Follow the latest Afghanistan updates
The Operation Ark plane chartered to rescue a former UK marine who founded an animal shelter in Afghanistan touched down at London's Heathrow airport on Sunday, as the row over whether his 173 cats and dogs should have been evacuated intensified.
The National understands Paul “Pen” Farthing subsequently boarded a connecting flight to Norway to be reunited with his wife Kaisa Markhus.
His rescued animals were less free to travel and were immediately taken into quarantine, with the prospect of being put down if they are found to be diseased.
Should this materialise, it would add further heat to the row raging over whether the UK government was right to sanction their evacuation.
Conservative politician Tom Tugendhat has been a fierce critic of the decision, arguing the resources and troops required to get the Operation Ark chartered flight out of Kabul would have been better deployed assisting Afghan nationals fleeing for their lives.
The row has been growing in intensity for the last for the last few days.
In a seven-tweet thread on Thursday, UK Defence Minister Ben Wallace accused Nowzad supporters of “unacceptable” bullying of Ministry of Defence personnel and rejected suggestions the Operation Ark flight had ever been blocked.
While it was not public knowledge at the time, Mr Wallace's allusion to intimidating behaviour may have stemmed from an angry message Mr Farthing allegedly sent to a government adviser last Monday in which he allegedly threatens to “destroy” him.
The audio of the profane tirade allegedly targeting Ministry of Defence official Peter Quintin has since been leaked to The Times.
“Get me out of Afghanistan with my staff and my animals. I served for 22 years in the Royal Marine Commandos. I am not taking this b******s from people like you who are blocking me,” Mr Farthing is allegedly heard to say on the tape.
“You’ve got til tomorrow morning. I’m on Sky News around about 7.45 and your name will be the only name people are talking about.”
Operation Ark supporter accuses UK government of smear campaign
Friends of Pen Farthing have said the leak is a deliberate attempt by the UK government to besmirch the Nowzad animal shelter founder's reputation.
Shortly before the Operation Ark flight landed, one of its benefactors, wildlife protection campaigner Dominic Dyer, expressed his concern that the mission could be foiled if the Taliban did not relent.
In an impassioned video on Twitter he called Mr Farthing a “national hero” and said attempts to stain his character would fail.
Initially, Mr Farthing had been attempting to get 69 people out of Afghanistan alongside him and his animals.
The number comprised Nowzad members of staff and their families but the Taliban prevented them from leaving, despite clearance from the UK government.
The staff were turned back on Thursday when 300 metres inside Kabul Airport perimeter, moments before ISIS suicide bombers launched terrorist attacks killing at least 169 people.
They later told Mr Farthing to go on without them, a goodbye he told The Sun was heart breaking,
“I feel very sad for them [but] I’m relieved for me and I feel happy for the animals,” he said.
Mr Farthing packed 125 kilograms of dry pet food, 72 tins, 270 litres of water, 12 industrial size rolls of paper towel and 20 bottles to cater for the animals on the flight back to the UK, according to the same newspaper.
The provisions appear to have done the trick. Operation Ark vet Dr Iain McGill told the BBC the animals were in “very good shape” on the whole.
If they do make it through quarantine without being put down, then he said they are “not short of [offers for] homes".
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The specs
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
Crisis in Lebanon
Sunniva Rose: People reminisce about war years during Ramadan
Massoud A Derhally: Central bank governor a saviour or scapegoat?
Bilal Saab: How the US can bypass Hezbollah and help the people
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
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Aya Iskandarani: Why Hezbollah’s man in Iraq is now worth $10 million to the US
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National Editorial: Hezbollah's murky dealings in Iraq have been unveiled
Tomorrow 2021
Our commentary on Brexit
- Alistair Burt: Despite Brexit, Britain can remain a world power
- Sam Williams: Departure is influenced by its sense of place
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
Tomorrow 2021
The biog
Name: Salvador Toriano Jr
Age: 59
From: Laguna, The Philippines
Favourite dish: Seabass or Fish and Chips
Hobbies: When he’s not in the restaurant, he still likes to cook, along with walking and meeting up with friends.
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Plastic tipping points
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Name: Brendalle Belaza
From: Crossing Rubber, Philippines
Arrived in the UAE: 2007
Favourite place in Abu Dhabi: NYUAD campus
Favourite photography style: Street photography
Favourite book: Harry Potter
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Tomorrow 2021
Tomorrow 2021
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HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
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- Con Coughlin: Choice of the British people will be vindicated
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The Vines - In Miracle Land
Two stars
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
• Remittance charges will be tackled by blockchain
• UAE's monumental and risky Mars Mission to inspire future generations, says minister
• Could the UAE drive India's economy?
• News has a bright future and the UAE is at the heart of it
• Architecture is over - here's cybertecture
• The National announces Future of News journalism competition
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Neighbourhood Watch
War on waste
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Sound of silence in South Asia
Read more about the coronavirus
World Mental Health Day
Transgender report
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
National Editorial: Suleimani has been killed, now we must de-escalate
Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
Simon Waldman: Cautious Israel keeping a low profile
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Sound of silence in South Asia
Richard Olson: Why Afghanistan will be very wary
More from this story
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative
Transgender report
The%20specs
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57%20Seconds
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Wenger's Arsenal reign in numbers
1,228 - games at the helm, ahead of Sunday's Premier League fixture against West Ham United.
704 - wins to date as Arsenal manager.
3 - Premier League title wins, the last during an unbeaten Invincibles campaign of 2003/04.
1,549 - goals scored in Premier League matches by Wenger's teams.
10 - major trophies won.
473 - Premier League victories.
7 - FA Cup triumphs, with three of those having come the last four seasons.
151 - Premier League losses.
21 - full seasons in charge.
49 - games unbeaten in the Premier League from May 2003 to October 2004.
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Sholto Byrnes: Here's how this century can still belong to Asia
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Dr Nawal Al-Hosany: Why more women should be on the frontlines of climate action
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Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Greenwood 77')
Everton 1 (Lindelof 36' og)
Saudi National Day
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
World Mental Health Day
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MATCH INFO:
Second Test
Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am daily at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Entrance is free
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2018 World Cup predictions: Winners, losers, top-scorers and players to watch
In pictures: The World Cup 2018 stadiums in Russia as seen from space
Lowdown: Where to watch 2018 Fifa World Cup matches in Abu Dhabi and kick-off times
Lowdown: Where to watch 2018 Fifa World Cup matches in Dubai and kick-off times
