Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.

Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. is the largest media group in , owned by the Sahu Jain family, also

known as . It is best known as the publisher of English daily . This

company, along with its other group companies, are more popularly known as The Times Group, which

also publish (a leading financial broadsheet), Mirror, , the

Navbharat Times (a Hindi daily broadsheet), Sandhya Times, and the Times (a Marathi

daily broadsheet).

It publishes general interest magazines like and .

The Times Group has very recently added a 24-hour English news channel to its chain of

news organisations. TIMES NOW is a collaboration between Times Group and Reuters.

It owns , a popular FM Radio brand in India and Indiatimes, a popular Indian portal. It also launched a real-estate speciality portal MagicBricks that brings property buyers and sellers (for both land

& various types of constructions) onto a same collaboration platform. It also has a job portal called

"Timesjobs" and a matrimonial portal called "Simplymarry". It has recently introduced a new venture

called goodlife world, where all the products of BCCL comes under one roof.

Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. has an open programme whereby it enters into pacts/agreements with

approximately 100-odd companies (www.privatetreaties.com). Under the pact, which is called a Private

Treaty, Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. buys shares of small and fast-growing companies in return for

guaranteed advertising and, quite obviously, favourable coverage in the Times publications. Some

analysts point out that private treaty is a good way for companies or individuals to escape negative

publicity from the Times group publications.

Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd. has also, of late, been acquiring equity interests in a number of Indian

companies, from real estate to online brokerage. For a publishing group that owns two of the largest

selling English medium dailies in the world, namely µThe Times of India¶ and µEconomic Times¶, the acquisition of equity stakes in companies and the µprivate treaty¶ arrangement has often lead to question

marks as to the editorial quality and integrity of its publications.

Provided below is an indicative list of companies in which BCCL has made significant equity investments:

Abbee Consumables And Peripherals Sshope Ltd.

Ace Tours Worldwide Private Limited

Almondz Capital & Management Services Ltd Almondz Global Securities Ltd

Archies Ltd.

Asia CRYO-CELL Private Limited

Avestha Gengraine Technologies Pvt Ltd.

Bajaj Hindusthan Sugar & Industries Ltd.

Career Forum Ltd.

Cosmo Aviation Training School

Emaar MGF Land Limited

Ensemble Infrastructure India Limited

eYantra Industries

ICRI Research (P) Ltd.

India Infoline Ltd.

KSL and Industries Ltd.

Leisure & Lifestyle Information Services Pvt. Ltd.

Liberty Whiteware Pvt Ltd.

Lok Housing & Constructions Ltd.

NEXT Link Pvt Ltd.

Nik-Nish Retail Pvt., Ltd.

Pantaloon Retail (India) Ltd.

Refex Refrigerants Ltd.

Sahara One Media and Entertainment Ltd.

Sai InfoSystems India Pvt. Ltd. SatNav Technologies (P) Ltd.

Sleep-ins Apparels Pvt., Ltd.

SMC Global Securities Ltd.

Timbor Home Pvt Ltd.

Travel Masti Holidays Private Ltd.

Utssav CZ Gold Jewels

Worldwide Media Ltd.

YOU Telecom India Pvt Ltd.

Non-cooperation movement to be launched in Telangana on Feb 17

2011-02-11 20:20:00 Last Updated: 2011-02-11 20:33:24

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Hyderabad: The agitation for separate statehood to Telangana is set to intensify with the Joint Action Committee (JAC) gearing up to launch a non-cooperation movement from Feb 17 and an indefinite shutdown from Feb 22.

The JAC, an apex body of the political parties and the groups fighting for separate Telangana state on Friday decided to go ahead with the indefinite protest to demand introduction of a bill in Parliament for carving out a separate state.

JAC Convenor M Kodandaram announced an action plan under the non-cooperation movement and also a series of protest programmes in the run up to the campaign.

The JAC, which comprises Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and various groups representing government employees, lawyers, students and other sections, wants the central government to table a bill in the coming budget session of parliament.

As part of the non-cooperation movement, people in Hyderabad and nine other districts of Telangana will not buy tickets while travelling in the state-owned Road Transport Corporation buses. 'People will also not pay utility charges and taxes like toll tax on highways and property tax,' Kodandaram said. The JAC further appealed to people to boycott the ongoing census.

TRS to move no-confidence motion in AP assembly

'People launch non-cooperation movement if they feel the government is illegitimate. We feel this government represents only the interests of the ruling classes of Andhra and Rayalaseema regions,' he said.

He added that the JAC would organise rallies, picket government offices, 'jail bharo' and lay siege to the houses of Congress and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) legislators before launching the non- cooperation movement.

The protesters will block traffic on highways to mount pressure on the government.

The government employees and the teachers in Telangana have also decided to participate in the

non-cooperation movement by not performing their duties. ULFA leaders meet Chidambaram in Delhi Kalyan Barooah NEW DELHI, Feb 10 ± In a first step forward in the ULFA peace process, a seven- member coordi-nation committee was set up to fix modalities and oversee a couple of critical aspects, even as the Centre insisted on non-interference from the pro-talk group with any military operations against Paresh Barua faction.

The day one of the ULFA leaders¶ Delhi tour appeared fruitful, as the eight-member delegation led by chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa held the first formal round with Union Home Secretary G K Pillai and State Chief Secretary Naba Kumar Das. Minutes earlier, they met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram in what was described as an introductory meeting. On Monday, they are expected to call on Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh.

Home Ministry officials described the interaction as an ice-breaking meeting. The meeting decided to constitute the seven-member committee with Joint Secretary (North- east) Sambhu Singh as coordinator. The committee would comprise three representatives from ULFA, two officials each of Government of India and Government of Assam. ULFA is likely to nominate three names shortly.

