monastery
in Aba in the southwestern province of Sichuan. It says they were taken away by local people and their condition is not known.
After years of fierce debate, members of the European Parliament have voted to allow the United States access to personal information about passengers flying between Europe and the US. Washington says it's an important tool in combating terrorism, but opponents say it sets a dangerous
precedent
. Imogen Foulkes reports.
Although airlines already collect a great many details on passengers from phone and credit card numbers to meal preferences and medical conditions, now they will transfer that data to the Department of Homeland Security. Washington says the deal is crucial to combat terrorism, and in the end Europe's parliament agreed, but many MEPs said they were voting yes reluctantly. Questions remain about how the information will be used, how long the US will keep it and who else might have access to it.
The African Union has rejected an agreement between the new military leaders in Guinea-Bissau and the main opposition parties over a two-year transition period before the next elections. The chairman of the AU commission described the agreement as a vain attempt to legitimise last week's military coup and demanded the immediate
restoration
of constitutional order.
The influential American folk rock musician Levon Helm has died of cancer at the age of 71. A drummer and frequent vocalist with a decades-spanning group, The Band, he was praised for his instrumental