2009-06-19 13:12:04 -

TOP STORIES
EU-SUMMIT
BRUSSELS _ Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen works the corridors of a European summit, looking to his 26 counterparts to help him convince Irish voters to embrace an EU treaty they rejected last year. Developing. By Robert Wielaard.
WITH: EU-SUMMIT-CLIMATE CHANGE
EU-SUMMIT-BARROSO
BRUSSELS _ Jose Manuel Barroso may have the unanimous backing of all 27 EU leaders for a new five-term at the helm of the European Commission, but his confirmation by the European Parliament could be an uphill slog. Developing. By Constant Brand.
SPAIN-EXPLOSION
MADRID _ A powerful car bomb explodes near the Basque city of Bilbao, killing a policeman in an attack that bears the hallmarks of the separatist group ETA, officials say. Moved. By Daniel Woolls. AP Photos. AP Graphic SPAIN EXPLOSION.
BRAZIL-PLANE
PARIS _ Air France will give about ¤17,500 ($24,000) as an advance to the families of the victims of the crash of Air France Flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris, the company's chief executive says. Moved. By Deborah Seward. AP Photos.
ITALY-STUDENT SLAIN
PERUGIA, Italy _ The mother of an American suspect accused of killing her British roommate in Italy testifies that her daughter and the victim «got along great.» Developing. By Marta Falconi. AP Photos.
UN-WORLD HUNGER
ROME _ A U.N. food agency releases its figures on the number of hungry people in the world and how they have been affected by the global financial crisis. Developing from 1200 GMT news conference. By Alessandra Rizzo.
RUSSIA-NEWSPAPER THREATENED
MAKHACHKALA, Russia _ An independent newspaper in a volatile Russian province near Chechnya faces closure on charges of carrying «extremist» statements _ an accusation its editor denounces as an attempt to stifle criticism of police brutality. By 1400 GMT. By Arsen Mollayev.
BRITAIN-WILDCAT STRIKES
LONDON _ British workers are walking off their jobs across the country, part of an escalating dispute over the employment of foreign workers in the U.K. energy sector. Tensions flared after French oil company Total fired 900 people following a wildcat strike at a refinery in northern England. By 1200 GMT. By Raphael G. Satter. AP Photos.
UN WASTED BILLIONS
LONDON _ In the last two decades, the world has spent more than $196 billion trying to save people from death and disease in poor countries. But just what the world's gotten for its money isn't clear, according to two studies. Moved. By Maria Cheng.
GERMANY-HOLOCAUST HONOR
BERLIN _ The German officer who helped rescue Wladyslaw Szpilman, the musician whose story was the basis of the Oscar-winning film «The Pianist,» is posthumously honored by Israel's Yad Vashem with its «Righteous Among the Nations» award. Wilhelm «Wilm» Hosenfeld helped Szpilman hide in Warsaw, providing him with shelter and food. By 1200 GMT. AP Photos.
GERMANY-ELECTIONS
BERLIN _ It's 100 days until Germany's general elections and the only remaining question is not whether Angela Merkel will again be chancellor, but who she will govern with. An AP News Analysis. By 1500 GMT. By Melissa Eddy.
BUSINESS & FINANCE
FRANCE-AIR SHOW
LE BOURGET, France _ Asian and budget airlines help Airbus outshine archrival Boeing Co. in the hunt for orders at the Paris Air show, which nears a close amid the gloom of recession and questions surrounding the crash of Air France Flight 447. Developing. By Emma Vandore. AP Photos.
FRANCE-AIR SHOW-HIGHLIGHTS
LE BOURGET, France _ The focus at the Paris Air Show swings away from the wheeling and dealing of industry executives and back to the products they are peddling. After four industry days, The Associated Press looks on the week's airlifter acrobatics, Airbus pioneers and traffic snarls that marked the show, which is open to the public through Sunday. By 1200 GMT. By Emma Vandore. AP Photos.
FRANCE-AIR SHOW-SMALL FRY SUCCESS
LE BOURGET, France _ Leandro Silva e Abreu didn't sign a single multi-million-euro order at the Paris air show, but, for him, the show was a huge success. Silva e Abreu's company, Aeroarte, is one of the record number of small and mid-sized companies from around the world that help make Paris' Le Bourget air show the world's biggest. By 1400 GMT. By Greg Keller. AP Photos.
EU-SUMMIT-ECONOMY
BRUSSELS _ The EU's new economy watchdog will choose its own leader, say EU leaders, to avoid a row with Britain which does not want the head of the euro-zone central bank to oversee financial threats across the 27-nation EU. Moved. By Aoife White.
EU-SUMMIT-LATVIA BAILOUT
BRUSSELS _ The EU leaders caution Latvia harsh spending cuts are «imperative» for the country to recover from its economic downturn as they ready a bailout package. Moved. By Aoife White.
GERMANY-EARNS-PORSCHE
BERLIN _ Automaker Porsche SE said Friday its nine-month profit dropped 15 percent to ¤4.6 billion ($6.4 billion), excluding its holdings of Volkswagen AG, as the global economic crisis drove down demand for new cars. Moved. By Patrick McGroarty.
SPORTS
F1-BREAKAWAY
SILVERSTONE, England _ Ferrari, McLaren and six other teams announce plans for a rival series to Formula One in 2010 after the collapse of heated negotiations with F1 organizers over a budget cap for next season. Moved. By Rob Harris.


CAR-F1-BRITISH GP
SILVERSTONE, England _ The first practice session for the British Grand Prix takes place amid uncertainty over the future of the Formula One series after eight teams announced plans to form a rival competition. By 1130 GMT. By Rob Harris.
JOHN LEICESTER
PARIS _ It's Sunday and your television offers a choice. On Channel A, Ferraris and other speed machines you've come to know and love are zooming around a track. Channel B has similar fare, but the teams and drivers are almost total unknowns. Which do you watch? Exactly. No contest. By 1500 GMT.
CONFED CUP-SPAIN-SOUTH AFRICA
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa _ While Spain chases records and first place in its final Group A match, opponent South Africa will be looking to hang in against the European champion and book a place in the Confederations Cup semifinals. By 1200 GMT. By Paul Logothetis.
CONFED CUP-ITALY-COMPLICATIONS
IRENE, South Africa _ After a 1-0 loss to Egypt, Italy now needs a decent result against Brazil to avoid elimination from the Confederations Cup _ exactly the situation the World Cup holders wanted to avoid. Moved. By Andrew Dampf.
WIMBLEDON-DRAW
WIMBLEDON, England _ Defending champion Rafael Nadal is given a tough draw for Wimbledon, with a likely second-round matchup against former No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt and Andy Murray possibly waiting in the semifinals. Moved. By Mattias Karen.
ORDINA OPEN
DEN BOSCH, Netherlands _ Tuning up for her latest attempt to win a Grand Slam title, top-seeded Dinara Safina faces defending champion Tamarine Tanasugarn in the semifinal of the Ordina Open. By 1600 GMT.
FEATURES & ARTS
SWITZERLAND-CALVIN AT 500
GENEVA _ John Calvin, the Great Reformer, used dictatorial means in making Geneva a «Protestant Rome,» but he also planted the seeds of modern democracy. He enforced rigid morality and stressed the importance of helping others, while he also had a share in developing capitalism. This is how Calvin's role in history is being assessed by theologians and historians in countless lectures, studies and biographies 500 years after he was born on July 10, 1509. Moved. By Hanns Neuerbourg. AP Photos.
For more features, please see the AP World Features Digest.
YOUR QUERIES: The Europe & Africa Desk in London can be reached at +44 207 427 4300.