Hamburg, in a German first, to recognise Muslim holidays

Hamburg concluded a "historic” accord with its Muslim and Alawite communities yesterday becoming the first German state to recognise certain Islamic holidays as days off.

The agreement signed by Hamburg Mayor Olaf Scholz and religious associations is seen as putting the northern port city’s Muslims and Alawites, an offshoot of Shia Islam, on a more equal footing with Christian residents. (continue reading...)