Syria crisis: Food aid 'cannot reach a million people'
One million Syrians are going hungry and helpless due to the 22-month civil conflict in the country, the UN says.
The World Food Program (WFP) says it is helping 1.5 million Syrians, but continued fighting and an inability to use the port of Tartus to deliver food mean many people are not receiving aid.
The UN estimates that more than 60,000 people have been killed in the uprising, which began in March 2011.
Rebels have gained control of swathes of northern Syria in recent months.
The increasingly dangerous situation meant the WFP had pulled its staff out of its offices in Homs, Aleppo, Tartus and Qamisly, said agency spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs.
Late 2012 saw a sharp rise in the number of attacks on WFP aid trucks, said the agency, which has also been hit by fuel shortages.
Meanwhile, the UN refugee agency said the number of refugees fleeing the violence in Syria had leapt by nearly 100,000 in the past month.
It said there were 597,240 registered refugees and individuals awaiting registration as of 6 January - up from 509,559 the month before.
The UN estimates that around four million Syrians are in need of humanitarian aid.
Opposition forces have been making considerable gains in recent weeks, but their efforts to take control of areas around major cities including Damascus have met with stiff resistance and increasingly destructive air strikes.
On Monday, the New York Times reported that Israeli intelligence indicated Syrian troops were mixing chemicals - suspected to be the deadly nerve gas sarin - at two storage sites, and filling dozens of 500-pound (225kg) bombs that could be loaded on airplanes.
The reports in late November prompted a flurry of international statements warning the Assad regime against using chemical weapons on his own people.
--BBC
Eurozone unemployment reaches new high
The unemployment rate across the eurozone hit a new all-time high of 11.8% in November, official figures have shown.
This is a slight rise on 11.7% for the 17-nation region in October. The rate for the European Union as a whole in November was unchanged at 10.7%.
Spain, which is mired in deep recession, again recorded the highest unemployment rate, coming in at 26.6%.
More than 26 million people are now unemployed across the EU.
For the eurozone, the number of people without work reached 18.8 million said Eurostat, the official European statistics agency said.
Barroso confidence
Greece had the second-highest unemployment rate in November, at 20%.
The youth unemployment rate was 24.4% in the eurozone, and 23.7% in the wider European Union. Youth unemployment - among people under 25 - was highest in Greece (57.6%), followed by Spain (56.5%).
Overall unemployment was lowest in Austria (4.5%), Luxembourg (5.1%) and Germany (5.4%).
Despite Spain having the highest overall unemployment, recent figures from Spain's Labour Ministry suggest that the number of people registered as out of work in the country - a narrower measure than the Eurostat figures - fell in December.
The ministry said earlier this month that the number of people registered as unemployed fell in December by 41,023 or 0.8%.
The eurozone and wider European Union economies have struggled in recent years as government measures to reduce sovereign debt levels have impacted on economic growth.
However, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said on Monday that he believed the worst was over.
Mr Barroso said the turning point was last September's promise from the European Central Bank to buy unlimited amounts of eurozone states' debts.
--BBC
BVI offering reward for capture of Dominican murder suspect
The British Virgin Islands is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the arrest of Dominican Republic national Alberto Rosa De La Rosa, Domin who is suspected of the murder of Riky Dennis Bautista Familia.
Bautista (also a national of Dominican Republic) was stabbed during an incident in the BVI on Friday, 16 November. He was pronounced dead at the scene and a post mortem confirmed that he died as a result of his stab wound.
Head of the Crime Division Acting Superintendent Alexis Charles said, “The investigation is at an advanced stage and the initial response from the community was very good and we have secured plenty of evidence. A file with that evidence is with the Director of Public Prosecutions however the current whereabouts of Alberto Rosa De La Rosa is unclear.”
He continued, “It has been suggested that Rosa De La Rosa is still in the Territory however we have had information that he may have fled Tortola soon after the incident. We need to know where Rosa De La Rosa is.”
This reward is payable to persons overseas as well as within the BVI who can provide information that will lead to the arrest of Rosa de la Rosa.
The Superintendent of Crime is appealing for Rosa De La Rosa to give himself up and his family and friends are asked to encourage him to come forward.
Beyonce splashes $1million on luxury nursery suite for Blue Ivy
Beyone & Jay Z daughter, Blue Ivy may be celebrating her first birthday today, but when you’ve super-famous and super-rich parents of the Knowles/Carter variety, it appears every day is a celebration.
So much so the celebrity tot is lavished with luxury wherever she goes as it’s revealed Blue Ivy has her very own nursery suite at the Barclays Center in New York. With Beyonce and Jay-Z’s combined worth of $750million (£467 million) it makes perfect sense to create ultimate comfort for your offspring whenever you head to the stadium.
And that’s fairly frequently, the couple are regularly seen courtside at basketball games held there and Jay-Zdid eight shows at the venue last year.
e suite costs a cool $1million (£623,000) a year to rent and US Weekly report it is ‘filled with toys’. It’s believed the interior is predominantly glass and also features a giant TV so Blue Ivy can watch her parents on the big screen.
Of course the nursery suite simply adds to Blue Ivy’s elaborate collection of extortionate possessions that already include a $16,000 (£10,000) high chair designed by Carla Monchen lined with Swarovski crystals as well as a porcelain baby bath also studded with crystals by Lori Gardner.
--M.C
Taylor Swift and Harry Styles split after 'almighty row' on holiday
taylor Swift and Harry Styles have split after an 'almighty row' during their romantic New Year's break, ending their whirlwind romance, it is being reported.
