Public Holidays News December 2006

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This monthly recap of December 2006 worldwide public holidays news and updates, covers all the countries of the world, and is based on our daily review of hundreds of online newspapers, government sites, and institutional sources, and over a decade of experience following worldwide public holidays, to place current events in context, and anticipate on possible future changes. Available as free weekly or monthly email newsletters.
Date	Country	News Item Summary
31-Dec-2006	El Salvador	El Salvador Restores January 16 Public Holiday (Source: Diario Oficial-San Salvador) El Salvador, through the Decreto Legislativo 177 de 20 Diciembre 2006, has restored the January 16 D�a de la Paz as a fully-paid public holiday, for both the private and public sectors. Links: full story and other El Salvador news and updates.
31-Dec-2006	Spain	(Source: El Comercio) In 2007, the Principado de Asturias autonomous region will celebrate the D�a de Asturias on September 8. This will be the only public holiday, observed in the Asturias, that will be distinct from the 9 public holidays common to the rest of Spain. In 2007, there will be 9 common public holidays, nationwide. As published last month in the Bolet�n Oficial del Estado (BOE), these are the usual: Jan-1, Good Friday, May-1, Asunci�n de la Virgen, Fiesta nacional de Espa�a, D�a de Todos los Santos, D�a de la Constituci�n, D�a de la Inmaculada Concepci�n, and Navidad. Links: other Spain news and updates.
31-Dec-2006	Turkmenistan	Turkmenistan Announces Date Of Kurban Bairam Public Holiday (Source: Interfax) Turkmenistan is marking the beginning of the Eid-ul-Adha holiday, also known as Kurban Bairam. Links: other Turkmenistan news and updates.
31-Dec-2006	Iraq	Iraq Declares Different Eid Public Holidays (Source: Reuters) Wednesday, January 3, 2007, is the last day of the Eid al Adha religious holiday for Shi'ites in Iraq, but the government has declared a public holiday lasting until Saturday (NB: weekends are Thursdays and Fridays in Iraq). Links: other Iraq news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	Suriname	(Source: Stabroek News) Suriname's Muslim community will observe Eid al Adha on December 31 (it is not one of the Suriname public holidays, although Eid al Fitr is). Links: other Suriname news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	Libya	(Source: The Associated Press) Libya declared three days of national mourning after the execution, today, of Iraqi ex-president Saddam Hussein. Flags were lowered to half-staff on public buildings and all festivities for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, which begins this weekend, have been cancelled, the local news agency added. Links: other Libya news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	Guyana	Guyana Announces Date Of Eid-ul-Adha Public Holiday (Source: Stabroek News) January 1 has been declared a public holiday to observe Eid-ul-Adha, although within the local Muslim community, the festival day will be observed on different dates. Links: full story and other Guyana news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	Ghana	Ghana Declares January 2 Public Holiday (Source: GNA-Ghana News Agency) Government declares January 2 a public holiday. In view of the fact that Eid-Ul-Adha, a statutory public holiday, falls on Saturday December 30, President John Agyekum Kufuor has declared Tuesday, January 2, 2007 a public holiday. Links: other Ghana news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	USA	(Source: The Wall Street Journal) NYSE to Close in Ford's Honor. On Friday, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) joined the Nasdaq Stock Market in announcing it would close on Tuesday January 2nd, 2007, in observance of a national day of mourning for former President Gerald Ford. Links: other USA (United States) news and updates.
30-Dec-2006	Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad and Tobago Announces Date Of Eid al Adha (Source: Stabroek News) Trinidad and Tobago's Muslim community will observe Eid al Adha on December 31 (it is not one of the Trinidad and Tobago public holidays, although Eid al Fitr is). Links: other Trinidad and Tobago news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Somalia	Eid al-Adha Cease-Fire: As a sign of goodwill, President Abdullahi Yusuf and the Ethiopian government declared a 24-hour cease-fire in Somalia, and particularly Mogadishu, to mark the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Saturday, December 30. Links: other Somalia news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan Declares January 2 Public Holiday (Source: The State Bank of Pakistan) The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE), Central Depository Company of Paksitan Limited (DCD) and National Clearing Company of Pakistan Limited (NCC) have announced that in addition to January 1, 2007, January 2, 2007 will also be a holiday in Pakistan. Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	The Gambia	Gambia Announces Tobaski Public Holiday Date Sunday is the Tobaski Muslim Feast: A press release from the Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) has relayed that Eid Al Adha, locally known as Tobaski, is scheduled to take place on Sunday, 31st December. Links: other The Gambia news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Ecuador	Ecuador Bank Holiday On December 29 The Asociaci�n de Bancos Privados del Ecuador (ABPE) announced that, with the authorization of the Superintendencia de Bancos y Seguros (Ecuador's equivalent to the SEC) banks in Ecuador will work behind closed doors on December 29, to close the 2006 accounts. Links: full story and other Ecuador news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Argentina	Argentina Announces December 30 Partial Bank Holiday (Source: La Raz�n-Buenos Aires) On Saturday December 30, 2006, banks will be open from 10:00 to 15:00, but only emergency government services will be running. Links: full story and other Argentina news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Slovenia	Slovenia will adopt the euro on the 1st of January 2007 at the rate of 239.640 tolars per euro, a rate fixed in July by ECOFIN ministers. Links: full story and other Slovenia news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	USA	President George W. Bush decreed a day of national mourning on Tuesday January 2, in hommage to former President Gerald Ford; all executive departments, independent organizations and other agencies of the Federal government to be closed. However, the closures do not apply to Department of State, the Department of Defense, the Department of Justice, the Department of Homeland Security, or other departments, independent establishments, and governmental agencies that have anything to do with National Security and essential functions. The NASDAQ, on whose Board of Directors former President Ford sat in 1999 and 2000, will be closed on Tuesday January 2. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) has not made any announcements yet. Links: other USA (United States) news and updates.
