Briefly

UNITED STATES

Deal with Taliban expected on Feb 29

The United States is preparing to sign a deal with the Taliban on Feb 29, building on an agreement to reduce violence across Afghanistan, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Friday. "Upon a successful implementation of this understanding, signing of the US-Taliban agreement is expected to move forward," he said in a statement released after visiting Saudi Arabia.

LIBYA

Boat carrying 91 migrants missing

A small boat packed with 91 migrants that set out from Libyan shores in hopes of reaching Europe has apparently gone missing in the Mediterranean, the UN migration agency said on Thursday. The inflatable boat carrying mostly African migrants departed from al-Qarbouli, near the capital Tripoli, on Feb 8, said Osman Haroun, whose cousin was on board. He hasn't heard since from the 27-year-old Mohamed Idris, or his 10 other friends also on the boat.

IRAN

Supreme leader gets vote under way

Voting began in the Iranian parliamentary election on Friday as supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was seen casting the first vote on the state broadcaster. Nearly 58 million Iranians are eligible to vote in the elections, during which lawmakers for the 290-seat chamber will be elected. Out of the total, 2.9 million people are potential first-time voters.

AUSTRALIA

Passenger train derails, killing 2

A passenger train derailed in southeastern Australia, killing two operators and injuring several other people, police said. The train was heading from Sydney to Melbourne late on Thursday when it came off the tracks in Victoria state near Wallan. The two dead were the guard and the driver of the train, which was carrying 153 passengers, police said. The cause of the derailment is not yet known, officials said.