South Africa Considering Non-Trading Public Holidays

Sources: Independent Online (Pretoria) and South Africa bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). South Africa's labour federation general secretary, Zwelinzima Vavi, has appealed to the government to pass legislation so that retail workers would not be forced to work on "the most emotional" public holidays such as Freedom Day on April 27, Workers Day on May 1, Youth Day on June 16 and Women's Day on August 9.

Trinidad and Tobago Renames CHOGM Summit

Sources: Power 102 FM (Port of Spain) and Trinidad and Tobago bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Senior Coordinator for CHOGM 2009, Sharifa Ali Abdullah, announced that a decision has been taken to change the name of the CHOGM (Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting) to be hosted in Port of Spain in November, to "Summit of the Commonwealth".

Australia's Victoria State Clarifies Melbourne Cup Public Holiday Coverage

Sources: myZOO (Melbourne) and Australia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Australia's State of Victoria has ruled out changes that would have allowed some towns to take the Melbourne Cup public holiday on another, municipally significant, day.

Indonesia May Day Public Holiday Update

Sources: Jakarta Globe (Jakarta) and Indonesia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Indonesia's minister of manpower and transmigration, Erman Suparno, has announced that the idea of making May 1st (International Labour Day) an official national public holiday would soon be discussed by the National Tripartite Agency, a new organization comprising business, labor and government representatives.

Maldives Declares May 10 Public Holiday

Sources: Miadhu News (Male) and Maldives bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Following a request from the Maldives' Elections Commission, President Nasheed has declared that Sunday, May 10, 2009, would be a public holiday throughout the Maldives.

Mexico Declares May 1-5 Public Sector Holiday

Sources: MSNBC (Mexico City) and Mexico bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Mexico's Health Secretary, José Angel Córdova Villalobos, announced that nonessential federal government offices would be closed from May 1-5, and that all nonessential private businesses must also close for that period.

Kazakhstan Confirms May Public Holidays

Sources: The Times Of Central Asia (Astana) and Kazakhstan bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government press service of Kazakhstan has informed news agencies that the non-working public holidays for the month of May 2009 would be May 1, 9 and 11.

India Declares May 13 Public Holiday In Puducherry

Sources: Chennai Online News (Chennai) and India bank public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Administration of India's State of Puducherry has declared Wednesday, May 13, 2009, as aone-off electoral public holiday for all its offices and undertakings on the occasion of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Mexico National Educational Holidays Until May 6

Sources: Periodico El Sur (Mexico City) and Mexico bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Mexico's Ministry of Education has announced that all educational institutions, nationwide, would be closed until May 6, 2009.

Uganda To Reduce Number Of Public Holidays

Sources: New Vision Online (Kampala) and Uganda bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Uganda's permanent secretary in the gender ministry, Christine Guwatudde, has announced that Uganda's Ministry of Public Service wants to either reduce the number of official public holidays, or to move their observance to the nearest weekend.

Azerbaijan To Vote On May 1st Public Holiday

Sources: Azeri Press Agency (APA) and Azerbaijan bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Azerbaijan's Parliament (the Mejlis) is to consider the draft bill, "On Declaring May 1 Non-Working Day And Workers’ Holiday", which would add May 1st to the list of official public holidays in Azerbaijan.

Kyrgyzstan Declares May 4 Bridge Public Holiday

Sources: Kyrgyz National News Agency (KABAR) and Kyrgyzstan bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Earlier today, the Prime Minister of Kyrgyzstan, Igor Chudinov, signed a governmental resolution declaring Monday, May 4, 2009, as a one-off non-working bridge public holiday (Tuesday, May 5, 2009, is already an annual public holiday).

Thailand Royal Ploughing Ceremony Public Holiday Confirmed

Sources: Xinhua (Bangkok) and Thailand bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Earlier today, Thailand's Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, confirmed that the upcoming Royal Ploughing Ceremony Day would occur on May 11, 2009.

Hong Kong Officially Announces 2010 Public Holidays

Sources: Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government (HKSAR) and Hong Kong bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government has released its official list of 2010 public holidays to be observed in Hong Kong.

Kazakhstan's President Signs Public Holidays Law Amendment

Sources: Gazeta (Astana) and Kazakhstan bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Kazakhstan's President, Nursultan Nazarbayev, has signed into law the amendments to Kazakhstan's Law on Holidays (On The Introduction Of Amendments To The Law On Holidays Of The Republic Of Kazakhstan), voted last month by Kazakhstan's Parliament, the Majilis.

India Declares May 13 Public Holiday In Himachal Pradesh

Sources: My Himachal (Shimla) and India bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Chief Electoral Officer of India's State of Himachal Pradesh, Anil Khachi, has announced that Wednesday, May 13, 2009, had been declared as a gazetted public holiday to ensure maximum number of vote casting in the upcoming 15th Lok Sabha Elections.

