Talks fail to end Cambodia stalemate

Cambodian PM Hun Sen and head of main opposition have met face-to-face for the first time in years. Source: AAP

CAMBODIA'S king has brought Prime Minister Hun Sen face to face with the head of the opposition for the first time in years, urging the political rivals to find a peaceful solution to their post-election stalemate for the sake of national stability.

No agreement was reached at the brief meeting on Saturday at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, but Hun Sen is expected to meet opposition leader Sam Rainsy again Monday for further talks, opposition officials said.

Sam Rainsy's party says it would have won had the July vote been fair and has vowed to stage a new wave of protests on Sunday unless an independent committee investigates its claims of widespread voting irregularities.

The government has rejected the demands, and there are fears the protests could trigger violence.

As the two looked on, King Norodom Sihamoni read a statement saying he was "begging the leaders of the two parties to cooperate" to overcome their political differences in the interest of "maintaining peace and stability" in Cambodia.

Sihamoni urged all elected MPs to attend the opening session of parliament, which he will preside over on September 23.

The opposition has vowed to boycott the legislative session unless the dispute is resolved.

Saturday's talks lasted about 20 minutes, and Hun Sen left without commenting. Asked by reporters what had come out of the meeting, Sam Rainsy replied simply: "No, no, there is nothing."

Sam Rainsy's party made major gains in the July vote, although the ruling party retained a majority of legislative seats.

Official results ratified last weekend gave Hun Sen's party 68 seats in the National Assembly and Sam Rainsy's 55.

As the post-election standoff has dragged on, hopes had risen that Sihamoni could serve as a mediator, a role often played by his father.

The late Norodom Sihanouk helped broker an end to civil war in 1991 and arrange power-sharing agreements after the 1993 and 2003 elections.

Sihamoni, who took over the throne in 2004, has so far taken a less active role.

The meeting comes a day before the opposition has planned another mass protest in Phnom Penh.

Opposition leaders have said they expect 20,000 people to turn out again to demand an investigation into the election results.

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Liberal lead narrows in McEwen

The margin is tightening in the nation's closest election race in the Victorian seat of McEwen. Source: AAP

THE margin is tightening in the nation's closest election race in the Victorian seat of McEwen.

Liberal challenger Donna Petrovich narrowly leads Labor incumbent Rob Mitchell, with just 142 votes separating them at lunchtime Saturday.

This has narrowed from Friday, with almost 85 per cent per cent of the vote counted.

In Victoria's other close contest, between Liberal Sophie Mirabella and independent Cathy McGowan in Indi, the latter's lead is widening.

On Saturday, Ms McGowan led by 805 votes with more than 88 per cent of the ballots tallied.

Mrs Mirabella this week ruled herself out of a cabinet post in the Tony Abbott government, saying her decision allowed the new prime minister to choose his ministry without waiting for the result in her seat.

Counting continues Saturday and Sunday.

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Police end Mexico City plaza occupation

Police have raided Mexico City's historic centre to remove striking teachers from Zocalo plaza. Source: AAP

RIOT police have swept thousands of striking teachers out of the heart of Mexico City.

The authorities used tear gas, flash grenades and water cannon against protesters to bring a swift end to weeks of occupation of the Zocalo plaza over reforms to the country's dysfunctional education system.

Three days before Mexican Independence Day, the teachers armed themselves with metal pipes and wooden clubs and blocked off the Zocalo with steel grates and plastic traffic dividers, threatening to scuttle the traditional national celebration in the massive colonial-era square.

Before moving in, the government had promised that Independence Day celebrations would take place in the Zocalo as scheduled, and the head of the federal police warned on national television that police would move in at 4pm local time.

The teachers, many veterans of battles with police in poor southern states, promised not to move from the square where they have camped out since last month.

Some fixed knives and nails to wooden planks and declared themselves ready to fight.

Others set up sewage-filled portable toilets in the path of police vehicles.

