The UAE’s Ministry of Education has announced revised Friday school hours for public schools, effective from January 9, following a nationwide adjustment to Friday prayer timings, state news agency WAM reported.

The move comes after authorities set the Friday sermon and prayer time at 12:45 pm across the country, a change aimed at allowing students and school staff to observe religious obligations while maintaining instructional continuity.

Read: UAE unifies Friday prayer time at 12.45 pm nationwide

Updated timings for public schools

Under the updated schedule, kindergarten students will attend classes from 8 am to 11:30 am.

Cycle 1, or primary level schools, will follow one of two approved tracks, either from 7:10 am to 10:30 am or from 8:00 am to 11:30 am, according to the ministry.

For Cycles 2 and 3, covering intermediate and secondary education, timings will differ by gender.

Boys’ schools will operate from 7:10 am to 10:30 am, while girls’ schools will run from 8 am to 11:30 am.

Timings for private schools

The Ministry of Education also called on private schools to align their Friday schedules with the new framework, stipulating that classes should not extend beyond 11:30 am.

This, it said, is intended to give students sufficient time to prepare for Friday prayers and to support family cohesion.

The ministry emphasised that Friday will remain a full instructional day, with existing attendance and dismissal regulations still in effect.

The shortened schedule, it added, will not affect the quality of teaching or learning outcomes.

According to the report, the ministry stated that the decision reflects its broader approach to flexible learning, while recognising the religious and social significance of Fridays in the UAE.

Private schools in the Emirate of Ajman will resume classes on Monday following the end of the winter break, with nearly 95,000 male and female students returning to classrooms across the emirate.

Aisha Sultan Al Shamsi, executive director of the Ajman Private Education Affairs Office, said the winter break offered students and families time to rest and recharge.

Read more: Saudi introduces new requirements for private schools

She added that the period also enabled travel and participation in community and national events that reinforce belonging and national identity, according to a WAM report.

She noted that private schools have completed preparations to welcome students back. These include educational and organisational plans designed to balance academic achievement with students’ mental well-being as the new term begins.

Abu Dhabi Police have issued a fresh call to motorists to maintain total concentration while navigating intersections and traffic signals, warning that momentary lapses in attention remain one of the leading causes of serious road accidents across the capital.

The advisory underscores growing concerns around driver behavior at traffic lights and junctions, areas identified as high-risk due to vehicle density, pedestrian movement, and split-second decision-making.

Read more-UAE central bank revokes Omda Exchange licence, imposes Dhs10m fine

According to authorities, even brief distractions can result in severe consequences for drivers, passengers, and other road users.

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The alert specifically highlights the dangers of driver inattention when passing through traffic lights and executing left turns, a WAM report said. These scenarios, police noted, require heightened awareness due to changing signals, oncoming vehicles, and crossing pedestrians.

To reinforce the message, Abu Dhabi Police, in coordination with the Monitoring and Control Centre, released video footage documenting real-life accidents caused by a lack of focus and sudden vehicle deviations. The footage aims to demonstrate how routine distractions can escalate into life-altering incidents within seconds.

Distraction behind the wheel remains a key threat

The capital police stressed that performing multiple tasks behind the wheel, such as using mobile phones or engaging in other distracting activities, poses a significant risk to public safety. Drivers were urged to remain vigilant at all times, carefully observe pedestrian crossings and road signage, and strictly follow instructions issued by traffic patrol officers on duty.

Authorities emphasised that road safety depends on consistent compliance, particularly at intersections where errors can have a cascading impact on traffic flow and public safety.

Abu Dhabi Police also reminded motorists of the stringent legal consequences under Law No. (5) of 2020 concerning vehicle impoundment. The penalties for crossing a red light in the Emirate include a fine of Dhs1,000, 12 black points added to the driver’s file, and a 30-day vehicle impoundment.

In addition, motorists face a vehicle release fee of Dhs50,000 and a six-month driving license suspension starting from the date of withdrawal. Police further clarified that if the release fee is not paid within three months, the vehicle will be referred for sale at a public auction.

The campaign serves as a critical reminder that road safety is a shared responsibility. Authorities stressed that adherence to traffic laws is essential to safeguarding lives and protecting property across Abu Dhabi’s expanding road network.

Saudi Arabia’s National Debt Management Center said on Wednesday it had finalised the arrangement of a $13bn, seven-year syndicated loan to help finance power, water and public utilities projects.

The transaction is a part of the kingdom’s medium-term debt strategy, which aims to diversify funding sources and meet financing needs over the medium to long term.

“This transaction aims to leverage market opportunities to execute alternative government financing activities that contribute to economic growth, including the financing of development and infrastructure projects aligned with Saudi Vision 2030,” the center said in a statement.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, is more than halfway through its Vision 2030 blueprint for economic transformation.

The strategy, introduced by de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in 2016, calls for hundreds of billions of dollars in government investments to wean the kingdom’s economy off its dependence on hydrocarbon revenue.

Read: Saudi Arabia expected to cut February crude prices for Asia for third month

The UAE is bracing for a series of weather events that could affect daily life, transportation, and maritime activities in the coming days.

The National Centre of Meteorology (NCM) has issued a fog advisory for various internal and coastal regions, coupled with a detailed multi-day forecast highlighting dusty winds, fluctuating temperatures, and rough seas. Authorities are urging commuters, motorists, and maritime operators to exercise heightened caution.

Read more-How Sharjah dealt with adverse weather: Inside the emirate’s rapid response

The NCM warned that horizontal visibility could significantly drop due to fog formation starting tonight and lasting until 10:00am on Saturday, January 3, 2026, according to a WAM report.

Commuters are advised to maintain safe distances, drive carefully, and follow all traffic instructions to ensure public safety during the reduced visibility period.

The agency’s detailed weather bulletin points to a combination of a surface low-pressure system from the east, a high-pressure system from the west, and a weak upper-air low-pressure extension as the main drivers of the current weather pattern.

These forces are creating generally stable conditions but with occasional wind and dust activity across the country. The NCM emphasises that this pattern will influence weather through at least Tuesday, January 6.

Forecast: Saturday through Tuesday

Saturday, January 3, 2026

Expect fair to partly cloudy skies with increased humidity overnight in internal areas, resulting in potential fog or mist. Winds will remain light to moderate over land, strengthening to fresh or strong over the sea, causing blowing dust. Sea conditions will be moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman Sea.

Sunday, January 4, 2026

Dusty conditions may prevail at times under partly cloudy skies. Northwesterly winds will occasionally reach speeds of up to 50 km/hr, further reducing visibility. The Arabian Gulf is expected to be rough to very rough, while the Oman Sea will experience slight to moderate conditions.

Monday, January 5, 2026

Fair to partly cloudy skies will continue, with low clouds over northern and eastern areas. Temperatures will slightly decrease, and overnight humidity in western internal regions will raise the likelihood of fog or mist. Winds will range between 10–25 km/hr, occasionally gusting to 45 km/hr, with rough sea conditions in the Arabian Gulf and slight to moderate seas in the Oman Sea.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

Conditions remain fair to partly cloudy, with low clouds and potential fog in the west overnight. Winds will be light to moderate, freshening at times to 40 km/h. Sea conditions will remain moderate to rough in the Arabian Gulf and slight in the Oman Sea. The complete bulletin is available here.

These evolving weather patterns pose challenges for road commuters, logistics operations, and maritime activities. Companies relying on transportation networks should plan for potential delays, particularly on early-morning commutes, while shipping operators need to monitor sea conditions closely. The NCM emphasises that careful planning and adherence to advisories are crucial for minimising disruptions during this period of fog, dust, and strong winds.