Turkey's Parliament Rejects Novruz Public Holiday Bill

Sources: Today's Zaman (Ankara) and Turkey bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). As a postlude to Wednesday's Parliamentary vote on a bill restoring May 1st as an official public holiday, it was announced that Parliament had rejected the bill that would have established Nevruz, the Kurdish new year celebration on March 21, as an official public holiday.

Bahrain Day In Lieu Public Holiday

Sources: Central Bank of Bahrain (Manama) and Bahrain bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Government of Bahrain has declared Sunday, May 3, 2009, as a day in lieu public holiday, due to the fact that this year's Labour Day public holiday falls on a Friday.

Canada Amends Islander Day Public Holiday

Sources: Prince Edward Island Legislative Assembly (Charlottetown) and Canada bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). On Wednesday, the government of Canada's Province of Prince Edward Island introduced Bill No. 72, An Act to Amend the Islander Day Act, which would amend the Employment Standards Act to change the date of the Islander Day annual public holiday to the third Monday in February.

Panama Drops May Day Bridge Public Holiday

Sources: La Estrella (Ciudad de Panamá) and Panama bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Panama's President, Martín Torrijos, has decided not to move the upcoming May 1st public holiday to the following Monday, May 4th, 2009.

Turkey Officially Approves And Names May 1 Public Holiday

Sources: World Bulletin (Ankara) and Turkey bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Turkey's parliament has approved the bill declaring May 1st an annual public holiday, effective starting in 2009, and giving it the official name "Labor and Solidarity Day".

Australia To Review ACT's Family And Community Public Holiday

Sources: Australia Broadcasting Corporation (Canberra) and Australia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Government of Australia's ACT (Australian Capital Territory) is inviting its residents to have their say on the future of the, early November, Family and Community public holiday.

Malaysia Announces Negeri Sembilan State Public Holiday Date

Sources: The New Straits Times (Seremban) and Malaysia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Chief Executive (Menteri Besar) of Malaysia's State of Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, has finally announced the date of this year's transitional State public holiday as October 26, instead of the previous years' date of July 19.

South Africa Declares World Cup Extended School Holidays

Sources: Pretoria News (Pretoria) and South Africa bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). South Africa's chief director of communications for the Department of Education, Dr Granville Whittle, has announced that South African schools will enjoy an extended holiday break during the FIFA 2010 World Cup.

Russia's Parliament Rejects May Day Public Holidays Extension

Sources: Moscow News (Moscow) and Russia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Russia's State Duma has rejected a bill tabled by United Russia deputy, Valery Zakharyashchev, that would increase the May public holidays from 1 to 4 days, while reducing the Western New Year public holidays from 5 to 2 days.

Bulgaria Could Add Good Friday To List Of Public Holidays

Sources: FOCUS News Agency (Sofia) and Bulgaria bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The mayor of Bulgaria's capital, Sofia, and unofficial GERB party leader, Boyko Borisov, promised to declare Good Friday as an official public holiday in Bulgaria, should his party win the upcoming June 14 parliamentary elections.

Panama Considering Moving Labour Day Public Holiday

Sources: La Estrella (Ciudad de Panamá) and Panama bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Panama is reported to be still hesitating to move the upcoming Labour Day public holiday from Friday, May 1st, to Monday, May 4th, 2009, under the dias puentes system.

Mali Declares Electoral Public Holiday Today

Sources: VOA News (Bamako) and Mali bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Late last night, the government of Mali declared that today, Tuesday, April 21, 2009, would be a one-off public holiday to enable the population to go and get their electoral registration cards for the upcoming, April 26, communal elections.

Venezuela To Consider Renaming National Day Public Holiday

Sources: Agencia Bolivariana de Noticias (Ciudad Guayana) and Venezuela bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Vice-President of the Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (PSUV), Freddy Bernal, has called on the government to either declare April 11 a national public holiday, or rename the April 19 public holiday as Día de la Batalla de San Félix.

Somalia Votes To Implement Sharia

Sources: Al Jazeera (Mecca) and Somalia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Parliament of Somalia has voted unanimously to implement Sharia, or Islamic law, across Somalia. The effect of this change on the public holidays of Somalia is yet to be assessed.

India Regional Electoral Public Holidays

Sources: The Hindu (Chennai) and India bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Various Indian states are beginning to declare one-off public holidays to coincide with the day on which the current, month-long, national elections will be held in their state.

Bulgaria Amends Upcoming May Extended Public Holidays

Sources: Council of Ministers of the Republic of Bulgaria (Sofia) and Bulgaria bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Bulgarian Council of Ministers has announced a changed in the details of the upcoming, early May, 6-day public holidays. The compensating Saturdays that will need to be worked are now May 16 and May 30, 2009.

Poland Epiphany Public Holiday Restoration Update

Sources: Polish Radio (Warsaw) and Poland bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Polish Radio reports that the Mayor of Łódź, Jerzy Kropiwnicki, is expected to hand over a petition to the speaker of the Sejm, Poland's lower house, restoring the January 6, Epiphany, national public holiday.

