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Already weakened by the scandal of illegal wiretapping in Britain, News Corp., the media group owned by Rupert Murdoch, is central to new accusations in Britain and Australia.

This new case involves the alleged actions of a subsidiary of the group which had the mission of promoting piracy of pay TV channels competing.

The Australian Financial Review reported Wednesday that News Corp. has used Operational Security, a subsidiary established in the mid 1990s, to sabotage its competitors. The Panorama program, broadcast in Britain by the BBC, had already reported similar suspicions.

"These are serious allegations, and allegations of criminal activity must be forwarded to the Australian Federal Police" told Reuters a spokesman for the Australian Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

News Ltd, the Australian arm of News Corp., on Wednesday condemned the accusations.

"This story is full of factual inaccuracies, references imperfect conclusions fanciful and unfounded accusations, which were rejected by foreign courts," it said in a statement. 

Operational Security was a branch of NDS, a subsidiary of News Corp. specializes in signal encryption, a crucial activity for pay-TV channels.

Since the broadcast of Panorama, NDS has denied "ever having been in possession of codes for the purpose of promoting piracy" and News Corp., who sold this month at Cisco Systems for five billion dollars, said accepting "full" insurance provided by its former subsidiary.

HACKERS AND FORMER INTELLIGENCE

But according to the Australian Financial Review, Operational Security employees, former police officers or intelligence officers, allegedly recruited "hackers" computer to decipher codes or access cards provided by pay channels competing for their subscribers. These codes were then sold on the black market via "yes cards" to monitor programs encrypted channels without paying a penny.

The Australian Financial Review suggests a shortfall amounting to millions of dollars and says that these actions reduced the value of competitors like DirecTV in the U.S. or Telepiu in Italy, a former subsidiary of Canal Plus, facilitating their acquisitions at low cost by News Corp.

These charges echo the report released Monday by the BBC as part of its documentary program. According to the journalists of Panorama, NDS would have hired a consultant to broadcast via its website access codes to ITV Digital, a competitor to Sky TV, which then belonged to Murdoch.

ITV Digital, which has accumulated difficulties at launch (rivalry between shareholders, lack of flagship programs, price war with BSkyB), disappeared in 2002.

"These allegations, if proved, are the most serious to date," said British MP Tom Watson, who took the Ofcom, the UK media regulation and communication. "If what Panorama says is true, this suggests the existence of a global conspiracy to undermine a major British company, ITV Digital," he told Reuters on Tuesday.

A COMPLAINT OF CANAL PLUS WAIVED IN 2003

The Australian Financial Review, owned by Fairfax Media, a rival to News Corp in Australia, said particular rely on 14,400 emails found on the hard drive of a laptop qu'utilisait Ray Adams responsible for Europe NDS Operational Security from January 1996 to May 2002.

"Nothing suggests that Sky or News Corp. knew what was NDS. But if all this turned out, the News Corp. will end up once again accused of behaving so anything less than appropriate, "said Steve Hewlett, consultant specializing in the IR dias

. In the past, NDS has already been the subject of several lawsuits for alleged piracy ….

….. In 2002, Canal Plus had requested $ 3 billion in damages. The French group, which had provided its ITV Digital signal encryption technologies, NDS accused of having "cracked" the code and using them to fuiter internet.

Canal Plus withdrew its lawsuit in 2003, when News Corp. bought by Vivendi, the parent company of Canal, the Italian television channel Telepiu, renamed Sky Italia.

In other court records, NDS has been largely exempt from acts he was charged and was even awarded this month $ 19 million compensation after rejection of a complaint by the U.S. provider of satellite TV EchoStar and Swiss digital security company Kudelski.

European shares start up Friday, continuing a rebound started the day late in the session, in the wake of Wall Street and Asian markets as investors regained confidence in the ability of Greece to get its second aid plan and avoid a disorderly default.

The euro area provides the finishing touches on a second aid plan for Greece so that the finance ministers can approve Monday, European officials said.

At 9:22, the CAC 40 index is 1.02% to 3,427.77 points, having pressed upon opening the pivot points of 3410.

The Euro Stoxx 50 gained 0.91%, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange 0.7% and 0.4% in London. 

The financial and cyclical stocks are leading gains in Europe, including a gain of more than 3% for SG. Lafarge gained nearly 4% after its results and the announcement of a 14% reduction of its debt.

Meanwhile, the cost of borrowing from Italy and Spain fall in the bond market, thereby enhancing

yield spreads with those of Germany.

