Saudi Arabia starts Ramadan on Wednesday, but many others to begin a day later

Saudi Arabia, along with the UAE, Qatar, and Palestine, announced the start of Ramadan on Wednesday following a reported sighting of the crescent moon. In contrast, several other Muslim-majority countries, including Egypt, Turkey, Jordan, Syria, and Oman, did not sight the moon and will begin the holy month on Thursday. This division also extends to Shia authorities in Iraq, who will start on Thursday, differing from the country's Sunni authorities. Countries such as Iran, Morocco, and Pakistan were set to make their own determinations later, highlighting the varied approaches to marking the start of the religious observance across the region.