UK to evacuate animals and staff from charity sanctuary in Afghanistan
August 25, 2021, 11:04 am

UK to evacuate animals and staff from charity sanctuary in Afghanistan

Paul Farthing

According to the BBC, the UK says it will help evacuate staff and animals from a charity sanctuary in Afghanistan.

Paul "Pen" Farthing had accused ministers of cutting him off after supporters funded a chartered plane.

The BBC reported, citing Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, that if Mr Farthing arrives at Kabul airport with his animals "we will seek a slot for his plane".

Mr Wallace said on Twitter: "If he does not have his animals with him he and his staff can board an RAF flight."

Royal Marine veteran Mr Farthing founded the Nowzad animal shelter, rescuing dogs, cats and donkeys after serving in Afghanistan in the mid-2000s.

He has said he would not leave the country without his staff or animals.

Paul Farthing

Mr Wallace said Tuesday he was not prepared to prioritise animals ahead of the evacuation of people "in real danger".

He said he couldn't push them through Taliban checks or crowds.

Mr Wallace then said he had authorised the Ministry of Defence to facilitate the processing of Pen Farthing's staff to fly to the UK.

Read more: UK’s evacuation flights from Afghanistan may stop this week

He added: "I have been consistent all along, ensuring those most at risk are processed first and that the limiting factor has been flow THROUGH to airside NOT airplane capacity.

"No-one has the right in this humanitarian crisis to jump the queue."

It is worth mentioning that Mr Farthing had told Sky News Tuesday that he had never asked for pets to be prioritised over people and was prepared to wait for the go-ahead for his own aircraft to take off.

Source: BBC

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”