Greek Golden Dawn leader, MPs arrested

GREEK police have arrested the leader and other top officials of the anti-immigrant Golden Dawn party on charges of forming a criminal organisation.

The arrests are an escalation of a government crackdown after a fatal stabbing allegedly committed by a supporter.

It is the first time since 1974 that a party head and sitting members of parliament have been arrested.

Police announced the arrests of 16 Golden Dawn members, including party head Nikos Michaloliakos, spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris and two other MPs.

The arrests included a local Golden Dawn leader in an Athens suburb while the rest were ordinary members.

Two police officials said an operation by the counterterrorism unit was still ongoing on Saturday morning, with a total of about 35 arrest warrants for Golden Dawn members issued.

They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not permitted to speak publicly.

Despite the arrests, the party's MPs retain their parliamentary seats unless they are convicted of a crime.

Golden Dawn holds 18 of parliament's 300 seats, after winning nearly 7 per cent of the vote in general elections last year.

Michaloliakos had earlier threatened to pull the group's deputies out of parliament, a move that would prompt by-elections in 15 regions around the country.

"We will exhaust any means within our legal constitutional rights to defend our political honour," Michaloliakos said on Thursday.

"If the country enters a cycle of instability, it is those who demonise Golden Dawn who will be responsible, not (us)," he said.

The arrests come 11 days after the killing of anti-fascist activist rapper Pavlos Fyssas by an alleged Golden Dawn member.

Though the party has vehemently denied any role in the killing, the case has appeared to dent its appeal among Greeks and the government has worked to crack down on the party.

Golden Dawn expressed outrage at the arrests in a text message to journalists.

"We call upon everyone to support our moral and just struggle against the corrupt system! Everyone come to our offices!," it said.

A later text message called for supporters to head to police headquarters "with calm and order".

A small group of about 30 people initially gathered, standing on the footpath across the street from the building.

Golden Dawn entered the Greek parliament for the first time in May 2012, capitalising on Greece's deep financial crisis, rising crime and anti-immigrant sentiment.

The party's members and supporters have frequently been suspected of carrying out violent attacks, mainly against immigrants.

Despite its reputation for violence, the party had enjoyed growing popularity.

A government spokesman refused to comment on the details of the operation.

"Democracy can protect itself. Justice will do its job," Simos Kedikoglou told reporters.

In addition to Michaloliakos and Kasidiaris, Golden Dawn deputy, Ilias Panayiotaros, gave himself up at police headquarters, telling police they were looking for him at a wrong address.

Another MP, Yannis Lagos, has also been arrested.

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Tunisia's ruling Islamists to step down

TUNISIA'S governing Islamist party has agreed to step down following negotiations with opposition parties that begin next week.

A spokesman for the main labour union said months of talks with the Islamist-led government had finally reached an agreement on Saturday. Bouali Mbarki of the UGTT union said the deal calls for three weeks of negotiations to appoint an interim, non-partisan government.

Tunisia has endured more than two years of turmoil, worsened by the assassination of a leading opposition figure in July.

As recently as a week ago, the union, which represents 500,000 workers, said talks on a way out of the country's political impasse had failed.

The union, the opposition, lawyers and human rights advocates had said the governing Ennahda Party's inability to ensure security led to the killings of one opposition figure in July and another one in February.

The death of Mohammed Brahmi, who was gunned down in front of his family on July 25, plunged Tunisia into its current crisis, as dozens of opposition MPs quit, freezing efforts to write a new constitution. Street protests and political paralysis have crippled the country.

Tunisia's protesters, inspired by the self-immolation of a fruit seller, overthrew their decades-old authoritarian government in January 2011. Those protests spread through the Arab world, including to Egypt, Syria and neighbouring Libya.

The opposition has accused the Ennahda Party of being overly tolerant of a rising radical Islamist trend that has shown violent tendencies in its efforts to instill greater piety.

Before the 2011 fall of Tunisia's longtime dictator, the country had been known as one of the most secular countries in the Arab world.