Shortly after 4pm, the police swarmed in, shooting tear gas from specially equipped fire extinguishers, tossing flash grenades and spraying water from armoured trucks.

Protesters hurled sticks and chunks of pavement broken from the streets around world-famous tourist attractions including the Metropolitan Cathedral, the Templo Mayor and the National Palace.

But within a half hour, police had cleared the Zocalo and much of the surrounding historic centre of virtually all protesters.

Union organisers said they would reassemble away from the main plaza at the nearby Monument to the Revolution.

Small knots of teachers, self-described local anarchists and other supporters hurled bottles and rocks at police on some of the main avenues of downtown Mexico City.

It was a dramatic reassertion of state authority after weeks of near-constant disruption in the centre of one of the world's largest cities.

The teachers have marched through the capital at least 15 times over the last two months, decrying a plan that aims to break union control of education with a new system of standardised teacher testing that become law on Tuesday.

The teachers say blocking the reform itself is no longer the point.

They say they are now trying to maintain pressure to protect their rights and privileges as the government puts the labour reforms into effect and reduces union control over teacher hiring and assignment.

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Singer Joan Regan dies aged 85

BRITISH singer Joan Regan has died in London aged 85, the BBC reports.

Regan had chart hits in the late 50s and early 60s with records including Ricochet, May You Always and If I Give My Heart To You and also had her own BBC TV series Be My Guest.

Born in Romford, Essex, she was signed up by theatre impresario Bernard Delfont and went on to star on both sides of the Atlantic with artists including Perry Como, Max Bygraves and Cliff Richard and performed on many occasions at the London Palladium.

An accident in the shower in 1984 caused a blood clot on the brain and left her paralysed and without speech, but through therapy she made a complete recovery and was able to sing again.

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Qld prison stand-off ends peacefully

A 10-HOUR prison stand-off that began when two inmates scaled the roof of a Brisbane jail has ended peacefully.

A spokesman for Queensland corrective services said two men who climbed onto the roof of the Brisbane Correctional Centre at Wacol to protest the placement of another inmate in solitary confinement were successfully talked down by police.

"They've come down off the roof. The protest is over," the spokesman said about 10pm (AEST).

"Police and corrective services negotiated and talked them down."

The prison, in the city's west, had to be placed into lockdown as police negotiators worked to coax the men down.

The two inmates had been on their way back from an oval when they climbed on top of a building just before noon.

The corrective services spokesman said the situation was resolved peacefully.

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China's Li says economic recovery fragile

China's premier has promised to improve the investment climate for foreign companies. Source: AAP

CHINA'S premier says the basis of its economic recovery is still fragile and has promised to improve the investment climate for foreign companies.

Speaking at a business forum in the city of Dalian, Premier Li Keqiang said on Wednesday that China's economic fundamentals are stable but cautioned the global economy faced a "complex situation".

China's factory output and other activity improved in August after growth fell to a two-decade low of 7.5 per cent in the latest quarter. Analysts warn, however, that the rebound is underpinned by government spending and might not last.

Li also promised to press ahead with reforms aimed at making the economy more productive by opening markets wider to private and foreign competitors.

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Senior Lib 1449 votes behind in Indi

Electoral officials found more than a thousand votes favouring the challenger to Sophie Mirabella. Source: AAP

INDEPENDENT Cathy McGowan is now nearly 1500 votes ahead in the battle for the seat of Indi after election officials added a missing 1000 votes to her tally.

Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella had been gaining on Ms McGowan as postal votes were counted, but on Wednesday officials realised there had been a discrepancy between the number of people who voted in the Senate and House of Representatives.

They found a bundle of 1003 votes from a Wangaratta prepoll centre which had not been included in Ms McGowan's tally.

The Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) officially added the votes to Ms McGowan's total late on Wednesday, giving her a lead of 1449 votes.

Ms McGowan, who has run a grassroots campaign backed by more than 600 volunteers, was delighted.

"Isn't it amazing," she told AAP.

"You wouldn't want it to be the other way, would you? It would be shocking."

