ISRAEL'S NETANYAHU FALLS SHORT OF PARLIAMENTARY MAJORITYThe final results from Israel's election have confirmed that Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu has again fallen short of a parliamentary majority withhis hard-line allies.The results, released late Thursday, signal further political deadlock.Monday's election was the country's third in less than a year. Previouselections in April and September also ended in deadlock.Exit polls late Monday had indicated that Netanyahu's Likud Party, alongwith his religious and nationalist allies, had captured 60 seats, puttingthem on the cusp of a 61-seat governing majority. Netanyahu triumphantlydeclared a "huge victory."Likud emerged as the largest single party, with 36 seats, according to thefinal results. But his right-wing bloc captured only 58 seats, well short ofthe hoped-for majority.With Israel's opposition divided, the country appears to be heading intofurther deadlock, as Netanyahu prepares to go on trial for corruptioncharges with an unprecedented fourth straight election a possibility.TURKEY-RUSSIA AGREE ON CEASEFIRE IN SYRIA'S IDLIBTurkey and Russia agreed a ceasefire deal on Thursday in Syria's Idlibregion, their two leaders said after lengthy talks in Moscow to contain aconflict which has displaced nearly a million people in three months.Russian President Vladimir Putin, standing next to his Turkish counterpartTayyip Erdogan, said he hoped their agreement would lead to a halt ofmilitary action in Syria's last rebel stronghold in the far northwest of thecountry."I express hope that these agreements will serve as a good basis for acessation of military activity in the Idlib de-escalation zone (and) stopthe suffering of the peaceful population and the growing humanitariancrisis," Mr. Putin said.RBI SUPERSEDES YES BANK BOARD, CAPS WITHDRAWALS AT RS 50,000The Reserve Bank of India Thursday superseded the board of directors oftroubled Yes Bank for a period of 30 days "owing to serious deterioration inthe financial position" of the bank and capped deposit withdrawals at Rs50,000 per depositor.The central bank said: "This has been done to quickly restore depositors'confidence in the bank, including by putting in place a scheme forreconstruction or amalgamation." The RBI appointed Prashant Kumar, formerDeputy Managing Director and CFO of State Bank of India, as theadministrator of the private sector bank.The RBI directed Yes Bank that it should not grant or renew any loan oradvance, make any investment, incur any liability or agree to disburse anypayment or otherwise enter into any compromise or agreement and transfer ordispose of any of its properties or assets. However, it will be able to paysalaries to its over 20,000 employees, the central bank said.The financial position of Yes Bank, the fifth largest private bank, hasundergone a steady decline largely due to the bank's inability to raisecapital to address potential loan losses and resultant downgrades,triggering invocation of bond covenants by investors and withdrawal ofdeposits, the RBI said.Earlier, in a last-ditch attempt, there was a proposal suggesting that aconsortium of investors led by State Bank of India is likely to pick up asignificant stake in Yes Bank to provide much-needed equity support to thetroubled lender and to ensure that stability in the financial system ismaintained.As part of the proposal, lenders, led by SBI, were considering subscribingto a preferential share issue to acquire a sizeable stake of around 49 percent in Yes Bank. There were indications that Life Insurance Corporation(LIC) and some private sector banks could be part of the consortium.However, this proposal didn't work out.Shares of Yes Bank closed higher 27 per cent at Rs 37.20 at the NationalStock Exchange Thursday.The RBI has already indicated a "reconstruction or amalgamation plan" sayingit "assures the depositors of the bank that their interest will be fullyprotected and there is no need to panic." The revival plan, the RBIsuggested, may be put in place "well before the period of moratorium of 30days ends so that the depositors are not put to hardship for a long periodof time."SBI, in a late evening disclosure to the stock exchanges, said it discussedthe Yes Bank proposal in its board meeting and that "an in-principleapproval has been given by the Board to explore investment opportunity inthe Bank."NIRBHAYA CASE CONVICTS TO BE HANGED ON MARCH 20, BUT 2 YET TO EXHAUST LASTBIDThe Supreme Court on Thursday said it would examine the legal issue arisingout of the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case on whether there could beseparate hanging in a case where there are more than one death row convicts.The apex court said this while hearing an appeal filed by the Centre and theDelhi government challenging the February 5 order of Delhi High Court whichhad said that the four Nirbhaya case convicts have to be executedsimultaneously.