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Greenpeace piracy probe worries parents

THE parents of a British journalist held in Russia for suspected piracy after a Greenpeace protest at an Arctic oil rig say they are extremely worried.

A group of 30, including six Britons and Australian Colin Russell, were held last week when armed Russian officials boarded their vessel, the Arctic Sunrise and took it to the port of Murmansk.

A Russian court refused bail to and jailed for two months a number of activists and freelance videographer Keiron Bryan, from Devon.

They have not been charged, though Russian authorities are investigating charges of piracy, which carry a jail term of 10 to 15 years.

Mr Bryan's parents, Andy and Ann Bryan, issued a statement on Saturday saying they were "extremely worried".

"Our son is a very kind, caring individual and environmental issues have always been very close to his heart," the couple from Devon said.

"He would sympathise with the cause but he was simply there doing his job as a freelance videographer.

"None of those on board should be subjected to this prolonged period of detention. They are extremely brave, caring individuals who were peacefully protesting to bring the world's attention to the dangers of drilling in that particular area and of the serious consequences it could have on that already fragile environment.

"We are told that they are being treated fairly and are all well, for which we are extremely grateful.

"However, the fact that they are still there at all is a farce and quite out of proportion to their actions."

From Britain, activists Philip Ball and Sydney resident Alexandra Harris, videographer Mr Bryan and second engineer Iain Roger have been detained for two months pending a piracy investigation. Mr Russell has also been detained for two months.

Two other Britons, Frank Hewetson and Anthony Perrett, were detained for three days pending a hearing on Sunday.

Greenpeace is campaigning against attempts by companies to drill for oil in the waters of the Arctic, warning that a spill would be highly environmentally damaging and extraction of more fossil fuels will add to climate change.

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Milne loses six senior staff

AUSTRALIAN Greens leader Christine Milne is playing down the resignations of six of her senior staff members and has dismissed claims her leadership is on shaky ground.

Senator Milne was returned to the party's leadership unopposed on Monday, despite a slip in the Greens vote at the September 7 poll.

She confirmed on Wednesday night that six staff members had tendered their resignations including chief of staff Ben Oquist, director of communications Georgie Klug and policy adviser Oliver Woldring, her climate change adviser, her economics adviser and campaign coordinator.

"It's certainly true that people have opted to take redundancies but that's for a range of reasons," she told ABC TV.

"It's quite common in politics after an election for people to consider whether they want to stay on or not."

Some staff had indicated last year they would stay with her until the election, and some had given personal reasons for leaving, Senator Milne said.

She denied the resignations were a vote of no confidence in her leadership.

"There's no panic or nothing to be concerned about," she said.

"This is pretty normal for political offices."

Mr Oquist issued a statement saying he was leaving with good will but cited "fundamental differences of opinion about strategy".

Asked about his reason, Senator Milne said: "interesting that Ben would say that."

She said there had been differences of opinion on how the office would run, she favoured a flat administrative structure while he wanted a more hierarchical structure.

"I wish Ben very well with his endeavours in the future," she said.

Senator Milne said Prime Minister Tony Abbott was likely to offer her office fewer staff than they have had previously.

She said some of the staff had been working in the political arena for six or seven years and wanted a fresh start.

"I wish people who have left my office all the best in the careers they go on with," Senator Milne said.

Greens MP Adam Bandt was re-elected the party's deputy leader on Monday, unopposed.

He extended his margin in the lower house seat of Melbourne.

A spokesman for Senator Milne said after the election there is an automatic spill of the leader's position.

As a result the leader's electorate and personal staff positions are automatically terminated by the Department of Finance and staff are subsequently eligible for a generous redundancy package.

"Following an exhausting election is a natural time for political staff to leave and a natural period for renewal for a political office," the spokesman told AAP.

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Three freight trains collide in Texas

THREE freight trains have collided in Texas, derailing up to 30 cars and leaving four workers hurt, including two with critical injuries.

