Ramadan will begin in the UAE on Saturday, authorities have announced.
The Moon-sighting committee met in Al Hosn, Abu Dhabi, after maghrib (sunset) prayers on Friday and announced that they had sighted the new crescent moon. It follows a decision from Saudi Arabia that Ramadan would commence on Saturday after its committee sighted the crescent moon there.
Also read: UAE public holidays 2025
"As the holy month of Ramadan begins, I wish all those observing in the UAE and around the world a blessed month," President Sheikh Mohamed wrote on X. "Together, we pray for God to bestow His mercy on us and grant peace, harmony, and unity to all."
"I extend my warmest greetings to the people of the UAE, and Arab and Islamic Nations, as we welcome the blessed month of Ramadan," Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, added. "May it bring peace, unity, and strength to us all."
President Sheikh Mohamed, Sheikh Mohammed, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed received congratulatory messages from leaders of Arab and Islamic nations on advent of Ramadan.
During the month, which lasts either 29 or 30 days, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. Fasting during Ramadan is one of the five pillars of Islam and is mandatory for all Muslims in good health. The start of the holy month is determined by each country's Moon-sighting committee. In the UAE, Moon-sighting attempts are held nationwide but not all manage to see the crescent.
The committee makes the final decision at the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department after collecting all the reports from across the country. This year, for the first time, drones and artificial intelligence were used to monitor the crescent.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic – or Hijri – lunar calendar, because it is believed to be the month in which the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed. Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset every day of the holy month.
As well as abstaining from food and drink, Ramadan is a time when Muslims strengthen their faith through prayer and increased recitation of the Quran. Piety increases further during the final 10 days when Laylat Al Qadr is thought to fall. That night is believed to be when the Quran was revealed to Prophet Mohammed.
It is traditionally celebrated on the 27th night of Ramadan but its exact date is unknown. The rewards for acts of faith carried out on this night are said to be more than those for 1,000 months of worship.
The best of Ramadan in 2024 – in pictures
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Worshippers gather for Laylat Al Qadr prayers at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. Victor Besa / The National -

An Ethiopian man prays on the banks of Lake Karum, a salt lake in Afar Region, amid above-50° temperatures. AFP -

Palestinians break their fasts amid the rubble of their destroyed homes in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -

The faithful offer the final Friday prayers of Ramadan at Delhi's Jama Masjid. Reuters -

A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters -

A Pakistani worshipper rests at a mosque in Karachi. EPA -

An imam prays before iftar at Bronx's Masjid Ansarudeen in New York. AP -

A Palestinian worshipper at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP -

Children pray outside the Hazratbal shrine in Indian Srinagar. AP -

Indonesian children welcome Laylat Al Qadr in Ternate, North Maluku. AFP -

V&A Dundee design museum in Scotland hosts iftar. Getty Images -

A worshipper reads the Quran at the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah. AFP -

Members of a motorcycle club distribute iftar in Damascus. AFP -

Palestinians being checked by Israeli soldiers as they head to the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP -

A worshipper reads the Quran at Sanaa's Grand Mosque. Reuters -
A Shiite cleric at the shrine of Imam Ali in the city of Najaf, Iraq. Reuters -

Displaced Palestinians gather for iftar in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip. Reuters -

People sit for iftar in Cape Town, South Africa. Reuters -

Students of an Islamic boarding school recite Quran in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Reuters -

A charity-sponsored iftar gathering in Manama. Reuters -

A young worshipper gets ready for iftar in Fass Boye, Senegal. Reuters -

Fruits and snacks on sale in Dubai's Gold Souq area on a Ramadan evening Antonie Robertson / The National -

A worshipper reads the Quran while waiting for iftar at Grand Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Reuters -
A young worshipper covers her ears as the cannon goes off marking the end of the day's fast at Duba's Expo City. Chris Whiteoak / The National -

People gather in streets for iftar in Ezbet Hamada in Cairo's Matariya suburb. AFP -

A man dries vermicelli, a popular ingredient used to make traditional Ramadan delicacies, in Hyderabad, Pakistan. AFP -

A displaced Palestinian boy waits for food in Rafah, the southern Gaza Strip. AFP -