An AEC spokesman said the error was discovered as part of a number of checks and balances during counting.

A spokesman for Ms Mirabella would not comment, instead directing calls to Liberal Party headquarters.

State director Damien Mantach said there was no doubt the votes had given Ms McGowan a clear advantage.

"Despite this turn of events, we're hopeful of making up ground with the thousands of votes that are still to be counted," he said in a statement.

Indi, which is in Victoria's northeast and includes the towns of Wodonga, Wangaratta and Benalla was considered a fairly safe Liberal seat before the election and has been held by conservative parties since 1931.

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US marking anniversary of 9/11

FAMILIES of the victims of the worst terror attack on the United States in history are gathering to mark its 12th anniversary.

The September 11, 2001 attacks in New York City and Washington killed almost 3000 people, led to a long war in Afghanistan and created an expansion of government surveillance powers that continues to be debated today.

At a ceremony near Wall Street in New York, people read the names of people who died when two hijacked planes struck the World Trade Centre and the twin towers collapsed.

President Barack Obama was attending a ceremony in Washington at the Pentagon, which was struck by another hijacked plane.

"No matter how many years pass, this time comes around each year - and it's always the same," said Karen Hinson, who lost her 34-year-old brother, Michael Wittenstein, in New York. His body was never found.

Continuing a decision made last year, no politicians will make speeches.

Around the world, thousands of volunteers have pledged to do good deeds, honoring an anniversary that was designated a National Day of Service and Remembrance in 2009.

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Coalition makes cuts to climate policy

Halving the solar panel rebate was among $338m worth of cuts to the coalition's Direct Action plan. Source: AAP

THE coalition is confident it can still put one million more solar panels on rooftops in a decade despite halving the planned rebate on offer to households under its climate change policy.

The change to the solar rebate program was among $338 million worth of last-minute cuts made to the coalition's Direct Action plan in the lead-up to the federal election.

An incoming Abbott government now expects to spend $2.88 billion over four years on its climate change strategy, revised down from its long-standing forecast of $3.2 billion.

Funding allocated for activities that cut greenhouse gas emissions, like revegetation and improving soil carbon, remains unchanged at $2.55 billion over four years.

The bulk of the savings comes from its decision to halve the $1000 rebate it was to offer up to 100,000 households a year for installing a rooftop solar panel system.

By cutting the rebate to $500, the coalition expects to save $200 million over the first four years of the scheme and still achieve its goal of installing a million more solar systems within 10 years.

The coalition's climate action spokesman Greg Hunt said the cost of solar panel systems had dropped dramatically since Direct Action was designed in 2010.

"You've got to have a sustainable rebate," he told AAP.

"What industry wants to see is an end of the boom and bust."

Mr Hunt said the scheme would be directed at low-income households, but wouldn't comment on any threshold for the rebate at this stage.

$50 million to develop geothermal power over four years was also scrapped when the Direct Action plan was reviewed in the final days of the election campaign.

Another $60 million on clean energy employment hubs was cut, with $9 million instead going to the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility at Griffith University.

Funding worth $100 million for a solar towns and schools initiative will be spread across six years rather than four.

The $2.88 billion set aside for four years of Direct Action is capped, and the coalition has vowed not to spend any more.

Mr Hunt says he's confident Australia will meet its pledged 5 per cent pollution target under the scheme, and within the budget allocated.

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Conroy wants spot on Labor frontbench

SENATOR Stephen Conroy wants to return to Labor's frontbench, saying he's got a role to play in holding the coalition to account from opposition.

Senator Conroy, a key ally of former prime minister Julia Gillard, quit as communications minister and Senate leader when Kevin Rudd took over the Labor leadership in June.

The senior Labor figure is planning a comeback, and says he'll be throwing his hat into the ring for Labor's frontbench.

"I've spoken to a range of my colleagues in the last couple of days since the election and indicated that I'll be a candidate for the frontbench," he told Sky News on Wednesday.

