Main news of January 2

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* The Arab Parliament has called for the immediate withdrawal of the Arab League’s monitoring mission in Syria due to its inefficient activities, al Arabiya television reported

* Two robotic probes on a synchronized gravity-mapping mission to the Moon began orbiting the Earth’s natural satellite over the weekend, NASA said on its website

* Iran has successfully test-fired a long-range missile during its naval exercises in the Persian Gulf, the official IRNA news agency reported

* Iran has successfully test-fired its second long-range missile during the naval exercises in the Persian Gulf, the Iranian state television reported

RUSSIA

* At least seventeen people died in separate fires across Russia during New Year celebrations, local emergencies services reported

*A 4.2-mangitude aftershock struck the southern Siberian Republic of Tuva on Monday, the regional emergencies center reported