Afghan contenders sign power-sharing deal

Afghanistan’s two presidential candidates have signed a power-sharing deal for the roles of president and chief executive three months after a disputed run-off that threatened to plunge the country into turmoil and complicate the withdrawal of US and other foreign troops.

Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, who will become president, and Abdullah Abdullah signed the national unity government deal as outgoing President Hamid Karzai watched. The deal follows weeks of negotiations on a power-sharing arrangement following accusations of fraud in the June run-off vote.