Ramadan 2020, in the Islamic year 1441, will always be remembered for one thing: Covid-19. But momentous events have always occurred during the holy month down the years.
As part of a series delving into Ramadan over recent decades, starting in 1950, we look back over the last 70 years at some of the headlines from previous Ramadans, with an emphasis on the positive, of news that shows the strength and creativity of the human spirit.
2011 (1432) July 31 – August 29
Is there life on Mars? That was the question posed by Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter as it circled the Red Planet at the start of the decade.
Launched in August 2005, the unmanned craft observed the planet’s slopes and crater walls during the Martian seasons.
It found creeping dark fingers on the landscape that extended during the spring and summer but faded as winter approached.
Water had been discovered on Mars in previous missions but as ice at the northern polar cap. The planet’s low temperature meant that any surface water would be permanently frozen.
On August 4, 2011, an announcement from Nasa suggested another possibility, that evidence of flowing water had been discovered for the first time.
Scientists theorised the water was below the surface and flowed during the warmer months, even though these also have temperatures well below freezing.
To remain liquid, it would have to be extremely salty – “more like a syrup,” according to one expert.
The presence of flowing water greatly increased the possibility of life on Mars or the possibility it could sustain it.
The orbiter continues to circle Mars, relaying data from other craft on the planet’s surface.
It is now one of six operating space craft circling Mars, and will be joined next year by the UAE's Hope mission, which will further expand our knowledge of the planet's weather and atmosphere.
2012 (1433) July 19 to August 18
We remember the summer Ramadan for the London Olympics, which took place between July 27 and August 12.
During that time, Turkish adventurer Erden Eruç completed his own personal race and became the first person to circle the Earth using only human power, including bicycles and boats. Finishing on July 21, it took him just over five years.
This Ramadan was also notable for "seven minutes of terror." That was the dramatic title given to an attempt to put the Curiosity lander on the surface of Mars.
An audacious and untested technique was proposed, which involved suspending the lander under a “sky crane” that would slow the final descent using rocket thrusters.
At the last minute, the sky crane would detach and fly away to prevent damage to Curiosity, the final act of a complex series of manoeuvres, any one of which could end the $2.5 billion mission.
The “seven minutes of terror” referred to the time between entering Mar’s atmosphere and the final touchdown. The time lag in communications to Earth meant that scientists would not know if the mission had succeeded for nearly a quarter of an hour.
In the end, all was well. Curiosity landed on August 5, 2012 and remains operational.
It will be joined next year by Perseverance, another rover that will land using the same technique, in the best Hollywood tradition as "Seven Minutes of Terror 2."
2015 (1436) June 17 – July 16
The space theme of Ramadan during the past 10 years continued with an achievement from the New Horizon deep space probe.
Launched in 2005, the craft finally reached its destination on July 14, 2012, when it completed a fly-by of Pluto at an altitude of 12,442 kilometres and a distance of around four billion miles from Earth.
It took until October 2016 for New Horizon to send back all the data it gathered and the result was our first glimpse of the distant dwarf planet and a series of spectacular images of Pluto and its mysterious five satellite moons.
2018 (1439) May 16 – June 14
We remember the Ramadan of 2018 for two events that were celebrated at the time but perhaps did not end as expected.
The first was the wedding, on May 19, of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.
The marriage of a prince of the British Royal family to an African-American actress attracted huge international attention, with a live audience of 27 million in the UK and 29 million in the United States.
The ceremony was notable for the presence of numerous celebrity friends of the couple and a 14-minute sermon by bishop Michael Curry described as “electrifying.”
What was hailed at the time as landmark for race relations ended with the couple and their son withdrawing from royal life to self imposed exile in California, the result of what they said is intrusion into their private lives.
Later that month, the world watched open-mouthed again as the President of the United States, Donald Trump, shook the hands of his country’s sworn enemy, Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea.
The historic meeting took place in Singapore on June 12, with a statement agreeing to new peaceful relations and an end to nuclear weapons on the Korean peninsula.
The summit was followed last year by a meeting between the two leaders on the border of North and South Korea that made President Trump the first American president to step on North Korean soil.
It is fair to say the progress since has been limited at best. Negotiations last took place in October, with North Korea warning of “terrible” events if it did not get a better deal, and the US posting a $5 million reward for North Korean hackers it claimed were launching cyber attacks.
2020 (1441) began April 23
This year's Ramadan will certainly be remembered throughout history, with Covid-19 forcing families to stay home with tens of thousands dead and millions infected.
Despite the global crisis, progress has been made against another disease, malaria, which claims about 400,000 lives and is estimated to cost African economies $12 billion every year.
On May 4, it was announced that scientists in Kenya and the UK had discovered a microbe that completely prevents mosquitoes that spread malaria from contracting the disease in first place.
The bug, Microsporidia MB, was found in mosquitoes on the shores of Lake Victoria, none of whom harboured the malarial parasite.
At present around five per cent of mosquitoes have Microsporidia MB but deliberately raising this to 40 per cent, possible through infecting males in laboratories, could hugely reduce malaria in humans.
