richard type out of the water is promising to expand his country's border operations is well he had to say earlier today not yet up now we will clear this terror corridor from our border step by step just as we have prevented a terror corridor from being formed along our border with drabble those and bob operations. we've launched a military operation into the northern afferent province of syria an operation in mamby it will come after offering. the promises made to us have not been kept up to now so nobody can object if we do what is necessary.

ok for more we're going to talk to door injun's our correspondent in istanbul adoring are there any signs at this point that turkey is preparing to send large numbers of ground troops into syria. no not yet and i think that what's going on is a very sustained air bombardment already over one hundred targets have been hit according to the turkish military this bombardment is expected to carry on for several days possibly even weeks and the reason why is that this is a very mountainous region the syrian kurdish militia are believed to be very well dug in and the turkish military do see that air strike is the key to the success of this operation they will be looking to continue to bombard this area backed up by artillery for some time to come before is expected to be any major ground operation but we do hear that rebels syrian rebels backed by turkey have launched some operations to what extent it is unclear but as the president spoke today he made it clear that this is just the beginning of a much wider operation that would involve possibly much of turkey's southern border

and to door in syria itself the syrian government is warning against any form of incursion could this situation escalates into a major conflict between the two countries. i think certainly that is the fear but the key player here is russia moscow has deployed a very sophisticated surface to air missile system all across syria and they in many ways control syrian airspace now turkey has been locked in intense ago ca shoes to get permission to enter syrian airspace it does appear that they have got the green light what gave in exchange for that and what the parameters if any that moscow has insisted on remains unclear but moscow is very much seen as the person that is controlling the situation but was also issued a diplomatic warning saying that they are calling for restraint and they've said that they will back serious calls to protect its integrity they are expected to take this to the united nations and that if that is the case then it does appear that turkey's window of opportunity to strike could be very limited and what about

the u.s. role in this crisis the kurdish fighters the turkish forces are targeting are backed by the u.s. at least some of them how much of a strain is this putting on relations between washington this is putting a massive strain already relations have been deeply strained in the run up to this crisis now it's a further escalation particularly as president one is indicating that they will plan to extend its operation all along the southern border areas where american forces are based we've syrian kurdish forces the risk of a confrontation between turkish and u.s. forces is it is escalating the u.s. secretary of state spoke with his turkish counterpart following the start of these operations and the pressure is expected to further escalate as this operation continues the u.s. have already called for the for the turks not to enter into our friend turkey has ignored this and in fact they have launched a verbal very tough statement the president was accusing as hc of hypocrites and untrustworthy relations between turkey and the u.s.

are set to further plummet as this operation continues analysis from our correspondent in dorian many thanks for that. turning to the u.s. now why donald trump is marking the first anniversary of his swearing in as president despite his promise to bring people together the country remains though wracked by political division the federal government shutting down overnight after congress failed to reach a last minute deal on spending this all means the government workers will be staying at home for now holding all but the most essential operations recriminations have already begun. it was a night of partisan politics at the capitol despite hours of debate and last minute deal making there was no agreement on a government funding deal the a's or fifty two days or forty nine the motion is not agreed the republican leadership couldn't find the sixty votes needed to keep the

government open the government shutdown means hundreds of thousands of public servants night have to stay home. following the senate vote the white house said the democrats were behaving like obstructionist loses its words were echoed by the republican senate laid out what we've just witnessed on the floor was a stunning call decision to democrats or shovel up millions of americans for the sake of irresponsible political games a government shutdown with one hundred percent of all edible but democratic sen chuck schumer said he tried his utmost to give the republicans what they wanted he was prepared to offer donald trump money for his border wall if the president would soften his hard line on immigration no one who deserves the blame for the position we find ourselves in more than president trump. he walked away from two

bipartisan deals including one today in which i even put the border wall on the table ultimately though the democrats wouldn't back down on one key demand they wanted guarantees on the future of hundred thousand undocumented immigrants brought to the u.s. it's children republican side that's holding ordinary people hostage but with most americans supporting a deal on the children democrats are calculating that voters will back them. well while the politicians in washington scramble to find a solution to this latest shutdown crisis thousands have taken to the streets of major u.s. cities for the second so-called women's march are you it's been a year since the first women's march sold people around the world demonstrating against donald trump's election the demonstrations at that time were aimed at raising awareness about sexism and minority rights something protest is today have

