EUROPE NEWS AT 1200GMT

TOP STORIES:

KOSOVO-INDEPENDENCE

PRISTINA, Serbia _ Kosovo's leaders put the finishing touches on their planned declaration of independence as NATO-led peacekeepers boost their patrols and visibility. A small overnight explosion near a European Union office in northern Kosovo underscores high tensions ahead of the province's expected secession from Serbia. Developing. By Nebi Qena. AP Photos.

WITH: KOSOVO-Q&A

WITH: KOSOVO-GLANCE

WITH: KOSOVO-TIMELINE

REPUBLIC OF WHEREVER

UNDATED _ Sean Connery thinks a Scottish nation is a bonnie notion. How about Spain's Basque country becoming a REAL country? And what's wrong with a People's Republic of Vermont? Kosovo's looming independence raises all those questions and more. For starters: Why is statehood OK for some people but frowned on for others? After all, isn't the right to self-determination the essence of democracy itself? Moved. By William J. Kole. AP Photos. AP Graphic.

FRANCE-SADDAM'S SEA PALACE

PARIS _ For sale: A palatial pleasure yacht fit with swimming pools, opulent salons and, should the winds of war blow, a rocket launcher and mini-submarine. The sale of the 82-meter Ocean Breeze, built for Saddam Hussein and docked in Nice, could be thwarted, however, if Iraq can prove it still belongs to someone in Saddam's entourage. By 1500GMT. By Elaine Ganley. AP Photos.

CZECH-PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

PRAGUE, Czech Republic _ Czech lawmakers gather for a second attempt to elect the country's new president, deciding among three candidates: the Euro-skeptic incumbent, a U.S. citizen who favors a quick adoption of the euro currency and an opponent of a U.S. missile defense system. Developing. By Karel Janicek. AP Photos. With candidates, glance.

DISARMAMENT-US-DEAD SATELLITE

GENEVA _ The United States tells the 65-nation Conference on Disarmament about Washington's plans to shoot down a dying U.S. satellite in an attempt to avert a dangerous impact on Earth. Moved. By Alexander G. Higgins.

BOSNIA-MISSING AGREEMENT

SARAJEVO, Bosnia-Herzegovina _ The missing original copy of the peace agreement that ended the Bosnian war might be in the hands of Radovan Karadzic, Bosnia's most wanted war crimes suspect, local media report. Moved.

GREECE-PENSION CRISIS

ATHENS, Greece _ Greece's conservative prime minister warns that the country faces a "complete collapse of the welfare state," and vows to shake up the debt-ridden pension system despite strong union protests. Moved.

FRANCE-HOLOCAUST

PARIS _ President Nicolas Sarkozy seeks to calm teachers rankled by a proposal to make French 10-year-olds learn more about child victims of the Holocaust. The idea has psychologists worried about traumatizing today's youth. By 1300GMT.

BUSINESS & FINANCE:

ITALY-ALITALIA

ROME _ Alitalia shares fall more than 3 percent amid fears that a possible sale of the troubled carrier to Air France-KLM could be delayed after Air France-KLM said it would go ahead with the purchase only if a new Italian government agrees. Moved.

GERMANY-DEUTSCHE POST-INVESTIGATION

BERLIN _ The chief executive of Deutsche Post AG has offered to resign in the wake of allegations that he evaded some 1 million (US$1.45 million) in taxes through investments in Liechtenstein, the Finance Ministry says. Moved. By David Rising. AP Photos.

SPAIN-ECONOMY

MADRID, Spain _ Spain's current account deficit widened in the 11-month period covering January to November 2007, and inflation continued to accelerate. Moved.

SPORTS:

ENGLISH PREVIEW

LONDON _ Chelsea isn't about to let up in its defense of the FA Cup even though it is playing lowly Huddersfield on Saturday. Midfielder Frank Lampard was back in action last weekend after six weeks out with a thigh injury, and could be joined against the League One side by Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, John Obi Mikel and Michael Essien, who have all returned from the African Cup of Nations. Upcoming. By Stuart Condie.

G14 DISBANDS

DIEGEM, Belgium _ Eight years after setting it up, club leaders meet to disband the G-14, confident the group has achieved its major goal of giving top clubs a voice in the running of the game. By 1600GMT. By Raf Casert.

ALPINE SKIING

ZAGREB, Croatia _ Nicole Hosp of Austria hopes to extend her overall World Cup lead in the absence of her American rival Lindsey Vonn in a women's slalom. By 1800GMT.

DIAMOND GAMES

ANTWERP, Belgium _ Top seed and local favorite Justine Henin plays Russian qualifier Alisa Kleybanova for a place in the Diamond Games semifinal. By 1700GMT.

SELES RETIRES

MIAMI _ Serbian Monica Seles officially retires from tennis, five years after she played the last match of a career that included nine Grand Slam titles and was interrupted at its height when she was stabbed in the back during a match. Moved.

FEATURES & ARTS:

THE MEDVEDEV MYSTERY

MOSCOW _ As Russia prepares for March 2 presidential elections, it enters an era of political uncertainty it hasn't seen since Vladimir Putin took power eight years ago. Putin's longtime protege, Dmitry Medvedev, is expected to emerge as the victor. But what policies he might pursue _ or even whether he will be more than a figurehead in Putin's abiding shadow _ is a mystery. Moved. By Douglas Birch. AP Photos.

WITH: RUSSIA-MEDVEDEV-IN THEIR OWN WORDS

WITH: RUSSIA-MEDVEDEV-BIOBOXES

WITH: RUSSIA-MEDVEDEV-CHALLENGES

For more features, please see the AP World Features Digest.

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YOUR QUERIES: The Europe & Africa Desk in London can be reached at +44 207 427 4300.