The Department of Public Safety says the accident happened before dawn on Wednesday, just east of Amarillo.

Senior Trooper Chris Ray says an eastbound train rear-ended a stopped train, and that a westbound train then collided with the two-train wreck.

BNSF Railway spokesman Joe Faust says two crewmembers on the first train have non-life threatening injuries and that two from the second train are critically hurt.

Faust says the trains were hauling flatbed cars carrying truck trailers and that no hazardous materials spilled.

Authorities are trying to determine what caused the accident.

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Productivity must now be focus: report

THE declining terms of trade means there must be a focus on productivity growth if wages growth is to be sustained, new research shows.

The study by the Productivity Commission found a large rise in the terms of trade in the 2000s brought stronger national income than in the "productivity decade" of the 1990s.

Even so, labour income as a share of national income fell by four percentage points in the 2000s because income growth from capital or business assets accelerated even faster.

But slower growth in consumer prices meant the real value of each dollar earned was worth more in terms of purchasing power, meaning people were no worse off.

"The purchasing power effect more than outweighed the apparent reduction in labour's share of national income," the commission says.

It says the mining boom was overwhelmingly responsible for the fall in labour's share of income as mines were developed, leading to more capital intensive production overall.

Higher output prices from minerals and construction reduced the real cost of labour so that growth in real wages fell behind labour productivity growth.

"As the terms of trade now decline, the labour income share will rise," the commission says.

"But with a more capital-intensive economy, the share is unlikely to revert fully to previous levels."

But it warns trying to restore labour income share through wage rises would probably only have adverse consequences for employment and inflation and for industries already facing adjustment pressures.

"With the prospect of declining terms of trade, a focus on productivity growth will be the way to sustain growth in real wages," it says.

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Carnival's profit falls 30%

CRUISE passengers continue to shy away from Carnival Corp's namesake brand, despite lower prices.

That, along with ongoing geopolitical fears in the eastern Mediterranean, is why the world's largest cruise company now expects revenue to drop 3 per cent this year, worse than its prior forecast.

The Miami-based company did turn a $US934 million ($A996 million) profit for June through August, but that was down 30 per cent from the same quarter last year.

Earnings totalled $US1.20 per share, down from $US1.71 last year in the same quarter. Revenue for the quarter rose less than 1 per cent to $4.7 billion, and expenses outpaced growth.

The company also took $US176 million in charges related to two ships in its Costa line that are being taken out of service.

Shares fell 7 per cent in early trading.

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Fewer businesses looking to hire

JUST one in five businesses are planning to hire new staff, the lowest level for hiring intentions since the global financial crisis.

However, information technology is booming area as more firms digitise their businesses.

Recruitment firm Hudson's survey of more than 2500 employers in July and August found 20.9 per cent are planning to take on new staff during the December quarter.

Low staff turnover levels mean businesses have less opportunity to recruit, Hudson executive general manager for regional Australia Dean Davidson said.

"That can become a challenge for some organisations," he told AAP.

The proportion of employers planning to hire was the lowest level since the September quarter of 2009.

But 36 per cent of IT employers were planning to hire, compared with just 13.6 per cent for the utilities industry.

"A lot of organisations are transitioning down the digital path so that's creating project work," Mr Davidson said.

"I definitely do not see that changing in the foreseeable future."

South Australian employers had the strongest hiring intentions, with 24.2 per cent planning to recruit.

Hiring intentions in the ACT were down to 22.2 per cent, as the territory government tightens recruitment.

But Victoria had the weakest jobs market, with just 16.2 per cent of bosses planning to take on new staff.

In Queensland, 18.2 per cent of employers were planning to hire, the same proportion as those looking to downsize, following the end of the mining boom and public sector job cuts.

Hudson chief executive Mark Steyn said businesses had been cautious in the lead up to the federal election, but recruitment activity was likely to improve in the coming year amid low interest rates and a falling Australian dollar.

