RIYADH; 21 Jan 2019; AA: A prominent Saudi cleric has reportedly died in prison, according to an activist group on Monday.

Sheikh Ahmed al-Amari, the former dean of the Quran College in the Islamic University of Madinah, died due to “medical negligence”, the so-called Prisoners of Conscience group said on Twitter.

The group accused Saudi prison authorities of “intentionally neglecting al-Amari, causing his death”.

BEIJING, January 21. /TASS/. Beijing is calling on all sides to avoid steps that could deteriorate the situation in Syria, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying told reporters on Monday commenting on an Israeli airstrike on Syria.

"China has always stated that it’s important to respect and defend Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. At present, political settlement of the Syrian crisis is at a key stage," the diplomat noted.

DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) — Wealth inequality around the world is “out of control” and doing particular harm to women, anti-poverty campaigner Oxfam warned Monday ahead of the annual gathering of business and political leaders in the Swiss ski resort of Davos.

21 Jan 2019; AFP: The world's 26 richest people own the same wealth as the poorest half of humanity, Oxfam said Monday, urging governments to hike taxes on the wealthy to fight soaring inequality.

A new report from the charity, published ahead of the World Economic Forum in Davos, also found that billionaires around the world saw their combined fortunes grow by $2.5 billion each day in 2018.

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Matthew Nimetz, the UN envoy who brokered a Greece-Macedonia deal on their dispute over the latter's name, has asked Athens to ratify the deal as Skopje has completed its internal legal procedures.

Skopje on Wednesday formally informed the Greek government of its ratification of the deal known as the Prespa Agreement, following a parliamentary vote on Dec. 13, Nimetz said in a statement on Sunday.

HATAY, Turkey; 21 Jan 2019; AA: Turkey’s counter-terrorist operation in Manbij, Syria will start at the right time, Turkey’s defense minister said on Sunday.

“The current Syrian problem areas are Manbij and east of the Euphrates; our plans, preparations and logistics are completed.

"The operations in Manbij and east of the Euphrates will start when the right time comes,” said Hulusi Akar in Hatay, southern Turkey, marking the first anniversary of the start of Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch.

21 Jan 2019; AFP: African nations on Sunday began recognising Felix Tshisekedi as DR Congo's incoming president after the Constitutional Court upheld the vote results, rejecting claims by his main rival of an election stitch-up.

The 16-nation Southern African Development Community (SADC) along with Kenya have congratulated Tshisekedi and called for a peaceful handover of power.

MOSCOW, January 21. /TASS/. The Baltic Fleet’s corvettes escorted the US Gravely and Porters destroyers, which have entered the Baltic Sea, the Russian National Defense Management Center told reporters on Monday.

"The Baltic Fleet’s forces escorted the US Navy’s guided missile destroyers Gravely and Porter, which have entered the southern part of the Baltic Sea’s waters," the center said.

The Russian Navy’s Boiky and Soobrazitelnyy corvettes are monitoring the US warships’ activity.

21 Jan 2019; DW: Most of the asylum-seekers that were deported were sent to Italy. The deportations follow the EU's Dublin III rule, which states that applications must be processed in the first country of arrival.

In 2018, more refugees were transferred from Germany to other EU member states than ever before, according to an Interior Ministry report obtained by German daily Süddeutsche Zeitung. The report was a response to a parliamentary inquiry by the Left Party.

JERUSALEM (AP) — In an extraordinary statement, the Israeli military confirmed early Monday that it attacked Iranian military targets in Syria, hours after carrying out a rare daylight air raid near the Damascus International Airport.

The statement was issued hours after Israeli missile defenses intercepted an incoming missile over the Golan Heights in the wake of the airport raid.

“We have started striking Iranian Quds targets in Syrian territory,” the military statement said. “We warn the Syrian Armed Forces against attempting to harm Israeli forces or territory.”

MOSCOW; 21 Jan 2019; AA: Four Syrian regime troops were killed and six others wounded when Israeli missiles hit targets in the Syrian capital Damascus, Russian Defense Ministry said Monday.

Israel carried out three airstrikes Sunday night on what the Israeli Defense Force said were positions of Iran's elite Quds force around the Damascus International Airport.

ATHENS, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- A mass rally held in front of the Greek parliament in Athens over the Macedonia name deal was marred by violent clashes on Sunday.

Syntagma Square was converted into a battlefield when hooded protesters, trying to get into the parliament's courtyard, threw rocks and firebombs at riot police. Police forces used tear gas to repel the attempt.