IN BRIEF (Page 4)

Czech republic

Blast injures 40 in Prague

A powerful explosion badly damaged an office building in the center of the Czech capital on Monday, injuring up to 40 people. Authorities believe people may still be buried in the rubble. It was not certain what caused the blast in Divadelni Street, in Prague's Old Town, at about 10 am, but it was likely a natural gas explosion, police spokesman Tomas Hulan said. The street was covered with rubble and was sealed off by police who also evacuated people from nearby buildings and closed a wide area around the explosion site.