"I want to be part of holding Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull and Joe Hockey to all of their promises, and more importantly to the frauds they've been engaged in."

Senator Conroy also dismissed suggestions Labor's next leader be determined by a split vote between the partyroom and its rank and file members.

Under new rules, if there are two or more candidates running for the leadership the outcome will be decided in a ballot weighted 50 per cent to the caucus and 50 per cent to grassroots party members.

Senator Conroy said the parliamentary Labor Party should have the right to pick and choose its leader.

"A parliamentary Labor leader cannot sustain their leadership if they do not have the support of a majority of their colleagues," he said.

"These rules that have been put in place will make us an absolute laughing stock."

He urged Labor to stop "gazing at our own navels" and get on with forming a leadership team and take the coalition to task.

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Fake products may be dangerous: CHOICE

AUSTRALIAN customs last year seized more than 700,000 items of fake merchandise worth about $48.5 million, it has been revealed.

The haul was part of the $272 billion annual global trade in potentially dangerous bogus goods.

And it's not just products being ripped off.

Groups selling counterfeits "lure consumers to their sites with paid online advertising and images from a brand's most recent advertising campaign," Tom Godfrey from consumer advocacy group CHOICE says.

"Counterfeiters also fake tags, receipts and authenticity cards making it even more challenging for consumers to work out the real deal."

About two per cent of world trade is in fake goods and while imitation accessories, like shoes or handbags, aren't dangerous many others could harm people, Mr Godfrey says.

"Pharmaceuticals and cosmetics sold overseas online are unregulated with no requirement for them to be produced in sanitary conditions," he said.

"If you're lucky, counterfeit perfume will only stain your clothes, but it may cause skin allergies, burns and trigger respiratory problems."

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Jessica Mauboy adds to Deadlys haul

JESSICA Mauboy has done it again taking home two more gongs at the 19th Deadly Awards at the Sydney Opera House.

The pop sweetheart won Female Artist of the Year and Single Release of the Year for Something's Got A Hold on Me, bringing her total tally of Deadlys to nine, having triumphed in five of the past six ceremonies.

Award-winning drama Redfern Now took best Television Show of the Year at the Tuesday night ceremony while one of its stars, Luke Carroll, was awarded Male Actor of the Year.

Carroll also hosted the evening which celebrates and recognises the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the areas of music, sport, entertainment and community.

Popular film The Sapphires - which just missed last year's cut-off for nominations - won Film of the Year and its star Deborah Mailman was named Female Actor of the Year.

The Album of the Year was awarded to Archie Roach for Into the Bloodstream and the iconic singer/songwriter was also given the Lifetime Contribution Award for Healing the Stolen Generations.

Roach was also due to perform at the event, backed by a 20 piece gospel choir.

All eyes will be following the careers of the up and comers who won in the most promising categories.

Queanbeyan based group Stik n Move won the Deadly for Most Promising New Talent in Music, while it was hockey player, Mariah Williams, who was awarded Most Promising New Talent in Sport.

There were other familiar faces who won in the sports categories including Adam Goodes for AFL Player of the Year and Johnathan Thurston for NRL Player of the Year.

Goodes was also given the Ella Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sport.

A tribute to the late Dr Yunupingu, the lead singer of Yothu Yindi, was set to open the ceremony.

A special rendition of his hit song Mainstream was to be performed by his grandson Rrawun Maymurru, to honour the late singer and former Australian of the Year.

Singer Christine Anu, who is currently playing Bloody Mary in the production of South Pacific at the Sydney Opera House, is scheduled to do a double take on the night as she switches auditoriums to perform at the Deadlys.

Anu's performance of Bali Hai will make history at the Opera House, making her the first to appear in two productions at the venue on the same night.

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"Albo4Leader" campaign under way

A SOCIAL media campaign is underway backing Anthony Albanese as the next federal Labor leader, with supporters convinced he would defeat powerbroker Bill Shorten if the choice goes to party members.

