Xinhua world news summary at 1530 GMT, Jan. 21

HERAT, Afghanistan -- At least 12 civilians were killed and another one injured after a roadside bomb struck a civilian vehicle in Afghanistan's western Herat province on Sunday, police spokesman in the province Abdul Ahad Walizada said.

"The enemies and the terrorists planted a mine on a road in Gulran district to kill people and the device struck a civilian vehicle at around noon, killing 12 innocent civilians on the spot and injuring another," Walizada told Xinhua. (Afghanistan-Roadside Bomb)

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NEW DELHI -- At least 17 people died in New Delhi Saturday night when a fire broke out in a crackers- manufacturing factory in northwest part of the city, media reports quoted fire department officers as saying.

The crackers factory is located in Delhi's Bawana area.

Expressing sadness at the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: "Deeply anguished by the fire at a factory in Bawana. My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives." (India-Fire-Toll)

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ANKARA -- Turkey has started a land operation against the Syrian Kurdish militants with land troops entering Syria's Afrin at 11:05 local time (0805 GMT) on Sunday, Prime Minister Binali Yildirim announced.

The military operation will aim to establish a 30 km security zone into the Afrin province from Turkish border, he told in a briefing to journalists. (Turkey-Syria-Land Operation)

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WASHINGTON -- The Women's March returned to Washington D.C. Saturday, the same day as U.S. President Donald Trump's tenure reached its one-year mark.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered at the Lincoln Memorial before noon, holding placards denouncing Trump's policies and calling for gender equality. (US-Trump-March)

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WASHINGTON -- U.S. Republican and Democratic lawmakers remained in a stand-off over spending and immigration after the federal government partially shut down on Saturday, which cast a shadow over the anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration.

The current government funding expired on Friday midnight as the Senate failed to advance a stopgap spending bill, which had passed the House of Representatives and would fund the government through Feb. 16. (US-Government Shutdown) Enditem