An Iraqi man has been charged in Australia with people trafficking in connection with the drowning deaths of more than 350 asylum seekers in 2001, police said Saturday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced hope Friday that a U.S.-brokered ceasefire will hold between Turkey and Syria's Kurds as he discussed the turbulent region with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan Friday warned Turkey would restart its operation against Kurdish forces in Syria on Tuesday evening if they do not withdraw from a "safe zone".

Deadly Turkish air strikes Friday shattered an hours-old US-brokered deal to stop Ankara's military offensive against Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria.

Czech President Milos Zeman has accused fellow NATO member Turkey of teaming up with terrorists during its offensive in northeastern Syria and of committing war crimes.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday hailed the announcement of a "ceasefire" in northern Syria as a "great day" for Turkey and the Kurds.

Turkey has agreed to suspend its Syria offensive for five days and will end the assault if Kurdish-led forces withdraw from a safe zone away from the border, U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Turkish officials said on Thursday.

Armed men in uniform seized a prominent Iraqi blogger from his home on Thursday, one of his relatives told AFP, after a wave of deadly anti-government protests earlier this month.

Turkey's week-old offensive against Kurdish-controlled areas of northeastern Syria has displaced more than 300,000 people, a war monitor said Thursday.

The Islamic State group said Thursday it had "freed" women held by Syria's Kurds, the latest in a series of reported breakouts since Turkey launched a cross-border offensive last week.