been saying hasn't improved in the first year of trump's administration. well to w.'s alexander phenomena is that women's march placed them on that's happening in washington alexandra this march has a track change and similar marches around the country have attracted nearly the same number of protesters that they did last year why is there less interest this year. well first of all we have to say that this is only one of many protests that are taking place this weekend in the united states and actually the main march is scheduled to take place to morrow in las vegas so it will be interesting to see how many people will show up there and then of course we have to admit that the situation the mood is right now different that it was one year ago where many people women of course were met and shocked and dispersed in this parish after the election and the women here told me that they

are still met and that the president transfers year in office was a disaster but they also told me that you know the focus has shifted it's not only about protesting about showing that they are a force to be reckoned with there they are stepping up to fight for their rights to be more x's in politics to run for office and one very popular slur the slogan here says the woman's place is in the house and in the senate ok now how. the activists that you've been talking to the march organizers how are they proposing to move forward how they proposing to keep their supporters energized for the second year of trump's administration. but my impression is that the base he is very energized and we've been told me that

they are very hopeful after what's happened in alabama and in virginia were a. probably like candidates lost their race so they told me that women here that there are a whole pool that they hold that the democrats can win a lot of seats. to be able to take over the control of the house to push through their policies that woman he would like to see ok alexander many thanks for that alexandra phenomena. from washington. we're going to catch up with some of the other stories making news around the world gunmen have stormed a luxury hotel in the afghan capital kabul the attack on the intercontinental hotel is understood to be ongoing officials say security forces are on the scene and are exchanging fire with the gunmen the hotel has been the target of a previous attack seven years ago. police in nigeria say that true americans

and two canadians kidnapped in the north of the country have been freed the four were in the state of could do you know when they were seized in an ambush on tuesday two of the police escorts was shot dead in the incident one person has been arrested in connection with the kidnapping. pope francis has arrived in northern peru for the next leg of his tour of the country the area was hit by devastating floods nearly a year ago and the pontiff said he's in the region to pray with those who have lost so much are hard and veteran irish politician gerry adams has handed over leadership of the national shin fein party to mary lou. adams led the party for thirty four years and was known around the world as the political face of the irish republican movement which renounced violence in two thousand and four.

and germany's beautifully given some high scoring matches today add a few surprises freiburg for instance producing the performance of the day coming from behind to beat lights severely denting lights all of all she said fading hopes of the title. meanwhile replacing leipzig in second spot after destroying hoffenheim four one away they were also battling winds for months frankfurt and home friday dortmund drew away at half of a lid with america over a young open my young brother again left out of the team hamburg and cologne to playing right now and there are two games to come on sunday of course including leaders by and against braman. now there was a shock victory for german downhill skier thomas desson as he beat a host of more experienced competitors a world cup race in the austrian resort of kits built today let me just remind you he did that on one of the most difficult and dangerous slopes in the well the high

on income slope competitors launching themselves from the starting gate of the sixteen hundred meters above sea level reaching speeds of over one hundred kilo much as per hour. the harm income pieced in kids bill is daunting even for the very best out pine downhill ski areas last year's third place finisher yawn clarity lost control after a jump and crashed into the safety net saying. the frenchman was going over one hundred thirty kilometers an hour at the time needless to say clearly was unable to finish the race but was not seriously injured. thomas jefferson had no such miss fortune the german got off to a fast start and he mastered every twist and turn on the intimidating course. the twenty four year old stayed on his skis and crossed the finish line no point two zero seconds quicker than his nearest rival. tyson was ecstatic after his

maiden world cup victory on the epic. and with the winter olympics just around the corner. definitely not for the fainthearted don't try it after her move from the top of the hour as ever maya schrader taking over from make up next here on your documentary on street food if you haven't yet believe me this is going to make you hungry. state by state. the most colorful. the liveliest. the most traditional. find it all any time. check in with a web special. take a tour of germany state by state. d.w. dot com.