SYDNEY (JTA) — An Australian government agency has struck a blow against a Jewish dating service.

The Anti-Discrimination Tribunal in the state of Victoria last week informed Ann Ivamy-Phillips that her plan to set up an agency that would deal only with Jewish clients would be considered a violation of the state's anti-discrimination laws.

The president of the tribunal said Ivamy-Phillips had failed "to show there is a strong social need or that the exemption would redress a cultural disadvantage."

Ivamy-Phillips had told the tribunal that it was a commandment in the Torah for Jews to marry other Jews and that the aim of her agency would be to preserve Jewish culture.

The president of the Jewish Community Council of Victoria, Nina Bassat, said that "it is difficult to see what group of people would have been disadvantaged by the operation of such an agency."

Bassat said "the only aim of the agency seemed to be to increase the possibilities of Jewish people who sought to meet other Jewish people."

Approximately 45 percent of Australia's Jews live in Victoria.

Estonia orders inquiry into neo-Nazi papers

MOSCOW (JTA) — Estonia's president ordered an investigation into the printing of neo-Nazi newspapers in the Baltic country. Lennart Meri also requested that investigators identify who in Sweden financed the printing of the newspapers.

According to a Swedish television report, a privately owned printing house in Estonia printed various neo-Nazi publications ordered from Sweden. The printing house has acknowledged that issues of two extremist newspapers were printed there early last year, but pointed out that since none of its staff speaks Swedish, the company was unaware of the newspapers' contents.

Pakistan says Iran won't get nuke help

ISLAMABAD (JTA) — Pakistan has promised Israeli officials that it would not transfer any nuclear technology to Iran, according to the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot.

The paper said secret contacts were held between Israeli and Pakistani officials after Israel voiced concerns that Pakistan might sell its nuclear know-how to Tehran.