What's next in Afghanistan?

The US and the Taliban signed a deal in Doha, Qatar, Saturday that lays a path to the end of the nearly two-decade long war in Afghanistan. [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [View in your browser]( [Top of The World]( The US and the Taliban signed an agreement Saturday that could spell the end of a nearly two-decade war in Afghanistan. Turkey announced a counteroffensive in northern Syria, a first open declaration of war that comes after more than 30 Turkish soldiers were killed last week. And some Christians in Nigeria believe they are being persecuted for their faith, while others argue that insecurity isn't based on religion. --------------------------------------------------------------- In the news today US and Taliban sign peace deal. What's next? [Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the leader of the Taliban delegation, signs an agreement with Zalmay Khalilzad, US envoy for peace in Afghanistan, at a signing agreement ceremony between members of Afghanistan's Taliban and the US in Doha, Qatar, Feb. 29, 2020.]( Credit: Ibraheem al Omari/Reuters The US and the Taliban [signed a deal]( in Doha, Qatar, Saturday that lays a path to end the nearly two-decade long war in Afghanistan. The agreement outlines a US and NATO troop withdrawal over 14 months, but is still somewhat tenuous. The US-backed Afghan government was not a party to the talks, though the agreement indicates that intra-Afghan talks between the government and Taliban must [begin by March 10](. The country is still saddled with institutional challenges that could be a threat to the successful implementation of the agreement. More: [US signs peace deal with Taliban after nearly two decades of war in Afghanistan]( Also: [Afghanistan war enters new stage as US miltary prepares to exit]( Turkey announces counteroffensive in Syria [Turkey openly declared war]( for the first time against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces, announcing the launch of a counteroffensive in northern Syria. The move comes after more than 30 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike last week, and Assad continues an offensive to retake rebel-held Idlib. The violence has pushed nearly a million people towards the Turkish border, where they are faced with horrific conditions. Last week Turkey said it would no longer prevent Syrian refugees from [heading toward Europe](. More: [Is the European Union facing a new refugee crisis?]( Elections, elections, elections In Slovakia, an [anti-corruption platform]( spurred the center-right to victory in Saturday's elections, which resisted a pull toward [right-wing facism]( and keeps the Central European country in the political mainstream. Corruption has been a focal point in Slovak politics after the 2018 murder of Ján Kuciak, an investigative journalist, and his fiancée. Former Vice President Joe Biden swept the South Carolina primary on Saturday — his [first primary win]( in three presidential bids. FiveThirtyEight looks at what this might [mean for Sen. Bernie Sanders](. And in Israel, voters are in the midst of their third election in less than a year, with afternoon reports showing the highest voter turnout since 2013. Follow the [results here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Number in the News [The Number in the News]( is The World’s daily smart speaker show. You’ll learn one number you won’t forget and why it’s in the news today. [Click here]( to add The Number in the News to your Amazon or Google flash briefing and hear a new episode seven days a week. South Korea seeks murder charges over COVID-19 spread South Korea [sought murder charges]( against leaders of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, a secretive religious organization at the center of a growing coronavirus outbreak in the country. The global death toll of COVID-19 has risen to above 3,000. Outside of Seattle, health authorities announced a second person died of the coronavirus at the EvergreenHealth hospital in Kirkland, where the virus may have been [circulating for up to six weeks](. Also: [How coronavirus is already being viewed through a partisan lens]( [Christians in Nigeria feel targeted after pastor’s death]( [People attend Ash Wednesday mass in a church in Abuja, Nigeria, Feb. 26, 2020.] Credit: Afolabi Sotunde/Reuters A Christian pastor's kidnapping and execution by Boko Haram in January along with a spate of reported attacks on churches in recent years in northern Nigeria have led some Christians in the country to believe they are being persecuted for their religion. But critics argue that in Nigeria, a country nearly evenly split between Muslims and Christians, the insecurity caused by terrorist groups and intercommunal violence isn’t based on religion. “[These are complex issues]( that have contributed to creating tensions among the communities, creating suspicion and also destroying good relationships that have existed between the communities for long,” said Sani Suleiman, who works on peace and conflict for Mercy Corps. --------------------------------------------------------------- Morning meme Coronavirus fears have shuttered the Louvre, but art lovers rejoice — you can still enjoy its collection via this 360-degree [online tour of the iconic museum](. (Alas, it does not come with any pain au chocolat.) --------------------------------------------------------------- In case you missed it on The World - [Michael Bublé discovers new superfans: gorillas]( - [President Duterte: ‘Bye, bye America’]( - [Tokyo Marathon canceled for all but elite runners]( - [Daily life with the coronavirus]( - [Singapore’s SARS playbook and getting ahead of COVID-19]( - [Religious freedom in Nigeria]( - [Stage is set for historic deal between US and Taliban]( - [Electric Kurdish wedding music]( - [Heavy fighting in Syria between Turks and Russians]( - [Syria-Turkey border]( Don't forget to subscribe to The World's Latest Edition podcast using your favorite podcast player: [RadioPublic](, [Apple Podcasts](, [Stitcher](, [Soundcloud](, [RSS]( [The World logo]( [The World on Facebook]( [The World's Twitter account]( [Donate]( | [Forward to a friend]( | [Subscribe]( | [Edit your subscription]( | [Unsubscribe]( | [View in your browser]( Top of the World is written weekday mornings by the team at [The World](. 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