UK

Manchester:
A delegation of the Labour Party led by MP Afzal Khan, Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham, Lucy Powell, Labour candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election Angeeliki Stogia, Cllr Rab Nawaz Akbar, Cllr Ahmed Ali, Chairman of the Pakistani Community Centre Haroon Khattana, and community leaders from all walks of life visited Central Mosque Victoria Park and met with Mosque Chairman Hammad Khan. They also participated in a community Iftary party during the visit. Later, they addressed a press conference and expressed their solidarity and full support to the mosque administration. MP Afzal Khan said that he was in touch with the Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well as the Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. “I am deeply concerned about the incident that occurred at Central Mosque. I’m in touch with the mosque leadership, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, and the Prime Minister about this incident. Just this week, the Chancellor and Home Secretary announced more funding for protecting mosques, and this incident demonstrates once again why this funding is so vital.” Lucy Powell, MP for Manchester Central and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party, also described the incident as “deeply concerning”. “This is an important time for the Muslim community during the holy month of Ramadan. Thanks to the vigilance of volunteers and the swift action of police, a more serious incident was avoided. Those responsible must face the full force of the law. Hate and division has no place in Manchester or anywhere else,” she added.

By News desk:
A single nasal spray vaccine could protect against all coughs, colds and flus, as well as bacterial lung infections, and may even ease allergies, say US researchers. The team at Stanford University have tested their “universal vaccine” in animals and still need to do human clinical trials. Their approach marks a “radical departure” from the way vaccines have been designed for more than 200 years, they say. Experts in the field said the study was “really exciting” despite being at an early stage and could be a “major step forward”. Current vaccines train the body to fight one single infection. A measles vaccine protects against only measles, and a chickenpox vaccine protects against only chickenpox. This is how immunisation has worked since Edward Jenner pioneered vaccines in the late 18th Century.
“The principle by which this vaccine works is a radical departure from the principle by which all vaccines have worked so far.” The way it steers the immune system towards fighting an infection also seemed to reduce the response to house dust mite allergens – which are a trigger of allergic asthma.

Ahmad Shahzad OBE: 
Chairman of Human Rights Society of
Pakistan UK
The Human Rights Society of Pakistan UK strongly condemns the recent comments made by Mike Huckabee, suggesting that Israel has the right to occupy land extending “to the River Nile.”
We consider these remarks deeply irresponsible and dangerous. Such statements not only contravene established principles of international law but also undermine the core values enshrined in the United Nations Charter. They risk legitimising territorial expansion through force, which is in clear violation of international norms and human rights standards.
The Society reaffirms that any claims to territorial expansion at the expense of others are unacceptable and threaten global peace and stability. Respect for internationally recognised borders, adherence to human rights, and commitment to peaceful resolution of conflicts must remain paramount.
We urge the international community to reject such rhetoric and to uphold justice, legality, and human dignity for all.

Manchester:
Al Mustafa Welfare Trust (AMWT) organised “Quranic Nights” in different cities of the UK. During the events, renowned Qari Ibrahim Idris and Qari Ayyub Asif recited the Holy Quran in their unique voices. The tour started at Hounslow Jamia Mosque, London. Both qaris also performed in Dewsbury, Rochdale, Birmingham, Ilford, Preston, Bracknell, Bedford and Blackburn. Hundreds of participants attended the events and refreshed their souls. Al Mustafa also raised funds to provide food in Gaza, Sudan and Yemen. Chairman of Al Mustafa, Abdul Razzaq Sajid, along with Muhammad Musab, Nawazish Sultan Hiraj, Sikandar Iqbal, Ijaz Ahmed Malhi and volunteers, also represented Al Mustafa on the occasion.