29-Dec-2006	Chile	Chile - No Bank Holiday On December 29 Facing many questions from the public, the Superintendencia de Bancos e Instituciones Financieras (SBIF) officially confirmed that Friday December 29, 2006,was not a bank holiday in Chile, and that banks in Chile would open and operate normally. Links: other Chile news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan Announces 2007 School Holidays Education Minister, Hameeda Khuhro, announced the school holidays and examination schedule for educational institutions, for 2007. Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Taiwan	Taiwan Election Update The ruling Democratic Progressive Party and the the opposition Kuomintang Party are slowly moving towards an agreement on a two-in-one election (both Presidential and Legislative Elections), on the same date of January 19, 2008. Links: full story and other Taiwan news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Argentina	Argentina Financial Sector Public Holiday The Buenos Aires Stock Exchange and the Mercado de Valores de Buenos Aires will be closed today, December 29, 2006. However, all local banks and following entities in Buenos Aires will observe normal working hours on that day. Links: other Argentina news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Qatar	Qatar Bank And Financial Eid Al Adha Holiday The Doha Securities Market (DSM) will remain closed from December 31, 2006 to January 2, 2007 on the occasion of Eid Al Adha. Links: other Qatar news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Nepal	Nepal CA Elections Scheduled For June 2007 The government has formally initiated the groundwork for conducting the election to a constituent assembly by mid-June 2007. Links: full story and other Nepal news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Chile	Chile To Legislate Store Openings On Public Holidays' Eves The agreement restricting the opening hours of supermarkets and malls to 20:00, on December 24, seems to have been widely disregarded, with many keeping their employees on the job until past midnight. As a result, 3 deputies (one DC, one PPD, and one independent) and the Confederaci�n Nacional de Trabajadores del Comercio (Confecove) have introduced a bill that would legislate on opening hours before major holidays. Links: other Chile news and updates.
28-Dec-2006	Transdniestria	On 27 December, the President of Pridnestrovie (PMR), Igor Smirnov, signed the law passed by the Supreme Soviet on 20 December, making January 2nd, every year, a nonworking holiday. The law comes into effect as of January 1st, 2007. Links: other Transdniestria news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	Indonesia	Indonesia Bank And Financial Holiday On December 29 The Jakarta Stock Exchange (JSX) has announced that December 29, 2006 (Friday) will be a stock exchange holiday in Indonesia. Links: other Indonesia news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	Honduras	Honduras Clarifies End Of The Year Civil Service Public Holidays It was restated that, as per the decreto legislativo 50-2003, passed by the Congreso Nacional, the only 2 days of public holidays for civil servants, in Honduras, are December 25 and January 1. Government services will be functioning on all other dates. Links: full story and other Honduras news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	Spain	The official Catalonia winter rebates season (rebajas de invierno) will begin on January 8, 2007, and end on March 7, 2007. Businesses will not be allowed to open on January 7, 2007, the day before the beginning of the rebates season, however they will be permitted to open the following Sunday, January 14, 2007. The list of 8 Sundays and public holidays when shops are allowed to open, in Catalonia, in 2007 is as follows: Jan-14, Jul-1, Aug-15, Nov-1, Dec-6, Dec-8, Dec-16, and Dec 23. It is also possible to replace one or two of these 8 dates with one or two of the regional and municipal public holidays, as long as the request for this substitution is made to the Direcci�n General de Comercio, before February 15, 2007. Links: other Spain news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan Announces 2007 Movable Public Holidays Dates (Source: Azeri Press Agency-APA) On December 19, Azerbaijan's Cabinet of Ministers issued Decree 264 fixing the dates and extent of movable religious public holidays for the year 2007. Links: full story and other Azerbaijan news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	Oman	Oman Announces Duration Of Eid al-Adha Public Holiday Eid Al Adha holidays: At the ministries, public authorities and other departments of the state administrative apparatus, the Eid Al Adha Al Mubarak holidays will be from Saturday, December 30 until the end of Wednesday, January 3, 2007, and, since weekends in Oman are still Thursdays and Fridays, work will resume on Saturday January 6, 2007 (statement issued by Sayyid Ali bin Hamoud Al Busaidi, minister of the Diwan of Royal Court and chairman of the Civil Service Council). Links: full story and other Oman news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	West Bank and Gaza	The Jordanian Public Security Department announced that the King Hussein Bridge (linking the West Bank to Jordan) will be closed for passengers and goods on the first day of Eid holiday which will be Saturday, Dec.30. The Bridge will remian closed to transportation of goods on the 2nd and third days of Eid, and will be reopened on January 2nd, 3rd and 4th all day long in order to receive pilgrims. Links: other West Bank and Gaza news and updates.
