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This monthly
recap of January 2009 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.
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Date |
Country |
News Item Summary
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30-Jan-2009 |
Ghana |
 Ghana September 21 Public Holiday Update (Source: GNA-Accra) - Summary: The Kwame Nkrumah Foundation (KNF) has renewed calls on Ghana's President, John Atta Mills, to declare a public holiday on September 21, the birth date of Ghana's first president, Kwame Nkrumah. Links: full story and other Ghana news and updates.
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30-Jan-2009 |
Nigeria |
 Nigeria's Yobe State Declares January 29-30 Public Holiday (Source: The Guardian-Lagos) - Summary: The Director of Press Affairs for Nigeria's State of Yobe, Abdullahi Bego, announced that a two-day public holiday had been declared by the Yobe State government in honour of the immediate past governor, Alhaji Mamman Ali, who died on Tuesday. Links: full story and other Nigeria news and updates.
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29-Jan-2009 |
Afghanistan |
 Afghanistan Announces August 20 Presidential Election (Source: Reuters-Kabul) - Summary: Earlier today, the government of Afghanistan announced that the presidential elections, widely expected in late-April, had been pushed back to August 20, 2009. Links: full story and other Afghanistan news and updates.
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28-Jan-2009 |
Switzerland |
 Switzerland Keeps May 1st Public Holiday In Zurich Canton (Source: Tages Anzeiger-Zürich) - Summary: The Consultative Commission (Kommission des Kantonsrates) of Switzerland's Zürich Canton has rejected an SVP motion to cancel the May 1st public holiday and replace it with a "joker" holiday to be chosen from a shortlist of other possible commemorative dates. Links: full story and other Switzerland news and updates.
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28-Jan-2009 |
Brazil |
 Brazil's November 20 State Public Holiday Also Declared Void (Source: Última Instância-Rio de Janeiro) - Summary: Another public holiday in Brazil's Rio de Janeiro State has been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, which agreed with the Adin (Ação Direta de Inconstitucionalidade) 4091 that the state's declaration of a public holiday on November 20 was unconstitutional. Links: full story and other Brazil news and updates.
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27-Jan-2009 |
Israel |
 Israel Declares February 10 Public Holiday (Source: The Jerusalem Post-Jerusalem) - Summary: The government of Israel has announced that Tuesday, February 10, 2009, had been announced as a public holiday to coincide with that day's general elections. Links: full story and other Israel news and updates.
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27-Jan-2009 |
Uganda |
 Uganda's Opposition Calls For Scrapping Of NRM Public Holiday (Source: Monitor Online-Kampala) - Summary: Uganda's opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Democratic Party have criticised the NRM Liberation Day celebrations saying that this public holiday is a partisan day and should be scrapped off the list of national holidays. Links: full story and other Uganda news and updates.
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26-Jan-2009 |
Botswana |
 Botswana Election Day Public Holiday Update 2 (Source: Sunday Standard Reporter-Gaborone) - Summary: The ruling Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has asked the Government to declare Election Day a public holiday so as to give everybody a chance to go to the polls. Links: full story and other Botswana news and updates.
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26-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
 Australia Refusing To Confirm December 28 NSW Day In Lieu (Source: The Daily Telegraph-Sydney) - Summary: The State Government of Australia's New South Wales, announced on Saturday that it would not commit to guarantee a day in lieu public holiday for Boxing Day, despite all other states declaring an official public holiday for Monday, December 28, 2009. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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26-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
Australia's PM Rules Out Australia Day Date Change (Source: Herald Sun-Melbourne) - Summary: Both Australia's Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, and Opposition Leader, Malcolm Turnbull, have rejected calls to change the date of the Australia Day public holiday, made yesterday by 2009 Australian of the Year, Mick Dodson. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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24-Jan-2009 |
Iraq |
 Iraq Announces Provincial Polls Public Holidays (Source: Zawya-Baghdad) - Summary: Iraqi election officials have announced that Saturday, January 31, and Sunday, February 1st, 2009, had been declared public holidays throughout Iraq, on the occasion of the upcoming provincial elections Links: full story and other Iraq news and updates.
