Church volunteer admits arson attack

France: A church volunteer has been charged after claiming responsibility for an arson attack that badly damaged a 15th-century Gothic cathedral in western France.

The man had previously been questioned and then released after the blaze, which destroyed the organ, shattered stained-glass windows and blackened the insides of the Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul, in Nantes, on July 18.

When he was detained again at the weekend for further questioning, he admitted responsibility for the fire, said his lawyer, Quentin Chabert.

“He confessed to the allegations against him which, as the prosecutor indicated, are causing destruction and damage by fire,” the lawyer told France Info radio.

“He regrets the facts. That is certain. He is in a sort of repentance.”

French media quoted the Nantes prosecutor as saying that the 39-year-old Rwandan, who had been tasked with the job of locking up the cathedral, told the investigating magistrate that he lit three fires – on two cathedral organs and an electrical box. His motives were unknown.

Germany: Seven people were injured in Berlin yesterday when a driver apparently lost control of his car and drove into pedestrians, authorities said.

The incident happened in Hardenbergplatz, outside the Zoological Garden railway station, shortly after 7am.

Berlin’s fire department said on Twitter that three of the pedestrians suffered serious injuries and a rescue helicopter was deployed to help.

One casualty had to be resuscitated at the scene, the fire department said.

Police confirmed the driver of the vehicle had been taken into custody and an investigation was launched, but that it appears the accident was caused by excessive speed and there was currently “no indications of a political or religious motivation”.

North Korea: Leader

Kim Jong-un has placed a city near the border with South Korea under lockdown over concerns the country has its first coronavirus case, state media reported.

The measure was taken on Friday afternoon after a resident of

Kaesong was found with suspected Covid-19 symptoms, according to North Korea’s Central News Agency.

It added the person was a runaway who had fled to South Korea years ago before illegally crossing the border into the North early last week.

If that person is officially declared a virus patient, he or she would be the North’s first confirmed coronavirus case, with the country steadfastly saying it has no single virus case on its territory – a claim questioned by outside experts.

South Africa: All 68 inmates who escaped from a jail in South Africa’s Western Cape on Friday have been rearrested, the government has stated.

Prison officials were praised for “restoring stability” following a two-day manhunt.

Inmates at

Malmesbury Prison were said to have “overpowered” staff during an exercise session. They then locked three officers in a cell before freeing other prisoners and escaping over a roof, authorities said.