ENGLISH/INGLIŻ
We set clocks back an hour in the very early hours of Sunday 30th October. 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. Due to delays caused by the pandemic, and now by a global energy crisis, the process is still in the legislative stages. There is no tentative date for when this will be confirmed. There are several arguments, both in favour and against. If we stick to summer time, it will be darker in the mornings in winter, but there will be much more light in the evening. If we stick to winter time, there will be more light in the mornings in winter, but it will get dark earlier in the summer. Do you think Daylight Saving Time is still relevant nowadays?
This year, Daylight Saving Time ends in the night between Saturday 29th October and Sunday 30th October, so do not forget to move your clock back one hour before going to bed on Saturday. On Sunday, the sun rises at 06:22 and sets at 17:08, as winter slowly sets in.
MALTI / MALTESE
Fis-siegħat bikrijin tal-Ħadd 30 ta’ Ottubru, nmexxu l-arloġġi b’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. Minħabba dewmien ikkawżat mill-pandemija, u l-kriżi globali ta’ l-enerġija ta’ bħalissa, il-proċess għadu fl-istadju leġislattiv. Ma hemmx żmien indikattiv ta’ meta għandha tittieħed deċiżjoni finali. Hemm diversi argumenti favur u kontra. Jekk inżommu l-ħin tas-sajf, se jkollna aktar dlam filgħodu fix-xitwa, imma aktar dawl filgħaxija. Jekk inżommu l-ħin tax-xitwa, se jkun hemm aktar dawl filgħodu fix-xitwa, imma se jidlam aktar kmieni fis-sajf. 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 29 ta’ Ottubru u l-Ħadd 3o ta’ Ottubru. Għalhekk tinsewx tressqu l-ħin b’siegħa lura qabel torqdu. Nhar il-Ħadd, ix-xemx titla fis-06:22 u tinżel fil-17:08, hekk kif ix-xitwa tibda toqrob.