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23-Jan-2009 |
China |
 China Additional Lunar New Year Bank And Financial Holidays (Source: Interfax TMT China-Shanghai) - Summary: Commodity, financial and stock markets in mainland China will close from Saturday, January 24 to Sunday, February 1, 2009, due to the Chinese New Year holiday. Links: full story and other China news and updates.
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23-Jan-2009 |
Indonesia |
 Indonesia Presidential Election Public Holiday Likely On July 9 (Source: ANTARA-Jakarta) - Summary: Indonesia's General Election Commission (KPU) member, Andi Nurpati, has said that the upcoming Presidential Election will probably occur on Thursday, July 9, 2009. Links: full story and other Indonesia news and updates.
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22-Jan-2009 |
Brazil |
Brazil Carnival Tuesday State Public Holiday Declared Illegal (Source: Última Instância-Rio de Janeiro) - Summary: The recent promotion of Carnival Tuesday from ponto facultativo to state public holiday, in the State of Rio de Janeiro, was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal, STF). Links: full story and other Brazil news and updates.
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22-Jan-2009 |
Vietnam |
 Vietnam Bank And Financial Holiday On January 30 (Source: Vietnam State Securities Commission) - Summary: The State Securities Commission has declared that Friday, January 30, 2009, would be a bank and financial exchange holiday in Vietnam. Links: full story and other Vietnam news and updates.
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21-Jan-2009 |
Guatemala |
 Guatemala To Consider Moving Mid-Week Public Holidays (Source: Prensa Libre-Guatemala City) - Summary: In a recent interview, Mariano Beltranena, the president of Guatemala's Chamber of Tourism (Cámara Guatemalteca de Turismo, or Camtur), has indicated that his organization will sponsor a new law to move mid-week public holidays to the nearest Friday or Monday, as is done in many other Latin American countries. Links: other Guatemala news and updates.
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21-Jan-2009 |
Pakistan |
 Pakistan's Punjab Province Releases Official List Of 2009 Public Holidays (Source: The News-Lahore) - Summary: The Services Department of the government of Pakistan's Punjab Province has released it list of 11 official public holidays for 2009. Links: other Pakistan news and updates.
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20-Jan-2009 |
Romania |
 Romania Considering January 24 Public Holiday (Source: Ziare-Bucharest) - Summary: Romania's Social Democratic Party (PSD, or Pesedistii) has prepared a draft law that would create a new annual official public holiday, ziua Micii Uniri, on January 24, the date when Wallachia and Moldavia were reunified in 1859. Links: full story and other Romania news and updates.
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20-Jan-2009 |
Mongolia |
 Mongolia Official Public Holidays List Review This Spring (Source: Montsame Agency-Ulaanbaatar) - Summary: Mongolia's Parliament has approved a legislative agenda for the spring of 2009, which includes "Draft amendments to the law on national holidays and remarkable days". Links: full story and other Mongolia news and updates.
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19-Jan-2009 |
Bhutan |
 Bhutan To Restore Blessed Rainy Day Public Holiday (Source: Kuensel-Thimphu) - Summary: Earlier today, Bhutan's home minister, Lyonpo Minjur Dorji, announced that the holiday of Thrue bab (blessed rainy day) will be restored as a public holiday. Links: full story and other Bhutan news and updates.
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19-Jan-2009 |
Bangladesh |
 Bangladesh Revises 2009 Muslim Public Holidays Dates (Source: Central Bank of Bangladesh-Dhaka) - Summary: The government of Bangladesh has issued a decree changing the dates and duration of the Eid ul-Fiter (End of Ramadan) and the Eid -ul-Azha (Feast of Sacrifice) public holidays in 2009. Links: full story and other Bangladesh news and updates.
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19-Jan-2009 |
Paraguay |
 Paraguay Could Restore San Blas Public Holiday (Source: ABC Digital-Asunción) - Summary: Once again, Paraguay's religious and civil organisations are asking the government to restore as a full annual public holiday, the date of February 3, San Blas, the patron saint of Paraguay. Links: full story and other Paraguay news and updates.