27-Dec-2006	USA	Indiana State Representatives have proposed a referendum to determine whether the state should be on Eastern or Central Time Zone. Another senator has filed a bill to require the governor to request the entire state be placed on Central Time. Links: other USA (United States) news and updates.
26-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan Confusion About Date Of Upcoming Eid-ul-Azha Public Holiday Despite the federal government�s earlier announcement that Eid should be celebrated on January 1 (see our news story of December 25), the Masjid Qasim Ali Khan committee announced that Eid ul Azha would be celebrated in the NWFP and tribal areas on December 31. Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
26-Dec-2006	UAE	UAE Announces Same Eid Al Adha Public Holidays Dates For All Private sector gets the same holidays as public sector; according to a decision by Dr. Ali Bin Abdullah Al Ka'abi, Minister of Labour, private sector employees will get a four-day holiday from Friday, December 29 to Monday, January 1 to mark Eid Al Adha and the New Year. Links: full story and other UAE (United Arab Emirates) news and updates.
26-Dec-2006	India	India's Punjab State Announces Official List Of 2007 Public Holidays (Source: Punjab Newline) Last Friday, the Punjab state government announced the calendar of 24 gazetted Punjab public holidays for 2007. Links: full story and other India news and updates.
26-Dec-2006	Russia	Russia-Belarus Union Vote Date Still Not Set At a press conference, yesterday, Russian Central Election Commission (CEC) chairman Alexander Veshnyakov said that the time has yet to come to hold a referendum on the unification of Russia and Belarus. Links: other Russia news and updates.
26-Dec-2006	Turkmenistan	Turkmenistan Elections On February 11 (Source: Reuters) The People's Assembly, Turkmenistan's top legislative body, unanimously voted in favor of holding a presidential election on February 11, 2007, to choose a successor to the late President Saparmurat Niyazov. Links: full story and other Turkmenistan news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabia Moves Date Of Eid al Adha Public Holiday According to a surprise last minute statement, bringing forward by one day of the beginning of the month of Dhu Al Hijja, issued by the Supreme Judicial Council in Saudi Arabia late on Wednesday night, the Islamic month of Dhu Al Hijja began on Thursday, December 21, and therefore Arafat day will fall on Friday, December 29, and the first day of Eid Al Adha on December 30 (instead of the expected December 31). Links: full story and other Saudi Arabia news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan Celebrates Quaid-i-Azam's 130th Anniversary Today is a public holiday in Pakistan, not only on account of Christmas Day, but most importantly because it marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, often called the Father of the Nation. Links: other Pakistan news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan's Ruet-i- Hilal Announces Date Of Eid ul Azha Public Holiday The Chairman of the Central Ruet-i- Hilal Committee, Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman, announced that the Zilhaj moon has not been sighted anywhere in the country on Thursday and that the first of Zilhaj will fall on December 23, 2006. Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	UAE	UAE Announces End-Of-Year Public Holidays Four-day holiday for public sector: Abu Dhabi: Ministries and public sector institutions will be closed from Dhu Al Hijja 9 (December 29) to Dhu Al Hijja 13 (January 1) to observe Eid Al Adha. Links: other UAE (United Arab Emirates) news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	Bosnia and Herzegovina	Bosnia Declares 10 Days Of Public Holidays In January (Source: Onasa News Agency-MRT) The Serb part of Bosnia Herzegovina, the Republika Srpska, has announced 10 non-working public holidays in January 2007. Links: full story and other Bosnia and Herzegovina news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	Bahrain	Bahrain Announces Eid Al Adha Public Sector Holidays Nine-day holiday for Bahrainis: Public sector employees and students will remain away from the office and schools for nine days. The nine-day holiday will start on Friday December 29, the day before Eid Al Adha, and will end on January 6, 2007, with all ministries and government establishments and organisations remaining closed. Links: full story and other Bahrain news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	China	China Will Retain Golden Weeks Public Holidays In 2007 (Source: State Council) A circular about holiday arrangements for 2007, issued by the State Council, has been posted on the website of the National Tourism Administration. According to the circular, the government will maintain week-long or Golden Week public holidays around the Spring Festival, the May Day and the National Day in 2007. Links: full story and other China news and updates.