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Climate Commission experts to push on

EXPERTS once at the helm of the now defunct Climate Commission have vowed to continue their work and will launch an independent body after being dumped by the federal government.

The Australian Climate Council will be officially unveiled in Sydney on Tuesday, with the same six specialists volunteering their time to interpret breaking climate science from around the globe.

Professor Will Steffen said one of the first orders of business for the not-for-profit Council will be assessing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) fifth assessment report, due for release on Friday.

"We will do the very best we can to pull out the main points to this report and make it understandable to the Australian public," Prof Steffen told AAP, adding that he and colleagues hoped to produce a summary document within days of the release.

The Climate Commission, set up in 2011 by the former Labor government to increase public awareness of climate change science, was disbanded by the new coalition government on Thursday.

"Since the axe fell I've gotten lots of emails from colleagues and the general public ... people airing their displeasure (at the Commission being scrapped) and we were just really encouraged by the groundswell of support to keep going," Prof Steffen said.

The Australian National University researcher said the Commission had filled "an important niche" as an a-political organisation, keeping Australians informed about "complex climate science".

Former Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery, who headed up the Commission, said it was important the work continued.

"It is crucial for tackling big societal challenges and for democracy that Australians have access to accurate scientific information," Professor Flannery said.

The two men will be joined by colleagues Roger Beale, Gerry Hueston, Professor Lesley Hughes and Professor Veena Sahajwalla.

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Motorists spending thousands each year

AUSTRALIANS are forking out more than $3800 a year to keep their cars on the road.

Fuel is a major expense, but it also costs more than $100 a year to park the car, and almost the same to clean it.

Queenslanders pay the most to keep their wheels on the road, while drivers in NSW are slugged the most at the toll booth.

Vehicle maintenance costs are highest in the Northern Territory, where vast distances separate the major centres.

Nationally, motorists spend an average of $3854 on running costs, before loan repayments and depreciation are taken into account, Commonwealth Bank credit and debit card transaction data shows.

Queenslanders pay on average $254 more than that, due to higher fuel and registration expenses.

Parking is most expensive in Western Australia, where $125 is spent each year, above the national average of $108.

Car washes are priciest in NSW, where the average annual spend totals $112.

Petrol makes up 40 per cent of Australia's annual average car bill, with a total of $7.2 billion being spent at the bowser.

A weakening Australian dollar could push that bill even higher, Commonwealth Bank economist Diana Mousina said.

"Fuel costs will always be a significant expense for car owners so I'd encourage consumers to think about putting more of their weekly budget aside to cover the increasing cost of fuel, especially those in regional Australia," she said.

Insurance costs average $407 each year.

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Biometric trick fools iPhone: German group

A GERMAN hacking group claims it can bypass the fingerprint-based security system used to unlock Apple's new iPhone 5S.

A spokesman for the Chaos Computer Club says the group managed to fool the phone's biometric sensor into accepting a fingerprint created with a household printer and wood glue.

Dirk Engling said on Monday that the exploit has been documented with several videos so independent experts can verify it.

He added that the hardest part had been getting hold of an iPhone 5S, which went on sale in Germany last week.

Apple didn't respond to repeated requests for comment.

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Swiss voters opt to keep military service

Switzerland is voting on a proposal to abolish mandatory service in its army. Source: AAP

SWISS voters have opted against abolishing the country's mandatory military service in a referendum.

The initiative by the Group for a Switzerland without an Army was rejected by more than two thirds of the voters on Sunday.

The pacifist group had advocated the introduction of a voluntary service, rather than adopting the example of other European countries that have switched to professional armies.

The government had spoken out against abolishing the current system, arguing that there would be a lack of volunteers and that this would endanger Switzerland's ability to defend itself.

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Red Cross pleads for Syria donations

Red Cross Australia has made a plea to Australians to help Syrians displaced by the civil war. Source: AAP

THE CEO of Red Cross Australia has made a personal plea to Australians to "act on their compassion" and help Syrian civilians displaced by the country's humanitarian crisis.

