ASHRAF GHANI SWORN IN FOR SECOND TERM AS AFGHAN PRESIDENT AMID CRISISAfghan President Ashraf Ghani was sworn in for a second term on Monday ashis rival Abdullah Abdullah held a parallel inauguration that could plungethe country deeper into crisis ahead of peace talks with the Taliban."I swear by the name of God that I shall obey and protect the holy religionof Islam, respect and supervise the implementation of the constitution",Ghani said at an oath-taking ceremony attended by hundreds of people,including visiting foreign dignitaries, diplomats and senior politicalfigures.Afghan challenger Abdullah Abdullah inaugurated himself as President,minutes after the incumbent Ghani was sworn into office for a second term.Ghani was declared as the winner of the election held last September, butAbdullah, who disputed the vote, vowed to "safeguard the independence,national sovereignty, territorial integrity" of Afghanistan.Two blasts were heard as Afghanistan's two rival leaders held parallelpresidential inaugurations in Kabul on Monday, underscoring the country'swoeful security ahead of talks with a resurgent Taliban.IN MP, BJP SNIFFS A CHANCE AS CONGRESS INFIGHTING INTENSIFIESThe Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh was pushed to the brink Mondayby a series of political developments with at least 11 MLAs and sixMinisters close to party leader Jyotiraditya Scindia snapping contact withtheir colleagues, the Opposition BJP entering into a huddle with itsnational leadership, and 20 other state Ministers submitting theirresignations in a show of support for Chief Minister Kamal Nath.CM Kamal Nath rushed back to Bhopal after meeting Congress chief SoniaGandhi in Delhi Monday afternoon when he was told to ensure that there is nothreat to the government.Nath also met the other senior state leader Digvijaya Singh. Scindiaremained "out of contact", with party sources saying that his supportershave moved to Bengaluru.In a late-night statement, Nath accused the BJP of trying to "destabilise"his government through "illegal means". "The BJP is frustrated because ithad lost power in seven states in the last few months and is trying totopple the Congress government before it completes five years," he alleged.CENTRE PINS HOPES ON JAMMU AND KASHMIR APNI PARTYA new Valley-based political - Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, under theleadership of former PDP leader Altaf Bukhari - was announced on Sunday -more than 20 former MLAs and leaders from parties such as PDP, NationalConference and the Congress are part of the new party.According to sources in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a month into theshutdown imposed following August 5 decisions and incarceration of keypolitical leaders in J&K, New Delhi had begun to feel the need for politicalengagement with people there. It was felt that despite all promises made bythe Centre, acceptance of Kashmir's new status and credibility of thegovernment's assurances could only be established through politicalengagement by local politicians.Altaf Bukhari's luncheon meet with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval inOctober 2019 in Delhi was a noteworthy development in this process. Thechoice of Bukhari was both due to his acumen at political jugglery andavailability.44 COMPANIES FROM 10 BIG GROUPS ACCOUNT FOR RS 34,000-CRORE YES BANK BAD LOANSAt a time when Rana Kapoor, former MD and CEO of Yes Bank and his family areunder investigation on charges of alleged money laundering and grant ofsuspicious loans extended by the Bank to various groups in the country, datafrom financial industry show that at least 44 companies, belonging to 10large Indian business groups, accounted for bad loans of over Rs 34,000crore of Yes Bank.While at least nine companies of the Anil Ambani Group accounted for NPAsworth Rs 12,800 crore, at least 16 companies belonging to Subhash Chandra'sEssel Group made up Rs 8,400 crore worth of bad loans of Yes Bank.Dewan Housing Finance Corporation and Belief Realtors Private Ltd of theDHFL Group took loans worth Rs 4,735 crore while Yes Bank had exposure ofover Rs 2,500 crore to IL&FS that turned bad. Yes Bank is also learnt tohave loaned Rs 1,100 crore to Jet Airways.This list of companies clearly reflects the bank's exposure to most stressedcompanies that operate in sectors including those relating toinfrastructure, real estate and financial sector.CRUDE PRICE FALL COULD BE THE SILVER LINING FOR INDIAThe sharp slump in crude oil prices offers a silver lining to the Indianeconomy otherwise battered by a spate of negative factors as it helps easepressure on the current account deficit and enables the government toimprove its fiscal health if it is able to raise duties.Two leading corporate voices suggested that the fall in oil prices can actas stimulus and recommended certain steps that the government could take tocapitalise on the same.Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group said in a tweet Monday, "So this iswhat a global meltdown feels like. For India, its a crisis we must notwaste. Three opportunities we need to leverage: a) The government can uselow oil prices to spur consumption but also retain some of the windfallgains to tackle the deficit. b) Step up sanitisation and the swachh movementwhich will make India appealing to tourists looking for alternatives toChina. c) Step up our incentives and step down regulations for globalinvestors who will now look for alternative manufacturing sites to China."On Sunday, Uday Kotak, CEO Kotak Mahindra Bank, said in a tweet: "Amidstturbulence and the virus, some good news - oil at $45/ barrel. Recent $20drop saves India $30 billion per annum. Also global interest rates havecollapsed making money cheap. Let's leverage these for policy to boostgrowth."MAHA GOVT MAY POSTPONE IPL MATCHESThe Maharashtra Government is mulling a postponement of the Indian PremierLeague (IPL) cricket tournament on account of the Covid-19 outbreak.State Health Minister Rajesh Tope said his ministerial colleagues were keenon postponing the tournament which is scheduled to begin from March 29 atthe Mumbai's Wankhede stadium."There is a risk of diseases spreading when people gather in large numbers.We are holding discussions on whether to postpone the tournament," Topesaid. The minister said 15 persons have been quarantined in different partsof Maharashtra. However no case of Covid-19 has been detected in the state,Tope said.INDIA EQUAL LONDON RECORD AS EIGHT BOXERS QUALIFY FOR TOKYO OLYMPICSIndia has matched its biggest Olympic boxing contingent when MC Mary Kom andSimranjit Singh made it eight pugilists on their way to Tokyo, the samenumber that went to London 2012.Mary booked her ticket with a 5:0 win over Irish Magno of the Philippines inthe 51Kg category at the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan onMonday. Simranjit beat Namuun Monkhor of Mongolia by the same scoreline inthe 60kg category.Mary will be returning to the Olympics after missing out on a berth in the2016 Rio Games.Out of the last six Olympics, India did not send more than five boxers infour Games but eight qualified in 2012 when women's boxing was introduced.In Rio 2016, India only had three boxers with Vikas Krishan (75 Kg), ShivaThapa (56 Kg) and Manoj Kumar (64 Kg) making the cut, but returningempty-handed.INDICATORSSensex 35,635 (-1942), Nifty 10,451 (-538), Trading Value NSE (Rs.crores)53,061Nasdaq 7,986 (-590) Dow 23,851 (-2,014), S&P 2,747 (-226)US$-Rs. 74.37 GBP-Rs. 97.45, Euro-Rs. 84.96, UAE Dhm-Rs.20.24, Can$-Rs.54.56, Aus$- Rs. 48.98GBP 0.76 /US$, Euro 0.87 /US$, Jap.Yen 102.48 /US$, Aus$ 1.51 /US$, Sing1.38 /US$, Bang Taka 83.09 /US$, Can$ 1.36 /US$, Mal Ring 4.21 /US$,Pak Re 154.76 /US$, Phil Peso 50.56 /US$, Russian Rouble 73.87 /US$, NZ$1.58 /US$, Thai Baht 31.44 /US$, Ukraine Hryvnia 24.70 /US$, Norway NOK 9.51/US$Bitcoin - USD 7,879Dollar Index 95.40 Brent Crude 36.71 BDI 617Gold world Spot Price USD/aoz 1,667 India (Rs. per gm 24k/22k) 4,380 /4,280, Silver (Rs. Per KG) 49,200THOUGHT FOR THE DAYThe key to success is action and the essential in action is perseverance. -Sun Yat SenOFF TRACKOnce, in a restaurant in small town in US Midwest, a child stared withamazement at a Sikh gentleman's turban. She finally got the courage to ask,"Are you a genie?"Her mother, caught off guard, turned red in the face and apologized for theremark.The gentleman obviously took no offense and decided to humour the child."Why, yes I am a genie. I can grant you three wishes," he said.The child's mother blurted out, "Really?"