25-Dec-2006	West Bank and Gaza	The Palestinian authorities have followed the controversial Saudi anticipated announcement of the Eid Al Adha Muslim holiday, which was called to begin on 30 December, 2006, in the West Bank and Gaza. For more details on the controversial Saudi anticipated announcement of the Eid Al Adha, see our December 25 news story at . Links: other West Bank and Gaza news and updates.
24-Dec-2006	Australia	Australia Pondering Extent Of APEC Public Holiday (Source: Sydney Morning Herald) NSW Premier Morris Iemma will make a decision in the next few weeks as to whether just Sydney or the whole of NSW will get a public holiday during September's APEC summit. Mr Iemma confirmed a public holiday would be necessary on Friday, September 7, so security forces could close down most of the city's streets for the meeting of 21 Asia-Pacific leaders. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
24-Dec-2006	Algeria	Algeria Chnages Date Of Feast Of Sacrifice Public Holiday The minist�re des Affaires religieuses et des Wakfs announced yesterday, finally, that the date for the A�d El Adha would be Saturday December 30, 2006. Links: full story and other Algeria news and updates.
24-Dec-2006	Costa Rica	Costa Rica's Moving Public Holidays Credited With Improved Tourism (Source: Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) The ICT (Instituto Costarricense de Turismo) has just released a report showing a markedly improved tourism trade in 2006 (tourism accounts for 22% of Costa Rica's foreign trade, and 7.5% of its GDP). One of the points noted in the report, is that the recent practice of moving fixed date public holidays to the following Monday, has played a part in this improvement in tourism. Links: full story and other Costa Rica news and updates.
24-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippines ASEAN Summit Public Holidays Dates Still Uncertain Leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN, regrouping Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei Darrusalam, Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia) and six other dialog partners will be attending the re-scheduled Asean and East Asia summits next month, from Jan. 10 to 15, 2007, in Cebu, at the Shangri-La Mactan and the Cebu International Convention Center. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
23-Dec-2006	French Polynesia	French Polynesia Local Election Dates Delayed The election of the President of French Polynesia was delayed until next Tuesday, December 26, due to a lack of quorum in the Assembly (who elects the President). The election on Tuesday will be a one-turn, relative majority vote. Links: other French Polynesia news and updates.
23-Dec-2006	Nigeria	Nigeria Declares January 1-3 Public Holidays The Federal Government has declared Tuesday and Wednesday January 2-3, 2007 as public holidays to mark the Eid-el-Kabir (Sallah) celebrations. Links: full story and other Nigeria news and updates.
23-Dec-2006	Turkmenistan	Turkmenistan National Mourning Until December 30 (Source: Al Jazeera) Following the death of Turkmenistan's autocratic president, Saparmurat Niyazov, who died of heart failure last Thursday, and whose funeral is scheduled for next Sunday, all restaurants, cafes and liquor shops were closed throughout the country, and weddings were ordered to be postponed until December 30, the end of the national mourning period. Links: other Turkmenistan news and updates.
23-Dec-2006	France	The RATP (Paris Metro) has announced that it would extend service hours by one hour, from 01:15am to 02:15am, on Friday nights, Saturday nights, on holidays and on the eve of holidays. Links: other France news and updates.
22-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippines Renews End-Of-The-Year Public Holidays Truce For 2006 Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo approved on Thursday a suspension of military offensives against communist rebels during the holidays season. The truce with communist rebels would start on Dec. 24 and run up to midnight of Dec. 25. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Tonga	Tonga Announces Year-End Public Sector Holidays The Tongan Government will officially close down for its Christmas and New Year holiday on Friday December 22. Links: full story and other Tonga news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	South Korea	South Korea Election Day Public Holiday (Source: Yangjisa Corporation) The next presidential election will occur on December 19, 2007. This will be a partial public holiday. Links: full story and other South Korea news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Marshall Islands	Marshall Islands Declares Weeklong Mourning Period Mashall Islands President Kessai H. Note has declared the period from December 20, 2006 through December 26, 2006 as a time of national mourning in observance of the death of the Honorable Justin deBrum, who was a long time member of the Nitijela representing Kwajalein Atoll. Links: other Marshall Islands news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Swaziland	Swaziland Begins Little Incwala Ceremonies (Source: The Swazi Observer) The first day of the little Incwala ceremony attracted over 1500 members of various regiments as it unravelled, today, within the national cattle byre at Ludzidzini yesterday afternoon. Links: full story and other Swaziland news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Brazil	All the Brazilian banking and financial markets will be closed on Friday, December 29, 2006. Links: other Brazil news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Uruguay	Uruguay To Vote On July 19 Public Holiday (Source: Ultimas Noticias) The council of Ministers is expected to announce, next Tuesday, the officialization, by President Tabar� V�zquez, of June 19, already a holiday marking the birthday of Jos� Artigas, as an additional public holiday, powerfully named Nunca M�s (never again) to comemorate the painful 3 past decades of