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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Carmakers bet on alternative-fuel future

JUDGING by the slew of electric and hybrid vehicles being rolled out at the Frankfurt Motor Show, it might seem carmakers are tapping a large and eager market.

But in fact almost no one buys such cars - yet.

Every major carmaker is coming out with electric versions of existing vehicles - such as Volkswagen's all-electric versions of its up! city car and Golf compact.

And they are also showcasing models they have designed as electrics from the ground up, like small BMW's electric i3 city car.

Analyst Christoph Stuermer at IHS automotive called Frankfurt "the first full-throttle electric propulsion show" that's about "getting electric drive cars out of the eco-nerd, tree-hugger segment and into the cool group".

To whet appetites, carmakers are making high-performance, luxury versions that give up little or nothing in performance to conventional models. BMW's i8 goes 0-100 kph in a speedy 4.5 seconds.

Audi's Quattro sport concept - meaning it's for demonstration, not for sale - is an aggressive looking sports car with large air intakes flanking the grille and a whopping 700 horsepower from its hybrid drive. The company says it can reach 305 kph.

The Mercedes S-Class plug-in hybrid version, meanwhile, has a powerful six-cylinder internal combustion engine plus an all-electric range of about 30 kilometres.

This way, owners could commute all-electric during the week, recharging overnight but use the petrol engine on a family vacation.

The company says mileage is 3.0 litres per 100 kilometres.

All this, to cater to a market that doesn't really exist in mass terms. Only 0.2 per cent of all cars registered in Europe are hybrids, which combine batteries with internal combustion engines, or electrics, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association.

In the United States, the Toyota Prius hybrid has broken into the top 10 selling passenger cars. However, electric vehicles have struggled to increase sales numbers because of high prices and so-called range anxiety: buyers' fear of running out of power.

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Labor's friendly leadership battle begins

LEADERSHIP hopefuls Bill Shorten and Anthony Albanese insist there is no 'I' in Labor and their civil showdown for the ALP's top job is headed for a contest of personal experience and popularity.

Both candidates say the 30-day leadership campaign - which will see them jetting around the nation - will be a gentlemanly joust, putting the party first and moving away from Labor's past division.

"Labor is drawing a line underneath the rancour of previous years," Mr Shorten told reporters in Canberra on Friday.

"We will not seek to publicly disparage each other in our efforts."

Separating them on policy will not be simple though.

Mr Albanese said both he and Mr Shorten support a price on carbon and would oppose the coalition government's plans to scrap the carbon tax.

Victorian Labor right powerbroker Mr Shorten agreed they had a lot of values in common.

But Mr Albanese, from the party's left, believes his parliamentary longevity gives him an edge.

"I come here as someone (with) 17 years in public office," he said.

"I think one of the things I would bring to the leadership is that I have had time in opposition, I know what it's like, I know what has to be done ... that experience I think does count."

Mr Shorten, a former Australian Workers Union national secretary, has just won his third parliamentary term and hopes his history as a "builder and a campaigner" combined with his energy and enthusiasm makes him leadership material.

But he added: "This ballot in the Labor party will not be the contest of personalities, it will be the contest of ideas".

Both men indicated they would happily work with the other should their leadership aspirations fail.

They both gave their sales pitches to a caucus meeting on Friday where outgoing leader Kevin Rudd accepted responsibility for Labor's election loss and said the party was well placed to win the next election no matter who led the party.

The party room was told Labor had to become more unified to move forward.

"Whoever it was who was tweeting out of the caucus today, it's got to stop," Mr Albanese said later.

"It's not helpful for people to be sitting in a caucus room to be tweeting out to members of the press gallery."

Outgoing Treasurer Chris Bowen has been given the interim party reins while the leader is chosen, in what he called the nation's most democratic election process.

"They will have been elected by the whole Labor party, by every eligible rank and file member, as well as by the parliamentary caucus," Mr Bowen said.

While now it's only a two-horse race, there could be another candidate. Nominations for leadership remain open for seven days, before ballot papers are sent to Labor members.

