Iran: Bodies of crash victims retrieved from mountain

Helped by clear weather, search teams began the grim task of retrieving the bodies of the more than 100 people killed when their Iranian airliner crashed Tuesday into a snow-covered mountain.

An army helicopter carrying five or six bodies in a metal box hanging from a rope landed Thursday at Lorestan army base. Many of the bodies were dismembered or mutilated.

The helicopter made two trips before darkness set in, each time being greeted on arrival by wailing relatives who beat their heads in grief.

The cause of the crash of Flight 956 was not known.

London: British lawmakers rebel against plan for Lords

Prime Minister Tony Blair faced a rebellion Thursday by lawmakers opposed to his plan for an overhauled House of Lords in which most members would be chosen by politicians. A Parliamentary committee said a broad majority of legislators want an upper chamber elected by the people.

In a blunt warning to a strong prime minister facing a serious challenge to his authority, the House of Commons committee chairman told Blair he has a choice of backing down or losing.

Blair proposed direct elections for 20 percent of the Lords’ seats, and appointments of 60 percent of the members by political parties and 20 percent by an independent commission.

Critics say that would make it too easy for politicians to fill the Lords with their supporters.

India: Hindu nationalists protest Valentine’s Day

Gangs of Hindu nationalists accosted couples holding hands, burned Valentine’s Day cards and blocked access to gift shops and restaurants Thursday in New Delhi, trying to keep people from celebrating what they called an invasive Western tradition.

Traditional Indian society does not approve of public displays of affection between the sexes, including hand-holding.

The Shiv Sena party, a part of the coalition government of Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, has repeatedly called for a ban on Valentine’s Day celebrations.