political violence. Links: other Uruguay news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Angola	Angola Hints At Date Of Next Elections (Source: Angop News Agency) The state Angop news agency said the Council of the Republic, a body chaired by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos, had advised splitting legislative and presidential elections, holding the former in 2008 (between May and August) and the latter in 2009 (also between May and August). Links: full story and other Angola news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Poland	(Source: Portalino) Poland to hold referendum on euro. Poland, through its Minister of Finance, Zyta Gilowska, has stated its intention to meet the euro criteria by 2009 and hold a referendum in 2010. Links: other Poland news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Denmark	The Danish People's Party, a key backer of the center-right government, blasted the Foreign Ministry on Thursday for using the phrase Season's Greetings instead of Merry Christmas on its official holiday cards (the official greeting cards have printed translations of Merry Christmas in Danish, German, French and Spanish, but use Season's Greetings in English), and accused the ministry of caving into a silly tendency of political correctness it said has gained foothold in Britain and the United States. Links: other Denmark news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru Clarifies Status Of December 26 The Ministry of Labor felt obliged, today, to specify that Tuesday December 26 would not be a public holiday. Links: full story and other Peru news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Turkmenistan	Turkmenistan's President Dies (Source: IWPR) President Saparmurat Niazov, died this morning of a heart attack. As news of Niazov�s death broke, Turkmenistan announced a 7-day period of national mourning, and closed its borders. Links: full story and other Turkmenistan news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippines Christmas Holidays Truce Uncertain The Philippine military has recommended suspending offensives against communist rebels during Christmas and New Year, the chief of staff said on Wednesday, two weeks after ruling out such a truce (see our story of December 7, 2006). Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
21-Dec-2006	Austria	The Vienna Stock Exchange will be closed on Friday, December 29, 2006. Links: other Austria news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru End-Of-Year Shopping Hours Following an agreement with the government, shopping malls (Centros Comerciales) will be allowed to open up to 2 additional hours per day, betweeen December 18 and 24, 2006. Links: full story and other Peru news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	French Polynesia	French Polynesia Local Election Dates Announced An election for the position of the President of French Polynesia will be held on 21 December, within the legally set limit of 2 weeks after a motion of no confidence in the Temaru Government succeded. Links: other French Polynesia news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan Public Holidays From December 31 to January 7 (Source: Azeri Press Agency-APA) Social policy permanent commission chairman, Hadi Rejebli, has announced that as the upcoming 2 days for the Feast of Sacrifice public holiday will fall on the same date as the annual December 31 and January 1 public hoilidays, additional days in lieu public holidays had been declared for January 3-4-5. Links: full story and other Azerbaijan news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Argentina	Argentina Declares December 22 and 29 Public Sector Holidays (Source: Info BAE-Buenos Aires) National and provincial civil servants will get 2 additional public holidays, on December 22 and 29, 2006. However, municipal employees in Buenos Aires will not. Links: full story and other Argentina news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Gibraltar	Gibraltar Declares January 29 Public Holiday The Government has declared a public holiday on Monday the 29th of January, 2007, to mark the approval of the New Constitution by the Privy Council, and its commencement on Tuesday 2nd January 2007. Links: other Gibraltar news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Bangladesh	Bangladesh Electoral Public Holiday Update National election now on January 22: Earlier, the Electoral Comission shifted the polling date to January 23 next from its initial schedule on January 21, but it once again changed the voting date, this time to January 22, to taking in the religious festival, Swaraswati Puja, of the members of the Hindu community into consideration. Links: other Bangladesh news and updates.
20-Dec-2006	Cuba	Cuba Declares January 2 One-Off Public Holiday The Minister of Labor and Social Secutrity has decreed that Tuesday January 2, 2006, would be a one-off additional public holiday. Links: other Cuba news and updates.
19-Dec-2006	Iran	Every year, Iran holds celebrations from February 1-11, leading up to its National Day. This year the theme of the celebrations will be the successful establishment of Iran's nuclear industry, said government spokesman Gholamhossein Elham, as quoted by the official Iranian news agency IRNA. Links: other Iran news and updates.
19-Dec-2006	China	China announces 2007 Public Holidays Schedule Chinese workers will have three consecutive days off in the upcoming 2007 New Year break from January 1 to 3, but will have to work on Saturday, December 30 and Sunday, December 31. The Chinese Lunar New Year vacation will stretch from February 18 to February 24, and employees will have to be on the job on February 17 and 25 as a swap for the holidays. For Labor Day on May 1 and National Day on October 1, local residents will have seven days off starting on the first day of May and October, but they must work the preceding weekends of April 28-29 and September 29-30. Links: other China news and updates.
