Stockholm - Swedish heavy-vehicle maker Scania on Tuesday reported that pre-tax income for the fourth-quarter 2008 was halved, and said it planned to cut some
2,000 employees from its workforce.

Pre-tax income was 1.7 billion kronor (203 million dollars), compared to 3.6 billion kronor in the corresponding business period 2007.

Year-on-year sales in the quarter declined from 24.5 billion kronor to 22.6 billion kronor.

For full-year 2008, the group posted a 5-per-cent increase of net sales to 89.97 billion kronor, while pre-tax income for the full-year was almost flat on 11.9 billion kronor.

Stockholm - Swedish engineering group  said Monday it planned to cut some 10 per cent of its global wor

Stockholm - Former world heavyweight boxing champion Ingemar Johans

Stockholm - A Swedish health agency Thursday said it was to study the possible link between exotic travel destinations and diseases covered by mandatory reporting rules, including diarrheal illnesses.

"With more knowledge we can work preventively to reduce the number of Swedish nationals infected by serious infectious diseases abroad," said Annika Linde, state epidemiologist with the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control (SMI).

The agency said it aimed to conduct the survey in conjunction with the travel industry.

Stockholm  - Swedish clothes retailing company Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) Thursday posted an 11-per-cent increase in pre-tax profits for the financial year 2008, and said it planned to continue expanding its business.

Pre-tax profits of 21.19 billion kronor (2.65 billion dollars) were posted on sales of 88.5 billion kronor, excluding value added tax (VAT), for the period December 2007 to November 2008.

Turnover, excluding VAT, was up 13 per cent on the corresponding business period December 2006 to November 2007.

For the fourth quarter 2008, pre-tax profit increased 14 per cent year on year to 7.1 billion kronor.

Fourth-quarter sales, excluding VAT, were up 15 per cent to 26.3 billion kronor, the group said.

Stockholm  - Up close, a Boeing 747-200 is an impressive sight.

Visitors to Stockholm's Arlanda airport can now get a real, close-up view of a mighty bird - in the form of a decommissioned jumbo jet which has been converted into a hostel.

General Manager Oscar Dios hopes that aviation enthusiasts, budget travellers, charter tourists and day visitors will book a stay at the Jumbo Hostel that opened in mid-January.