A day after being launched, the "Anthony Albanese for Labor Leader" Facebook page had attracted more than 700 "likes" on Tuesday evening.

The "albo4leader" Twitter handle meanwhile was reporting a spike in "albomentum".

The group claims it isn't connected to the outgoing deputy prime minister, and understands the Sydney-based MP hasn't yet thrown his hat in the ring.

"But it's obvious he's the best candidate to unite and lead Labor!" states a message on the Facebook page, below an image depicting a young, long-haired Mr Albanese from his university days.

One of the group's co-convenors Luke Whitington, a NSW Labor Policy Forum member, said Mr Albanese was a strong parliamentary performer and the best person to return the party to federal government quickly.

Mr Albanese had always proven he'd put the party before himself and had the trust of its rank and files members, he added.

"I think that if given the chance, he'd win a vote amongst the party members overwhelmingly," Mr Whitington told AAP on Tuesday.

The group is appealing for Mr Albanese to contest the top job under new rules which give grassroots members a say.

If there are two or more candidates, the leadership for the first time will be decided in a ballot weighted 50 per cent to the caucus and 50 per cent to grassroots members of the ALP.

Party heavyweight Bill Shorten appears on track to take the federal Labor leadership at a caucus meeting in Canberra on Friday.

But the unendorsed group backing Mr Albanese has demanded there be no backroom deals, warning Labor's rank and file members will be palpable if Mr Shorten were installed without a ballot.

"I think there should be more elections, there should be more democracy, members should have more of a say," Mr Whitington said.

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Conditions ease but NSW fires might flare

HIGH temperatures and warm winds across northwest Sydney where bushfires are burning have eased, but authorities are preparing for possible flare-ups on Wednesday.

Earlier on Tuesday a significant part of the city's northwest was under threat from bushfires that have claimed two houses and injured several firefighters.

But the temperature has since dropped from a high of 32 degrees celsius down to between 16 and 18 degrees, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP on Tuesday night.

And a gentle southerly wind change is blowing at 15 km/h, down from peak speeds of up to 80 km/h during the afternoon.

While conditions have eased, police are asking parents of the 900 children at Winmalee High School, in the Blue Mountains, to keep their kids at home on Wednesday in case the fires flare up.

The Department of Education has also been asked to close the nearby primary school.

Staff will be present at the schools to look after children whose parents can't make other arrangements, a Department of Education spokesman told AAP.

Earlier on Tuesday a house was destroyed at Winmalee and two firefighters battling the blaze there suffered minor burns, the NSW Rural Fire Service (RFS) said.

Another home was lost at Marsden Park in Sydney's west, and a shed has been destroyed near Castlereagh, where a fire raged through about 60 hectares of dry bush.

About 300 students from St Paul's Grammar School at Castlereagh were evacuated to Penrith's Whitewater Park after an emergency warning was issued for nearby properties.

More than 2000 people were evacuated from a University of Western Sydney (UWS) campus after a power outage and the RAAF base at Richmond lost power due to a problem with an Endeavour Energy substation.

About 1000 firefighters with 350 trucks and 14 aircraft are fighting 63 bush and grass fires across the state, 31 of which are uncontained, NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell told parliament on Tuesday afternoon.

Five firefighters have been treated for smoke inhalation, he added.

Emergency Services Minister Mike Gallacher said "a significant part of northwestern Sydney" where there are "large numbers of homes" was threatened by the fires.

"These are all heavily urbanised areas," he told AAP.

Earlier on Tuesday smoke billowed over Windsor Downs Nature Reserve as water bombing helicopters and crews battled grass fires.

An RFS spokesman told AAP "it's certainly been a monster effort".

Emergency warnings remain in place for three large uncontained fires in Sydney's northwest.

The warm winds, gusting at up to 80km/h and fanning the fires are likely to ease on Tuesday evening, a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.

And firefighters are hoping the southerly change lowers temperatures.

Crews will work thorough the night and probably the next few days to try and contain the fires, the RFS spokesman said.