Robert Tickner says the not-for-profit organisation's Syria Crisis 2012 Appeal has raised just over $200,000 in a year.

"It's a pretty small response so far," Mr Tickner told AAP.

"It's tiny compared to many comparable humanitarian crisis events in the past."

He described the ongoing civil conflict in Syria as a "forgotten tragedy" that rarely makes it home to the breakfast tables of the public.

"Even though we see so much on our TV screens, I think the challenge is to bring home the reality to Australians of just how much people are suffering," he said.

"Imagine if you lived in a street where most houses had been bombed, where your neighbours fled."

More than two million civilians have fled the war-torn country, with over half of them children, according the United Nations refugee agency.

Almost nine million Syrians need humanitarian assistance with more than four million desperately in need of food, Mr Tickner said.

"Australians are very compassionate people, but the challenge is to get people to act on that compassion," Mr Tickner said.

"Australia can really help a lot here."

The Australian Red Cross is raising money to support the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, which provides millions of Syrian civilians with medical supplies, food, water and shelter.

To make a donation visit www.redcross.org.au

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Big 4 banks' satisfaction rating improves

AUSTRALIAN businesses are more satisfied with the big four banks than at any point in the last four years.

But satisfaction levels for National Australia Bank and ANZ continue to lag behind Commonwealth and Westpac.

The big four had an average rating of 7.3 out of 10 in August, according to the DBM Consultants Business Financial Services Monitor (BFSM).

It was the highest average satisfaction rating in the four year history of the BFSM.

"The figures for most of the major banks, not just the Commonwealth Bank, have risen since our research started four years ago," DBM Consultants Director Maria Claridad said.

The Commonwealth had the highest rating in August, with an average score of 7.6 out of 10, followed by Westpac on 7.4 out of 10.

Meanwhile, ANZ and NAB continued to lag behind on 7.0.

The BFSM surveys more than 20,000 businesses annually.

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Mines will drain central Qld water: report

PROPOSED coal mines will drain the equivalent of two-and-a-half Sydney harbours of groundwater in central Queensland, a report says.

Released on Monday and commissioned by anti-mining group Lock the Gate Alliance, the report assesses mining proposals and analyses potential groundwater impacts in the Galilee basin in the state's central west.

Several mining companies have proposed more than 34 open cut and 11 underground coal mines along a 270 kilometre stretch of the cattle grazing country.

Authored by former senior Queensland government water bureaucrat Tom Crothers, the report says the mine projects combined will have an enormous impact on groundwater levels.

Mr Crothers suggests they could also interfere with the Great Artesian Basin.

The report says federal and state governments have failed to assess the cumulative impacts the mining projects will have on groundwater relied upon by farmers and towns.

"Groundwater drawdown will significantly reduce the ability for surrounding graziers and towns to supply their water needs," it says.

Mr Crothers estimates the mines would consume a total of 1354 billion litres over project life estimations of between 30 and 90 years.

This is the equivalent of two-and-a-half Sydney Harbours removed from underground storages. Towns affected include Jericho and Alpha, west of Emerald.

Lock the Gate Alliance spokeswoman Ellie Smith says mining approvals in the area should be suspended until the government undertakes further studies.

"Our communities depend on groundwater - it's our lifeblood," she said.

"The coal companies and our governments are treating us with contempt by rushing ahead to develop these damaging mines without even quantifying the true risk to the region's water resources."

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Bangladesh garment workers, police clash

POLICE have fired rubber bullets and tear gas to disperse thousands of garment workers who blocked streets outside Bangladesh's capital to demand factory owners raise their minimum wage.

Police say at least 50 people were injured in Sunday's clashes outside Dhaka.

Police official Abul Kalm Azad said the workers were demanding that their minimum monthly wage be increased to 8114 takas ($A105), up from the current 3000 takas ($A40).

He said the workers attacked some factories and torched a van.

Factory owners are unwilling to increase the wage beyond 3600 takas, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Bangladesh earns about $US20 billion a year from exports of garment products.

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