FINLAND-NOKIA-ALCATEL-LUCENT

HELSINKI — Nokia has agreed to buy the ailing French telecom company Alcatel-Lucent through a public exchange of shares in France and the United States, in a bid to become a leading global networks operator. Though Alcatel-Lucent has been racking up billions of euros of losses since its creation in 2006, Nokia seems to believe it can cut costs and hopes the deal will give it scale in the market of providing the networks that mobile phones use.

EUROPE-GOOGLE

BRUSSELS — The European Union's executive hit Google with an official antitrust complaint on Wednesday that alleges the company abuses its dominance in Internet searches and also opened a probe into its Android mobile system. The move massively raises the stakes in the highest profile antitrust case in Europe and could lead to billions in fines for Google if it does not change the way it does business in the 28-country bloc. 

IRAN-NUCLEAR-DEAL-WHO-SAYS-WHAT

VIENNA — As negotiators prepare to start drafting a final deal to curb Iran's atomic activities, conflicting U.S.-Iran takes on key elements mean tough work ahead of a June 30 deadline. Though six world powers remain at the bargaining table, the real negotiating is between the two nations. 

BRITAIN-ELECTION-THE PROMISES

LONDON — It's a common refrain: Politicians are all the same. But the manifestos of party promises released for Britain's May 7 election tell a different story, revealing which party will abolish the House of Lords, which wants to bring an NBA team to Britain and which is making an election pledge to "help bees." 

G7-FOREIGN MINISTERS

LUEBECK, Germany — Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday he is still confident that the U.S. administration can conclude a nuclear deal with Iran after President Barack Obama agreed to sign legislation giving Congress the right to reject an agreement. Kerry joined his counterparts from the Group of Seven industrial powers at a meeting in northern Germany on the gathering's second day, flying in overnight after discussing Iran with lawmakers in Washington. 

EUROPE-TOURISM BOOST

LISBON — Europe is seeing a spike in tourism bookings, particularly from the US, as the euro's drop against global currencies makes the region a cheaper destination.

FRANCE-RADIO STRIKE

PARIS — Unions and the government are nearing agreement on the future of France's national radio company after a 28-day strike that exemplifies the challenges of cutting state spending and loosening up labor rules. Broadcasts resumed Wednesday morning and staff at state-run Radio France met to discuss next steps. On Tuesday, four of five unions voted to return to work after progress on a compromise reform plan.

SERBIA-MIGRANTS

BELGRADE, Serbia — Migrants fleeing wars and persecution are experiencing widespread harassment and abuse by police as they cross Serbia while trying to find shelter in Western European states, a leading rights group said Wednesday. Human Rights Watch said thousands of people fleeing Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and other violence-ravaged countries in Asia and Africa have been targets of assaults, threats, insults and extortion as they pass through Serbia on their way to the border with Hungary, where they try to sneak into the European Union. 

POLAND-RUSSIA-BIKERS

WARSAW, Poland — Poland's prime minister has spoken out against a Russian motorcycle club that plans to ride through Poland on a journey to Berlin to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. The Night Wolves, a nationalistic group loyal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, plan to retrace the westward path Soviet soldiers took in their defeat of Nazi Germany.