International news 1) China needs to work with its neighbours to cool rising tensions over its claims to territory
in surrounding seas, a top U.S. diplomat said, adding the U.S. has a strong interest in seeing such matters handled peacefully. 2) Singapore has assured Indian workers they will not be affected by a new bill that gives special powers to police in Little India, the scene of the countrys worst riots in over 40 years. 3)South Sudans government and rebels fighting against it have signed a cessation of hostilities agreement that should at the least put a pause to five weeks of warfare. National news: 1 India and Pakistan are most likely to resolve LOC trade standoff as soon as possible. Pakistan is very keen that trade across the Line of Control (LoC) takes place smoothly 2: In a move that is likely to hit currency hoarders and counterfeiters, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to withdraw from circulation all currency notes issued prior to 2005. 3 President Pranab Mukherjee has given Andhra Pradesh Legislature time till January 30 to express its views on the AP Reorganisation Bill 2013. 4 .The Madras High Court today ordered that that the life-size statue of actor Sivaji Ganesan erected on the Marina can be removed and re-located as it was considered as a hindrance by many people 5 BJP and MDMK today officially announced their alliance for the Lok Sabha polls even as the former is said to be holding talks with two other regional parties DMK and AIADMK in the state. 6 Aam Aadmi Party ruled any action against Somnath Bharti on Thursday even as pressure mounted on chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for removal of the controversial law minister for allegedly leading a group of assaulters in a midnight raid in south Delhi last week.
7 Buddhist mobs killed at least 40 Muslims when they stormed a village in Western Myanmar last week, hunting down residents with knives, a human rights group said, citing witness testimony and a wide network of local sources 8: India on Wednesday became only the seventh nation to own a heliborne geophysical survey system (HGSS), which has been integrated on the advanced light helicopter's (ALH) latest version Garuda Vasudha.
9.Facebook is like an infectious disease, experiencing a spike before its decline, according to US researchers who claim the social network will lose 80% of users by 2017. Sports news 1 Stanislas Wawrinka backed up his upset of four-time champion Novak Djokovic by reaching his first Grand Slam final with a stupendous win over Tomas Berdych in the Australian Open semifinals on Thursday 2 Rafael Nadal has suffered number of career-threatening injuries in past yet a bad blister on his hand could be all Roger Federer needs to gain a vital advantage. 3 Former Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has been appointed as a consultant to work with Australia's spin bowlers ahead of the World Twenty20 tournament in Bangladesh in March. 4 Denied by the hosts in the first half, Messi withdrew into midfield to turn playmaker and place four precise passes behind the defense that led to an own goal in the 53rd minute and Tello's treble in the 60th, 81st and 86th. Weather report: 1.Kashmir remained cut-off from the rest of the country for the second day on Thursday with road and air links to the Valley snapped due to snowfall, the heaviest in a decade in the month of January. Ladakh, recorded a low of minus 7.1 degrees Celsius compared to minus 5.2 degrees the previous night. Chennai is about to be Partly Cloudy for most of the day. Maximum:30 degree Minimum:21 degree