Qari Asim Ayub with circulation manager of “The London Post” Ijaz Ahmed Malhi

Zain Ali Khan
From 25 February the UK will begin enforcing pre-departure checks which require carriers to confirm that passengers have permission to travel. This has raised concerns that dual British nationals who only hold a foreign passport will be denied boarding or refused entry to the UK.
But there is a large population of dual UK/foreign nationals only holding a valid foreign national passport (referred to as dual nationals here) who have an existing electronic travel authorisation (also known as an ‘ETA’). This article looks at the status of that ETA, and how they can seek entry.
This is a sweeping change that will affect a lot of cohorts. Let’s take the example of a British citizen traveller who is also a national of a non-visa national country (i.e. someone who doesn’t need to apply for a visit visa in advance of their journey to the UK). They only hold a valid passport from the foreign country (with no certificate of entitlement), and they are coming to the UK for a visit from 25 February 2026. Let’s assume they are not intending to work or stay for longer than six months, etc., and generally would qualify for entry as a visitor were they not British. Are they going to be able to travel to the UK?
First let’s suppose they already have an ETA linked to their foreign passport. Until a few days ago, the UK ETA app allowed you to apply using a foreign passport even if you also declared that you were a British citizen, and such applications were granted. The ETA would support boarding. In a letter to ILPA on 17 December 2025, the Home Office reconfirmed that, all commercial aviation carriers flying directly to the UK are integrated into the iAPI (interactive advance passenger information) service and will be using the system to check permission to travel from 25 February 2026. As you are aware, carriers submit passenger data via the iAPI system, and for each submission, the Home Office returns a response confirming whether the passenger has valid permission to travel. Where carriers receive a ‘valid permission to travel’ response, no further proof is required.
The fact that the dual national has an ETA means that the airline is assured that there is no possibility they will receive a section 40 carrier charge, pursuant to the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. This is the case even if we entirely set aside the fact that they are a British citizen, which is also a defence.
None of this should be construed as advice to dual nationals to travel to the UK using an ETA from 25 February, or to apply for one now. And indeed, the latter course is now impossible. The app asks the user to “Add any other nationalities you have, including any you have had in the past”. But with ‘British citizen’ having been quietly removed from the resulting dropdown menu in the last few days, this means that users must at this point stop the process, on pain of submitting false data in a government form which is inadvisable on any view. The looming ETA enforcement date has already deeply antagonised dual national British citizens living abroad. That cohort is large and their goodwill is a significant part of the UK’s international reach.
The Home Office’s decision to remove the British citizenship option from the app seems odd and may increase ETA applications from dual nationals, many of whom would have happily declared their British citizenship but had no way to do so, as the form contains no free text field.

Tajammul Gurmani:
Manchester:
Muslim vote bank has divided between Labour and Green, and recent surveys show that Reform is winning with a close margin during the by-election in Gorton and Denton constituency in Manchester. This seat became vacant after the resignation of Labour Member of Parliament Andrew Gwynne, citing health problems, the by-election for this seat will be held on 26 February 2026.
Manchester, the capital of the North West, is always considered a Labour Party stronghold, where elected MPs, Lord Mayor and councillors belong to the Labour Party. A large Muslim community residing here has always played an important role during past elections. It is the first time that the Labour Party is looking weak in this by-election. Political pundits say that there are certain reasons behind the weak position of the Labour Party. “The Labour Party chose a weak candidate, Angeliki Stogia, while Mayor of Greater Manchester and former MP Andy Burnham and Eamonn O’Brien, Leader of Bury Metropolitan Borough Council, along with some Muslim councillors including Cllr Abid Latif Chohan and Cllr Rab Nawaz Akbar, were also key players in the candidate race. However, finally Cllr Angeliki Stogia was eventually selected as the Labour official candidate for the by-election.” The Muslim vote bank has always been considered an important factor in parliamentary elections in Manchester, but in this recent by-election Muslims are not happy with the performance and policies of the Labour Party. Muslim political circles say that Muslims are unhappy with the Labour Government’s role in the Gaza war. According to their opinion, the current regime has not favoured the Palestinian stance, and it has started cracking down against people who were protesting in favour of the Palestinian cause. A recent incident happened when Angeliki Stogia and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party Lucy Powell faced a setback during a recent election campaign event. Lucy Powell was invited to a Pakistani community dinner at a local hotel on Stockport Road when pro-Palestine groups gathered outside the venue with Palestinian flags and anti-Labour placards and chanted slogans against Labour policies towards Gaza. The organisers also called the police to control the crowd, and some protesters entered the function and started protesting inside.
Muslim political circles say that they are not supporting the Labour Party in the by-election and that they will back the Green Party, while a large number of Muslim voters may not visit polling stations as a protest. On the other hand, some Muslim religious clerics and mosque committees are openly backing the Green Party candidate, Cllr Hannah Spencer. The Workers Party of Britain, led by George Galloway, did not stand a candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election, stating that they took this decision in the best interest of working-class voters by helping to prevent splitting the vote against the right-wing Reform and Labour. It is also an important factor that Cllr Shahbaz Sarwar is representing the Workers Party, and insiders say that the party is also backing the Green Party candidate.
This correspondent also discussed with local Muslim leaders why the Labour Party is facing trouble in the recent by-election. Nasrallah Khan Mughal, former councillor and local Labour Party leader, said: “This is a by-election, and we cannot expect Muslims to vote for a single party. This is not about division; everybody has the right to choose, but I will cast my vote for Labour. The mosque is not a proper place for political campaigning or voting, and no single party should be supported from that platform. Muslims should avoid using the mosque platform for politics. I was elected three times as a councillor of Manchester City Council (MCC) but never went to mosques or shops for campaigning because I believe that religion and mosques should not be used for political purposes, even in this by-election. I am chair of Quba Mosque, Stockport Road, and we do not allow the Green Party to distribute leaflets during the Jummah congregation,” he observed. Another Muslim community leader, who is a trustee at Cheadle Mosque and supports the Green Party, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The only realistic option for Muslim voters to keep out Reform is to vote for the Green Party. However, there is a real danger that the Muslim vote will either not turn out in sufficient numbers or will be split between the Greens and Labour. Whilst there is a real dislike of Labour amongst most Muslim voters, there has been a strong push to support Labour from Muslim councillors and the MP. This will likely secure some Muslim votes. Analysis of all available odds indicates that the Greens are strong favourites, with Reform a close second and Labour a distant third. Based on this data, the only way to keep out Reform will be for Muslims to vote for the Greens.”
He also stressed that local leaders should educate the Muslim community on the particular importance of voting in this by-election, which will have a significant national impact irrespective of whether the Greens or Reform win here.