A development was also made in the fight against climate change – specifically the bleaching of coral reefs, which is caused by excess carbon dioxide warming oceans.
On May 13, scientists in Australia working on the Great Barrier Reef revealed they had cloned algae in a laboratory that can live in warmer seas.
Algae have a complex relationship with coral. They live inside coral polyps and nourish their host by photosynthesising waste into food.
When the water becomes too warm, corals expel algae, a process that turns the coral white but also leaves it to starve.
Breeding these algae and releasing them into the wild holds out the possibility of slowing the decline in coral reefs worldwide and a happier legacy of this Ramadan.
More coverage from the Future Forum
The specs: 2018 Opel Mokka X
Price, as tested: Dh84,000
Engine: 1.4L, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: Six-speed auto
Power: 142hp at 4,900rpm
Torque: 200Nm at 1,850rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L / 100km
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The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
The years Ramadan fell in May
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
SHAITTAN
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Washmen Profile
Date Started: May 2015
Founders: Rami Shaar and Jad Halaoui
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Laundry
Employees: 170
Funding: about $8m
Funders: Addventure, B&Y Partners, Clara Ventures, Cedar Mundi Partners, Henkel Ventures
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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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Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Baftas 2020 winners
BEST FILM
- 1917 - Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Sam Mendes, Jayne-Ann Tenggren
- THE IRISHMAN - Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, Martin Scorsese, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
- JOKER - Bradley Cooper, Todd Phillips, Emma Tillinger Koskoff
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - David Heyman, Shannon McIntosh, Quentin Tarantino
- PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho, Kwak Sin-ae
DIRECTOR
- 1917 - Sam Mendes
- THE IRISHMAN - Martin Scorsese
- JOKER - Todd Phillips
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Quentin Tarantino
- PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho
OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM
- 1917 - Sam Mendes, Pippa Harris, Callum McDougall, Jayne-Ann Tenggren, Krysty Wilson-Cairns
- BAIT - Mark Jenkin, Kate Byers, Linn Waite
- FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
- ROCKETMAN - Dexter Fletcher, Adam Bohling, David Furnish, David Reid, Matthew Vaughn, Lee Hall
- SORRY WE MISSED YOU - Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien, Paul Laverty
- THE TWO POPES - Fernando Meirelles, Jonathan Eirich, Dan Lin, Tracey Seaward, Anthony McCarten
FILM NOT IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE
- THE FAREWELL - Lulu Wang, Daniele Melia
- FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
- PAIN AND GLORY - Pedro Almodóvar, Agustín Almodóvar
- PARASITE - Bong Joon-ho
- PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE - Céline Sciamma, Bénédicte Couvreur
LEADING ACTRESS
- JESSIE BUCKLEY - Wild Rose
- SCARLETT JOHANSSON - Marriage Story
- SAOIRSE RONAN - Little Women
- CHARLIZE THERON - Bombshell
- RENÉE ZELLWEGER - Judy
LEADING ACTOR
- LEONARDO DICAPRIO - Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood
- ADAM DRIVER - Marriage Story
- TARON EGERTON - Rocketman
- JOAQUIN PHOENIX - Joker
- JONATHAN PRYCE - The Two Popes
SUPPORTING ACTOR
- TOM HANKS - A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood
- ANTHONY HOPKINS - The Two Popes
- AL PACINO - The Irishman
- JOE PESCI - The Irishman
- BRAD PITT - Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
SUPPORTING ACTRESS
- LAURA DERN - Marriage Story
- SCARLETT JOHANSSON - Jojo Rabbit
- FLORENCE PUGH - Little Women
- MARGOT ROBBIE - Bombshell
- MARGOT ROBBIE - Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
- THE IRISHMAN - Steven Zaillian
- JOJO RABBIT - Taika Waititi
- JOKER - Todd Phillips, Scott Silver
- LITTLE WOMEN - Greta Gerwig
- THE TWO POPES - Anthony McCarten
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
- BOOKSMART - Susanna Fogel, Emily Halpern, Sarah Haskins, Katie Silberman
- KNIVES OUT - Rian Johnson
- MARRIAGE STORY - Noah Baumbach
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Quentin Tarantino
- PARASITE - Han Jin Won, Bong Joon ho
DOCUMENTARY
- AMERICAN FACTORY - Steven Bognar, Julia Reichert
- APOLLO 11 - Todd Douglas Miller
- DIEGO MARADONA - Asif Kapadia
- FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab, Edward Watts
- THE GREAT HACK - Karim Amer, Jehane Noujaime
OUTSTANDING DEBUT BY A BRITISH WRITER, DIRECTOR OR PRODUCER
- BAIT - Mark Jenkin (Writer/Director), Kate Byers, Linn Waite (Producers)
- FOR SAMA - Waad al-Kateab (Director/Producer), Edward Watts (Director)
- MAIDEN - Alex Holmes (Director)
- ONLY YOU - Harry Wootliff (Writer/Director)
- RETABLO - Álvaro Delgado-Aparicio (Writer/Director)
ANIMATED FILM
- FROZEN 2 - Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee, Peter Del Vecho
- KLAUS - Sergio Pablos, Jinko Gotoh
- A SHAUN THE SHEEP MOVIE: FARMAGEDDON - Will Becher, Richard Phelan, Paul Kewley
- TOY STORY 4 - Josh Cooley, Mark Nielsen
CASTING
- JOKER - Shayna Markowitz
- MARRIAGE STORY - Douglas Aibel, Francine Maisler
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Victoria Thomas
- THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD - Sarah Crowe
- THE TWO POPES - Nina Gold
EE RISING STAR AWARD (voted for by the public)
- AWKWAFINA
- JACK LOWDEN
- KAITLYN DEVER
- KELVIN HARRISON JR.
