Australian Victoria 2017 AFL Public Holiday Date Announced

Sources: State Government of Victoria (Melbourne) and Australian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The State Government of Australia's State of Victoria has officially announced the 2017 date for the still controversial "Friday before the AFL Grand Final" recently-added annual non-working public holiday observed in Australia's State of Victoria. [full story]

Indonesian 2014 Idul Adha Public Holiday Spat

Sources: Situs Resmi Kementerian Koordinator Bidang Kesejahteraan Rakyat (ANTARA) and Indonesian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Once again, Indonesia's Muhammadiyah, the second-largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, is challenging the officially announced date of the upcoming Idul Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) non-working public holiday in 2014 in Indonesia, with some Muhammadiyah officials agreeing to accept the date of Sunday, October 5, 2014, while others stick to their "hisab hakiki" (astronomical observation) date of Saturday, October 4, 2014. [full story]

Nepalese Public Holiday Update March 12

Sources: नेपाली गृह मंत्रालय के मंत्रालय (Kathmandu) and Nepalese bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The leadership of the Sherpa community of Nepal have informed the government of Nepal that its announced public holiday for today, Tuesday, March 12, 2013, on account of the Gyalbo Losar Sherpa festival, was a mistake, as the Sherpa community had already celebrated its New Year (Losar) a full month ago. [full story]

Australia Adds 2 SA Public Holidays

Sources: The Australian (Adelaide) and Australian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The South Australian Government has made a deal with independent MPs to ensure passage of its currently-proposed amendments to the official legislation governing non-working public holidays in the Australian state of South Australia. [full story]

North Korea Public Holidays Renamed

Sources: 조선중앙통신 (Pyongyang) and North Korea bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). In an eerie case of déjà vu, North Korean authorities have announced that beginning in 2012, the annual February 16, 2-day public holidays commemorating the birthday of recently-deceased former leader Kim Jong-il would be renamed as Kwangmyongsong (Shining Star) Day. [full story]

India State Public Holiday November 5

Sources: Government of Orissa (Bhubaneswar) and Indian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The office of the President of India's State of Orissa, Pratibha Patil, has issued a gazette notification that Saturday, November 5, 2011, had been declared a one-off state non-working public holiday in Orissa to mark the State's change of name. [full story]

Italy Restores 3 Public Holidays

Sources: Senato della Repubblica (Roma) and Italian bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Italian Government has announced that it would accept the recent amendment by the Italian Senate to the recent Decreto-Legge 13 agosto 2011, n. 138 (Ulteriori misure urgenti per la stabilizzazione finanziaria e per lo sviluppo) and abandon its plan to move non-religious public holidays to the next Sunday. [full story]

Nepal Gaura Parba Public Holiday Moving To August 21

Sources: The Himalayan Times (Kanchanpur) and Nepal bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). At a meeting of Nepal Astrologers’ Council, last night, the council formally asked Nepal's Government to change the date of the public holiday associated with the upcoming Gaura Parba festival, from September 5, 2011, to Sunday, August 21, 2011. [full story]

Saint Helena 2011 Ratting Day Public Holiday

Sources: Tristan Times (Tristan da Cunha) and Saint Helena bank and public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Chief Islander of Saint Helena's region of Tristan da Cunha has declared tomorrow, Friday, May 27, 2011, as the day for this year's annual Ratting Day public holiday. [26-May-2011]

Nepal Sued Over Bisket Jatra Public Holiday

Sources: MyRepublica (Kathmandu) and Nepal bank holidays and public holidays (qppstudio.net). Yesterday, a writ petition was filed in Nepal's Supreme Court demanding that a public holiday be declared on the last day of the Nepali month of Chaitra for Bisket Jatra.

Macedonia Tree Planting Public Holiday Tomorrow

Sources: Idividi (Skopje) and Macedonia public holidays (qppstudio.net). The second edition of the "Tree Day - Plant Your Future" tree-planting national marathon will be held tomorrow, Wednesday, November 19, 2008, which will be a non-working public holiday throughout Macedonia to encourage participation.

Kenya Declares November 6 Public Holiday To Celebrate Barack Obama's Election

Sources: Associated Press (Kogelo, Kenya) and Kenya public holidays (qppstudio.net). The President of Kenya, Mwai Kibaki, has declared Thursday, November 6, 2008, as a one-off public holiday in Kenya to "celebrate the historic achievement by Senator Obama and our country".

India Declares October 17 Women-Only Public Holiday In Himachal Pradesh

Sources: Punjab Newsline Network (Shimla) and India public holidays (qppstudio.net). The Himachal Pradesh government has declared a women-only gazetted public holiday for Friday, October 17, 2008, on the occasion of this year's Karvachauth festival.

This will apply to women employees working in all Government Offices, Boards, Corporations and Educational Institutions in the State of Himachal Pradesh.

Russia's First Lady Wants July 8 Public Holiday

Sources: Agence France-Presse (Moscow) and Russia public holidays (qppstudio.net). Russia's First Lady, Svetlana Medvedeva, is chairing a comittee to celebrate July 8th as a Russian "anti-Valentine's Day", with emphasis on family, mariage and long-term faithfulness, rather than what she (and many in Russia) considers the shallowness of Saint-Valentine's celebration of short-term infatuation.

If this year's first July 8 celebration of SS. Piotr and Fevronia (two 13th century Russian Orthodox Saints who were married and buried in the same coffin) is a success, Mrs. Medvedev has promised to make it an official public holiday in Russia.