At a roadside cafe in downtown Cairo, Abu Ali was mid domino throw when the lights snapped off under new early closing orders enacted to curb Egypt¡¯s soaring energy bills due to the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

¡°I used to stay here until 2?a.m.,¡± the 63-year-old said, tapping his tiles as the street went dark.

¡°Now I¡¯m home by 11, at most, just watching the news. This is not the Cairo we know.¡±