CAIRO - THE start of the holy month of Ramadan next week is causing clock confusion in the Middle East.
Egypt and the Palestinians move back their clocks far earlier than usual, trying to reduce daylight hours for Muslims fasting until sunset in sweltering summer temperatures.
Politics is also adding a twist to clock complications in the lunar Islamic calendar.
Like Egypt, Palestinian militant Hamas is ending daylight savings time at midnight on Thursday in the area it controls - the Gaza Strip.
The West Bank, run by rival Fatah faction, is waiting until midnight Sunday.
Jordan will switch the clocks back as usual by the end of October, as will Lebanon. Syria falls back in late September, while Saudi Arabia and Iraq don't change clocks. -- AP