19-Dec-2006	Colombia	The Colombian Stock Market (BVC: Bolsa De Valores de Colombia) will be closed on Friday December 29, 2006. Links: other Colombia news and updates.
18-Dec-2006	The Gambia	Gambia Declares December 18 Post-Election Public Holiday President Jammeh declared today, December 18, 2006, a public holiday to celebrate his victory in the September elections. Links: other The Gambia news and updates.
18-Dec-2006	Malaysia	Malaysia's Sarawak Clarifies 2007 Public Holidays Dates (Source: Bernama-Kuching) The State of Sarawak has announced that January 2, 2007, will be a public holiday in Sarawak if Hari Raya Aidiladha falls on December 31, this year. Links: full story and other Malaysia news and updates.
18-Dec-2006	Portugal	A metro strike is scheduled to take place in Lisbon, from 0630 to 1200, on December 19, 2006. Alternative bus service will be provided during the hours of the strike. Additional work stoppages are scheduled to take place on 9 and 11 January 2007. Links: other Portugal news and updates.
17-Dec-2006	Bhutan	Bhutan Transition Likely To Affect Public Holidays List Former king Jigme Singye Wangchuck in a hush-hush royal decree handed over the reins of Bhutan to his eldest son Jigme Khesar who assumed office Thursday as the fifth ruler in the Wangchuck dynasty that came to power in December 1907. Links: full story and other Bhutan news and updates.
17-Dec-2006	West Bank and Gaza	Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, will present a speech on Saturday and is expected to keep the Hamas-run government in power for a short period before calling a referendum in March 2007, the Maan News Agency reported. The agency said that Abbas is also expected to announce that presidential and legislative elections will be held two months after holding the referendum. Links: other West Bank and Gaza news and updates.
16-Dec-2006	Spain	First-ever direct passenger flights between Spain and Gibraltar begin, following an accord reached in September among Britain, Spain and Gibraltar. The deal opens the way for air links between Gibraltar and the outside world. Previously, Gibraltar had air links only with Britain. Spain ceded Gibraltar to Britain in 1713 but never relinquished its claim to it. Gen. Francisco Franco, the Spanish dictator, shut the border in 1969 and it didn't fully reopen until 1985. Links: other Spain news and updates.
15-Dec-2006	UAE	UAE Upcoming Elections The voters in the electorates of Abu Dhabi and al-Fujaira will go to polls on Saturday December 15 to elect four and two members of the National Assembly respectively. Up to 6,679 eligible voters in the United Arab Emirate will start casting their votes in the seven UAE electorates on Saturday through December 20. Links: other UAE (United Arab Emirates) news and updates.
15-Dec-2006	Russia	Russia Sets Presidential Election Date Russia�s next presidential election will be held on March 2, 2008, despite recent media reports of a different date. Presidential campaigns will begin on December 1, 2007, Veshnyakov said on Thursday. Links: full story and other Russia news and updates.
15-Dec-2006	Italy	Employees of Alitalia launched a 24-hour strike on 15 December 2006, which forced Alitalia to cancel 472 flights on 15 and 16 December, including at least 209 international flights. Most concerned are Rome and Milan airports. Links: other Italy news and updates.
14-Dec-2006	Kuwait	Kuwait Announces 9-Day Eid Al-Adha Public Holiday Nine-day Eid holidays: Government sources have said that the upcoming Eid Al-Adha holidays will total nine days, including two weekends (weekends in Kuwait are Thursdays and Fridays). Links: full story and other Kuwait news and updates.
14-Dec-2006	Nicaragua	Nicaragua Announces Government Christmas Public Holidays (Source: MITRAB) The Nicaragua Minister of Labor, Virgilio Gurdi�n, announced that civil servants (as defined by Article 69 of the Nicaragua Labor Law Code) will be on public holidays leave from December 22, 2006, to January 1, 2007, inclusively. Links: full story and other Nicaragua news and updates.
13-Dec-2006	Chile	Chile Cancels Corpus Christi Public Holiday The law, replacing the holiday of Corpus Christi with a new national holiday, on July 16 every year, to celebrate the Virgen del Carmen (Boletines Nos 3379-06 y 3868-06, refundidos), has just been sent for approval to President Bachelet. Links: other Chile news and updates.
13-Dec-2006	Argentina	Argentina Observes The D�a del Petr�leo Nacional Public Holiday (Source: El Diario de Madryn-Chubut State) Today, in the province of Chubut, will be held the D�a del Petr�leo Nacional provincial public holiday. Links: full story and other Argentina news and updates.
13-Dec-2006	Spain	The Galician Parliament approved unanimously a new law that restricts the opening of stores on Sundays and public holidays, in Galicia. Links: other Spain news and updates.
13-Dec-2006	India	India Bracing For Banking Strike As a follow-up to the news item of November 22, it has been reported that the proposed banking sector strike by the Central Trade Unions of Indian Banks is likely to take place on December 14, 2006 (Thursday), as anticipated. Links: full story and other India news and updates.
