Morning mail: Taliban takes control, mixed vaccines ‘don’t make sense’, love in lockdown

Wednesday: the Taliban marks first full day of control of Afghanistan as the last US troops depart. Plus: light at the end of pandemic dating tunnel

Good morning. Afghan citizens have experienced their first day under complete Taliban control after the last US troops left the country, marking an end of two decades of western presence.

America's longest war has come to an end with the last evacuation flight flying out of Kabul airport just after midnight local time. It brought to an end a US presence that lasted nearly 20 years and claimed tens of thousands of lives. The Taliban marked the start of their first day in full control of Afghanistan with celebratory gunfire, minutes after the last US plane of soldiers and their ambassador lifted off. Citizens spoke of an absolute feeling of depression" under the first day of Taliban rule. I have been crying since this morning. My brother went out and bought me a burqa, I burned my jeans today. I was crying and burning them, I burned my hopes with them," said Arifa Ahmadi.