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Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Feb.21

Xinhua, February 21, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Iraqi security forces on Saturday launched a major offensive in Iraq's western province of Anbar to free a town seized by the Islamic State (IS) militants, a provincial security source said.

Iraqi soldiers, police and allied Sunni tribesmen, backed by U.S.-led coalition and Iraqi aircraft, advanced in the morning from three directions to free the town of al-Baghdadi, some 200 km northwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, the source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.(Iraq-Offensive)

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NEW DELHI -- A court in the Indian capital on Saturday sent five corporate executives to police custody for three days over the sensational leaking of confidential documents from the Petroleum Ministry and other government offices. (Indian Court-Corporate Officials-Police Custody)

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ABU DHABI-- A fire broke out in an illegal workers' compound in Abu Dhabi early Friday, leaving ten foreign workers killed and eight others injured, local media reported on Saturday.(UAE-Fire-Accident)

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DUBAI -- One of the world's tallest building in Dubai Marina district caught fire on Saturday and thousands of residents were evacuated from the high-rise Marina Torch and other buildings around.(Dubai-Fire)

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RAMADI, Iraq -- The Islamic State (IS) militants burned up to 43 people alive, in Iraq's western province of Anbar, a provincial security source said Saturday.

Earlier, IS fighters captured those 43 Iraqis from the albu-Obeid Sunni tribe in the battlefield town of al-Baghdadi, some 200 km northwest of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, said the source. (Iraq-IS-Execution) Endi