12-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru's San Martin Province Declares December 12 Public Holiday Today, December 12, 2006, has been declared a public holiday for civil servants in the province of San Martin (decreto regional 004-2006) to commemorate the victory of the regional volleyball team at the XII Juegos Deportivos-Sudamericano Escolar 2006, which took place in Medell�n (Colombia). Links: other Peru news and updates.
12-Dec-2006	Bahrain	Bahrain December 18 Day In Lieu Public Holiday There are unconfirmed reports, quoting the Bankers Society of Bahrain, that the 2 national day holidays of December 16 and 17, 2006, will be followed by an additional day of public holiday on Monday, December 18, 2006. Links: full story and other Bahrain news and updates.
12-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippine's Cebu Cancels Local ASEAN Public Holidays Local government and education officials in Metro Cebu have decided to cancel the 4-day holiday on Dec. 11-14 and ordered the resumption of work in government offices and of classes in all levels. Classes in public and private schools will resume Monday even if Malaca�ang has not lifted the four-day holiday for government sectors and schools in Cebu, Mandaue and Lapulapu cities. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
12-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippines Postpones ASEAN Summit And Public Holidays The Asean summit, originally scheduled this week, has been tentatively rescheduled for January 11 to 14, 2007, amidst the issuance of travel advisories by Britain, the United States, Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
11-Dec-2006	Chile	Chile's Pinochet Dies - No National Mourning Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, died at 91 on Sunday, and will not have a state funeral or national mourning. Links: full story and other Chile news and updates.
10-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru End-Of-Year Public Sector Holidays (Source: Decreto Supremo 193-2006 EF) According to the Decreto Supremo 193-2006 EF, published on Friday December 8 in the bolet�n de Normas Legales del diario oficial (Official Gazette), the executive has allowed/encouraged government agencies to give the period of December 18-31 as holidays for civil servants. Links: full story and other Peru news and updates.
10-Dec-2006	Moldova	Moldova's Transdniester Votes (Source: IHT Europe) Residents in the self-proclaimed separatist republic of Trans-Dniester in eastern Moldova cast ballots in a presidential election. Links: other Moldova news and updates.
8-Dec-2006	Monaco	Monaco Announces Official Public Holidays For 2007 (Source: Bulletin Officiel de la Principaut�-Monaco) Monaco's State Ministry has published the list of official public holidays in Monaco for the calendar year 2007. Links: full story and other Monaco news and updates.
8-Dec-2006	Tonga	Tonga Adds 2 New Public Holidays (Source: The Information Unit, Prime Minister's Office) The Tonga Privy Council has approved 2 new public holidays and cancelled 2 existing public holidays. From 2007, onwards, July 12th will be observed as the Birthday of the Heir to the Crown of Tonga, and August 1st will be the Official Birthday of the reigning Sovereign of Tonga. Links: full story and other Tonga news and updates.
8-Dec-2006	Azerbaijan	Azerbaijan Drops 3 Public Holidays But Extends Novruz Bayrami And Id-al-Atkha (Source: Trend News Agency) During a regular sitting of the Azerbaijan Milli Majlis (Parliament), amendments to the Labour Code were passed with the aim to celebrate some holidays longer, particularly those connected with national and spiritual values. Links: full story and other Azerbaijan news and updates.
7-Dec-2006	Pakistan	Pakistan's Balochistan Province Declares December 7 Public Holiday The provincial government of Balochistan has made strict security arrangements and declared a public holiday, today, for all schools on the day, on the occasion President General Pervez Musharraf's visit to Balochistan. Links: other Pakistan news and updates.
7-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru's Banks Open On December 7 and 9 Public Holidays Despite December 7 and 9 having been declared public holidays for Peruvian civil servants, the Banco de la Naci�n (BN: Peruvian National Bank) will be open as usual on both days. Links: other Peru news and updates.
7-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru's Tacna Province Will Ignore December 7 Public Holiday The regional government of the province of Tacna, under a decree signed by regional predident Julio Alva Centuri�n, made the Adjacent Day Holiday of December 7, 2006, non-applicable to its jurisdiction. Links: full story and other Peru news and updates.
7-Dec-2006	Germany	Germany Pressured To Maintain Sunday shopping Ban The chairman of the Bavarian Catholic State Comittee, Helmut Mangold, has re-iterated the church's will to keep on fighting against Sunday shopping in Bavaria. Links: other Germany news and updates.
7-Dec-2006	Philippines	Philippines Christmas Holidays Truce Confusion General Hermogenes Esperon Jr. has indicated that the military will not endorse a Christmas ceasefire with communist New People's Army (NPA) rebels this year. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
6-Dec-2006	Nicaragua	Nicaragua Declares Civil Service Half-Day Public Holiday (Source: Ministerio del Trabajo-Mitrab) The Minister of Labour, Virgilio Gurdi�n, announced that the afternoon of Thursday, December 7, 2006, would be a public holiday for the civil sector, in anticipation of the December 8 national public holiday for the Immaculate Conception (La Griter�a a la Inmaculada Concepci�n de Mar�a). Links: full story and other Nicaragua news and updates.
