Islamic tradition of hospitality a remarkable lesson in this world: Guterres in Ramzan message
United Nations: As Muslims around the world will be observing "a very different" Ramzan amid a devastating COVID19 pandemic, UN chief has said the Islamic tradition of hospitality and generosity is a remarkable lesson at a time when people in conflict zones and vulnerable populations face dire consequences.
Ramzan is the holiest month in Islam, when devout Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. It will begin this week, depending on the sighting of the moon.
"This will, of course, be a very different Ramzan. Many community activities will naturally be affected by measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, Secretary General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday in his Ramzan message.
He said as millions of Muslims around the world begin observing the holy month of Ramzan, many people in conflict zones will once again be tragically marking this month with war and insecurity all around.
Underscoring that Ramzan is about supporting the most vulnerable, Guterres expressed appreciation for governments and people throughout the Muslim world who live by their faith, supporting those fleeing conflict in the best Islamic tradition of hospitality and generosity a remarkable lesson in this world where so many doors have been closed to those in need of protection, even before COVID-19.
Recalling his recent appeal for an immediate global ceasefire to focus on the novel coronavirus, the world's common enemy, Guterres said he repeats that appeal as he quoted words of the Holy Quran and if they incline to peace, then incline to it .
Muslims around the world will observe the holy month of Ramzan under lockdown and tight restrictions due to the coronavirus outbreak that has paralysed entire world.
The COVID-19 has so far infected more than 2.6 million people and killed over 183,330.
Because of the pandemic, which has spread to 185 nations, many countries this year have advised citizens to avoid large gatherings and have suhoor and iftar individually or with family at home.
During Ramzan, Muslims wake up early to eat a pre-dawn meal called suhoor, and break their fast after sunset with a meal called iftar.
Congregational prayers are banned in several countries, and many mosques have been temporarily closed.
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After fake ID crackdown, IRCTC daily new accounts down to 5000 from one lakh: Railways
New Delhi (PTI): With a new, stringent system to establish user identity, the number of new user IDs being added daily on the IRCTC website has declined to about 5,000 from nearly one lakh, officials said on Saturday.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw noted that the crackdown by Indian Railways on train ticket booking through fake identities is yielding positive results, according to a press note.
Before the latest reforms, this number had touched nearly one lakh new user IDs per day, it said.
"Following the introduction of a stringent system to establish user identity and detect fake IDs, about 5,000 new user IDs are now being added daily on the IRCTC website," the note said.
The officials stated that these steps have already helped Indian Railways deactivate 3.03 crore fake accounts.
"Another 2.7 crore user IDs have either been temporarily suspended or identified for suspension based on the suspicious activities they are indulging in," they said.
The Union minister directed officials to ensure that the ticketing system is reformed to a level where all travellers are able to book tickets easily through a real and genuine user ID, the press note added.
Additionally, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has directed officials to provide local cuisine of the region in Vande Bharat trains.
Introducing local cuisine that reflects the culture and tastes of the regions being traversed will significantly enhance the passenger experience, officials said.
This facility will be expanded to all the trains progressively in future, they added.