By our correspondent:
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who is still under investigation, was seen leaving police custody on Thursday evening after being detained on suspicions of misconduct in public office.
The British police on Thursday evening released Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, after taking him into custody for several hours, intensifying a long-running crisis for the monarchy over his ties to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The detention and questioning of Mr. Mountbatten-Windsor, once seen as a dashing war hero and the favorite son of Queen Elizabeth II, was a staggering blow for the monarchy. It was the first time in modern history that a member of the British royal family had been arrested. The last time was in 1649, when Charles I was executed for treason during the English Civil War.

By Our Correspondent
Fasting was made obligatory in Islam in the year 2 AH (i.e. the second year of the Prophet Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina), after which Muslims all over the world have been observing fasts. The date of the beginning of Ramadan is related to the lunar calendar, and these dates change every year on our common calendar. Usually, Ramadan moves back about 11 days each year compared to the previous year in the common calendar. The length of daylight hours varies from place to place in the world, depending on the distance from the equator. It is currently summer in the southern hemisphere, so the days are longer and the nights are shorter. This means that the fasting period will be longer in countries located in this hemisphere. In contrast, it is winter in the northern hemisphere, so the fasting period during Ramadan will be shorter than in warmer regions.

For example, in the Chilean city of Puerto Williams, often considered the southernmost city in the world, the fasting period will be approximately 14 and a half hours at the start of Ramadan this year. In contrast, in the Norwegian region of Longyearbyen, which is generally considered the world’s northernmost city, the fasting period at the beginning of Ramadan will be just over two and a half hours, but as the days progress, this period can increase to 12 and a half hours. In such remote areas, Muslims often adopt the fasting times practiced in Mecca. In the northern parts of the world, the longest fasts occur around June 21st and the shortest when Ramadan falls in December.
In the south it is the opposite, with fasts getting longer as Ramadan gradually progresses towards December and shorter towards June. In most parts of the Arab world, fasting hours will be between 12 and 13 hours, making Ramadan in 2026 the month with the most moderate fasting hours in recent years. In Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, fasting will begin at approximately 06:50 local time at the start of Ramadan and end at 18:20 (11.5 hours), with this period increasing by half an hour as the holy month draws to a close. In Pakistan, the fasting period will initially be a little over 12 hours but will increase by about 40 minutes by the end of the month. In contrast, for Muslims living in the Southern Hemisphere, the period will be much longer.
For example, in Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, the period will be 13 hours and 15 minutes at the beginning of Ramadan. The same will be true in Auckland, New Zealand. In both cities, however, fasting hours will be shortened by about an hour by the end of the holy month. This is because the Southern Hemisphere will now be moving towards winter, meaning the length of daylight will be shorter.
However, fasting hours in the Northern Hemisphere will continue to change rapidly throughout the month. For example, in Greenland’s capital, Nuuk, Ramadan will start with about nine hours of fasting, and by the end of the month, this period will increase to more than 12 hours. This year’s fasting hours are much better than Ramadan in June or July, as the daylight hours are much longer in high latitudes during these months. In parts of Norway, Russia and Greenland, Muslims face fasting for up to 20 hours as Ramadan falls during the long summer days. In the Northern Hemisphere, fasting hours will be slightly shorter than last year and will continue to decrease overall each year until 2031. This is when the shortest day of the year, December 21, falls during Ramadan, and of course, in the Southern Hemisphere, fasting hours will increase each year until 2031.

Wajahat Ali Khan
A conference was held in London on the eighth death anniversary of renowned Pakistani human rights lawyer and social activist (late) Asma Jahangir, which was jointly organised by the “Business and Professional Organisation”, “Pasha Foundation” and “Sanjha Vehra” Speaking on the occasion, IBPC Chairman
Rizwan Sulehria has said in his presidential address that Asma Jahangir fearlessly and boldly spoke out about the injustices prevalent in society and criticised various institutions indiscriminately. He said that Asma Jahangir was a champion of human rights in the true sense.
Earlier, Chairman “Pash Foundation” Masood Khushi Pash has said, Asma Jilani Jahangir was a brave Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist who worked to protect the rights of women, minorities, and oppressed people in Pakistan. She was co-founding the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan and strongly spoke against injustice in all walks of life. She also worked with the United Nations to promote human rights internationally. Asma Jahangir is remembered for her courage, honesty, and lifelong struggle for equality and justice. MK Pasha has also said that this is the first time in London that Asma Jahangir’s death anniversary is being celebrated in this way to pay tribute to her services to humanity. He said, “International Business and Professional Corporation” fully supported us in organising and holding this programme. The event was well attended by legal experts, journalists, businesspeople, and people from different walks of life.