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

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvDMqiLEJFCYC67-Y_mNIIB_Z4waeofH6NboDQ_tDC1MIOsEwh9Bg4XAsxn-luEP_F9ZWXTT4aaFSswhBd_H7_7TwkUEiSWVmlnLTE_4-9RLP2LUAK_zIXXe87WO3GfiHNmpEZ7xO87g/s1600/King-abdullah-bin-abdul-aziz-300x201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUvDMqiLEJFCYC67-Y_mNIIB_Z4waeofH6NboDQ_tDC1MIOsEwh9Bg4XAsxn-luEP_F9ZWXTT4aaFSswhBd_H7_7TwkUEiSWVmlnLTE_4-9RLP2LUAK_zIXXe87WO3GfiHNmpEZ7xO87g/s400/King-abdullah-bin-abdul-aziz-300x201.jpg" width="400" /></a></div> 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 /> <div class="wpInsert wpInsertInPostAd wpInsertMiddle" style="margin: 5px; padding: 0px;"> <ins style="border: none; display: inline-table; height: 15px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"><ins id="aswift_2_anchor" style="border: none; display: block; height: 15px; margin: 0; padding: 0; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 468px;"></ins></ins></div> 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...

Read more »

Xclusive: World's Fattest Man Eats Himself To Death [FULL STORY]

<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfBpwiDpW8k/UZ_fAwjf-sI/AAAAAAAAHy4/EOFjEvmdjCM/s1600/fattest+man-+trendysturvs.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="468" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jfBpwiDpW8k/UZ_fAwjf-sI/AAAAAAAAHy4/EOFjEvmdjCM/s640/fattest+man-+trendysturvs.JPG" width="640" /></a></div> Ricky Naputi was so heavy he hadn't left his home on the Pacific Island of Guam for five years. A TV crew followed Ricky's battle to slim down so he could travel to the United States to undergo life-saving surgery. But he ran out of time and died at the age of 39 - before footage of his plight could be aired. Ricky was married for 10 years, but Ricky's size meant they could never consummate the relationship.<br /> <br /> Instead, his devoted spouse spent her days bathing and feeding him and even helping him go to the toilet. She described her role as "taking care of an overgrown baby".<br /> <br /> <br /> May his soul rest in peace...amen!

Xclusive: World's Fattest Man Eats Himself To Death [FULL STORY]

Ricky Naputi was so heavy he hadn't left his home on the Pacific Island of Guam for five years. A TV crew followed Ricky's battle...

Read more »