Caucus will cast their votes last but will not know the grass-roots ballot result when they do.

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Keep Rudd asylum-seeker policy: Burke

TONY Abbott should swallow his pride and stick to Labor's hardline asylum-seeker policies because they are working, says outgoing Immigration Minister Tony Burke.

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Bird in custody as bail hearing postponed

Perth man Dominic Bird says he's disappointed to be back in custody in Malaysia. Source: AAP

PERTH man Dominic Bird, acquitted by a Malaysian court last week on charges that carry the death penalty, has been remanded pending a decision on whether he will be granted bail.

Mr Bird was set free by the Kuala Lumpur High Court after being found not guilty of drug trafficking, but was rearrested on Monday just minutes before his flight back to Perth was to depart.

The 33-year-old was at the airport gate with his boarding pass in hand, but immigration officials held on to his passport to prevent him getting on the plane.

Arriving at court on Thursday, he said he was "disappointed" to be back in custody after briefly tasting freedom.

"Hopefully I will be back on that flight to Perth," Mr Bird said.

His lawyer, Muhammed Shafee Abdullah, had argued in court on Thursday that his client should be allowed to return to Australia, or at the very least be allowed bail, while the appeal process runs its course.

Mr Shafee said the authorities had purposely delayed Mr Bird's departure to buy prosecutors time to lodge a notice of appeal and secure an arrest warrant.

The warrant was issued on Monday morning when Mr Bird failed to appear at a hearing at the Malaysian Court of Appeal, scheduled for 9am local time.

But it has been revealed Mr Bird was unable to attend the hearing because he was in the custody of Malaysian immigration officials, who had taken him to the LCCT terminal at the international airport on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur from where he was to fly home to Perth.

His legal team were not advised of the hearing, and have alleged authorities arranged to ensure Mr Bird would not make the hearing so that they could secure the arrest warrant and prevent him from leaving Malaysia.

"The whole idea was to detain my client so that he is sitting pretty in a lock-up, so that the prosecution could serve him the papers," Mr Shafee said.

"The authorities consciously and deliberately violated the constitutional rights of the accused. They should not be allowed to enjoy the fruits of their transgression."

But Court of Appeal Justice Azahar Mohamed said more time was needed to consider whether Mr Bird should be released on bail, or continue to be remanded pending an appeal by prosecutors against last week's verdict.

The matter was adjourned until Tuesday morning.

Mr Bird was initially arrested in March last year at a cafe near his apartment in Kuala Lumpur after allegedly supplying an undercover police officer with 167 grams of methamphetamine.

Possession of more than 50 grams of the drug carries a mandatory death penalty in Malaysia.

Prosecutors are yet to detail the grounds on which they will appeal the case, while the circumstances surrounding Monday's drama have also prompted accusations from Mr Bird's lawyers that Malaysian authorities conspired to obtain an "unlawful" warrant for his arrest.

Mr Bird has always maintained he was set up by drug squad detective Inspector Luther Nurjib. Last month, Insp Nurjib was found guilty of contempt of court and fined RM2000 ($A665) after it emerged he had threatened and attempted to bribe a witness in the Bird case.

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Indonesia eyes Oz land for cattle breeding

PLANS by the Indonesian government to purchase a million hectares of Australian land for cattle breeding have been welcomed by farmers.

Amid growing demands for beef, the southeast Asian nation will turn to Australia where breeding is about one fifth of the cost, Indonesia's State-Owned Enterprises Minister Dahlan Iskan said.

"It's specified only for breeding," Mr Dahlan said of the plan.

"After they're born, a few months afterward, (the cattle) must be brought to Indonesia for feedlot."

In contrast to breeding costs, feedlot expenses are three times cheaper in Indonesia, Mr Dahlan said.

National Farmers' Federation boss Matt Linnegar said the Indonesian investment would provide a much-needed injection to Australia's struggling agriculture sector.

"Our sector will not survive without a level of foreign investment," he told SBS TV on Thursday night.

