Inside The New York Times’ Harrowing Evacuation of 124 Afghans

Plus: The Mystery of the Missing Romanov Jewels

View in browser | Update preferences

September 8, 2026

It’s been five years since the world watched as Kabul fell and the Taliban seized the city. But the image of thousands of civilians desperately trying to leave Afghanistan, some even clinging on to the side of aircraft as they departed Hamid Karzai International Airport, never quite leaves you. Reflecting on that moment in history today, in an exclusive excerpt from their new book, The Last Free Women, are former New York Times editor Rebecca Blumenstein and journalist Diana Kapp. In a gripping account, Blumenstein recalls in harrowing detail how the Times worked under extreme and extraordinary circumstances in their historic evacuation of their Afghan colleagues and their families. This chapter, and the entire book, is, without a doubt, a must-read. Elsewhere in the magazine today, ahead of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, VF’s Chris Smith writes about how Zohran Mamdani, New York’s first Muslim mayor, is poised to navigate the tensions surrounding the “sensitive moment” this Friday.

DANIELA TIJERINA ASSOCIATE EDITOR

How The New York Times Pulled Off the Historic Evacuation of 124 Afghans   By Rebecca Blumenstein and Diana Kapp Five years ago, the world watched as Kabul fell. Now, in an exclusive excerpt from The Last Free Women, a former deputy managing editor at the Times gives a gripping account of how she and her colleagues raced to get their Afghan team and their families on a plane out of Afghanistan. When they landed in the US, they became one of the largest privately sponsored groups in modern American history. Read more

Why this ad?

POLITICS   New York’s First Muslim Mayor Navigates His First 9/11 Anniversary   By Chris Smith   An online petition calling on Mayor Zohran Mamdani to stay away from 9/11 ceremonies has lodged over 100,000 signatures. At a Staten Island event honoring fallen firefighters, tensions are expected to be particularly high. Read more

Why this ad?

Hollywood Can’t Seem to Get the Art World Right   By Nate Freeman   There’s a long history of feature films about the art world—and an equally long tradition of real artists complaining about them. With the Natalie Portman vehicle The Gallerist’s release coming up, we look at the movies the art world loves, hates, and loves to hate. Read more

Prince George Arrives for His First Day at Eton, With Prince William and Kate Middleton by His Side As the 13-year-old royal begins his next chapter, a source tells Vanity Fair that he’s “excited and a little nervous” about starting school.

The Mystery of the Missing Romanov Jewels The fate of the hidden jewels, which were carefully sewn into the grand duchesses’ garments during imprisonment, haunts heirs and historians to this day.

Get Vanity Fair in your inbox.

Was this forwarded to you? Sign up. Plus, find all of our newsletters.

This e-mail was sent to you by VANITY FAIR. To ensure delivery to your inbox (not bulk or junk folders), please add our e-mail address, vanityfair@newsletter.vf.com, to your address book. View our Privacy Policy | Unsubscribe Copyright © Condé Nast 2026. One World Trade Center, New York, NY 10007. All Rights Reserved