- MICHEAL WARD
CINEMATOGRAPHY
- 1917 - Roger Deakins
- THE IRISHMAN - Rodrigo Prieto
- JOKER - Lawrence Sher
- LE MANS ’66 - Phedon Papamichael
- THE LIGHTHOUSE - Jarin Blaschke
EDITING
- THE IRISHMAN - Thelma Schoonmaker
- JOJO RABBIT - Tom Eagles
- JOKER - Jeff Groth
- LE MANS ’66 - Andrew Buckland, Michael McCusker
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Fred Raskin
COSTUME DESIGN
- THE IRISHMAN - Christopher Peterson, Sandy Powell
- JOJO RABBIT - Mayes C. Rubeo
- JUDY - Jany Temime
- LITTLE WOMEN - Jacqueline Durran
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Arianne Phillips
PRODUCTION DESIGN
- 1917 - Dennis Gassner, Lee Sandales
- THE IRISHMAN - Bob Shaw, Regina Graves
- JOJO RABBIT - Ra Vincent, Nora Sopková
- JOKER - Mark Friedberg, Kris Moran
- ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD - Barbara Ling, Nancy Haigh
SOUND
- 1917 - Scott Millan, Oliver Tarney, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson
- JOKER - Tod Maitland, Alan Robert Murray, Tom Ozanich, Dean Zupancic
- LE MANS ’66 - David Giammarco, Paul Massey, Steven A. Morrow, Donald Sylvester
- ROCKETMAN - Matthew Collinge, John Hayes, Mike Prestwood Smith, Danny Sheehan
- STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - David Acord, Andy Nelson, Christopher Scarabosio, Stuart Wilson, Matthew Wood
ORIGINAL SCORE
- 1917 - Thomas Newman
- JOJO RABBIT - Michael Giacchino
- JOKER - Hildur Guđnadóttir
- LITTLE WOMEN - Alexandre Desplat
- STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - John Williams
SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS
- 1917 - Greg Butler, Guillaume Rocheron, Dominic Tuohy
- AVENGERS: ENDGAME - Dan Deleeuw, Dan Sudick
- THE IRISHMAN - Leandro Estebecorena, Stephane Grabli, Pablo Helman
- THE LION KING - Andrew R. Jones, Robert Legato, Elliot Newman, Adam Valdez
- STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - Roger Guyett, Paul Kavanagh, Neal Scanlan, Dominic Tuohy
MAKE UP & HAIR
- 1917 - Naomi Donne
- BOMBSHELL - Vivian Baker, Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan
- JOKER - Kay Georgiou, Nicki Ledermann
- JUDY - Jeremy Woodhead
- ROCKETMAN - Lizzie Yianni Georgiou
BRITISH SHORT FILM
- AZAAR - Myriam Raja, Nathanael Baring
- GOLDFISH - Hector Dockrill, Harri Kamalanathan, Benedict Turnbull, Laura Dockrill
- KAMALI - Sasha Rainbow, Rosalind Croad
- LEARNING TO SKATEBOARD IN A WARZONE (IF YOU’RE A GIRL) - Carol Dysinger, Elena Andreicheva
- THE TRAP - Lena Headey, Anthony Fitzgerald
BRITISH SHORT ANIMATION
- GRANDAD WAS A ROMANTIC - Maryam Mohajer
- IN HER BOOTS - Kathrin Steinbacher
- THE MAGIC BOAT - Naaman Azh
The Orwell Prize for Political Writing
Twelve books were longlisted for The Orwell Prize for Political Writing. The non-fiction works cover various themes from education, gender bias, and the environment to surveillance and political power. Some of the books that made it to the non-fiction longlist include:
- Appeasing Hitler: Chamberlain, Churchill and the Road to War by Tim Bouverie
- Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by Kate Clanchy
- Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez
- Follow Me, Akhi: The Online World of British Muslims by Hussein Kesvani
- Guest House for Young Widows: Among the Women of ISIS by Azadeh Moaveni
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'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Kalra's feat
- Becomes fifth batsman to score century in U19 final
- Becomes second Indian to score century in U19 final after Unmukt Chand in 2012
- Scored 122 in youth Test on tour of England
- Bought by Delhi Daredevils for base price of two million Indian rupees (Dh115,000) in 2018 IPL auction
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The five pillars of Islam
