this is. from berlin a new frontline in a new war in the middle east turkey defines international criticism and pushes ahead with its offensive in syria turkish troops and syrian forces are advancing on the kurdish enclave of offering the goal to destroy kurdish militia which turkey labels as terrorists the u.n. says the fighting has already displaced find thousand people and left many others trapped also coming up the world economic forum gets underway in davos with a free trade plea from india's modi but that's all the same day that the u.s.

slaps a fifty percent tariff on a range of important. it's good to have you with this would begin tonight in turkey the country has intensified its military offensive against kurdish militia in northern syria and that despite criticism from the international community the united nations says that the fighting has already displaced some five thousand people and left vulnerable civilians trapped says that it will press on with its operation in offering against groups that it regards as terror. turkish forces firing on come easily and other towns along the syrian turkish border officials say their aim is to divert attention from the main campaign their

advance on the kurdish enclave of our frayne it's the fourth day of a push by turkish forces and their syrian rebel allies to clear the northwestern border enclave of kurdish why p.g. fighters and correct considers the y. p.g. to be allies of kurdish insurgents who for decades have force against the turkish state within its own borders to actually wants to prevent kurds from gaining their own independent territory ankara has promised an unrelenting campaign. book. bitter terrorist elements will be cleansed from this region. and our brothers came to our country from syria to save their lives but not being able to return there and continue their lives. hideout in order. had their positive role of sorts and regardless of the price. we will tear down the terra

cotta door that they are trying to establish in the region. the attacks russia has pulled back its ground troops from the region washington back to the kiddish y p g militia during the war against so cool the state but is now refraining from direct criticism while urging turkey to quote exercise restraint in its military actions the us has also said it takes to legitimate security concerns seriously. well there's some tough talk coming from turkey yet it concedes that it discussed this military offensive with the u.s. and with moscow beforehand well let's pull in our correspondents in russia and the us tonight your english other joins us from moscow and michele macneill is in the u.s. capital washington to both of you good evening yuri i want to start with you can we confirm what russia is saying did it give turkey its blessing for this operation

olive branch. hi brenda there was indeed a small russian contingent and offer it contingent and to the chorus believed even the russians who was there would be more or less safe from terror attacks experts say kurds obviously believed that the turkish and forces wouldn't come because russia has a sort of agreement with the pentagon covering that part of syria but last week a turkish military location came to moscow for told with the russian minister of defense and apparently they reached a deal the deal supposedly allowed to turkish forces to go to a free while turkey for its part allowed to russian iranian and syrian forces so everyone fighting on the syrian government's side to bomb the syrian opposition into it so they have obviously been to operations going on at the same time on the ground as rational duration in one of these so-called these collation zones and to the turkish operation against the kurds ok so if we go to operations going on once the dust settles i mean yuri what does russia plan to get out of all of this.

well russia is a big military power brand to the has become an influential player in the region for russia it seems to be very important to the turkey a lot of them to fight against parts of the so-called al nusra front which is a part of the syrian opposition in egypt province province so there is obviously something big at stake here as well moscow wants to drive a wedge between turkey and nato between turkey and its western allies because for russia the greatest prize could be if turkey breaks with the west and is special with united states yes speaking of the united states what are we to make of washington's luke warm reaction to all of this. let me ask you i mean why why has america's response so far been so muted. well because washington is walking a very fine line on this issue i mean the u.s.

clearly doesn't want to anger turkey a key nato ally but of course it has also no interest in an all out extensive a war against the kurds because of course the kurds played a key role in defeating isis the islamic state in syria so the u.s. so the u.s. in a way is in a very difficult position here and we heard from europe that one of russia's aims here really is to destabilize already strained relations between turkey and the u.s. so michelle i mean how is the u.s. reacting to that if we if one of the goals of russia is to see to nato allies basically fall out with each other well it seems to be that for now at least the u.s. is siding with with turkey a key nato ally and not the kurds this is of course contingent on on this this this is a kurdish district defense if not not extending beyond

a few days probably and also not being at becoming an odd war against the kurds but it seems that so far when push comes to shove the u.s. sites with them with its key nato ally instead of the kurds and. michelle let me start with you i mean the kurds they were indispensable in the fight against islamic state they were considered the best ground troops that the u.s. led coalition had against islamic state in syria and now we've got a different conflict is the u.s. willing to let its best ground troops just in to be delivered to the turks and just be abandoned. well it could certainly be. like that right now at least and also critics here in the u.s. who actually check to make that point that you made at the u.s. it's basically leave it leaving the courts out hanging to dry and and this could only change him as i said before if if perhaps this this this this offensive which is supposed to be limited extends and becomes