6-Dec-2006	Romania	Romania Financial Sector Year-End Holidays The Bucharest Stock Exchange will be closed from December 20, 2006 until January 2, 2007, inclusively. Links: other Romania news and updates.
6-Dec-2006	India	India's Maharashtra State Declares Ambedkar Public Holiday (Source: The Hindu) After weeks of repeated requests on the part of the police, the Maharashtra government has finally declared holiday for schools and colleges in the city of Mumbai, today, on the occasion of the 50th death anniversary of the father of Constitution, Babasaheb Ambedkar. Links: other India news and updates.
6-Dec-2006	Dominican Republic	Dominican Republic Announces Official List Of 2007 Public Holidays (Source: Secretary of State for Labor) The Secretary of State for Labor has confirmed the list of official 2007 public holidays dates and, in particular, which fixed-date holidays would be moved to a neighbooring Monday, accoridng to the law 139-97 of June 19, 1997. Links: full story and other Dominican Republic news and updates.
6-Dec-2006	France	The French Minister of Trade and Industry confirmed today that stores would be allowed to open on Sunday December 24 and Sunday December 31, 2006, except in 2 cities, Angers and Nantes, which took specific measures to forbid stores from opening on the day before Christmas 2006, and the day before New Year 2007. Links: other France news and updates.
5-Dec-2006	Nigeria	Nigeria Declares Public Holiday In Rivers State To mark the commissioning of the long-awaited Omoku Gas Turbine Station and to allow the people of Rivers State celebrate the birth of steady power supply in the state, today has been declared a public holiday by the state government. Links: other Nigeria news and updates.
4-Dec-2006	Peru	Peru Declares December 7 Public Holiday (Source: T-News-Lima) Next Thursday, December 7, 2006, will be a day off for civil servants, as well as many employees of the private sector. Links: other Peru news and updates.
4-Dec-2006	Venezuela	Venezuela Unexpected Public Holiday Today (Source: Univision) The private and public sectors have declared an un-planned public holiday, today, in the wake of yesterday's elections. School classes have also been canceled. Links: other Venezuela news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	The Gambia	Gambia Election Update Next legislative elections will be held on January 25, 2007. Links: other The Gambia news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	UK - Scotland	Next Scottish parliamentary elections - May 3, 2007. Links: other UK - Scotland news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	UK - Scotland	Scotland Approves St Andrew's Day Holiday Bill (Source: BBC) Last night, the St Andrew's Day Holiday Bill, to make November 30 an official public holiday, was approved unanimously by MSPs of the Scottish Parliament. Links: full story and other UK - Scotland news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Nigeria	Nigeria Parliamentary Elections Update Next presidential and parliamentary elections - April 21, 2007. Links: other Nigeria news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Hungary	The cabinet, on Wednesday, approved a decree to make the day of Pusk�s' funeral, December 9, 2006, a day of national mourning. Links: full story and other Hungary news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Lesotho	Next parliamentary elections - February 17, 2007. Links: other Lesotho news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Mali	Mali Election Update Next presidential elections: first round - April 29, 2007, second round - May 13, 2007. Next parliamentary elections: first round - July 1, 2007, second round - July 29, 2007. Links: full story and other Mali news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Mauritania	Mauritania Parliamentary and Presidential Elections Next parliamentary elections - January 21, 2007, followed by a presidential elections on March 11, 2007. Links: full story and other Mauritania news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	B�nin	Next parliamentary elections - March 25, 2007. Links: other B�nin news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Uzbekistan	Uzbekistan Announces Election Dates Next presidential elections - December 23, 2007. Links: other Uzbekistan news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	UK	(Source: BBC) Scotland Only: last night, the St Andrew's Day Holiday Bill, to make November 30 an official public holiday, was approved unanimously by MSPs of the Scottish Parliament. Links: full story and other UK news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Sierra Leone	Next presidential and legislative elections - July 28, 2007. Links: other Sierra Leone news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Russia	Russia Parliamentary Election Date Set Next parliamentary elections - December 2, 2007. Links: other Russia news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	UK - Wales	Next Welsh parliamentary elections - May 3, 2007. Links: other UK - Wales news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	UK - Northern Ireland	Next parliamentary elections, for Northern Ireland - March 7, 2007. Links: other UK - Northern Ireland news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Serbia	Next parliamentary elections - January 21, 2007. Links: other Serbia news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Pitcairn Islands	Next parliamentary elections on December 24, 2006 and also on December 24, 2007. Links: other Pitcairn Islands news and updates.
1-Dec-2006	Finland	Next parliamentary elections - March 18, 2007. Links: other Finland news and updates.

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