ENGLISH/INGLIŻ

We set clocks back an hour this weekend. The German Empire and its World War I ally Austria-Hungary were the first to use Daylight Saving Time (DST) as a means of conserving coal during wartime. Others followed suit. Most countries abandoned it in the years following World War II. Since then, the world has seen many enactments, adjustments, and repeals. Much of Africa, Asia, South America and Oceania do not follow it anymore. Back in 2019 the European Parliament approved a proposal to scrap the system across the European Union. To ensure planning for a smooth transition this has been postponed until at least 2021. Under the draft directive, member states would be able to choose whether to remain on their current summer time, in which case the last transition would be on the last Sunday of March 2021, or their current winter time, which would then take permanent effect from the last Sunday of October 2021. There are several arguments, both in favor and against. Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still relevant nowadays?

This year, Daylight Saving Time ends in the night between Saturday 24/10 and Sunday 25/10, so do not forget to move your clock back one hour before going to bed on Saturday. On Sunday, the sun rises at 06:17 and sets at 17:13, as winter slowly sets in.

 

MALTI / MALTESE

Fi tmiem il-ġimgħa l-arloġġi inmexxuhom siegħa lura. L-Imperu Germaniż, flimkien ma’ l-alleati tiegħu ta’ l-Ewwel Gwerra l-Awstrija u l-Ungerija, kienu l-ewwel li ħarġu bl-idea tal-bidla fil-ħin. Dan biex inaqqsu l-konsum tal-faħam fi żmien il-gwerra. Oħrajn għamlu bħalhom. Ħafna pajjiżi ma baqgħux jużaw din is-sistema’ wara t-Tieni Gwerra. Minn dakinhar sa issa, id-dinja rat ħafna tibdil f’din is-sistema’. Ħafna minn l-Afrika, l-Asja, l-Amerka ta’ Isfel u l-Awstralja ma għadhomx b’din is-sistema’ ta’ ħin. Fl-2019, il-Parlament Ewropwe approva proposta li s-sistema ta’ bdil fil-ħin tieqaf madwar l-Unjoni Ewropea kollha. Biex kollox ikun pjanat u t-tranżiżżjoni tkun waħda bla xkiel, ġie miftiehem li l-bidla ssir fl-2021. Stati membri riedu jiddeċiedu jekk hux se jżommu l-ħin tax-xitwa jew dak tas-sajf. Jekk iżommu l-ħin tas-sajf l-aħħar bidla sseħħ f’Marzu 2021. Min iżomm il-ħin tax-xita l-aħħar bidla tkun f’Ottubru 2021. Hemm diversi argumenti favur u kontra. Int taħseb li l-bidla fil-ħin għadha relevanti llum il-ġurnata?

Il-ħin tas-sajf jasal fi tmiemu matul il-lejl ta’ bejn is-Sibt 24/10 u l-Ħadd 25/10. Għalhekk tinsewx tressqu l-ħin b’siegħa lura qabel torqdu. Nhar il-Ħadd, ix-xemx titla fis-06:19 u tinżel fil-17:12, hekk kif ix-xitwa tkompli toqrob.