Egypt PM blames saboteurs for rising power cuts

CAIRO (AP) — Egypt’s premier on Saturday partially blamed the country’s worsening energy shortage — with rolling blackouts of up to six hours in some Cairo neighborhoods — on saboteurs seeking to undermine the government, a veiled reference to Islamist opponents.

In recent weeks, rolling blackouts in Cairo and other cities have increased amid an energy crunch linked to shrinking revenues, depleted natural gas resources, lack of maintenance on debilitated power plants, and the government’s inability to pay its debts to foreign oil companies.