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Centre and Delhi government,told the bench that these convicts have taken justice delivery system for "aride" and made a "mockery" of it by adopting delay tactics.The execution of death warrants of these convicts have been deferred thriceso far due to delays by them in exhausting their legal remedies.The bench posted the plea for arguments on merits on March 23.About 30 minutes before proceedings commenced in the top court, a trialcourt issued fresh warrants with March 20, 5.30 am, as the date for theexecution of the convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25),Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31).During the arguments, Mehta said there was no statutory provision whichstipulates that convicts have to be executed simultaneously and as per thelaw, only trial of a case has to be conducted simultaneously. "Today, thereare four convicts in this case. Tomorrow, there may be a case having 10 or20 such convicts and they may again delay the execution by moving separateforums at different time," he said, referring to the tactics adopted by theconvicts in the Nirbhaya case.Mehta said pleas filed by Mukesh and Vinay against rejection of their mercypetitions by President has already been dismissed by the apex court. He saidthe two other convicts-Akshay and Pawan-will now file pleas in the top courtchallenging rejection of their mercy petitions and in this case, theauthorities should be allowed to execute Mukesh and Vinay.When the bench said it would hear the matter on merits on March 23, Mehtasaid, "These convicts have taken the system for a ride. Please say thatwhosoever of them want to file for whatsoever remedy, they should do itbefore March 20".To this, the bench said, "We will not say this. We will hear the matter onMarch 23."BIDAR COURT SAYS NO SEDITION IN SCHOOL PLAY, GRANTS BAIL TO ALLStating that the play staged by a school in Bidar, Karnataka, against theCitizenship (Amendment) Act has "not caused any disharmony in the society",a district and sessions court in Bidar has granted anticipatory bail to fivemanagement representatives of Shaheen Primary School in Bidar, whether thealleged seditious play was staged by children on January 21. The court citedlack of material for a prima facie case of sedition.District Judge Managoli Premavathi observed, "What the children haveexpressed is that they will have to leave the country if they do not producedocuments; except that, there is nothing to show that they have committedthe offence of sedition."The court granted anticipatory bail to Abdul Qadeer, 60, president ofShaheen Group of Institutions; school headmaster Allauddin, 40; and threemembers of the school management committee.NIRAV MODI ASSETS AUCTION: MF HUSAIN WORK FETCHES RS 13 CROREDuring his lifetime, M F Husain faced his fair share of trials andtribulations for his depiction of Hindu gods and goddesses. However, theauction of fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi's seized assets came as adefinitive win for the late artist. His Battle of Ganga and Jamuna:Mahabharata 12 (1972) sold for Rs 13.44 crore (including buyer's premium),making it the highest selling work by the artist.The live auction was conducted on Tuesday evening by auction houseSaffronart on behalf of the ED to recover part of the dues Modi owes tovarious banks. An online sale was conducted on March 3-4. The total recoverymade by the ED from both sales is Rs 53.45 crore.Husain's work shows a battle between the two rivers, but presents them asemerging from the same source. This painting was previously sold atChristie's New York in 2008 for $1.8 million.WOMEN'S T20 WORLD CUP: RAIN TAKES INDIA INTO FINALThe parents had been flown in, the plans were made, the fans were stirred-upand excited. But rain poured down in buckets, and India went through to thefinal because they had better group stage record at the Women's Twenty20World Cup.India had lost to England five times in the previous editions of thetournament. This time around, they were not the underdogs - they had wonfour matches in a row to make the semifinals. However, it was rain ratherthan Indian women that beat England today. With no reserve day scheduled inthe tournament, India went through by virtue of topping Group A in thepreliminary stage.Former champions England were only able to finish second in Group B afterlosing their tournament-opener against South Africa. "No chance of gettingout there today," frustrated England captain Heather Knight said. "We'rejust gutted we didn't have the chance to fight for a place in that final.There's not a lot we can do, we obviously lost that first game against SouthAfrica and that ultimately cost us."India will play Australia in the final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground onSunday, with organisers hoping for a crowd in excess of 90,000.INDICATORSSensex 38,471 (+61), Nifty 11,269 (+18), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores)44,513Nasdaq 8,738 (-279) Dow 26,121 (-970), S&P 3024 (-106)US$-Rs. 73.61 GBP-Rs. 95.02, Euro-Rs. 82.25, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.03, Can$-Rs.54.90, Aus$- Rs. 48.67GBP 0.77 /US$, Euro 0.89 /US$, Jap.Yen 106.87 /US$, Aus$ 1.51 /US$, Sing1.38 /US$, Bang Taka 83.25 /US$, Can$ 1.34 /US$, Mal Ring 4.16 /US$,Pak Re 153.77 /US$, Phil Peso 50.68 /US$, Russian Rouble 66.71 /US$, NZ$1.58 /US$, Thai Baht 31.48 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 24.55 /US$, Norway NOK 9.27/US$Bitcoin - USD 9,022Dollar Index 96.55 Brent Crude 49.54 BDI 562Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,671 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,340 /4,240, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 49,900THOUGHT FOR THE DAYThe irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating -- in work, in play,in love. - Anne MorrisOFF TRACKA delivery guy was getting phone directions to a customer's home. The personon the other end of line was very specific, ".....After you pass the BakersInn on your right, look out for Mother Dairy on your left. Turn left ontothe next street. Drive past one Post box on your right and then take thenext right. Go about 50 metres. My house is the second on the right, and thenumber is on the letterbox." As he noted down the information, the deliveryman asked, "What colour is your house?"The man paused a second and said, "Hold on. I'll go check."