to back them up we have not heard from the u.s. what their plans are what if they're going to be backing up their fighters are not so we'll have to see what happens there ok many thanks to project if you can bring as of right today now let's bring in a guess joshua landis is the director at the center of middle east studies at the university of oklahoma nice to have you on just. what ramifications do you think this turkish offensive against the kurds could topple well let's remember is an extremely unstable region well it's really a indication to the united states that they're going to have a tough sledding here is going to be difficult for them to arm the kurds and to develop northern syria as an autonomous region in the face of turkish opposition and turkey is doing this in no small part because it's infuriated the united states it doesn't believe the united states that's been sensitive to turkish. really concerns and they're sticking

a their problem the united states saying you can't get away with ignoring us. what do you think about the u.s. actions in terms of the syrian kurds who they once proclaimed as the partners and allies now it seems in the face of this offensive the victim really being left to their own devices. well our freedom is a small enclave that is separated by so quite a bit of arab territory from the main statement that the united states is building up where the u.s. forces are in eastern turkey so in a sense this doesn't really compromise america's position it's going to inflame the kurds who will see. america having let them down because they're not protecting their brothers but in a sense what this is going to demand of the kurds is that they send us their brothers and. in order to build up autonomy in the eastern part of the country.

as we understand the u.s. really angered ankara by announcing the creation of a border security force this was in the kurdish held north of syria now washington did backtrack but was this the trigger for this incursion that we're seeing now was it just the final story in terms of relations between turkey and the united states . well it was a trigger in and the final straw relations have been going from bad to worse the last several years the united states has begun to write turkey off as a partner and a security. ally in the region and so turkey has been as felt increasingly that the united states is siding with kurdish nationalism in syria in iraq and is defying turkish interests and that's what chiller saw secretary of state tell us if just a day ago made an announcement while visiting stanford university saying that the

united states was no longer going to leave syria once isis was destroyed that they are going to stay in syria for the indeterminate future in order to make sure that the geneva process of trying to get out is is concluded or as part of his gains purchased the refugees come home he came up with a list of. things that they want to accomplish in syria and this previously the united states had told turkey that they would not harm the why p.g. the kurds and that they would leave syria once isis was destroyed now isis has largely been destroyed at least the territorial state ok they could continue to make sure they have some presence in order to destroy spragg alerts and make sure that isis doesn't come back but they could also help syria do this and help turkey do it because they do not have to stay and arm and train

a kurdish dominated security force and that this about not about face but this change in american foreign policy is what has really driven turkey to this taking step what we're left with now is a very delicate situation syria has warned anchor it will shoot down any turkish military aircraft its sights over its territory and i mean that's how wars begin what kind of action would you anticipate from syria at this point. well i don't think syria could do very much russia stood aside. and had three hundred troops in are free they seem to have largely left russia has made an announcement that it's standing behind it's looking with disapproval at this but clearly russia really isn't one hundred position to do anything syria needs russia's back to only if russia willing to take on turkey would be. would our side be able to

really do very much about this i think that russia's stance on this is to in a sense warn the kurds and say we were your allies but you've chosen to go with america and because you've chosen now you're going to have to rely on america. to save your position in half being there's nothing we can do for you and this in a sense is a stark reality about the choices being made by the united states by the kurds and today by turkey all of which are time to loggerheads in northern syria. joshua greatly appreciate your time and your views my guest just for landis director of the center of middle east studies at the university of oklahoma thanks again later . let's move on to other news now a british student has been making headlines after appearing on a radio show in confessing her support for communism twenty four year old feel

largely told b.b.c. programme she felt communism was never given a chance to develop in the soviet union and therefore didn't actually fail the story whipped up a storm of debate over how universities are leering students to the left one professor repeatedly quoted saying she's downplaying the crimes of started we spoke to her ourselves about the media storm. i think it's completely hypocritical and very typical of academics like him to kind of passionately you know talk about the deaths under the save even but i think this is you know very much selective outrage that. obviously don't paint marxism or socialist or really any kind of left wing politics in a positive light and that's because obviously you know the media is owned by so in a group of people in the media is owned by a billionaire class have certain interests they want to protect i think people can think for themselves and i wouldn't take their headlines general opinion of the