"But that's still dependent on the weather and how strong the southerly change that comes through (is)," he told AAP.

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Violent dog shot by police in Canberra

A DOG has been shot and injured by a police officer after it violently attacked three people in a Canberra suburb.

Police were called to Dunlop on the city's outskirts on Tuesday to reports a tan-coloured dog had set upon a group of people.

One woman was "bailed up" by the attacking dog, police said, while a man who came to her rescue was left bleeding after the animal turned on him.

A 17-year-old male also had his clothing ripped as the dog tried to bite him.

A police officer at the scene opened fire on the dog, injuring it.

The dog retreated to a nearby home where it was contained in the backyard until the owner returned home.

The dog has been taken to a vet for treatment.

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Russia, Syria want return of UN inspectors

RUSSIAN and Syrian foreign ministers on Monday strongly pushed for the return of United Nations inspectors to Syria to continue their probe into the use of chemical weapons and again warned Washington against launching an attack.

The statement comes as President Barack Obama, who blames President Bashar al-Assad for killing hundreds of his own people in a chemical attack last month, is pressing for a limited strike against the Syrian government.

It has denied launching the attack, insisting along with its ally Russia that the attack was launched by the rebels to drag the US into war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said after Monday's talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Muallem that UN chemical weapons experts should complete their probe and present their findings to the UN Security Council.

"We have agreed to push for the soonest return of inspectors," Lavrov said.

Al-Muallem said his government was ready to host the UN team, and insisted that Syria is ready to use all channels to convince the Americans that it wasn't behind the attack.

He added that Syria was ready for "full cooperation with Russia to remove any pretext for aggression".

Neither minister, however, offered any evidence to back their claim of rebel involvement in the chemical attack.

Lavrov said Russia will continue to promote a peaceful settlement and may try to convene a gathering of all Syrian opposition figures to join in negotiations. He added that a US attack on Syria would deal a fatal blow to peace efforts.

Lavrov wouldn't say how Russia could respond to a possible US attack on Syria, saying that "we wouldn't like to proceed from a negative scenario and would primarily take efforts to prevent a military intervention".

President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would keep providing assistance to Syria in case of US attack, but he and other Russian officials have made clear that Russia has no intention to engage in hostilities.

Lavrov also denied allegations that Russia may have sponsored a deal between the US and Syria during the Group of 20 summit in St. Petersburg last week, where Putin discussed the Syrian crisis with Obama.

"There won't be and there can't be any deal behind the back of the Syrian people," Lavrov said.

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NT govt dumps minister Anderson

Aboriginal MP Alison Anderson has been dumped from the Northern Territory ministry. Source: AAP

ABORIGINAL MP Alison Anderson has been dumped from the Northern Territory ministry just two days after a federal coalition government was elected.

The Member for Namatjira was in charge of four portfolios: Children and Families, Regional Development, Local Government and Women's Policy.

But now Attorney-General John Elferink is the Minister for Children and Families, Deputy Chief Minister Dave Tollner has taken over the Local Government and Regions portfolio and Bess Price is Minister for Women's Policy.

In a statement released on Monday night, Chief Minister Adam Giles said he was "keen to re-organise the ministry to reflect the government's priorities" after a year in power.

Last month he ruled out dumping Ms Anderson, saying it was "all fiction".

Tension has been bubbling for some time between them, when in March after a failed leadership bid for the Country Liberal government Ms Anderson accused Mr Giles of behaving like a "little boy".

She threatened to leave the party and take three bush members - Bess Price, Larissa Lee and Francis Xavier - with her if Mr Giles pursued the Chief Ministership, which he successfully did with the bush members' support a week later.

Ms Anderson was elected as a Labor MLA in 2005, and served as a minister until 2009, when she left the party after a disagreement with then-Chief Minister Paul Henderson.

She was an independent until 2011 when she joined the Country Liberals, and was re-elected in last year's Territory elections.

Her dispute with Mr Giles came as she supported Terry Mills, the chief minister he rolled in March.

