Surging coronavirus cases in many parts of the world overshadow the start of the holy month of Ramadan. From Saudi Arabia to Turkey, many Muslims around the world started the month of prayer and fasting after religious leaders confirmed it would begin on Tuesday, with many countries facing virus restrictions.

Facebook has said it blocked a group of Chinese hackers that used the platform to target Uyghur activists living abroad and compromise their security by using surveillance software.

Sri Lankan Muslims say that a government move to prevent Muslim women from wearing a burqa or niqab is a new act of discrimination against their community, which accounts for 10 percent of the 21 million, Buddhist-majority population.

Recent surveys indicate strongly that across the Middle East and Iran, almost half the population is loosening their ties to Islam. Governments have reacted differently to calls for reforms of institutional religion.

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Bangladesh opens its first Islamic school for transgender worshippers, with clerics calling it a first step towards integrating the marginalised group into society. The madrasa is one of a series of recent moves in Bangladesh to make life easier for the Muslim-majority nation's up to 1.5 million transgender people.

Only a small number of faithful are taking part in this year's hajj, usually one of the biggest religious gatherings in the world. Authorities have dramatically downsized the pilgrimage to prevent fresh virus outbreaks.

Here is why you should pick up a copy of The Guardian on Friday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on the newsstands on Friday.

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Ramadan is typically a period of both worship and socialising, but this year strict lockdowns have limited gatherings for iftar meals at dusk when the fast is broken — a centrepiece of Ramadan. For millions of Muslims around the world, this Ramadan is unlike any other, with closed mosques and family gatherings forbidden.

Due to the global coronavirus pandemic, this year’s Ramadan is an unusual one for the Muslim community who are used to gathering together to pray and share meals as a community. Mosques around the world, including the holy sites in Mecca and Medina, have also been closed. These are a few of the reasons why this year's Ramadan is looking very different for adherents Islam around the world.⁣

Here is why you should pick a copy of The Guardian on Friday. Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on the newsstands on Friday.⁣