british population. perhaps it's not surprising the story was seized upon it seems that red alerts about flushing in the british media more often of late much was made of the prime minister wearing a bracelet featuring frida kahlo a communist nova her concerns about the poor the buzz feed science editor felt compelled to look down her social media account over the abuse she got after writing she wanted communism for christmas because the public share the red fear of the media according to new opinion poll mine percent of young adults view communism as a danger to the world compare that to global business which nearly a quarter think actually poses the biggest threat let's go back to is george barda shared his view on the story. what one needs to remember is that anybody of my age and older in this country and certainly in the u.s. of course much of the west identifies communism the soviet union and the

hard left or extreme left as pretty much different aspects of the same thing in the one nine hundred fifty s. when when the soviet union was showing very significant great significant rates of economic growth the mainstream foreign policy journals were very much kind of writing these defensive narratives to try and explain away why the demonized system was apparently doing so well i think one needs to distinguish between the propaganda and the historical reality. in france right police moved in on europe's largest prison firing tear gas that invades but guards and rest while the prison staff were taking part in a weeklong nationwide strike over what they say a dangerous working conditions including escalating attacks on guards elsewhere in the country the justice minister attempted to solve the crisis received a hostile welcome from angry prison workers.

all employees of the prison in the state of shock were angry because it's been a week since we created a national movement from the aggression right now we're waiting for the measures their bosses and the penitentiary administration will take with respect to the management of inmates. well a number of attacks on guards have been recorded in french prisons of late the latest was on friday when two guards were injured in a stabbing attack by an inmate who's reportedly been radicalised in another jail on monday seven security staff were attacked by an inmate who two officials the perpetrator had also been radicalized and a week ago another three guards were injured when a prisoner assaulted them with scissors and a razor blade. well following those incidents the prison guards union issued a list of demands aimed at improving working conditions they're asking officials to

create more than a thousand new jobs in french prisons as well as to fully isolate radicalised inmates they are also calling for more security forces to protect the workers and it's just mentioned the growing discontent that's led to a nationwide strike and to violent clashes with police. said la foret to do know the government our representatives are to blame they don't want to discuss the problem or to find a solution to our poor working conditions we demand an increase in the number of prison guards and also the creation of a special high security wing for radicalized prisoners. some for more determined we

are really determined to make ourselves heard and to ensure that our demands are met and we really want work conditions to be changed especially in terms of security at the. north and south korea will perform as one team at the upcoming winter olympics that's just been confirmed by the president of the international olympic. the olympic winter games going china two thousand and eighteen hopefully opening the door to a brighter future on the korean peninsula. and in writing the world to choice in in a celebration of hope. the north and south will march together at the opening ceremony under the name korea and using the unification flag athletes from the two countries will also compete as a single team in the women's ice hockey and a korean folk song around will also be played as an anthem all in all twenty two north korean athletes will take part in the olympics competing in three different sports all of this was agreed breakthrough talks between the north and the south

and it's now been officially confirmed by the i.o.c. . next italy has launched a web site targeting fake news the move comes ahead of marches general election if someone wants to report a fake all they have to do is click a special link online. on the service will allow users to identify fake news online the team has been set up to analyze the authenticity of everything flagged up by using special software the italian interior minister is heaped praise on the system but some experts are a little more skeptical. it's an entirely transparent and legitimate public service tool aimed at protecting citizens from unfounded news there is not even the

slightest intention to enter the political debate you cannot create a people checking news because everything that we are talking about it's an opinion at the end you can check the region of the news you will never read area independent to see what is truth what is fake and so i think we should try to. fix the all media system. to. have an independent media system and then we can talk about thinking as they are not. the us disability rights foundation has hit out a film directors for failing to cast people with disabilities to betray the disabled president says that it's offensive and humiliates actors with disabilities a group of him of accused directors of discrimination however some think the

problem has been exaggerated. i was told. you know your boys. have gone to college is coming in the same communities as everyone else mark my. god i know what love is yeah there are drugs for recovery back in the closet are we going to push because this is that you don't shrug airbus or. thank. the computer. models are ok. in a thirty years since my oscar win when no other actor with a disability has appeared in a leading gold in major motion picture. it is clear to us that having actors playing disabled is in a fantasy is mannie particularly to draft community culturally offensive.

