Muslim authorities say Ramadan fasting to begin Thursday
Workers fry vermicelli for the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan in Karachi, Pakistan, March 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Fareed Khan)
Dubai,United Arab Emirates -
Muslim authorities in Saudi Arabia and several other Middle Eastern countries say this year's fasting month of Ramadan will begin Thursday based on the expected sighting of the crescent moon.
Clerics across the region said the moon was not visible Tuesday night, meaning it will almost certainly appear the following evening, heralding the start of the monthlong observance.
During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking, and sexual intercourse from sunrise until sunset. Even a tiny sip of water or a puff of smoke is enough to invalidate the fast. At night, family and friends gather and feast in a festive atmosphere.
The fasting is aimed at bringing the faithful closer to God and reminding them of the suffering of the poor. Muslims are expected to strictly observe daily prayers and engage in heightened religious contemplation. They are also urged to refrain from gossip, fighting or cursing during the holy month.
Fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam and is required for all healthy Muslims. But there are exemptions for those who are ill, and for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Small children are not expected to fast.
Islam follows a lunar calendar, so Ramadan begins around a week and a half earlier each year. At the end of Ramadan, Muslims celebrate the joyous Eid al-Fitr holiday, when children often receive new clothes and gifts.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
Engaged couple shot dead days before moving out of house near Hamilton
An engaged couple was shot dead while fleeing their landlord near Hamilton just days before they were scheduled to move out of their apartment.
1 in 4 Canadian women forced to choose between buying meals and period products, survey finds
A new survey has found that one in four menstruating women in Canada have had to choose between paying for period products or other essentials such as food or rent.
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
Federal Court of Appeal: Canada not constitutionally obligated to bring home suspected ISIS fighters
The Government of Canada has won its appeal and will not be legally forced to repatriate four Canadian men from prisons in Northeast Syria.
Canadian consumer debt hits all-time high, reaching $2.32 trillion in Q1 2023: TransUnion
Amid interest rate hikes and high inflation, more Canadians are turning to credit for relief, with consumer debt hitting a new record in the first quarter of 2023.
Canada closing in on deal to get Stellantis battery plant back on track: Champagne
A deal to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor is inching closer, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday.
Fresh Russian bombardment of Ukraine's capital kills at least 3 people, wounds others
Russian forces began June with a fresh aerial bombardment of Kyiv on Thursday, killing at least three people and wounding others, authorities said.
Health Canada recalls Arora Cookwares clay cooking pot with lid over burn hazards
Arora cookwares clay cooking pots were recalled by the federal health agency over burn and injury risks.
Canada
-
'I heard a cracking noise': 16 children, 1 adult injured in platform collapse at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar
Seventeen people – most of whom are young students – were hospitalized after a falling from a height during a field trip at Winnipeg's Fort Gibraltar. However, many of the children are now being discharged and sent home, according to an update from the hospital.
-
Health Canada recalls Arora Cookwares clay cooking pot with lid over burn hazards
Arora cookwares clay cooking pots were recalled by the federal health agency over burn and injury risks.
-
Four Canadian cities make top 50 list of best remote work locations in the world
Four Canadian cities have been ranked among the top 50 best for remote work worldwide, according to a new report from Preply, an online learning provider platform
-
Ottawa man facing charges in double homicide of Mississauga teens in Pembroke, Ont.
Ontario Provincial Police have arrested a 21-year-old man from Ottawa in connection with the shooting deaths of two teens from Mississauga in Pembroke, Ont. A third teenager, also from Mississauga, was injured.
-
N.S. premier asks for urgent help from federal government as wildfires continue to burn out of control
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is asking for urgent help as wildfires continue to burn out of control in his province.
-
Ontario charges Marineland over care of its black bears
Ontario has charged Marineland over the care of its black bears.
World
-
North Korean leader's sister slams U.S. for criticizing failed satellite launch
The powerful sister of North Korean Kim Jong Un on Thursday accused the United States of 'gangster-like' hypocrisy for criticizing her country's failed launch of a military spy satellite and insisted that the North will follow with a successful launch soon.
-
Pain and terror felt by passengers before Boeing Max crashed can be considered, judge rules
Families of passengers who died in the crash of a Boeing 737 Max in Ethiopia can seek damages for the pain and terror suffered by victims in the minutes before the plane flew nose-down into the ground, a federal judge has ruled.
-
Who are the bride and groom in Jordan's royal wedding?
He's heir to the throne in one of the oldest monarchies in the Middle East and a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. She's a Saudi architect with an aristocratic pedigree of her own.
-
U.S. Coast Guard searching for a man who went overboard from a Carnival cruise ship
U.S. Coast Guard crews are searching for a 35-year-old man who went overboard from a cruise ship in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday, officials said.
-
Bizarre crash shows car driving up a truck and flipping into the air
A bizarre crash that looked like a scene from an action film was captured on a police officer's body camera in Georgia.
-
Amputation frees woman from collapsed Iowa building debris
The six-story building in downtown Davenport partially collapsed just before 5 p.m. Sunday, but it took hours before rescuers found Peach Berry trapped in the rubble and then determined one of her legs would need to be amputated to pull her free. Lexus Berry gave her assent.