a full fledged war than that then it could be that the u.s. will will will try to rein in turkey and briefly i mean is that how we'd seen in moscow as well yes it seems that the russians have used the currents to achieve the allied goal goals much more important to moscow than surrendering a small seat in syria brant are the correspondents michelle in washington during her shadow in moscow do both of you thank you very much. and here are some of the other stories now that are making headlines around the world a fifteen year old high school student in the u.s. state of kentucky has shot dead two of his fellow students and wounded nineteen others police say he was armed with a handgun he was arrested at the scene the governor of kentucky says he will now be charged with murder and attempted murder. officials in the philippines are warning that a violent eruption of the country's most active volcano could be imminent mount mayall

has been spewing lava and ash prompting authorities to expand the danger zone thousands of people living nearby have been told to leave the area. the world economic forum has kicked off in the swiss alps with a keynote speech from indian prime minister narendra modi his address came as the u.s. imposed tough new tariffs on a range of imports but modi said that now is not the time for protectionism as he talked up india's credentials to potential foreign investors. this is the first time in twenty years that a head of india's government to come to davos for the world economic forum and he's brought one hundred executives and six ministers along with him. narendra modi's message was simple warning against the protectionist tendencies of some countries is diametrically opposed to u.s. president donald trump has just imposed punitive tariffs on a range of imports. paul said some argue are very many societies and countries are

becoming more and more focused on themselves it feels like the opposite of globalization the negative impact of this kind of mindset and wrong priorities. can't be seen as any less dangerous than climate change or terrorism. modi speech was greeted with wide acclaim along duffels participants. so i think it's ready of a great time for india to stop me and to to be a cabaret to as other countries remember modi made climate change the number one priority it was automatically really well mentioned modi is also using the votes to highlight his country's progress in the switch to sustainable energy a sector he intends to expand forcefully. two wednesday devils turns its attention to europe as well as german chancellor angela merkel the heads of

government of france italy and greece are all expected to attend. the u.s. justice department is confirming that attorney general jeff sessions was questioned by federal investigators looking into alleged russian meddling in the u.s. election the interview reportedly took place last week behind closed doors sessions is the first member of donald trump's cabinet known to have been interviewed in the inquiry which aims to establish whether the truck campaign colluded with russia sessions previously served as an advisor to the truck campaign he is known to have had multiple contacts with russian officials during that time. human rights activists here in germany are criticizing the government's decision to deport afghan refugees from dusseldorf airport tonight a plane carrying at least ten failed asylum seekers took off a short while ago activists say that saturday's bombing of kabul's intercontinental

hotel shows that the country is not safe to send people back to that attack left twenty people dead one hundred fifty five afghans have been deported from germany in the last year all the returns have been controversial as the situation the security situation in afghanistan has worsened since nato indeed combat activities in two thousand and fifteen several deportation flights have been cancelled in the past due to pilots refusing to fly. or here in germany divisions between the countries potential governing partners are showing even as they prepare to launch formal coalition talks i'm going to medicals conservative bloc has urged the social democrats to finish the talks quickly and to deliver the country a new government but the left of center as it will negotiate hard to push it's a jet. light snow falling outside conservative headquarters last night the kind of inclement weather that matches germany's political mood at the moment with the

country waiting for government to be given the green light party leaders who've been hammering out a negotiation schedule behind closed doors. during sunday's party conference the social democrats instructed their leaders to extract further concessions. given about a team and even we'll talk again about all the issues we raised during the exploratory talks it's quite clear that in the end the full coalition negotiations will always involve compromises that both sides will have to make senior conservatives however are signalling there's little room to maneuver especially on the s.p.d. as demands for liberal immigration policies. this is it's important for us conservatives to hold our line on migration but there cannot be more migration we need less we need stricter regulations especially in terms of family reunifications we cannot start that debate again. one of the rising stars in the s.p.d.

parliamentary leader and has promised to squeeze the conservatives until in her words they squeal. analysts believe the s.p.d. will be a prickly. opposition within the party against the current coalition so in that way the social democrats will be kind of complicated within this coalition government there will be not the easy part no fault of christian democrats. political winter still has germany in its grip with weeks of negotiation ahead before a coalition is finally full. well the nominations for this year's oscars are in the shape of water tops the list with thirteen it's. a fantasy romance is in the running for best picture best director sally hawkins was nominated for best actress for her leading role in the film world war two drama is next with eight nominations the movie that dominated the hollywood awards season three billboards

outside. received the oscars take place on march fourth. and you're up to date with me back at the top of the hour with more world news followed by the day. the whole g.w. . for global insight the news out for local heroes. the double made for minds.