"If it's part of a broader solution where the trade is continuing and they invest in that property and in infrastructure, that could in fact mean more jobs for Australians."

Incoming coalition government MP Barnaby Joyce, who holds the rural NSW seat of New England, was more wary of the plan.

"This is like selling somebody (a portion of land equal in size to) the ACT, so it's quite a substantial chunk of Australia," Mr Joyce said.

He said Australia has plenty of cattle to sell but live trade was suspended by the federal government in 2011 amid animal cruelty allegations.

Indonesia's purchase of Australian land could be blocked by the federal government or the Foreign Investment Review Board.

But farmers say the number of cattle bred on a million-hectare property would not pose a threat of market domination and there are suitable land holdings available for sale.

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Prince William quits armed forces

• by: Julian Drape, AAP London Correspondent
• From: AAP
• September 12, 2013 9:00PM

PRINCE William is to leave the armed forces and temporarily focus on official engagements both in Britain and overseas, Kensington Palace says.

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Prehistoric crocs 'ran like dogs'

Prehistoric crocodiles survived a dinosaur-dominated world by behaving like dogs, research found. Source: AAP

PREHISTORIC crocodiles survived a dinosaur-dominated world by running around like dogs, new research has found.

Unlike today's crocodiles that mostly live in freshwater habitats and feed on mammals and fish, their ancient relatives were extremely diverse.

Some behaved like dogs and others adapted to life in the open ocean, imitating the feeding behaviour of today's killer whales.

The research uncovers the hidden past of crocodiles - showing for the first time how the jaws of the fierce reptiles evolved, enabling them to survive in vastly different environments in a dinosaur-dominated world 235 to 65 million years ago.

The study was conducted by Tom Stubbs and Dr Emily Rayfield from the University of Bristol, together with Dr Stephanie Pierce from The Royal Veterinary College and Dr Phil Anderson from Duke University in the United States.

Mr Stubbs says the ancestors of today's crocodiles have a fascinating history that is relatively unknown compared to their dinosaur counterparts.

"They were very different creatures to the ones we are familiar with today, much more diverse and, as this research shows, their ability to adapt was quite remarkable," he said.

"Their evolution and anatomical variation during the Mesozoic Era was exceptional.

"They evolved lifestyles and feeding ecologies unlike anything seen today."

The research team examined variation in the morphology (shape) and biomechanics (function) of the lower jaws in over 100 ancient crocodiles, using a unique combination of numerical methods.

Dr Pierce said they were curious how extinction events and adaptations to extreme environments during the Mesozoic - a period covering over 170 million years - impacted the feeding systems of ancient crocodiles.

"To do this we focused our efforts on the main food-processing bone, the lower jaw."

By analysing variation in the lower jaw, the researchers provide novel insights into how the feeding systems of ancient crocodiles evolved as the group recovered from the devastating end-Triassic extinction event and subsequently responded to the distribution of ecological resources, such as habitat and foodstuff.

The research showed that, following the end-Triassic extinction, ancient crocodiles invaded the Jurassic seas and evolved jaws built primarily for hydrodynamic efficiency to capture agile prey, such as fish.

However, only a small range of elongate lower jaw shapes were suitable in Jurassic marine environments.

The study also revealed that variation peaked again in the Cretaceous, where ancient crocodiles evolved a great variety of lower jaw shapes as they adapted to a diverse range of feeding ecologies and terrestrial environments alongside the dinosaurs.

Surprisingly, the lower jaws of Cretaceous crocodiles did not have a great amount of biomechanical variation and, instead, the fossil record points towards novel adaptations in other areas of their anatomy, such as armadillo-like body armour.

"Our results show that the ability to exploit a variety of different food resources and habitats, by evolving many different jaw shapes, was crucial to recovering from the end-Triassic extinction and most likely contributed to the success of Mesozoic crocodiles living in the shadow of the dinosaurs," Dr Pierce said.

This exceptional variation has never before been explored numerically, with no studies ever having incorporated such a wide range of crocodiles over such a long time period.

