Abstract. New radiative lifetime measurements performed with time-resolved laser spectroscopy for the 6p 1/2 and 6p 3/2 levels of La III provide a unique opportunity for testing the adequacy of the relativistic Hartree-Fock approach for atomic structure calculations in this ion. As a consequence of the comparison, an extensive set of accurate f -values is provided for many La III and Lu III UV and visible transitions of astrophysical interest.

A consistent set of f-values for vacuum ultraviolet lines of S I is deduced from a combination of laser lifetime measurements and theoretical branching ratios. The new results are compared with results deduced from absorption by interstellar gas toward f Ophiuchi, and good agreement is observed for most transitions.