The spectra of atoms and weakly-charged ions of lanthanides and elements of higher atomic numbers are of a current interest for the modelisation of stellar atmospheres observed with an unprecedented accuracy. The atomic data needed are in particular: a) lines with accurate wavelengths and reliable classifications, b)theoretical predictions for missing levels in order to derive realistic partition functions, c) branching ratios for the levels. All new advances require the support of Racah-Slater studies of large and interacting configurations, surveys of fitted parameters versus Hartree-Fock calculated values being important. The Cowan codes are used for transition probabilities estimates. Our laboratories are active in several areas, jointly with the ISRAS spectroscopists from Troitsk, Russia:
* Spark spectra of the 5d-elements which have been observed on the 10m spectrograph at Meudon; for their doubly-charged ions, the first analyses started being published (Ta III).
* Extended analyses of lanthanides third spectra, with the support of parametric calculations of 4f^N and 4f^Nnl configurations along the period La-Lu and of transition probabilities by means of the Cowan codes; new classified lines in Eu III and an improved description of the configuration mixing in Pr III and Tb III are derived.
For nearly all elements of high-Z, except actinides for which the critical compilation of Blaise & Wyart is available on-line (www.lac.u-psud.fr/Database/Contents.html), recent surveys are sorely missing. The revision of level assignments started in Os I and Ir I and should be extended to other 5d elements