The findings are published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

The research was partially funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council.

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Would-be senator considers buying suit

UNEMPLOYED father of five Ricky Muir admits he doesn't own a suit.

But he understands he'll have to be measured up if forecasts are correct and he lands a federal Senate seat.

The Australian Motoring Enthusiast Party's (AMEP) lead Senate candidate in Victoria could be bound for Canberra thanks to a complex system of preference flows, which may hand him the state's sixth upper house pass.

"I've got some nice clothing but I have not got a suit yet, but I will get one," Mr Muir told ABC TV from his rural home at Denison in Victoria's Gippsland on Wednesday.

Asked of his preference for a carbon tax or emissions trading scheme, the potential balance of power senator said the party "would speak about that further if elected".

"We want to bring balance to the Senate," he said.

"We're working on a road safety platform, so we want uniform road laws, safer roads and driver education."

When faced with legislation, Mr Muir said he would consider all the evidence and "try to make a decision that reflects on the everyday Australian".

"If there's a better way to do things, we certainly need to look at it."

Mr Muir lost his job when a local saw mill closed, and said he and his family have since been living off savings.

Despite facing an annual Senate pay packet in excess of $190,000, the novice candidate said "I'm not out for the money".

Mr Muir's social media trail includes footage apparently showing him flinging kangaroo poo at a mate, plus a Facebook post in which he seems to suggest former US president George W Bush was behind the September 11 terrorist attacks.

On Wednesday night the AMEP had 12,444 votes, representing 0.50 per cent of the Victorian ballots counted to date.

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Egyptian army kills 9 militants in Sinai

EGYPTIAN army troops backed by helicopter gunships have attacked hideouts of Islamic militants in Sinai, killing nine and arresting 10, a military official says.

The official's account on Tuesday raises the death toll among suspected militants to 29 since the start of a major military offensive in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Saturday.

The official says explosives material, weapons and ammunition were found on Monday in the villages of el-Mahdiya and Naga Shabana, south of the town of Rafah near the border with Gaza.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The Egyptian offensive is trying to eliminate several al-Qaeda-inspired groups, which have taken hold in the villages in the lawless region.

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Egyptian army kills 9 militants in Sinai

EGYPTIAN army troops backed by helicopter gunships have attacked hideouts of Islamic militants in Sinai, killing nine and arresting 10, a military official says.

The official's account on Tuesday raises the death toll among suspected militants to 29 since the start of a major military offensive in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula on Saturday.

The official says explosives material, weapons and ammunition were found on Monday in the villages of el-Mahdiya and Naga Shabana, south of the town of Rafah near the border with Gaza.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak to the media.

The Egyptian offensive is trying to eliminate several al-Qaeda-inspired groups, which have taken hold in the villages in the lawless region.

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Sports party to slip into Senate

HE only secured a handful of primary votes but the Australian Sports Party's Wayne Dropulich looks set to get a spot in the Senate.

Thanks to preferences, Mr Dropulich is poised to take the seat of Labor's Louise Pratt but wisely won't claim victory until the Senate count is completed in coming days.

The single-issue party, which promotes healthy living through sport, was formed at the beginning of the year and now has little more than the 500 members it needed to become registered.

So far, he has 1908 first preference votes, or 0.22 per cent of the vote.

Mr Dropulich, who has not previously been a member of any other political party, says there's nothing wrong with the way he's got to where he is.

"It's the system that the government's had in place for a long time and every party has the same opportunity to use the system," he told ABC radio.

"I'm happy if it does fall our way and I'll take great responsibility.

"Interesting times.

"I'm really excited."

Mr Dropulich said he'd had "one or two phone conversations and emails" with preference broker and Minor Parties Alliance mastermind Glenn Druery.

"That's really the extent of my contact with him.

"As far as we were concerned, we only found out about him late in our process. I'd already contacted quite a few of the other parties regarding preferencing and he pretty much gave us the contact details for a lot of the minor parties ... who to speak to.

