Conservative MPs demand quick Brexit

LONDON • More than 60 Conservative lawmakers have written to British Prime Minister Theresa May to demand a quick, clean break from the European Union, adding pressure on Mrs May before her ministers meet to decide the country's negotiating position.

Members of the hardline European Research Group, a faction in her Conservative Party, wrote the letter days ago and have been adding signatures to bolster demands for Britain to toughen its position in talks to unravel more than 40 years of union.

REUTERS

Air France cancels flights after strike

PARIS • Half of Air France's long-haul flights out of Paris today will be cancelled because of a strike by pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, the carrier said.

The airline said yesterday that it expected to maintain 75 per cent of its scheduled service but only 50 per cent of its long-haul flights, and advised travellers to postpone their trips until Feb 27 at no extra cost.

The staff are demanding a 6 per cent pay increase across the board .

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Iran recovers bodies from plane crash

TEHERAN • Emergency teams yesterday began recovering bodies from a plane crash in Iran's Zagros mountains but the operation had to be suspended because of bad weather, officials said.

Aseman Airlines Flight EP3704, carrying 66 people, disappeared from radar on Sunday morning around 45 minutes after taking off from Teheran on a domestic flight.

No survivors have been found.

Search helicopters located the crash site after a break in the weather on Tuesday at a height of around 4,000m in the Dena range.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE