Lebanon in confusion as daylight savings dispute deepens divisions
Lebanon woke up in two time zones on Sunday amid an escalating dispute between political and religious authorities over a decision to extend winter time for a month, Reuters reports.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati decided on Thursday to roll clocks forward an hour on April 20, instead of entering daylight savings time on the last weekend of March as is usually the case in Lebanon, Europe and other regions. Mikati, a Sunni Muslim, announced the decision after a meeting with Shi'ite parliament speaker Nabih Berri, who repeatedly insisted on the change, according to a video of the meeting published by Lebanese outlet Megaphone. "Instead of it being 7 o'clock, let it stay 6 o'clock from now until the end of Ramadan," Berri said, according to the clip.
Though no reason was given for the decision, it was seen as an attempt to score a win by Muslims, allowing those fasting during the holy month of Ramadan to break their fasts an hour earlier, at around 6 p.m. instead of 7 p.m.
But Lebanon's influential Maronite church, the largest Christian church in the country, on Saturday announced it would not abide by the decision, saying there had been no consultations or considerations of international standards.
It said it would turn clocks forward on Saturday night and other Christian organisations, parties and schools announced similar plans.
