Berlin power restored after blackout

Power has been fully restored to tens of thousands of Berlin homes and businesses hit by a days-long blackout after an arson attack claimed by left-wing extremists, authorities said Wednesday.

Some 45,000 households and 2,200 businesses were plunged into darkness early Saturday after high-voltage cables were set alight, raising questions about Germany's resilience to sabotage of its critical infrastructure.

All had been reconnected to the grid by 2:10 pm (1310 GMT) on Wednesday, Franziska Giffey, Berlin senator for economic affairs, told a press conference.

The attack affecting the leafy southwestern Steglitz-Zehlendorf district, was claimed online by an extremist group.