A plane chartered to rescue a former UK marine who founded an animal shelter in Afghanistan is expected to leave Luton Airport later on Thursday, against the backdrop of an escalating war of words between his supporters and the British government.
The process to repatriate Paul 'Pen' Farthing, his staff and animals was called Operation Ark and a supporter of the mission has funded the rescue plane.
While the aircraft is expected to land in the airport in Kabul on Friday, it remains unknown whether Mr Farthing and his menagerie will be waiting.
He revealed that his team have been outside the airport for more than 10 hours, unable to get through the Taliban blockade.
Taking to Twitter, Mr Farthing pleaded with Taliban representative Suhail Shaheen to provide "safe passage".
The Nowzad retinue of 69, including 25 staff and their relatives, have been told they are eligible to move to Britain.
The charity has received offers to adopt the 200 animals they are hoping to move to safety, but Operation Ark benefactor Dominic Dyer expressed his concern that the mission could be foiled if the Taliban did not relent.
"We are ready to go, we have a flight plan approved by the secretary of defence's office ... and we're ready to hit the runway at Kabul Airport on Friday morning to get Pen and his people off," the wildlife campaigner and broadcaster told the BBC.
"But they need to get into the airport ... we're going to have a plane on the runway and no one to rescue at this rate."
Another supporter of the campaign raised concerns that a "humanitarian disaster was brewing", tweeting footage believed to show one of the Nowzad animals having its thirst slaked by a water pump.
In a series of tweets Dr Iain McGill, whose bio states he is a veterinary surgeon, berated the UK government for not doing more to get Pen Farthing and the Nowzad team into the airport.
UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace on Thursday reacted scathingly to accusations of a dereliction of duty on his watch, after having been forced to deny his department was obstructing the Nowzad mission.
In a seven-tweet thread he accused Nowzad supporters of "unacceptable" bullying of Ministry of Defence personnel and rejected suggestions the Operation Ark flight had ever been blocked.
He did, however, reiterate his position that no one has the right to "queue jump".
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey waded into the dispute in an interview with Sky News.
"For [Mr Farthing] it is a grim reality of these situations that as a British national we would seek to expedite his passage into the airport but he, commendably, has said that is not what he wants to do.
"He is asking us, the Americans and the Taliban for safe passage but I am afraid safe passage is also other words for being brought to the front of the queue."
The minister said the UK government would not bow to the pressure only "because of the profile and the support [Mr Farthing] has".
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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