UAE shrinks work week to 4.5 days, moves to Saturday-Sunday weekend

Dubai

An aerial view of Dubai in the United Arabs Emirate.  FILE PHOTO | FOTOSEARCH

The United Arab Emirates is slashing its official working week to four-and-a-half days and moving its weekend to Saturday and Sunday in a major shift aimed at improving competitiveness, officials said on Tuesday.

The "national working week" is mandatory for government bodies from January 1 and bucks the regional norm of a full day off on Friday for Muslim prayers.