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Lebanon's daylight savings frenzy to end at midnight

Lebanon's daylight savings frenzy to end at midnight

A church clocktower next to the Grand Serail in Beirut indicates the new summer time on March 27, 2023. (Credit: Joseph Eid/AFP)

BEIRUT — One of the more bizarre recent moves by the current political elite, which led Lebanon to follow two simultaneous time zones for the past four days, is set to end Wednesday evening at midnight.

The entire country will officially jump forward to summer daylight savings at midnight, after a weekend marked by controversy over a decision by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati last Thursday to delay the switch, at the apparent instigation of Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.

The last-minute prolongation of winter time sparked a wave of criticism and mockery.

During a cabinet meeting on Monday, Mikati announced that he had reversed his decision to postpone the daylight saving time changeover by a month.

At midnight, it will be 1 a.m. for everyone in Lebanon.

The original move to delay the changeover was meant to "ensure a rest to people who fast during Ramadan, for one hour, without any intention to harm other Lebanese components," Mikati had said, after many observers accused the decision of being sectarian.  

Others believed that the delay was a way of diverting attention from the country's economic and political crises.

BEIRUT — One of the more bizarre recent moves by the current political elite, which led Lebanon to follow two simultaneous time zones for the past four days, is set to end Wednesday evening at midnight. The entire country will officially jump forward to summer daylight savings at midnight, after a weekend marked by controversy over a decision by caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati last...