Parliament Plea for Muslim and Hindu Bank Holiday in UK Calendar

SUNDAY EXPRESS: PARLIAMENT may have to consider introducing Muslim and Hindu bank holidays.

An online petition requesting a day off for Hindu festival Diwali and Muslim celebration Eid has attracted more than 119,000 signatures and has three months more to run.

Under the rules of the e-petition scheme, introduced in 2011, once the 100,000 signature mark is passed it should be considered for a House of Commons debate.

The debate will stir controversy because these could become the first non-Christian religious holidays in Britain and could lead to calls from other faiths for similar treatment.

It could also anger nationalists who have complained St George’s Day and St David’s Day are not holidays.

However an e-petition calling for these days to be marked has so far attracted only 34 signatures.

Details of the Eid/Diwali e-petition have been passed to the Backbench Business Committee, which will ­consider its suitability for debate. Read on and comment » | Geraint Jones | Sunday, June 01, 2014

British Tourists Warned Over India Terror Plot
SKY NEWS: British tourists travelling to India have been warned to be on their guard amid reports of a terrorist plot against Westerners.

Pakistani militants are planning a wave of strikes at tourist sites including Delhi, Mumbai and Goa in the south, according to reports.

The Foreign Office updated its travel advice - advising travellers to be extra vigilant on days of national significance including Diwali on October 17.

The level of threat remains unchanged at "high".

The warning follows news that Israel has warned its citizens to avoid the country completely.

According to Israeli media - including the country's Channel Two - intelligence sources believe al Qaeda operatives are planning to target Western and Jewish tourists.

The plots are said to be styled on the attacks in Mumbai last November when 10 gunmen went on the rampage.

Mumbai's anti-terrorism force said they had been liaising with Israel over the intelligence. >>> | Friday, September 18, 2009