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19-Jan-2009 |
China |
China Announces Date Of New Tibetan Public Holiday (Source: AFP-Beijing) - Summary: China announced that, from this year onward, March 28, the date in 1959 when China announced the dissolution of the Tibetan government, would be an annual holiday officially called "Serfs Emancipation Day", to be commemorated in the Chinese Administrative Region of Tibet. Links: full story and other China news and updates.
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15-Jan-2009 |
UK |
 UK Parliamentarians Calling For Charles Darwin National Holiday (Source: The Canadian Press-London) - Summary: A group of 10 MP's, led by MP Ashok Kumar, is calling for February 12, the birthdate of Charles Darwin, to be made a new national holiday, to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the scientist's birth. Links: full story and other UK news and updates.
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15-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
Australia Harmonizes ANZAC Day Public Holiday Day In Lieu Rules (Source: Australian Associated Press) - Summary: The Council for the Australian Federation (CAF) has finally announced the long-awaited agreement to harmonize the treatment of the ANZAC Day public holiday, across all Australian states and territories, when ANZAC Day falls on a Sunday. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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14-Jan-2009 |
Malaysia |
 Malaysia Changes Date Of Negeri Sembilan State Public Holiday (Source: Bernama-Seremban) - Summary: The Chief Executive (Menteri Besar) of Malaysia's State of Negeri Sembilan has announced that, following the recent death of its ruler (Yang di-Pertuan Besar) the State public holiday of July 19, corresponding to the former ruler's birthday would be moved to January 14, the birthday of the new ruler, Tuanku Muhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir. Links: full story and other Malaysia news and updates.
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14-Jan-2009 |
Chile |
 Chile Considering Moving Year-End Elections (Source: Radio Infinita-Santiago) - Summary: A group of parliamentarians from both sides of the aisle have started discussing the possibility of moving the upcoming Presidential and Legislative Elections from Friday, December 11, to Sunday, December 13, 2009. Links: full story and other Chile news and updates.
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14-Jan-2009 |
Nepal |
 Nepal Committee To Review Official Public Holidays List (Source: Republica-Kathmandu) - Summary: Nepal's Home Secretary, Dr Govind Prasad Kusum, will head a four-member committee to review and systematize the declaration and duration of public holidays in Nepal. Links: full story and other Nepal news and updates.
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13-Jan-2009 |
Costa Rica |
 Costa Rica Postpones January 14 Regional Public Holidays (Source: Inside Costa Rica-San Jose) - Summary: The regional festivities in Palmares and Santa Cruz, due to occur tomorrow, have been postponed, due to the declaration of 5 days of national mourning (January 12-16) following last Thursday's earthquake. Links: full story and other Costa Rica news and updates.
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13-Jan-2009 |
Madagascar |
 Madagascar Releases Official List Of 2009 Public Holidays (Source: Le Ministre des Télécommunications, des Postes et de la Communication) - Summary: Following yesterday's Conseil des Ministres chaired by President Marc Ravalomanana, the official list of 2009 public holidays in Madagascar was announced, as per the Décret fixant la liste des jours fériés, chômés et payés au titre de l’année 2009. Links: full story and other Madagascar news and updates.
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12-Jan-2009 |
Bangladesh |
Bangladesh Announces List Of Official Public Holidays For 2009 (Source: bdnews24-Dhaka) - Summary: The newly elected government of Bangladesh has released the list of official public holidays for 2009, 13 of which have been gazetted and 9 others have been declared by executive order. Links: full story and other Bangladesh news and updates.
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12-Jan-2009 |
Nepal |
Nepal Extends Maghe Sankranti Public Holiday Nationwide (Source: Nepal Mountain News-Kathmandu) - Summary: Late on Sunday, Nepal's Ministry of Culture and State Restructuring announced that this year's Maghe Sankranti public holiday would be observed nationally. Links: full story and other Nepal news and updates.
