In brief: Monsoon floods kill 81, force 2 million to flee

GAUHATI, India – The worst monsoon floods in a decade to hit a remote northeastern Indian state have killed more than 80 people and forced around 2 million to leave their homes.

Nearly half a million people are living in relief camps that have been set up across Assam state, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told journalists Monday in Gauhati, Assam’s capital. The rest of the 2 million displaced are living with relatives or sheltering under tarpaulin sheets.

Assam officials say 81 people have been killed over the past four days. Most were swept away when the mighty Brahmaputra River overflowed and flooded villages. Sixteen people were buried in landslides triggered by the rains.

Monsoon floods hit Assam, with a population of 26 million people, almost every year, with heavy rains swelling the Brahmaputra and its innumerable tributaries that crisscross the state.

ICC staffers released from Libyan custody

ZINTAN, Libya – Libya released on Monday four International Criminal Court staffers who had been held for nearly four weeks on allegations that they shared documents that could harm national security with Moammar Gadhafi’s imprisoned son Seif al-Islam Gadhafi.

As they were released, ICC President Sang-Hyun Song, a South Korean judge, apologized to the Libyan government and people for the incident and promised an investigation into the allegations. Song flew to Libya for the handover.

“The ICC is grateful to the Libyan authorities for their agreement today to release the Court’s staff members so that they can be reunited with their families,” Song said as the four were released.

A special flight arranged by the Italian government and carrying Song and the staffers landed at Rome’s Ciampino airport late Monday. The staffers and Song took off for Rotterdam a few minutes later.