The Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry will adopt the new four-and-a-half-day work week starting on January 3, a move that falls in line with a newly approved schedule for UAE federal government organisations and employees.
It will adopt a nine-hour working day from 8am to 5pm on Mondays through to Thursdays. Its offices will operate a four-hour day – from 8am to noon – on Fridays, the trade body said in a statement on Tuesday.
The Federal Authority for Government Human Resources has proposed the new work week following "comprehensive benchmarking and feasibility studies, reflecting potential impacts of the move on the economy, social and family ties, and the overall well-being of people in the UAE", Dubai Chamber said.
The UAE’s move to shift its weekend to Saturday and Sunday, announced on December 7, is the biggest overhaul of the Emirates' working week in decades. It could result in greater integration of the local economy with global markets and boost its competitiveness by attracting more investment into the country, according to analysts.
Schools have adopted the new routine, while a number of private companies, which are free to decide whether they will adopt the new work week, have already committed to the switch. Among them are accounting consultancy Deloitte and Abu Dhabi-listed Finance House.
A number of banks – including First Abu Dhabi Bank, the UAE's biggest lender – and international financial groups HSBC, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Société Générale have announced the switch to the new working week.
FAB and London-based HSBC also confirmed that their UAE branches will remain open on Saturdays.
Abu Dhabi Global Market, the emirate's international financial centre, said on Monday its switch the Monday-to-Friday work week in the new year.
The Dubai Chamber offers 50 smart services to the emirate's business community through its website and mobile application, and supports the private sector in expanding its reach within and beyond the UAE.
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How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
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Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
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The specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 849Nm
Range: 456km
Price: from Dh437,900
On sale: now
FIXTURES
Fixtures for Round 15 (all times UAE)
Friday
Inter Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
Saturday
Atalanta v Verona (6pm)
Udinese v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Juventus (11.45pm)
Sunday
Lecce v Genoa (3.30pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (6pm)
SPAL v Brescia (6pm)
Torino v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sampdoria v Parma (9pm)
Bologna v AC Milan (11.45pm)
Turkish Ladies
Various artists, Sony Music Turkey
HWJN
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
Water waste
In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
The Emirates is the world’s third largest per capita water consumer after the US and Canada.
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
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Non-oil%20trade
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Michael J Mazarr
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Dh67
As it stands in Pool A
1. Japan - Played 3, Won 3, Points 14
2. Ireland - Played 3, Won 2, Lost 1, Points 11
3. Scotland - Played 2, Won 1, Lost 1, Points 5
Remaining fixtures
Scotland v Russia – Wednesday, 11.15am
Ireland v Samoa – Saturday, 2.45pm
Japan v Scotland – Sunday, 2.45pm