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12-Jan-2009 |
Israel |
Israel Election Day Update (Source: Haaretz-Tel Aviv) - Summary: An editorial in today's influential Haaretz newspaper makes the case for postponing the upcoming February 10 elections by 60 days. The Basic Law on the Knesset guarantees that Election Day be a national public holiday in Israel. Links: full story and other Israel news and updates.
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12-Jan-2009 |
Indonesia |
Indonesia Election Date In Question (Source: Jakarta Globe-Jakarta) - Summary: Religious leaders in the East Nusa Tenggara Province have called on the General Elections Commission (KPU) to change the date for the upcoming, April 9, 2009, legislative elections, pointing out that April 9 is Maundy Thursday, the day before a national public holiday in Indonesia. Links: full story and other Indonesia news and updates.
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12-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
Western Australia Announces Queen's Birthday Public Holiday 2011-2013 (Source: Government of Western Australia-DOCEP) - Summary: The Labour Relations Executive Director for the Australian State of Western Australia, Bob Horstman, has published a circular proclaiming the official dates of the Queen's Birthday public holiday for 2011-2013. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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11-Jan-2009 |
China |
China Announces March 10th Public Holiday (Source: Xinhua-Lhasa) - Summary: The Chinese government has announced that it plans to declare a one-off public holiday, "Serf Liberation Day", on Tuesday, March 10, 2009, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the end of the Tibetan rebellion of 1959. Links: full story and other China news and updates.
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9-Jan-2009 |
Panama |
 Panama Announces Dates Of Presidential Inauguration (Source: Presidencia de la República de Panamá-Panama City) - Summary: The date of the upcoming Presidential inauguration has been announced as Wednesday, July 1st, 2009. Inauguration day is an official public holiday in Panama. Links: full story and other Panama news and updates.
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9-Jan-2009 |
Lithuania |
 Lithuania Days In Lieu Public Holidays Officially Canceled (Source: Bank Of Lithuania-Private Communication) - Summary: The announced cancellation of days in lieu (giving a Monday public holiday when a fixed date public holiday falls on a weekend) has now been officially confirmed, beginning in 2009. Links: full story and other Lithuania news and updates.
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8-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
Australia ANZAC Day Public Holiday Confirmed Fixed In NT And QLD (Source: ABC-Darwin) - Summary: The Chief Minister of Australia's Northern Territory State, Paul Henderson, has confirmed that as per the state public holidays law, no day in lieu public holiday would be given for ANZAC day which, in 2009, falls on a Saturday. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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8-Jan-2009 |
Jamaica |
 Jamaica Releases List Of 2009 Official Public Holidays (Source: Jamaica Ministry of Labour & Social Security Communications Unit) - Summary: Jamaica's Ministry of Labour has released its list of the official 2009 public holidays. Links: full story and other Jamaica news and updates.
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7-Jan-2009 |
Philippines |
 Philippines Announces Official List Of 2009 Public Holidays (Source: ABS-CBN-Manila) - Summary: Earlier today, Philippines President Gloria Macapal-Arroyo (PGMA) signed Proclamation 1699 which lists the official public holidays (sub-divided into regular holidays and special non-working days) in the Philippines for 2009. Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
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7-Jan-2009 |
Sierra Leone |
 Sierra Leone Urged To Declare January 6 Public Holiday (Source: African Press Agency-Freetown) - Summary: Sierra Leone's national coordinator of the Coalition des organisations de la société civile, Charles Mambu, has indicated that he would soon re-iterate its call for the government of Sierra Leone to declare January 6 an annual commemorative public holiday. Links: full story and other Sierra Leone news and updates.
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6-Jan-2009 |
Pakistan |
Pakistan Bank Holidays January 7 and 8 (Source: Pakistan News-Karachi) - Summary: The State Bank of Pakistan has announced a bank holiday for Wednesday and Thursday, January 7 and 8, 2009, on account of Aushura (Muharram-ul-Harram 9 and 10). Links: full story and other Pakistan news and updates.
