Monday, day-off in Baghdad, central – southern Iraq due to high temperatures

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: Iraq ’s Council of Ministers has announced today (Monday) as an official day-off in central and southern Iraq , including Baghdad , due to the high temperatures that hit the country over the past few days, the Council’s Secretariat-General has announced on Monday.   “The Council of Ministers has announced today, Monday, as an official holiday in central and southern Iraq , due to the high rise of temperatures, and in order to protect the lives and safety of citizens,” a Secretariat source told IraqiNews.com news agency.   The Iraqi Climate Commission had announced that the said areas wound face clear skies, with a rise in temperatures, that shall exceed 50 degrees Celsius in Baghdad and other central and southern Iraqi provinces.   Today, Monday, is the first day of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, through which fasting Muslims would deprive themselves from eating, drinking and smoking for about 16 hours daily for 30 days, beginning from about 03:30 am local time (12:30 GMT, previous nights) and ending at about 07:30 pm local time (04:30 PM GMT).   The fasting month of Ramadan was announced to start on Monday by the Muslim Sunni Waqf (Endowment), whilst the Muslim Shiites’ Waqf (Endowment) has decided to begin their fasting as from Tuesday. SKH (IT)