Xinhua World News Summary at 1530 GMT, Dec. 14

At least 23 people have died from botched circumcision during the summer initiation season in South Africa, authorities said Wednesday.

The deaths occurred despite the "Zero Deaths" campaign launched by the government, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs said in its latest update on initiation deaths during the summer initiation season. (SA-Initiation-Deaths)

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SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is looking into electrical system as a likely cause behind a fire that killed 36 people in Oakland.

However, ATF Special Agent in Charge Jill Snyder told a news conference Tuesday "there is no final determination" about the cause of the blaze on Dec. 2 night at the converted warehouse in the northern Californian city on the U.S. west coast. (US-Fire)

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KABUL -- The Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) had killed 29 insurgents in 13 of the country's 34 provinces since early Tuesday, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday.

"In past 24 hours, the ANSF conducted several anti-terrorism operations to clear some of the areas from terrorists and enemies of peace and stability of Afghanistan, killing 29 armed insurgents and injuring four others," the ministry said in a statement. (Afghanistan-Military-Operation)

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DAMASCUS -- At least seven people were killed Wednesday when rebels renewed their mortar attacks against the northern city of Aleppo, following a broken truce, according to state TV.

Six people were killed as mortar shells struck the recently-captured Bustan al-Qaser neighborhood in eastern Aleppo, said the report, adding that other mortar shells struck the neighborhoods of Mogambo, Khalidiyeh and Share al-Neil, killing one more person and wounding several others. (Syria-Shelling) Endi