Not easy being a socialist candidate in times of budget deficit. On the one hand, we must gather all left, and the other not to antagonize the financial markets, with power to increase the cost of debt. Francois Hollande in his first big campaign rally, Sunday, Jan. 22 at Le Bourget.

Finance the war against Francois Hollande is it already over? Having dug up the hatchet in January at Le Bourget, the PS presidential candidate seems ready to smoke the peace pipe in the British press when he denied any "aggression" against the financial markets.

It's early in the week that François Hollande has raised the white flag. Before going to London, he in effect gave an interview to several British correspondents including the Telegraph, the Financial Times and the Guardian. To reassure all these people came to interview in Paris – and at the same time readers of the City-François Hollande has tried convincing: no it is not regarded in France as a very left financial regulation. And no, the France of 1981 has nothing to do with that of 2012, where "there are more communists," he said. Since the Guardian has restored the full quote by adding the flat "or very little." But the little phrase made noise in France where she has raised the ire of the Communist Party and part of the left. And drew attention to the soothing message of one who presented himself as the exterminating angel of finance.

To please these ears International, Francois Hollande has indeed put barrels of water in his wine. He did not hesitate to recall that during the fifteen where they were in power, the Socialists had liberalized the economy, open markets to finance and privatization. According to him, he and Obama would also have very close positions on the topic: "One could say that Obama and I have the same advisors."

Finance, enemy number one on the inside …

A speech that contrasts clearly with the speech of January 22 Bourget, in which he had made finance enemy number one, it had to be slaughtered at all costs. This financing "nameless, faceless, non-party" but "nevertheless governs us" and took control of our lives …

At the time all the political commentators asserted: Francois Hollande had managed a grand coming out on the left! The verbal attack angered the bankers, tired of being stigmatized. And they came with a program: creation of a tax on financial transactions, separation of deposit banks and investment banks, creating a special tax for financial institutions, or limiting bonuses. Ultimately, however, nothing really revolutionary. But the strong speech perfectly met the expectations of the electorate to the left.

… partner and to be struck out

So why this double standard? Francois Hollande is a campaign from the first round of presidential elections in which he must collect the left where it calls for more measures to support growth. This does not prevent him from being convinced that deficit reduction is essential. His lecture on the encryption program, far from lyrical flights of Bourget failing to have been accurate on spending cuts, was already a sign. But he also knows that the markets are still the law in fiscal policy. To put them back is to take the risk of skyrocketing interest rates on the French debt.

But some recent indicators have come to confirm it was time to make peace with investors. A report by economist Erik Nielsen of UniCredit noted in particular the fear of the markets to see the PS candidate cross the steps of the Elysee. Concerned, the prospect of renegotiating the EU Stability Pact to avoid the constitutional goal of balancing public finances. Hence the signals sent through appeasement of the international press. However not sure whether they were intended to be discussed in the hexagon. Which is not without problems.

Olivier Dartigolles for example, spokesman for the PCF, the "kneeling" before the City of Holland "are hard to the left". A view shared by Marie-George Buffet and Jean-Luc Melenchon, who both joked statements of the candidate face to British journalists. "You can not simultaneously be the candidate of the City and the candidate cities", summed up Wednesday Hervé Gattegno, editor of the Point.

Furthermore, this game is subtle to say the least on how to reduce deficits, could also turn against him. It is said the markets they are non-partisan. Maybe, but they are adamant on one point: the deficit reduction plans should be adjusted to the nearest euro!

Wall Street opened higher Monday after the vote of austerity measures by the Greek Parliament, investors wanting to believe that this new step will move towards a resolution of the debt crisis in Greece.

In early trade, the Dow Jones gained 0.48% (61.76 points) to 12,862.99 points. The Standard & Poor's, which was accused last week its first weekly decline in six weeks, is 0.64% (8.65 points) to 1,351.29 points while the Nasdaq composite advance 0.81% (23.57 points) to 2,927.45.

"There was a little apprehensive but the fact is that (the Greek plan) was approved and it has clarified many things to contracts involving the risk that Greece represents for them, "Justice Peter Kenny, managing director of Knight Capital.

Side values, as Apple has climbed above $ 500 at the opening (1.65%), reaching a new record. 

The group has stepped up to the apple its offensive Monday against Samsung Electronics in the patent war between them, by attacking the Nexus range of smartphones equipped with the latest version of Android, the operating system from Google.

Lagardère Tuesday reported a turnover slightly below expectations for 2011, hit by the decline in revenues in publishing, and announced ; significant writedowns of around 900 million euros.

The media group has gone through a year 2011 marked heckled by two warnings on its results, a controversy over its leader Arnaud Lagardère and a fall of over 30% of his title scholarship. 