"That's really all we got from him."

Mr Druery has had a falling out with Australian Independents leader Patricia Petersen, who claims he and the Shooters and Fishers Party cheated her out of a Senate spot by reneging on a preference arrangement they had.

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Kerry reasserts Syria charge in London

IN a strong rebuttal to remarks by Syrian President Bashar Assad, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Monday there is very strong evidence that the Syrian regime used chemical weapons against his own people.

In an interview by Charlie Rose, slated to air Monday on CBS "This Morning," Assad argued that the evidence Kerry has disclosed about chemical weapons use amounts to a "big lie" that resembles the case for war in Iraq that then-Secretary of State Colin Powell made to the United Nations over a decade ago.

Asked to respond, Kerry told reporters in London that he would be confident to take evidence that the US intelligence committee has gathered into any courtroom.

"What does he offer?" Kerry asked rhetorically of Assad. "Words that are contradicted by fact."

Kerry arrived in London Sunday afternoon from Paris where he held talks with the foreign ministers of Egypt and Saudi Arabia and members of the Arab League's committed on the Mideast peace talks. He was returning to Washington later Monday to continue to lobby Congress to authorise a military strike against Assad's regime.

At a news conference with Foreign Secretary William Hague, Kerry also said that the British Parliament's decision against endorsing a military strike in Syria would not damage US-British relations. "Our bond is bigger than one vote - bigger than one moment in history," Kerry said.

Kerry, at another point, referenced the roughly 50 protesters outside the British foreign ministry who were chanting "One, two, three four, we don't want another war!" But he said he thinks it's important for nations to "stand up for humanity."

"This is a humanitarian catastrophe of global proportions," he said.

Kerry said the US realises that there is no military solution to conflict, but that a political resolution will not be possible if the Assad regime is allowed to continue killing the Syrian people without consequences.

"The evidence is powerful and the question for all of us is what are we going to do? Turn our backs? Have a moment of silence?" Kerry asked.

He said Assad's credibility is in question.

"He sends SCUD missiles into schools," Kerry said.

Hague agreed, saying: "Let's not fall into the trap of believing every word that comes out of this man's mouth."

Kerry said Assad could resolve the crisis by turning over "every single bit" of his weapons arsenal to the international community within a week. But he said he didn't believe the Syrian leader was "about to do that."

"We know that his regime gave orders to prepare for a chemical attack. We know they deployed forces," he said. Kerry said Washington also "knows where the rockets came from and where they landed ... and it was no accident that they all came from regime -controlled territory and all landed" in opposition-held territory.

Meanwhile, Russian and Syrian foreign ministers said Monday they planned to push for the return of United Nations inspectors to Syria to continue their probe into the use of chemical weapons.

Lavrov said after Monday's talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem that Moscow will continue to promote a peaceful settlement and may try to convene a gathering of all Syrian opposition figures who are interested in peaceful settlement. He said a US attack on Syria would deal a fatal blow to peace efforts.

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China school blast kills two, hurts 34

AN explosion outside a primary school in China killed two people and injured at least 34 others on Monday, 26 of them schoolchildren, state-run media and a local official said.

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It may be Albanese v Shorten on leadership

WHILE potential Labor leadership contenders were keeping their powder dry on Sunday, the contest looks like coming down to Bill Shorten or Anthony Albanese.

Their undeclared rivalry may be complicated by state jealousies, with sources close to Mr Albanese saying it's time the leadership went back to New South Wales.

As Labor started contemplating at least three years in opposition, Mr Shorten said he was "genuinely undecided" about standing for the leadership.

The Victorian right-wing power broker who's held several senior portfolios said he'd have to consult his family.

He was also concerned that the process be informed by past lessons - "no rancour, no external discussions, no divisions".

That remark was seen to suggest he'd be happier standing unopposed, especially as a recent rule change gives caucus and the party's grass roots an equal say in a leadership ballot. A difference of opinion between the two would be a fertile source of new divisions.

