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A30 world news
Diasabra 30 OctOber 2021

Saudi Arabia orders Lebanese ambassador to leave kingdom

as Saudi “aggression.” the Christian Marada Move- Syrian government and pow-
ment, an ally of the militant erful Shiite militias in Iraq.
Saudi state media added Hezbollah group.
in its report that the king- Saudi Arabia has been a ma-
dom’s ambassador to Beirut Kordahi held a news confer- jor supporter of Lebanon, but
was also asked to head back ence in Beirut this week re- the kingdom has also been
home. The report said that fusing to apologize for the locked in a regional struggle
the move will not affect tens interview, which he said was with Iran, the main ally of the
of thousands of Lebanese cit- broadcast Aug. 5. He added powerful Lebanese militant
izens and their families who that since becoming a minis- group Hezbollah.
live and work in the oil-rich ter, he abides by the govern-
kingdom. ment’s policy of not express- Tension between the two
ing his opinion. regional powerhouses have
The decision came days after often spilled into a deadlock
a video circulated on social “We should not continue to in decision-making in Leba-
media in which Lebanese In- be subjected to blackmail in nese politics. Saudi Arabia
formation Minister George Lebanon by anyone whether is among the Gulf countries
Kordahi described the war in they are countries, ambassa- that imposed sanctions on
Yemen as aggression by Saudi dors or individuals,” Kordahi Hezbollah.
Arabia and the United Arab said, adding that he has no
Emirates. He added that the plans to resign from the post Saudi Arabia lists the power-
war in Yemen is “absurd” and over his comments. ful Iran-backed Hezbollah as
must stop because he is op- a terrorist organization. Rela-
posed to wars between Arabs. Saudi Arabia says Hezbollah tions between Saudi Arabia
is helping Yemen’s Houthi and Lebanon have been tense
(AP) — Saudi Arabia on and stopped all imports Kordahi, a former TV show rebels. Both Hezbollah and in recent months over what
Friday ordered the Leba- from Lebanon, a response host, made the comments on the Houthis are backed by the kingdom says the Hez-
nese ambassador to the to comments by a Leba- a TV program before he was Iran, and consider themselves bollah’s control of the small
kingdom to leave the nese minister who de- chosen for the post in Sep- part of the so-called axis of country.
country within 48 hours scribed the war in Yemen tember. Kordahi is close to resistance that includes the

South Africa’s power cuts a key issue in local elections

(AP) — As South Africa including holding respon-
heads into crucial local sibility for delivering basic
elections Monday, the services like water, waste
country has been hit by a management and sanitation.
series of crippling power The councilors will elect city
blackouts that many crit- mayors.
ics say highlight poor gov-
ernance. The rise this year of inde-
pendent candidates going up
With South African residents against the ruling party, the
and businesses struggling to African National Congress,
cope with cuts in electricity and other major parties is a
for up to six hours a day, the sign that many South Afri-
government’s failure to pro- cans are looking for alterna-
vide a stable power supply is tives, Mohamed said.
a burning election issue. The
country’s state-owned power “People are just tired of the
utility Eskom, which pro- same rhetoric from the same
vides about 90% of South Af- parties over and over again.
rica’s electricity, has for years The emergence of indepen-
been marred by allegations of dent candidates shows how
mismanagement and corrup- disillusioned people are with
tion. the existing parties,” she said.
“They are looking for hope
“The majority of households and leaders who will make The local elections in 2016 Mandela Bay. province.
just want to open a tap and get their lives better.” saw major political shifts,
water, turn a switch and see with the ruling ANC los- The leftist Economic Free- Another party is the Cape
lights,” Shenilla Mohamed, Eskom announced that no ing control of Johannes- dom Fighters led by Julius Independence Party, which
executive director of Amnes- blackouts will take place on burg, the country’s largest Malema is campaigning by is advocating “Capexit,” the
ty International South Africa, election day, Monday, which city and economic hub; the strongly criticizing the ANC independence of the West-
told The Associated Press. has been declared a national Tshwane metropolitan area government for not deliv- ern Cape and Northern Cape
“They don’t want to go out- holiday to encourage a good that includes the capital city ering adequate services to provinces from South Africa.
side their door and see sew- turnout at the polls. of Pretoria; and the Nelson South Africa’s Black majority.
age. They don’t want their Mandela Bay metropolitan Also in Cape Town, former
children to be sick. These are President Cyril Ramaphosa’s area that includes Gqeberha Campaigning has been lively news anchorman Eben Jan-
basic human rights that they government has announced (formerly Port Elizabeth). in Cape Town, where former sen is a candidate for the Dag-
want to be upheld.” plans to increase power gen- mayor Patricia de Lille is tak- ga (Marijuana) party. Jansen,
eration capacity through re- The main opposition party, ing on the Democratic Al- now a marijuana farmer, said
The local government elec- newable energy projects from the Democratic Alliance, liance with her Good party. he wants to become Cape
tions, which take place ev- independent power produc- governs Cape Town and has Posters of de Lille in boxing Town’s mayor and make the
ery five years, determine ers, but these are far from be- formed coalitions with small- gloves say she will fight for city South Africa’s marijuana
who will be on the councils ing implemented. er parties to run Johannes- good government in Cape capital.
that run the country’s cities, burg, Tshwane and Nelson Town and the Western Cape