AFP 0100 GMT News Advisory

Duty Editor: James Hossack Tel: +852 2829 6211

-- TOP STORIES --

+ Syrian troops clash with rebels in Aleppo

+ Bolt eyes repeat of Olympic sprint treble

+ China political scandal: Gu admits murder

Syria-conflict,newseries-WRAP

ALEPPO, Syria

Syrian troops and rebels clash in the city of Aleppo, where several people die when a shell crashes into a bakery as hundreds of residents queue for bread.

975 words 0130 GMT by Phil Moore. Graphic. Picture. Video

Oly-2012,newseries-WRAP

LONDON

Usain Bolt is targeting a spectacular send-off as the Olympic track and field competition draws to a close on Saturday with Jamaica aiming to seal their sprinting supremacy.

550 words moved. Graphic. Picture. Video

Also moved: Oly-2012-Asia,WRAP

China-Britain-politics-crime-trial,newseries-WRAP

HEFEI, China

The wife of a Chinese former top politician at the heart of a scandal that has rocked the ruling Communist Party admits murdering a British businessman and blames her actions on a "mental breakdown", state media report.

800 words 0400 GMT by Carol Huang. Picture. Video

-- MIDDLE EAST --

Syria-conflict-US-Turkey

ISTANBUL

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds talks on the conflict in Syria with Turkish leaders on Saturday after Washington slapped fresh sanctions on Bashar al-Assad's regime and its allies.

600 words 0200 GMT by Nicolas Revise

Syria-conflict-opposition,FOCUS

BEIRUT

In their bid to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad the armed rebels of Syria are stepping up a war of attrition against the regime and trying to push more officials to defect, experts say.

800 words 0230 GMT by Rita Daou

Egypt-unrest-Sinai,5thlead

EL-ARISH, Egypt

The Egyptian army masses troops and carries out arrests to quell increasingly deadly Islamist militants in the Sinai Peninsula close to the borders with Gaza and Israel.

750 words moved by Samer al-Atrush. Graphic. Picture. Video

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RABAT

The seats outside cafes are empty and streets eerily quiet in the hour before sunset, as Moroccans wait to break the day-long Ramadan fast. But one group is causing a stir by flouting religious convention.

750 words 0200 GMT by Simon Martelli

-- AMERICAS --

US-vote-Romney

NORFOLK, Virginia

Mitt Romney gears up for a four-day bus tour in what his campaign calls "the lion's den" -- four swing states Barack Obama won in 2008 but which Republicans believe are now up for grabs.

550 words 0230 GMT by Michael Mathes

US-Europe-attacks-Hezbollah-Lebanon,lead

WASHINGTON

The United States warns that militant group Hezbollah could be plotting strikes in Europe in response to pressure on its allies Iran and Syria, as Washington imposes new sanctions on its Middle East foes.

650 words moved

US-farm-drought-crop-food,4thlead

WASHINGTON

The US slashes forecasts for its globally crucial corn and soybean crop, saying record temperatures across the farm belt have heavily damaged production and would send prices to their lowest level in six years.

650 words moved by Paul Handley

US-Britain-finance-IPO-Fbl-ENG-Pr-ManUtd,lead

NEW YORK

The American IPO of British football club Manchester United falls flat in New York amid doubts about the legendary team's financial promise.

700 words moved. Video. Picture.

-- EUROPE --

France-crime-rape-tourism,newseries

PRIVAS, France

A man is arrested over a serious sexual assault on an 11-year-old girl that stoked fears of a possible serial attacker in a popular holiday area of central France.

500 words moved by Philomene Bouillon. Picture

-- AFRICA --

Ghana-politics-president,3rdlead

ACCRA

Thousands of mourners including African leaders, dignitaries and ordinary Ghanaians attend the state funeral of president John Atta Mills, who died last month ahead of a re-election bid.

600 words moved by Joel Olatunde Agoi. Picture

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