Ramadan starts Thursday in Saudi Arabia

Riyadh: The Muslim holy fasting month of Ramadan will begin Thursday in Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam and home to its holiest sites, the Royal Court said.

The court announced that, because the crescent moon was not sighted Tuesday, Ramadan will start Thursday.

More than 1.5 billion Muslims around the world will mark the month, during which believers abstain from eating, drinking, smoking and having sex from dawn until sunset.