Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry Tawfiq Al Rabiah announced that the decision to close stores by 9:00 pm was still under study and is not due for imminent implementation, as cited by sources earlier this week. On Tuesday, news broke that the Kingdom was planning to enforce earlier retail store closure hours during 2016, a subject of discussion since early 2014. The regulation was noted to include some exceptions such as restaurants, pharmacies and grocery retailers with licences to operate 24 hours a day. The move, if applied, should help lure Saudi employees to the sector, through fewer working hours and more attractive work conditions. (Argaam)