"In 2011, taking into account both an economic and market environment deteriorated, and other performances (recorded in the second half) and prospects for the industry Unlimited, should lead impairment in value of a significant amount, "the group said in a statement, referring to its division dedicated to sport and entertainment.

Lagardère adds that he also revised down the value in its accounts of its 20% stake in Canal + France.

The full year, revenue came out to 7.657 billion euros, against 7.966 billion during the previous year, an increase of 0.2% on a comparable basis. 

The Thomson Reuters consensus I / B / E / S brought out a turnover of 7.684 billion euros on the basis of estimates of 18 analysts.

The group, which will publish its full year results on March 8, confirmed its forecast of a decline of 5 to 12% of its recurring EBIT before associates (EBIT) for 2011 Media .

The stock closed Monday at 1.51% to 23.1450 euros. Since the beginning of the year, it was up 13.5%, compared with increases of 4.62% of the media sector index.

The rating agency lowered the rating of the country by one notch to "AA +" to "AA". It could further deteriorate in the future. Outgoing Prime Minister of Belgium Yves Leterme, the ordinary business since April 2010

Belgium was sanctioned Friday by the rating agency Standard and Poor's, because of its debt and therefore the political crisis through which it passes for over 500 days and paralyzing currently discussing the formation of the next budget. The rating agency lowered the rating of the Kingdom by one notch to "AA +" to "AA". It could further deteriorate in the future.

Reacting immediately, the Prime Minister Yves Leterme current affairs said that the decision was "naturally bad news," before launching an appeal to political parties to reach agreement within 48 hours on the budget.The country's leaders also face pressure from the European Commission threatening Belgium with a fine of 700 million euros if a tight budget is not completed by mid-December.

Continuing difficulties in the financial sector

It is this urgency and the lack of credibility of the country has pointed Standard & Poor's lowering the rating of the kingdom. Involved: "difficulties in the financial sector" which may require greater support by the government which would increase the already high debt of the country and especially the context of "political uncertainty" that continues to affect the credibility of Belgium as a borrower.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has extended its credit instruments Tuesday and announced the creation of a new liquidity line to six months to support the country weakened by the European budget crisis.

The IMF said that the new line Precaution and Liquidity would act as "insurance against future shocks and as a window for short-term liquidity to meet the needs."

This new line will provide access to liquidity to finance six months, up to five times the quota of the member country concerned, and may also be used as part of an arrangement for a period of 12 to 24 months with this time access up to 10 times the quota of the country.

The IMF also created a new Financial Instrument for Rapid countries with balance of payments is facing urgent needs due to "external shocks" such as natural disasters.

"We acted quickly and the new instruments will respond more quickly and efficiently for the benefit of all members (IMF)," said Executive Director of the IMF, Christine Lagarde said in a statement.

The Bank of Japan announced the continued existence of its monetary policy while lowering its outlook, saying fear the repercussions of the crisis of European sovereign debt.

The main rate of the BoJ remains at 0.1%.

The discussions between political leaders around the Greek Prime Minister-designate were completed Thursday night with no announcement on the composition of the future government, officials said an official with the outgoing government.

The new coalition government headed by Lucas Papademos must be invested to Friday 12:00 GMT.

Representatives of PASOK (Socialists), New Democracy (conservative) and LAOS (far right) attended the meeting Thursday night. They left the office of prime minister without making any announcement.

"The first meeting of party representatives with Mr.Papademos is over, "he told reporters a government official who requested anonymity.

He added that discussions would continue but it is unclear when the composition of government will be officially announced.

PASOK and New Democracy of the two main countries agreed on a coalition agreement to try to prevent Greece from bankruptcy.

The forecast of zero growth of the French economy in the fourth quarter by the Banque de France confirms a slowdown sustainable activity that weakens the hypothesis government and increases the likelihood of a new austerity plan next year.

The forecast released Wednesday, in line with that issued by INSEE in October, comes two days after the announcement of a second austerity plan in less than three months and a G20 summit haunted by the specter of a recession.

Weak growth, zero or negative, means that tax revenues will be lower than expected and higher spending, the financial statements being greater demand.The French economy grew by 0.9% in the first quarter and was flat in the second.

The Institute of Statistics said in October forecast growth of 0.3% in the third quarter and a stagnation in the fourth, according to the assumptions that should enable it to achieve the government forecast for 2011 (1.75%).

ECONOMY TO START OFF 2012

But the achievements of growth for 2012 would be only 0.2%, six times less than at the end of 2010, and it would be even lower if growth in the third quarter was only 0.1% as the has provided the Bank of France.