CGTN: The Netherlands has decided to officially withdraw its ambassador from Turkey and will not appoint a new Turkish ambassador. The Dutch Ambassador has been physically barred from the country for almost a year, over a visa dispute which began last March. The two governments originally fell out over the Netherlands' decision to block visas for some Turkish officials.

TRT: Nobel peace laureate Sir David Trimble says Turkey has the right to defend itself.

EWTN: Turkey President Erdogan visits Pope Francis at the Vatican, becoming the first Turkish president to do so in nearly 60 years. EWTN News Nightly Vatican Correspondent Juliet Linley tells us what they discussed and why there were so many protests.

President Erdogan is due to meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on Monday. Talks are expected to focus on the future of Jerusalem. Both leaders share concerns over the widely condemned decision by the US to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital.

CBS News: Violent clashes between the Turkish military and Syrian Kurds are intensifying. This could put American troops stationed in the region in the crosshairs. James Jeffrey, the former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, Iraq, and Albania explains the complicated situation.

Al Jazeera: Geopolitically placed between the East and the West, Turkey plays a hugely important and strategic role in many of the region's crises and conflicts, including the ongoing Syrian war. On January 20, Turkey launched Operation Olive Branch, an air and ground offensive against Afrin in northwestern Syria. The region is controlled by the Syrian Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) which Turkey considers a "terrorist group".

Servus TV: Talk im Hangar-7 | Erdogans Krieg – wie umgehen mit der Türkei? Droht in Syrien ein Völkermord an Kurden? „Wir kämpfen, bis kein Terrorist mehr übrig ist“, beschwört der türkische Präsident Erdogan seine Anhänger. Und auch bei uns wird in Moscheen für einen Erfolg der türkischen Armee gebetet. Kritiker werfen dem Westen derweil komplettes Versagen und einen Kniefall vor Erdogan vor. Wie schmutzig ist Erdogans Militär-Operation „Olivenzweig“? Verfolgt er Pläne für ein neues Osmanisches Reich? Drohen Konflikte zwischen Türken und Kurden auch bei uns in Europa?

DW: Kurdish fighters in the Syrian province of Afrin feel betrayed by the West. Until recently, they were heroes in the battle against Islamic State. Now they are under attack from NATO member Turkey. Caught between big players and power games: Who will help the Kurds? Our guests: Dilek Kurban (Hertie School of Governance), Eva Savelsberg (European Center for Kurdish Studies), Daniel Gerlach (Zenith).

Meet the Turkey-backed Free Syrian Army fighters taking on the YPG. For Turkey, and its allied Free Syrian Army on the ground in Afrin, there is no difference between this operation and the ones before it, that cleared Daesh from other parts of Syria back in 2016. Ali Mustafa reports.

Turkey's Border Mission: Rockets fired by YPG in Syria hit Turkey. The YPG fired more rockets on Turkey on Friday than on any other day since Turkish troops began their offensive against the terror group in northern Syria. 12 rockets hit Kilis and Reyhanli, two people were killed and 19 were wounded. Border areas have been increasingly targeted by the YPG in Syria. But Turkey says that won't deter its troops from completing the mission to secure its borders. TRT World's Anelise Borges has the latest from Kilis.

PBS: Turkish officials say the air and ground campaign against U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northwest Syria is a "national security issue" and an effort to protect the country's border, but the U.S. sees the Kurdish militia as a valuable partner in the fight against ISIS. Judy Woodruff talks with Serdar Kilic, Turkey’s ambassador to the U.S., for the Turkish perspective on the conflict in Syria.

22-31 January 2018