naijaXclusive: economy

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Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud changed the kingdom’s 
official work week to Sunday through Thursday, citing “lost economic 
opportunities” from being out of synch with the rest of the world on the
 Saudi weekend.<br />
The switch from Saudi Arabia’s 
Saturday-to-Wednesday work week, and Thursday-Friday weekend, was 
announced on Sunday in a royal decree carried on state print and 
broadcast media. The change overrides years of objections from religious
 conservatives that Saudi Arabia, home of the most important two sites 
of Islam, should keep a weekend distinct from that of the West.<br />
“We
 will be copying the Jews and the Christians,” prominent Saudi 
businessman Abdul Rahman Al Jeraisy said in 2007, when the king’s Shura 
advisory council considered the change.<br />
The Saudi stock exchange, 
Saudi central bank, and other financial institutions and government 
ministries will move to a Friday and Saturday weekend starting on June 
29, the royal decree said.<br />
Schools would make the change with the start of the new academic year, the king said.<br />
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Bringing
 the kingdom’s weekend in line with the rest of the world would “achieve
 significant gains for the kingdom, particularly in the economic arena,”
 the decree said.<br />
Friday is the main day of prayer for Muslims. 
With Sunday’s change, Saudi Arabia, following Oman, becomes the last 
country in the Gulf Cooperation Council to abandon a Thursday-Friday 
weekend.<br />
The kingdom has toyed with a Friday-Saturday weekend at 
least since 2007. The Shura Council tabled the change that year, in the 
face of religious objections.<br />
The Shura Council took the matter up
 for study again earlier this year, however. Observers said that 
signalled a royal will to make the change.<br />
Saudi newspapers have 
cited informal polls showing a majority of ordinary Saudis and 
businesspeople support ditching the Thursday-Friday weekend on the 
grounds of lost productivity.

Xclusive: Saudi Arabia Changes Weekend To Be In Line With The Rest Of The World

Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud changed the kingdom’s official work week to Sunday through Thursday, citing “lost economic op...