by a nameless. when we go down that road towards regulating free speech to that extent we ruin drama we ruin cinema some of the greatest overtures to people with mental disabilities physical disabilities have been given to us in cinema by non disabled people so it's all about how they're being portrayed marlay in that one has been a great example of someone who has participated in comedy about her disability

because she thinks that it's important to make sure that people of disability are not treated as a separate class but are treated like everyone else so that is i think at the core of what we're discussing here today. and just quickly recap our top story for you this evening he has launched strikes on kurdish positions in syria this is part of a major military operation is also involving a ground invasion across borders shelling in the campaign has been named operation all the branch ankara says this is an anti terror up aeration and just to bring it to date with developments it began when turkey sent letters to syria and the un to inform them about this impending military operation turkey has also summoned the russian iranian and u.s. diplomats to brief them on. what is going on the turkish foreign minister discussed the operation with rex tillerson over the phone obviously

a lot of countries are watching on some of them weren't aware this was going to happen it's quite a few of them off guard russia has been watching closely and is called on all sides involved to remain calm and to actually calm down developments the russian ministry of defense has said that irresponsible u.s. actions in syria award has been the trigger for this situation now especially the creation of kurdish enclaves and an uncontrolled supply of weapons to the region as for the predominantly kurdish syrian democratic forces they've released a statement saying that they harbor no hostile intent towards turkey and that they would only take measures in their own defense in the event of hostile operations against their people the militia operation no. and that brings you right up there with our top story our because in a very short break couple of minutes of about the headlines in just a moment. but

you had to stand here from last. hour or. so from what i saw. right now are those that are on our right over there are rather democrats that are the force for them medicare that. i'm going to let them but i don't touch them and you can there and keep an eye on what i don't lose a child for truffle that it will never know. what then i'm wanting my michelle but also i know it does. and why the. number set up around i had no necessity to it. get this whole food place choice were gone the i knew where you're from and theosophy chime in syria said. british. civil somewhere else

for them after the fall far from the mr hates it for jim and then boy for hope that our freedom in the course. of the money. mean you don't. see. why. not. make. love to no. climbing no servant is nasty letter. you speak french. most. of. all to new. songs. this.

breaking news here in our international turkey started a full scale military operation against kurdish positions in syria's african region launching airstrikes ground invasion and cross border shelling. the war on terror is no longer america's top defense priority instead the u.s. will be focusing on the global power play with russia and china which are its main adversaries on the world stage according. to defense secretary james mattis. his second year in office the government said to be shut down over a funding bill to take a look back at the highs and lows of the president's tenure so far.

good evening you're watching international a top story this hour hour three. ago turkey launched strikes on kurdish positions in syria it was part of a major military operation that's also seen a ground invasion and cross border shelling the campaign which ankara has deemed anti terror has been named operation olive branch let's cross over now live to our correspondent paula. paula do we know what's happening right now in africa and just how many details if any we got on this operation. well the latest information we have is that the turkish military has struck one hundred and eight out of one hundred and thirteen designated targets inside the afrin region we're seeing reports that at least eight if sixteen's have been firing from the skies while on

the ground you have the turkish backed syrian opposition rebels have moved into this on tape that isn't on tape that is controlled by the kurdish militia the y.p. g from the ground we're also hearing that the free syrian army has been arriving in buses as well as in trucks that have been fitted out with machine guns we are receiving reports in terms of the civilian situation there and they we're hearing that people have been ordered to retreat into their homes and into shelters but there are reports coming through of people who have been wounded and injured and who are being taken to the local hospital now all of this follows threats over the last few days by the turkish president as the one that he was going to launch a ground offensive into africa was really just a question of when and he said that this was really the only answer to root out what he has called terrorist elements there take a listen all throughout the hour for an operation has a factory been started on the ground this will be followed by. the promises of not

so nobody has a right to say anything. now man is an area that is mostly arab it is waste of the euphrates and it is the next step in terms of the turkish military's way of dealing with the kurdish militia it is not far from the area that the army has entered now so that is way out when i saw turning for the immediate future ok thank you an update there from our correspondents paula slip. correspondent. in the studio with me. there in the middle east should be following things for her in moscow i mean what i want to ask you first of all is wise to syria in the first place obviously you know sovereign territory why do the turks feel every right to be the well clearly this is an extremely complicated situation and it takes a bit of explaining what really seems to have brought everything to a head is the fact that last week the u.s. coalition in syria said that it would be working with syrian democratic forces to