It's thought the pair, who jetted to the Virgin Islands together after seeing in the New Year in New York, parted ways after a massive spat, leaving Taylor to leave the resort three days earlier than planned.
Confirming the news, a source told MailOnline: 'Yes I can confirm they have split up.
'They were on holiday and had an almighty row. They are two young stars at the top of their game so who knows what will happen in the future.'
While pictures show Taylor Swift boarding a boat at Virgin Gorda travel home alone, it's thought Harry Styles made the most of the rest of the break, spending three days partying in his ex-girlfriend's absence.
It's thought the lucky Brit was even invited to Richard Branson's Necker Island, and was pictured in a hot tub with a group of new pals.
'Richard Branson heard Harry was staying nearby so invited him to come check out Necker,' a source told Business Insider.
'So when Taylor left for the states, Harry went to Branson's island for the day to let off some steam.'
While reports reveal Harry 'did plenty of partying', Taylor took to Twitter to share a cryptic message, hinting at her split.
In her first post since New Year, she wrote: '...'til you put me down.'
Harry Styles and Taylor Swift first begun dating back in December, with Harry taking Taylor home to Cheshire to meet his parents after just weeks.
The couple were also spied on a trip to New York's Central Park Zoo, as well as smooching in Times Square as they saw in the New Year.
Jah Cure Teams Up With Multi Platinum Producer For Soulfoul New Single "I Do"
Jah Cure and Don Corleonhave once again teamed up to deliver a hot soulful single "I Do". This producer and artist team have previously worked together and topped the charts with "Longing For" on the Drop Leaf riddim.
Produced by multi platinum producer Don Corleon, "I Do" is the latest release from reggae artist Jah Cure. Cure who received critically acclaimed success with billboard chart topping "True Reflections"and "The Universal Cure", has been releasing a steady stream of hits after hits.
On "I Do" Jah Cure's voice strikes to the soul with his hypnotizing and haunting style. Cure is one of these rare artist who can convey feelings with his tone, he could be reciting the alphabet and it would evoke various feelings, the mark of a true singer.
Rick Ross Reveals Title For Upcoming Sixth Album
Miami rap star Rick Ross has finally revealed the title of his upcoming sixth major label album.
The rapper took to social media today (January 7), where he revealed the name of his upcoming album, which is tentatively titled Mastermind.
The title is toned down compared to the names of his previous for albums, which include releases like Port of Miami, Trilla, Deeper Than Rap, Teflon Don and his latest, God Forgives, I Don’t.
At press time a release date was not available for Mastermind.
Rick Ross was originally supposed to announce the album title or New Year’s Day, but delayed the announcement until today.
Claude Nobs, Montreux Jazz Festival founder, in a coma
Claude Nobs, who founded the world-renowned Montreux Jazz Festival, is in a coma following a skiing accident.
The 76-year-old "fell while practising cross-country skiing" during the Christmas holidays, said a statement on the festival's official website.
He had surgery in Lausanne, Switzerland, but remains unconscious, the statement continued.
The festival, which takes place on the shores of Lake Geneva, has featured the likes of Miles Davis and Santana.
It was co-founded by Nobs and Atlantic Records president Nesuhi Ertegun in 1967, who booked Charles Lloyd and Keith Jarrett as the first headliners.
Joan Baez arrived on horseback for her debut performance in 1973, while Prince played two jazz-tinged sets to close the 2009 festival.
Nobs even earned himself a mention, as "funky Claude", in Deep Purple's song Smoke On The Water. The song is about a fire that burned down the Montreux Casino, where the festival was held, during a Frank Zappa concert in 1971.
Organisers stressed that Nobs's absence would not impact this year's event, which runs 5 - 20 July.
Their statement ended: "The entire team of the Montreux Jazz Festival wishes a full recovery to its boss."
Sopranos mobster Tony Lip dies aged 82
Tony Lip, who starred as a mobster in TV series The Sopranos and several feature films, has died aged 82.
Mr Lip, born Frank Anthony Vallelonga, made his film debut as a wedding guest in The Godfather and later appeared in successful gangster titles Goodfellas, Raging Bull and Donnie Brasco.
He was best known for playing the role of mob kingpin Carmine Lupertazzi in several episodes of The Sopranos.
The actor lived in Paramus and died at a hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey.
Family members told The Record of Woodland Park that Lip had been in failing health in recent years.
Before he became an actor, he worked during the 1960s at the Copacabana nightclub in New York, where he played host to the stars of the era including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Bobby Darin and met the sort of gangsters he would later portray.
In 2005 he co-wrote and released a cookbook titled Shut Up And Eat!, in which he and Italian-American actors James Gandolfini, Danny Aiello, Chazz Palmintieri shared their families' favourite Italian recipes.
Nato soldier killed in Afghanistan 'insider attack'
A member of the Nato-led forces has been shot dead by a man in Afghan army uniform, military officials say.
The assailant was also killed during the attack, which took place in southern Afghanistan, they added.
This year has seen a sharp rise in so-called insider attacks against local forces and Nato troops in Afghanistan.
The attack came hours before President Karzai was due in the US for a visit seen as key to the future of the American presence in Afghanistan.
An investigation is under way to determine if the attacker had links to insurgents, the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) said in a statement on Tuesday.
Military commanders refer to such rogue attacks as "green-on-blue" - green for Afghan forces and blue for the Nato coalition.
President Hamid Karzai is expected to arrive in the US on Tuesday for a three-day visit, which will include a meeting with Mr Obama on Friday.
Nato forces are committed to training Afghan security forces before foreign combat troops pull out by the end of 2014.
--BBC