Afghan presidential candidates agree to power sharing deal

Afghanistan's rival presidential candidates have signed a deal to create a unity government in which the two men will share executive powers.

Under the terms of the deal, Ashraf Ghani will become president while Abdullah Abdullah will serve as a chief executive, a position akin to prime minister. The agreement will allow for a peaceful transition of power from the government of President Hamid Karzai, who has led the nation since the U.S.-led invasion more than a decade ago.

"The Afghan people have been waiting for this happy day," Karzai said. "I hope the things I couldn't do, you two can do."

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The deal comes after a months-long election that included a runoff and a contentious, U.N.-overseen audit. An agreement was believed to have been reached earlier in the week, but Abdullah refused to sign off on it unless the final vote tally from the runoff was kept secret.