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LEBANON

Two different local times seen at Beirut international airport

Two different local times seen at Beirut international airport

Passengers wait at the Beirut international airport. (Credit: AFP)

BEIRUT — Lebanon woke up in two time zones on Sunday amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to postpone daylight saving time for a month.

A video circulating on social media platforms shows a sign at the Beirut international airport displaying daylight saving time on one side, while on the other it shows winter time.

Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati decided on Thursday to postpone implementing daylight saving time until the end of April instead of enacting it overnight from March 25 to March 26 as planned.

Mikati announced the decision after a meeting with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who repeatedly insisted on the change, according to a video of the meeting circulating on social media.

Several media outlets, archdioceses and schools said Saturday that they would not abide by the decision to postpone the transition to daylight saving time. Some of the media outlets said in a statement that their action is "to protest the decision of the [caretaker] prime minister."

The decision to postpone daylight savings time in Lebanon for a month is illegal, caretaker Justice Minister Henri Khoury said in a statement Saturday evening, explaining that such a decision can only be passed by cabinet.

Some view Mikati's decision on daylight saving time as confessional, saying that it was made in view of the impact it would have on the country's Muslim population during the month of Ramadan when many members of the faith fast from sunrise to sunset. Others consider that Mikati's and Berri's decision is an attempt to distract public discussion from the current crises in Lebanon.

BEIRUT — Lebanon woke up in two time zones on Sunday amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to postpone daylight saving time for a month.A video circulating on social media platforms shows a sign at the Beirut international airport displaying daylight saving time on one side, while on the other it shows winter time.!function(d,s,id){var...