Greek police probe neo-Nazi hate speech

POLICE in Greece say they have opened an investigation after a report on Britain's Channel 4 television showed a Greek neo-Nazi threatening to turn immigrants into soap.

The statements were made by Alexandros Plomaritis, a 44-year-old who ran for parliament for the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn in last year's election.

"We are ready to open the ovens. We will turn them into soap ... to wash cars and pavements. We will make lamps from their skin," Plomaritis said of undocumented migrants, whom he also termed "miasma" and "subhuman".

Plomaritis was filmed ahead of the election handing out Golden Dawn tracts in an open-air market and chatting with his friends outside a cafe.

Golden Dawn dismissed the report as "grotesque".

"These views were stated to make people laugh," party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris said in a statement.

"The cafe regulars were making fun of the English," he said.

Golden Dawn, formerly on the fringe of Greek politics, has seen its ratings soar since last year in a country weary of austerity and political corruption.

The party saw 18 deputies elected to parliament in June for the first time in its history and is the third most popular party in opinion polls.

Rights groups have regularly accused Greek police of turning a blind eye to suspected Golden Dawn attacks against migrants and political opponents.

Kasidiaris will be tried on Thursday for allegedly providing a getaway car to five men who beat up a student at a university campus in 2007.

The investigation into the neo-Nazi candidate's hate language was instigated by a special police department on racist violence that was only recently set up following international pressure.

Golden Dawn leader Nikos Michaloliakos gave a televised interview in May in which he denied the existence of gas chambers and crematoria during World War II.

He also called Adolf Hitler "a major historical figure of the 20th century."

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Canada foreign aid tied to commerce

ONCE held up as a model global citizen, Canada is facing growing criticism from aid groups over moves to tie foreign assistance to trade through partnerships with mining and other firms.

Plenty of nations use foreign aid to further their political and economic interests, and Ottawa has insisted that in tough economic times a market-based approach involving private firms will ensure aid is used efficiently.

But aid groups counter that in tying assistance to economic gains Canada neglects its obligation to fight poverty, and Ottawa has even earned a rare rebuke from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

In January, Canada's International Co-operation Minister Julian Fantino announced the suspension of new aid to Haiti over concerns about mismanagement of funds in the impoverished Caribbean nation, ravaged by a 2010 earthquake.

Canada is a leading backer of international efforts to rebuild Haiti, and the announcement drew immediate criticism from aid groups.

Bonnie Campbell, a politics professor at the University of Quebec in Montreal, said the changes began in 2009, when the Canadian government axed funding for eight African countries.

Colombia and Peru, two nations that had recently signed free trade agreements with Canada, were meanwhile added to Ottawa's list of top aid beneficiaries.

"Those picks are worrying," said Campbell.

"We're choosing targets for aid based on Canada's commercial interests and we're distancing ourselves from our international obligations to reduce poverty."

The latest changes even drew criticism from the OECD, which last year deemed unfortunate a five-per cent reduction in Canada's foreign aid budget, saying its "new approach to foreign aid is neither sufficient nor transparent."

In a response to AFP, Fantino touted the private sector as "absolutely essential for job creation and durable economic growth, without which developing nations cannot break the cycle of poverty."

He said Ottawa had obtained positive results by focusing aid on the "social, economic and health needs" of people in poorer nations and defended its partnerships with mining and other firms.

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Weak leadership cost Baillieu - editorials

WEAK leadership in tough times forced Ted Baillieu's resignation, and his successor, Premier Denis Napthine, faces a struggle to resurrect the unpopular Victorian government, Melbourne's major newspapers say.

The Australian says while Mr Baillieu's greatest achievement - returning the coalition to government after 11 years - should not be forgotten, he lacked decisiveness and vision once in office.

He failed to inspire the confidence of his own party members, as well as the Victorian people.

His handling of this week's taped conversation scandal sealed his fate, it says.

"After a series of policy failures, scandals and poor poll results, the task for the new premier will be to lead boldly," the editorial said.

The Herald Sun says Mr Baillieu lacked the guidance and direction his party members - and Victorians - needed from him.

His lack of communication hurt him most, and he needed a stronger voice, its editorial says.

"It was always a matter of communication, or a lack of it for which Mr Baillieu was criticised by this newspaper, as well as his political mentor in former premier Jeff Kennett," it said.