Russia To Add April 16 Public Holiday In Chechnya

Sources: BBC News (Grozny) and Russia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The pro-Kremlin President of Russia's republic of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, has declared that, in the future, April 16 would be a public holiday throughout Chechnya.

Zimbabwe Independence Day Public Holiday's Future More Secure

Sources: VOA News (Harare) and Zimbabwe bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). After years of shunning the April 18, Independence Day, public holiday, Zimbabwe's new Prime Minister, Morgan Tsvangirai, and his MDC Party are now saying that the Independence Day is a national event and the property of no single political party.

Pakistan To Recognize Good Friday Public Holiday

Sources: Asia News (Islamabad) and Pakistan bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Pakistan's federal minister for minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, recently announced that, beginning in 2010, Good Friday would be a public holiday recognized by the government of Pakistan, for the Christians of Pakistan.

Ghana June 4 Public Holiday Update

Sources: Joy Online (Accra) and Ghana bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Ghana's National Democratic Congress, having recently returned to power, is pushing the President hard to restore the June 4 public holiday, which was abolished in 2001 by the New Patriotic Party government of John Agyekum Kufuor.

South Africa's Presidential Inauguration Date Set

Sources: BuaNews (Johannesburg) and South Africa bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). South Africa government spokesperson, Themba Maseko, has announced that the upcoming presidential inauguration would be held on May 9th, 2009, for the first time ever on a Saturday.

Australia ANZAC Day Public Holiday Update

Sources: ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) and Australia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The State Government of the Australian State of Tasmania has finally announced it will introduce legislation creating a Monday day in lieu public holiday when ANZAC Day (April 25) falls on a Sunday, or a Tuesday when the day coincides with Easter Monday.

Equatorial Guinea Public Holiday Tomorrow

Sources: Equatorial Guinea News Portal (Malabo) and Equatorial Guinea bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Equatorial Guinea has declared a public holiday for tomorrow, Friday, April 17, 2009, on the occasion of the state visit of the King of Morocco, HM Mohammed VI.

Barbados Announces 2010 Public Holidays

Sources: Barbados Government Information Services (BGIS) and Barbados bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Barbados has released it list of official public holidays for the calendar year 2010.

Qatar Adds New Bank Holiday

Sources: Qatar Central Bank (Doha) and Qatar bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The recent proposal for a new annual bank holiday, initiated by the Central Bank of Qatar, was approved at a recent session of Qatar's cabinet, presided by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy and Industry, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah.

India Declares April 30 Bank And Financial Holiday

Sources: Reserve Bank of India (New Delhi) and India bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). India's stock markets have announced that they would close on Thursday, April 30, 2009, due to the elections on that day. In addition, all financial institutions, including the central bank, will be closed on that date.

Honduras Surprised By Public Holiday Move

Sources: La Prensa (San Pedro Sula) and Honduras bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). News sources in Honduras report widespread surprise today, April 14, 2009, as all businesses, government offices and banks are open, despite it usually being the Day of the Americas public holiday.

Thailand Declares 2 Additional Public Holidays This Week

Sources: National News Bureau of Thailand (Bangkok) and Thailand bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Thailand's Deputy Secretary-general to the Prime Minister and acting Government Spokesman, Panitharn Wattanayakorn, announced earlier today that the cabinet had approved the extension of the current 3-day Songkran public holidays for 2 additional days; Thursday and Friday, April 16 and 17, 2009.

Russia Amends List Of Commemorative Dates

Sources: Web Portal of the President of Russia (Moscow) and Russia bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Russia's President, Dmitry Medvedev, has signed into law amendments to the Federal law On Russia's Days of Military Glory and Commemorative Dates, adding the date of June 29, Day of Partisans and Underground Resistance, to the list.

India Polling Day Public Holidays In J&K

Sources: Merinews (Gurgaon) and India bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). India's State government of J&K (Jammu and Kashmir) has declared that all polling days for the coming Lok Sabha elections (occurring weekly from April 16 to May 13) would be public holidays on the dates and in the concerned districts.

La Réunion Set To Drop 3 Christian Public Holidays

Sources: Journal de l'Ile de la Réunion (Saint-Paul la Réunion) and Réunion bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Bishop of the diocese of La Réunion, Gilbert Aubry, has officially announced that he was ready to cede 3 Christian public holidays to other religions. The 3 public holidays specifically mentioned by the Bishop are: Easter Monday, Ascension, and Whitmonday.

Laos Extends New Year Public Holidays

Sources: The Ventiane Times (Ventiane) and Laos bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government of Laos has confirmed that there is to be an extended public sector holiday over the upcoming Pi Mai Lao (Lao New Year) this year, from Monday to Friday, April 13-17, 2009.

Malta Bank And Financial Holiday Monday

Sources: Borza Ta' Malta (Malta Stock Exchange) and Malta bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Central Bank of Malta has announced that Easter Monday (April 13, 2009) had been declared a stock exchange holiday. As a result, no trading or settlement activity will take place on that day, and local banks will be closed.