establish a new syrian border force and that they would train and implement these forces and the u.s. backed s.d.f. would be working there and they are allied with the y.p. ji who is in turn allied with the p.k. k. who turkey considers to be a terrorist organization so through all that that's where turkey is the real issue is coming to a head and after they announce these border forces air to one was infuriated and like in the attempt to the u.s. creating a terror army on turkey's border now after that reaction from air to want us to try and backtrack a little bit with tillerson saying that the announcement was misconstrued of course not a terror army on turkey's border but that really didn't seem to appease anyone and that's where we are why we are here today obviously over the last year or so territory has been an international battleground but again it is sovereign territory this is a sensitive area what's the international reaction been to these offensive well

everyone has been threatening this operation for about a week now but everyone does still seem pretty. offguard that he's actually gone through with it we heard about it yesterday from some of the actual army saying that they were taking care of it but and one did confirm today that this operation both air and ground is happening and turkey says that they sent a letter to syria to inform them about the military operation whatever that may have done and at this point turkey has also summoned russian ukrainian and u.s. diplomats to turkey to get information on the operation but again that feel for little bit too little too late at this point we do know that tillerson has spoken to his turkish counterpart but we do not know what came out of that conversation and at this point russia has announced that they are following it very closely the situation and it's called on all five to restrain themselves and the russian military defense did say that it's the u.s. they're irresponsible what they called irresponsible actions in syria that has led to this operation happening let's take a listen the main reason behind the developing crisis in this part of syria is the

provocative steps taken by the united states which were aimed at isolating heiress with predominantly kurdish populations on control deliveries by the pentagon more than weapons to pro american formations to northern syria contributes to the rapid escalation of tension in the region and led to special operation by turkish troops . so some pretty harsh comments coming from the russian ministry of defense there and so we'll see what comes of that and the turkish back free syrian army fighters have already announced they are on the move to help the turkish army in the african region many thanks to configure in studio with me bring us right up to date ok let's get some expert analysis now to speak to a guest and i must apologize in advance for my pronunciation we have to check the chance to speak ahead of this interview dr cohen you know he's a turkey expert tell of if university thanks for your time this offensive against the syrian regime could it in your opinion trigger

a chain reaction in the region we know things are pretty unstable or do you think it will remain confined to the north of syria. ok first of all i need to tell you that recently before coming to your studio i heard the. statement that this operation now is only limited with the afi region but then he also concluded that it will also they will also continue to the member region since the u.s. did not fulfill its promises to the turkish government as you may remember the turkish administration did not want any kurdish presence on the west bank of the euphrates river but thanks to the united states patronage the kurds continued their existence on the west bank of the river but now first of all the turks are trying to. frame to separate the things now they are concentrating on a free and they are also similar to their peace operation in one thousand nine

hundred ninety four in cyprus they again named their operation as a peace. metaphoric name for the peace which is the all the range operation they are claiming that the operator would bring peace to the region. what extent do you think this is all been triggered by the us announcing the creation of this border security force a lot of experts have said that this was the catalyst russia's more general and said they blame the responsible u.s. policy in the region what's your opinion. what let me tell you this way well when i'm looking at the syrian map i do see some different players right so p y d a y p g's the natural ally of the united states since united states would like to go back to syria and see this region as a breach and in this regard. since. russians are there since

iranians are there since turks are there also united states would like to go back there and in this regard we see that us is bringing. bringing arms to the idea why p.g. which from the turkish point of view it's a terrorist organization turkey sees p y d y p g is the extension of the so from their perspective it's a very important breach for de or national security and of course from maybe from the from the american point of view it's a it's a must to to arm the kurds but from the from the turkish side it's something unacceptable. where do the syrian kids want to put a time they were being called partners by the united states of a effectively been abandoned now and left at the mercy of turkey. well i must admit that when i am more and i'm looking at the map i see that there

are two different regions are free in member bunny and commissioner region right so our free region is under the russian influence area while member area is under the american influence so unless the turkish armed forces will launch another military operation against the men beach and co bunny region i still think that it's too early to declare the honeymoon between the end of the how do between the americans and for still be a free for in my opinion it's not the real exam for the kurdish american relations . but appreciate your time i guess dr hating cohen turkey expert television university thank you. changing over now to the us until the terms first year in the white house has been marked by a government wide shutdown that's up to the senate refused.