When the US invaded Afghanistan, many hoped for advances in democracy, human rights and women's rights. Twenty years later, American troops leave a country in fear.

In this film by @JoeSinFT, Afghans reveal the reality of war, past, present, and future ft.com/video/7d024732…
From 1996-2001, the Taliban ruled with little mercy. But during the US-led war, the local population has continued to suffer the most ft.com/video/7d024732…
What started as a bid to remove al-Qaeda morphed into an expensive exercise in nation building. Besides providing security, the US also made efforts to eradicate drugs trade, bolster the economy and promote women's rights ft.com/video/7d024732…
Life has improved in many ways:
👉 There are now 3.5m girls in school
👉 Women on average live nine years longer
👉 27% of parliament seats are reserved for women
ft.com/video/7d024732…
But security is fragile. The Taliban, Isis and other groups have carried out horrific attacks. Earlier this year a bomb outside a girls high school in Kabul killed at least 80
ft.com/video/7d024732…
'When I sleep, I see war. When I’m outside I see war. When I’m here I see dead bodies,' said Massoud Hossaini, a Pulitzer prize-winning photographer.

The constant threat takes its toll. Those seen as pro-west often receive death threats 👇
ft.com/video/7d024732…
This year, Joe Biden announced that American troops would leave Afghanistan, arguing that the US's goals with the war have been achieved: Osama Bin Laden is dead and al-Qaeda is degraded.

So why has the US stayed for so long?
ft.com/video/7d024732…
The US is more focused on the threat of China, while conflicts such as Afghanistan and Syria are a drain on resources, says @GideonRachman, which leaves some Afghans feeling betrayed ft.com/video/7d024732…

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2 Jul
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July 1 marks 100 years since the founding of the Chinese Communist party, an event that ushered in a century of political and economic revolution. The FT’s @JKynge shares his insights on reporting on China for 35 years — and its future as a global power on.ft.com/3h803J1
In 1980, China’s annual GDP stood at a mere $191bn, or $195 per capita, making it one of the poorest countries in the world.

Almost 40 years later in 2019, GDP had increased 75 times to $14.3tn, or $10,261 per capita ft.com/content/6b3a72…
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We polled 52 economists about the future of inflation, consumer prices, interest rates and unemployment in the US. Here's what they had to say 👇 ft.com/content/de778e…
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on.ft.com/3x6buXe
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ft.com/content/7475ae…
Jassy grew up in the affluent town of Scarsdale in New York State, attending high school there before going to Harvard. He was hired by Amazon straight out of Harvard Business School in 1997
ft.com/content/7475ae…
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