The Age says Mr Baillieu set high standards upon his election, but failed to follow through once in office.

His promises to end the "rancid culture" of politics and deliver disciplined, stable government did not eventuate, and that culture only grew in party ranks, it says.

"That it was there at all, and allowed to fester on his watch, points to a significant failure of leadership," The Age's editorial said.

The coalition's future would depend on its preparedness to crush disunity and frustration within its ranks, it said.

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Crisis blamed as Italian man kills 2, self

AN Italian clothes maker whose business was turned down for credit has shot dead two civil servants and himself in the city of Perugia in an attack the local mayor blamed on the financial crisis.

"This is an immense tragedy - the product of a terrible climate linked to the current economic situation," Perugia mayor Vladimiro Boccali said as he came out of the regional administration office where the shootings took place.

The man, named by Italian media as 43-year-old entrepreneur Andrea Zampi, shot the two women several times before turning the gun on himself.

PerugiaToday news website said the regional administration had turned down his request for credit that would have allowed him to raise some 130,000 euros ($A166,688).

He had come to their offices several times in recent days to complain.

Italy is suffering through its longest recession in 20 years and access to credit for businesses has become particularly difficult in recent months.

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News Corp shows education tablet

NEWS Corp has taken the wraps off its new tablet computer for the school market, saying the device will use "digital innovation to transform teaching and learning".

Rupert Murdoch's media conglomerate showed the Amplify device at the South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas, after having announced plans in July.

Amplify is a 25-centimetre screen tablet using the Android operating system, designed for primary and secondary school markets.

News Corp has a partnership with AT&T to provide wireless connectivity for the devices.

School districts will be able to buy a Wi-Fi device for $US299 ($A293.20) with a two-year subscription at $US99 per year.

A tablet with mobile connectivity will be sold at $US349 with a two-year subscription at $US179 per year.

It will be available for US markets for the school year starting in September.

"This is more than just a tablet. It's a complete learning solution organised around the school day," said Stephen Smyth, president of Amplify's Access division.

"We believe it's both more affordable and more impactful than just about any other product in the education technology market."

Amplify is also working on school curricula and other materials and other products for the classroom.

"It is our aim to amplify the power of digital innovation to transform teaching and learning and to help schools deliver fundamentally better experiences and results," said Joel Klein, chief executive of Amplify.

"We want to transform the way teachers teach and students learn."

News Corp is moving ahead on a plan to create separate companies for the huge entertainment division and the struggling publishing business, which includes the education unit.

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Dow extends record run in early trade

THE Dow Jones Industrial Average has extended its record-breaking run as US markets rallied for modest gains in opening trade.

After setting an all-time closing high on Tuesday of 14,253.77, the Dow added another 42.01 points (0.29 per cent) in the first five minutes of trade to 14,295.78.

The broader S&P 500 rose 4.33 points (0.28 per cent) to 1,544.12, still nearly two per cent shy of its October 9, 2007 record.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose 5.21 (0.16 per cent) to 3,229.34.

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Cyprus haircut 'catastrophic': minister

THE finance minister of cash-strapped Cyprus says a haircut on deposits in local banks will be catastrophic, not only for Cyprus but the entire eurozone.

Such a possibility has been raised and, on Monday, Eurogroup finance ministers failed to rule it out if Nicosia is to clinch a bailout deal.

"We have repeated in the strongest terms that this is not an issue that is on the table," Finance Minister Michalis Sarris told reporters in Nicosia on Wednesday.

"It would be disastrous for Cyprus and the euro zone, and I think this message is gradually getting through to those who may have imagined that it is a possibility."

He said the issue "is not on the table for negotiation" with the so-called troika of international lenders - the European Commission, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund - currently on the island.

A senior troika negotiating team began contacts with the authorities on Wednesday over what steps need to be taken to secure a bailout agreement earmarked for the end of March.

Prior to their arrival, a team of technocrats was on the island collecting information on semi-governmental organisations as part of a deal to finalise financial aid.

They are checking the assets, projects and accounts of state-run enterprises such as the electricity and telecoms authority.

In order to seal a bailout agreement it could need to sell off state assets, agree a sum on bank recapitalisation and refute dirty money claims.

The anticipated 17 billion euros ($A21.80 billion) figure is roughly the same as the island's GDP, and would increase debt to more than 140 per cent of GDP, a level considered unmanageable.

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