Worshippers gather for iftar at Imam Hussein Mosque in Satwa, Dubai. Leslie Pableo for The National -

Worshippers offer Friday prayers at Jaamia Masjid in Rawalpindi, Pakistan. AP -

Artists perform Sufi dance in Baghdad. AP -

The faithful gather for prayer at the Grand Mosque in Makkah. AFP -

Staff at Asateer tent of Atlantis The Palm in Dubai get ready to serve iftar. Pawan Singh / The National -

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque during the first evening of Ramadan 2024. Victor Besa / The National -

Ramadan's inaugural Friday prayers at Al Farooq Omar bin Al Khattab Mosque in Dubai. Pawan Singh / The National -

An Egyptian traditional Ramadan drummer in the city of Dikernis, about 150km north of Cairo. AP -

Taraweeh prayers at Al Noor Mosque in Sharjah. Ahmed Ramzan for The National -

Saudis look for the Ramadan crescent moon in the southern Saudi city of Hautat Sudair. AFP
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
While you're here
How Filipinos in the UAE invest
A recent survey of 10,000 Filipino expatriates in the UAE found that 82 per cent have plans to invest, primarily in property. This is significantly higher than the 2014 poll showing only two out of 10 Filipinos planned to invest.
Fifty-five percent said they plan to invest in property, according to the poll conducted by the New Perspective Media Group, organiser of the Philippine Property and Investment Exhibition. Acquiring a franchised business or starting up a small business was preferred by 25 per cent and 15 per cent said they will invest in mutual funds. The rest said they are keen to invest in insurance (3 per cent) and gold (2 per cent).
Of the 5,500 respondents who preferred property as their primary investment, 54 per cent said they plan to make the purchase within the next year. Manila was the top location, preferred by 53 per cent.
Rankings
ATP: 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 10,955 pts; 2. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 8,320; 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 6,475 ( 1); 5. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 5,060 ( 1); 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4,845 ( 1); 6. Roger Federer (SUI) 4,600 (-3); 7. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,110 ( 2); 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3,960; 9. John Isner (USA) 3,155 ( 1); 10. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3,140 (-3)
WTA: 1. Naomi Osaka (JPN) 7,030 pts ( 3); 2. Petra Kvitova (CZE) 6,290 ( 4); 3. Simona Halep (ROM) 5,582 (-2); 4. Sloane Stephens (USA) 5,307 ( 1); 5. Karolina Pliskova (CZE) 5,100 ( 3); 6. Angelique Kerber (GER) 4,965 (-4); 7. Elina Svitolina (UKR) 4,940; 8. Kiki Bertens (NED) 4,430 ( 1); 9. Caroline Wozniacki (DEN) 3,566 (-6); 10. Aryna Sabalenka (BLR) 3,485 ( 1)
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What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
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THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
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Simon Waldman: Is Turkey creating another European migrant crisis?
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Simran
Director Hansal Mehta
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Soham Shah, Esha Tiwari Pandey
Three stars
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
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Sulaiman Hakemy: Why it's important to lose elections
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Second ODI
England 322-7 (50 ovs)
India 236 (50 ovs)
England win by 86 runs
Next match: Tuesday, July 17, Headingley
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
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Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
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While you're here
Rashmee Roshan Lall: Climate refugees is not a new term but get used to hearing it more often
Gavin Esler: 'The new normal' must mean more compassion – not complacence
Sholto Byrnes: From the Amazon to South-East Asia, our house is on fire
TWISTERS
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Starring: Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, Anthony Ramos
Rating: 2.5/5
Winners
Ballon d’Or (Men’s)
Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain / France)
Ballon d’Or Féminin (Women’s)
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona / Spain)
Kopa Trophy (Best player under 21 – Men’s)
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona / Spain)
Best Young Women’s Player
Vicky López (Barcelona / Spain)
Yashin Trophy (Best Goalkeeper – Men’s)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City / Italy)
Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Hannah Hampton (England / Aston Villa and Chelsea)
Men’s Coach of the Year
Luis Enrique (Paris Saint-Germain)
Women’s Coach of the Year
Sarina Wiegman (England)