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6-Jan-2009 |
India |
 India Changes Muharram Public Holiday Date In Kerala State (Source: Kerala Online-Thiruvananthapuram) - Summary: The government of the Indian state of Kerala has announced that it was moving the date of the upcoming Muharram public holiday from January 8, as it had earlier announced, to Wednesday, January 7, 2009. Links: full story and other India news and updates.
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6-Jan-2009 |
Hungary |
 Hungary Changes Compensation For January 10 Bridge Public Holiday (Source: Szociális és Munkaügyi Minisztérium-Budapest) - Summary: The government of Hungary has announced a change in the compensation day for the upcoming January 2, 2009, bridge public holiday. The compensation working Saturday will be on March 28, 2009. Links: full story and other Hungary news and updates.
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4-Jan-2009 |
India |
India Declares Public Holiday Tomorrow In Tripura State (Source: ThaiIndian News-Agartala) - Summary: The Tripura State government has declared a public holiday for tomorrow, Monday, January 5, 2009, as a mark of respect for the death of 2 prominent Tripura leaders. Links: other India news and updates.
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4-Jan-2009 |
Trinidad and Tobago |
 Trinidad and Tobago Could Declare CHOGM Public Holiday (Source: Commonwealth Secretariat) - Summary: The Commonwealth Secretariat has announced the exact dates for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM); it will be hosted in Port of Spain from Friday to Sunday, November 27 to 29, 2009. Links: full story and other Trinidad and Tobago news and updates.
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4-Jan-2009 |
Bahrain |
 Bahrain Announces Ashura Public Holidays Dates (Source: Bahrain News Agency-Manama) - Summary: Bahrain's Prime Minister, Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa, has issued a communique indicating that the dates of the upcoming Ashura public holidays would be Tuesday and Wednesday, January 6 and 7, 2009. Links: other Bahrain news and updates.
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2-Jan-2009 |
Australia |
Australia Announces Dates Of NT Local Public Holidays (Source: Northern Territory State Government Gazette) - Summary: The government of the Australia Northern Territory State has gazetted the list of 2009 official public holidays throughout the state, including the local public holidays. Links: full story and other Australia news and updates.
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2-Jan-2009 |
Philippines |
Philippines Could Move Rizal Day Public Holiday To June (Source: Newsbreak-Manila) - Summary: Consolidated House Bill 5408, was passed on third reading by the Philippines House of Representatives on December 10, 2008, and would move the observance of the Rizal Day public holiday from December 30 (the date of Rizal's execution) to June 19 (Rizal's birthday). Links: full story and other Philippines news and updates.
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2-Jan-2009 |
Macedonia |
 Macedonia Turkish Minority Public Holiday Date Being Reconsidered (Source: FOCUS Information Agency-Skopje) - Summary: Erdogan Sarac, the leader of the Movement for National Unification of Turks in Macedonia, is petitioning the Macedonian government for it to change the date of the public holiday accorded to the ethnic Turkish minority. Links: full story and other Macedonia news and updates.
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2-Jan-2009 |
UAE |
 UAE Declares 3-Day Public Sector Holidays (Source: Reuters-Dubai) - Summary: UAE President, Sheikh Khalifah bin Zayed al-Nahayan, all government institutions to close for three days starting from today, following the death of Sheikh Rached Al-Mualla, the elderly ruler of Umm al-Quwain, the smallest of the seven emirates. Links: full story and other UAE (United Arab Emirates) news and updates.
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2-Jan-2009 |
Iraq |
Iraq Henceforth To Declare January 1st As "Sovereignty Day" (Source: The Arab Monitor-Baghdad) - Summary: Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, announced that he would ask the Council of Ministers and the Presidency Council to declare January 1st as a national holiday, from now, called "Sovereignty Day". Links: full story and other Iraq news and updates.
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1-Jan-2009 |
China |
China Considering May Golden Week Public Holidays In Guangdong Province (Source: China Daily-Guangzhou) - Summary: China's Guangdong provincial Governor, Huang Huahua, announced that Guangdong Province might extend the upcoming May Day public holidays to last for a week to boost tourism and stimulate domestic consumption amid the financial crisis. Links: full story and other China news and updates.
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