The coordination committee would look into the issues such as setting up of designated camps to house the ULFA cadres and thrashing out the surrender process.

A significant development was that the Home Ministry wanted the ULFA leaders not to interfere with any operations conducted by security forces against anti-talk group headed by Paresh Barua, putting Rajkhowa¶s group in a dilemma.

Sources further said that after completion of the initial formalities, the next round of formal talks would be held sometime in May after the Assembly polls in Assam. Officials, however, indicated that a formal ceasefire pact may not be signed immediately, as an informal suspension of operation was already in place.

The ULFA delegation also raised the issue of Anup Chetia¶s release. The delegation was told about ten pending petitions in Bangladesh Court, filed by Chetia seeking political asylum. Chetia has to withdraw the petitions. Later addressing a press conference, Sasha Choudhury said that an offer for ceasefire would have to come from the Government of India¶s side and so far none has come.

Welcoming the ULFA leaders, the Union Home Minister said that the ULFA leaders have offered unconditional talks with the Government of India and Assam to find an honourable and just solution.

³I welcomed them and assured them that the Governments of India and Assam would engage them in sincere and meaningful talks. I am confident that we will find a just and honourable solution,´ Chidambaram added.

The meeting between the ULFA leaders and Chidambaram lasted for about 15 minutes, while the formal talks with the Home Secretary continued for about 45 minutes. The ULFA leaders who attended the meeting included vice-chairman Pradip Gogoi, Chitraban Hazarika, Raju Barua,

Bhimkanta Buragohain, Mithinga Daimary and Pranati Deka, among others, besides the chairman and Choudhury.

The ULFA leaders including the vice-chairman, Chitraban Hazarika and Sasha Choudhury later addressed a press conference while Rajkhowa and other leaders kept themselves away. The militant leaders answered a volley of questions ranging from Paresh Barua¶s reaction to the possibility of joining politics to the reasons for taking shelter in Bangladesh.

Hinting at the need to amend the Constitution of India, ULFA leader said that Sanmilita Jatiya Abhibartan (SJA) was preparing the agenda. It would be later circulated among the people for comments after which it would be placed before the Government of India.

Replying to questions, the ULFA leaders declined to clarify what constitutional amendments they were looking for but referred to the Prime Minister¶s statement in Hyderabad, when he said that the Indian Constitution was flexible enough to address the desires of all people. Substantive talks would be on the basis of the agenda of SJA,´ they said.

Choudhury further clarified that they have come forward for talks on the basis of the three resolutions adopted by SJA, a joint platform of 18 organisations.

On the decision to drop the demand for sovereignty, Choudhury said that they wer e following the decision taken by the general council of ULFA, which resolved that ULFA members have to talk to the government.

On the impact of Paresh Barua¶s rejection of the peace process, Choudhury said it would have zero impact. But he maintained that Barua was still the commander-in-chief of the outfit. ³He may or may not join the talk process, I cannot say what decision he would take,´ said Choudhury.

On the recent controversy over People¶s Consultative Group (PCG), Choudhury asserted that the general council did not approve its continuance and therefore it is illegal.

When asked about the Assam Accord, Choudhury mentioned about the grave dangers posed by illegal infiltration from across the border and the move to defend the IM (DT) Act, which was scrapped by the Supreme Court and the attempt to bring it back through back door. About the reason for taking shelter in Bangladesh, Choudhury said they were forced to do so because they and their family did not feel safe in the country. But the ULFA leaders¶ sidetracked questions about their reactions to actions taken by the Governments of Bhutan and Bangladesh.

osni Mubarak resigns, hands power to military

2011-02-11 22:28:57 Last Updated: 2011-02-11 22:32:25

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President Hosni Mubarak refused to step down or leave Egypt and instead han...

Cairo: Egypt's Hosni Mubarak resigned as president and handed control to the military on Friday after 29 years in power, bowing to a historic 18-day wave of pro- democracy demonstrations by hundreds of thousands.

"The people ousted the president," chanted a crowd of tens of thousands outside his presidential palace in Cairo.

Several hundred thousand protesters massed in Cairo's central Tahrir Square exploded into joy, cheering and waving Egyptian flags.

Fireworks, car horns and celebratory shots in the air were heard around the city of 18 million in joy after Vice President Omar Suleiman made the announcement on national TV just after nightfall.

Mubarak had sought to cling to power, handing some of his authorities to Suleiman while keeping his title. But an explosion of protests Friday rejecting the move appeared to have pushed the military into forcing him out completely.

Hundreds of thousands marched throughout the day in cities across the country as soliders stood by, besieging his palace in Cairo and Alexandria and the state TV building. A governor of a southern province was forced to flee to safety in the face of protests there.

It was the biggest day of protests yet in the upheaval that began January 25, growing from youth activists working on the Internet into a mass movement that tapped into widespread discontent with Mubarak's authoritarian lock on power, corruption, economic woes and widespread disparities between rich and poor.

"In these grave circumstances that the country is passing through, President Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave his position as president of the republic," a grim-looking Suleiman said. "He has mandated the Armed Forces Supreme Council to run the state. God is our protector and succor."

Nobel Peace laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, whose young supporters were among the organisers of the protest movement, said "This is the greatest day of my life."

Full coverage: The Egypt uprising

"The country has been liberated after decades of repression," he said, adding that he expected a "beautiful" transition of power.

Outside Mubarak's Oruba Palace in northern Cairo, women on balconies ululated with the joyous tongue-trilling used to mark weddings and births.