Hungary declares state of emergency after toxic spill

Hungary has declared a state of emergency in three of its western counties, after more than 1 million cubic metres of toxic sludge escaped from an alumina plant on Monday. Four people have died in the man-made disaster, and more than 120 have been injured. Contact with the substance can cause burns to the skin, and damage the eyes, but Magyar Aluminium, which owns the plant, says it is not considered hazardous under EU regulations. Prime Minister Viktor Orban will hold a press conference about the situation on late Tuesday afternoon. Read more: BBC News, Bloomberg, via BusinessWeek