Opposition Leader Delia Lawrie said Mr Giles had never gotten over the slight.

"There's no doubt (he's) clinging to power without the full support of his colleagues," she said in a statement.

More recently, Mr Giles clashed with Ms Anderson over the CEO position for the Department of Children and Families, which now has its fourth leader in less than a year.

Ms Anderson appointed Jenni Collard to the acting role in March, and last week backed her for the full-time role, despite the government leaking that it wanted to appoint former Country Liberals leader Jodeen Carney, which it now has.

Mr Giles did not give a reason why Ms Anderson had been pushed out of cabinet, but said: "I thank Alison Anderson for her work in Cabinet and wish her well. (She) has worked as a minister for several years across different portfolios and governments."

He flagged a wider shuffle of the ministry, with the creation of three new portfolios - North Australia Development, Community Services and a combined Department of Local Government and Regions.

"Now is the time for northern Australia to be recognised as the key player in the energy, food and economic security of the Asian region," Mr Giles said.

"In light of this, I will be taking on the important new portfolio of North Australia Development, which will allow the Territory to work more closely with the federal, West Australian and Queensland governments on issues affecting the north."

Ms Lawrie described the government as the most dysfunctional the NT had ever had, with two chief ministers, five cabinets and multiple departmental changes in one year.

"There is no doubt deep divisions remain in the CLP camp," she said.

The NT's new ministry will be sworn in on Tuesday in Darwin.

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Iranian ministers open pages on Facebook

Iran's entire Cabinet opened Facebook pages in what may be a move toward lifting internet freedom. Source: AAP

IRAN'S entire Cabinet has opened Facebook pages in what is seen as a move toward greater government openness - even though the social media site is blocked in the Islamic Republic.

The Facebook pages of 15 ministers could be viewed in Tehran through a proxy server. Newspapers on Monday hinted the move might herald the lifting of some internet barriers.

"It seems the 'key"' - Rouhani's electoral symbol in his presidential campaign - "may turn the lock of (internet) filtering," the pro-reform Shargh daily said.

With the exception of Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who joined Facebook in 2009, the Cabinet members signed up this August after the inauguration of centrist- and reformist-backed President Hasan Rouhani.

Rouhani's office has also opened a page on Facebook that was "liked" by all the ministers.

Saeed Leilaz, a Tehran-based political analyst, said it was likely the start of the lifting of internet "filters," which block specific sites. "Definitely filtering on Facebook will be lifted, and we will witness the elimination of filters (on the rest of) internet," said Leilaz.

Rouhani had promised greater openness and transparency during his presidential campaign in June. The move also suggests that his administration is looking toward social media to push its policies.

Last week, Zarif told a local news website that he sent a message on Twitter saying "Happy Rosh Hashana," the Jewish new year, in what is likely a small diplomatic step toward easing the hostilities between his nation and Israel.

Iranian hard-liners see the internet as a possible corrupting force, but many Iranians use proxies to access banned sites.

Iran imposed a ban on Facebook after disputed re-election of former President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2009, when his opponents used social media to organise protests.

Earlier in 2012, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, issued a religious decree in which Facebook was considered permissible if it was not used for corrupting or bad purposes. A page that claims to be Khamenei's is generally believed to reflect his views. He has neither disowned nor claimed it, and many consider it his unofficial voice.

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Mass blackout across eastern Melbourne

A MAJOR power outage blacked out over 100 traffic signal lights and caused around 200,000 homes in Melbourne's east to lose power on Monday evening.

A United Energy spokesman said the power outage effected its customers from 5.30pm (AEST) in areas including Burwood, Cheltenham, Brighton, Mordialloc, and Clayton with power restored after 45 minutes.

The spokesman said the outage was caused by a fault with an SP Ausnet terminal station.

VicRoads director of road operations Dean Zabrieszach said over 100 traffic signals were without power.

"It started about 5.20pm and we had just about everything back to normal by 6pm," he said.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said she had not received any reports of accidents caused by the blackout.

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