The 'surreal' diary of a soldier's life in Kabul

Dear Reader,
Britain’s evacuation of Kabul continues, with the Prime Minister to urge Joe Biden at a G7 meeting to delay the full withdrawal of US troops. The ongoing controversy over the US president’s actions has led Tim Stanely to argue in his column that Biden is well past his peak. It’s now been more than a week since Kabul fell to the Taliban and British troops were redeployed to aid the evacuation. One soldier has written a diary for The Telegraph detailing their extraordinary week. It’s a must-read.
The West entered Afghanistan, of course, because of the September 11 attacks, the 20th anniversary of which is approaching. A powerful new documentary from National Geographic is being broadcast to mark the occasion. Martin Fletcher was in New York in the aftermath of the tragedy and, as he writes in this moving piece, the programme has brought back vivid memories of a terrible day that would come to define the beginning of this century.
For much of 2020, Sweden was held up as a poster child for opponents of lockdown and then as a cautionary tale for supporters of the policy. Eighteen months on from its radical choice to eschew heavy restrictions, what is the final verdict? Richard Orange reports from Malmo on how things turned out and whether the Swedish approach could really have worked elsewhere.
Life expectancy has crept upwards for decades, but how far can it reach? And do we really want to spend the majority of our lives in old age? Sergey Young is an investor dedicated to developing the technology that could make two-century lifespans a reality. He spoke to Harry de Quetteville to discuss what’s really possible and the enormous implications of living to 200.
(For more tips and tricks to lead a healthier, happier life, sign up for our free 365 newsletter.)
Chris
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