Lebanon and Egypt prepare for seasonal time changes

Governments in Lebanon and Egypt are preparing for seasonal time adjustments, though with different objectives and regulatory frameworks.

In Lebanon, reports suggest the government may consider canceling seasonal time changes in favor of permanent summer time. While an official statement from the General Secretariat of the Council of Ministers is pending, the debate centers on the economic and health implications of the switch. Historically, daylight saving was implemented to conserve energy, but experts question its efficacy in Lebanon's current economic context.

In Egypt, the transition to winter time is scheduled to begin on the last Friday of October, involving a one-hour delay. This shift is part of a broader effort to conserve energy and regulate public movement. The transition includes strict new operating hours for various sectors: commercial malls must close by 10:00 PM (extending to 11:00 PM on weekends), restaurants and cafes may operate until midnight (extending to 1:00 AM on weekends), and workshops in residential areas are required to close by 6:00 PM.