Mr Albanese, the NSW left winger who became acting leader when Kevin Rudd stepped down on Saturday night, wouldn't say if he was contemplating nominating.

"What I will do is take up the fight, that is what I do," added the former government leader in the house, a position that gave him daily opportunities for fighting.

The sources said he was "genuinely thinking" about running, adding that given the performance of the last two leaders, from Queensland and Victoria, it was time the post came back to NSW, where Labor's performance was not as bad as feared.

The pair, appearing on different television shows, exchanged compliments.

Mr Albanese said Mr Shorten would make a good Labor leader, though he also mentioned outgoing treasurer Chris Bowen, immigration minister Tony Burke and health minister Tanya Plibersek.

Mr Shorten said his potential rival was a remarkable politician.

Trade Minister Richard Marles weighed in, saying Mr Albanese had been a wonderful servant of the party, but Labor needed to move to a new generation.

He said Mr Shorten, at 46 only four years younger than Mr Albanese, would be very good. He also praised Treasurer Chris Bowen, 40.

Bruce Hawker, Mr Rudd's political strategist, called for fresh leadership and nominated Jason Clare, 41, and Tanya Plibersek, 43, as the "face of the future".

Peter Beattie, the former Queensland premier who was unsuccessfully parachuted into a Coalition-held marginal seat, endorsed Mr Shorten as the right man to help rebuild Labor.

Climate Change Minister and South Australian left leader Mark Butler said it was too soon to say who should take up the reins.

There are seven MPs with significant ministerial experience and some claim to leadership consideration who are aged between 40 and 50. But there are no stand-out contenders.

They are, disproportionately, from NSW and male.

Senator Penny Wong wouldn't be drawn on leadership speculation, saying she would discuss that in private with her Labor colleagues.

She wants Labor to remain committed to dealing with climate change.

"Climate change hasn't gone away just because Tony Abbott got elected," she told the ABC.

"Any party focused on the future has to have a proper climate change policy. The government that has been elected doesn't. As the opposition we should retain our principle position on this."

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First boat arrives on coalition watch

HOURS after Tony Abbott was elected prime minister promising hardline policy and immediate action on asylum seekers arriving by boat, authorities found a suspected people-smuggling vessel off Australia's north coast.

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Indian troops try to halt communal clashes

Hundreds of troops have been deployed to halt deadly clashes between Hindus and Muslims in India. Source: AAP

HUNDREDS of Indian troops have been deployed to quell clashes between Hindus and Muslims sparked by the killing of three villagers who had objected when a young woman was being harassed.

Nine people were killed, including an Indian broadcast journalist and a police photographer, when the two groups set upon each other with guns and knives in Kawal village, in the state of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Sunday.

The violence quickly spread to neighbouring villages in Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday night.

"A curfew has been imposed in three riot-hit areas of Muzaffarnagar," said the head of the state's home ministry, RM Srivastava.

"The situation is still very tense, but under control."

Soldiers were going door to door to search for weapons.

A state of high alert was declared for the entire state of Uttar Pradesh, which has a population of 200 million people.

The clashes broke out on Saturday after thousands of Hindu farmers held a meeting in Kawal to demand justice in the August 27 killing of three men who had spoken out when a woman was being verbally harassed.

The state's minority welfare minister, Mohammad Azam Khan, said some at the meeting gave provocative speeches calling for Muslims to be killed.

The farmers were attacked as they were returning home after the meeting, senior police official Arun Kumar said.

"The attack seemed well planned," Kumar said.

"Some were armed with rifles and sharp-edged weapons."

Gunfire was reported from several areas of the village.

Within hours clashes broke out in neighbouring villages, Kumar said.

A leader from the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party said tensions had been simmering since the three men were killed August 27 in a tea shop.

"Had the killers been arrested, the situation might not have gone out of hand," Vijay Bahadur Pathak said.

Uttar Pradesh was at the heart of some of India's worst communal clashes in December 1992, after a Hindu mob razed the 16th-century Babri mosque in Ayodhya.

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