Politics
-
Special rapporteur Johnston rejects call to 'step aside' after majority of MPs vote for him to resign
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's efforts to assure Canadians that his government is adequately addressing the threat of foreign interference took a hit on Wednesday, when the majority of MPs in the House of Commons voted for special rapporteur David Johnston to 'step aside,' a call Johnston quickly rejected.
-
House moving to midnight sittings as Liberals blame Conservatives for stalling agenda
It's that time of year again where MPs will be sitting until midnight until the House rises in late June, as the federal government pushes to pass as many bills as it can before the summer legislative hiatus. On Wednesday, Government House Leader Mark Holland announced that the Commons will be working late 'every single night … from here until the finish.'
-
More federal ministers could get security details as threats increase
The federal government is looking to better protect cabinet ministers and MPs as the threats against them continue to grow, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
Health
-
1 in 4 Canadian women forced to choose between buying meals and period products, survey finds
A new survey has found that one in four menstruating women in Canada have had to choose between paying for period products or other essentials such as food or rent.
-
Medication shortage in Canada led to increased dosing errors in children, new study shows
A new study has found that dosing errors in children increased during the Canada-wide shortage of paediatric fever and pain medication last year.
-
Canada saw decline in fresh fruit, vegetable availability in 2022: StatCan
Statistics Canada says fewer fresh fruits and vegetables were available to Canadians in 2022, due to factors such as ongoing supply chain issues, labour shortages and price increases.
Sci-Tech
-
Meta starts testing paid verification for Canadian Facebook, Instagram creators
Meta Platforms Inc. has begun allowing 'up-and-coming creators' in Canada to pay to be verified on Facebook and Instagram.
-
NASA talks UFOs with public ahead of final report on unidentified flying objects
NASA held its first public meeting on UFOs Wednesday a year after launching a study into unexplained sightings.
-
Meta threatens to yank news content from California over payments bill
Facebook owner Meta Platforms said on Wednesday it would remove news content in its home state of California if the state government passed legislation forcing tech companies to pay publishers for journalistic content.
Entertainment
-
Sia reveals she is on the autism spectrum
Singer and songwriter Sia shares that she has autism, in an episode of the 'Rob Has a Podcast.'
-
3rd man charged in 2002 shooting death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay
A third man has been charged in the 2002 shooting death of Run-DMC star Jam Master Jay, prosecutors said Tuesday, marking the latest movement in a case that languished for years.
-
'That 70s Show' actor Danny Masterson convicted of 2 counts of rape, faces 30 years to life
"That '70s Show" star Danny Masterson was led out in handcuffs from a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday and could get 30 years to life in prison after a jury found him guilty on two of three counts of rape at his second trial, in which the Church of Scientology played a central role.
Business
-
Funded deals, investment totals fall as VCs adjust to new normal: BDC
Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) said Wednesday venture capital lending dropped in 2022 and is expected to remain slow as companies grapple with higher interest rates, a wave of tech layoffs and the fallout from the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank.
-
House on track to raise debt ceiling and avert default, with Biden and McCarthy confident of passage
To avert a dangerous U.S. default, the House was heading toward approval of a debt ceiling and budget cuts package late Wednesday, as President Joe Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy assembled a bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans against fierce conservative blowback and progressive dissent.
-
Canada closing in on deal to get Stellantis battery plant back on track: Champagne
A deal to save a $5-billion electric vehicle battery plant in Windsor is inching closer, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday.
Lifestyle
-
No winning ticket sold for Tuesday's $65 million Lotto Max jackpot
There was no winning ticket sold in Tuesday's Lotto Max $65 million draw.
-
Scripps National Spelling Bee finalists flex their knowledge quietly
Confidence on the Scripps National Spelling Bee stage manifests itself in subtle ways, like spellers asking questions even though they know the answers.
-
Gaza Strip's Palestinians polarized by unorthodox watermelon delicacy
Locals call it "watermelon salad." But this delicacy popular in the southern Gaza Strip at this time of year is far from the sweet, refreshing taste the name evokes.
Sports
-
German police say teen injured in post-match brawl with French team has died
A 15-year-old soccer player has died after suffering severe brain injuries during a post-match brawl with an opposing team at an international youth tournament in Germany over the weekend, officials said Wednesday.
-
Pride Toronto director says Blue Jays have opportunity after Anthony Bass apology
Pride Toronto executive director Sherwin Modeste feels the Toronto Blue Jays have an opportunity to turn a player's negative action into a positive.
-
Novak Djokovic must abstain from political messages at French Open: sports minister
French Sports minister Amelie Oudea-Castera said Wednesday that Novak Djokovic's political message about Kosovo was 'not appropriate' and warned the former top-ranked Serb player that he should not do it again.
Autos
-
U.S. safety agency to require automatic emergency braking on new vehicles and set tougher standards
The U.S. government's auto safety agency plans to require that all new passenger cars and light trucks include potentially life-saving automatic emergency braking and meet stricter safety standards within three years.
-
Bizarre crash shows car driving up a truck and flipping into the air
A bizarre crash that looked like a scene from an action film was captured on a police officer's body camera in Georgia.
-
The Ford Bronco is being recalled in the U.S. because people may get 'discouraged' trying to use the seatbelts
Ever have a car with a difficult-to-reach seatbelt? This recall is for you. Ford is having to recall 176,000 of its Ford Bronco SUVs, model years 2021 to 2023, because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that drivers and front seat passengers can have difficulty reaching the metal portion of the belt when it is in the retracted position.
