Sweden

Sweden's Kalla wins cross-country ski season opener

Charlotte KallaGallivare, Sweden - Charlotte Kalla delighted a Swedish home crowd on Saturday when she won the cross-country skiing World Cup season-opener.

Kalla, 21, dominated the 10 kilometres freestyle race in 24 minutes 7.8 seconds from former World Cup and world champion Marit Bjoergen of Norway (24:32.2) and Aino Kaisa Saarinen of Finland (24:39.8).

It was the fourth career World Cup win for the 2008 Tour de Ski champion Kalla, who used to train for several years on the slopes of Gallivare just north of the Arctic Circle.

Sweden and Ukraine hope for closer ties via European Union

EU calls for immediate ceasefire in Georgia Stockholm - The prime ministers of Sweden and Ukraine Friday discussed Ukraine's efforts to form closer ties with the European Union.

Sweden hoped to see an association agreement in place between the 27-nation bloc and Ukraine during Sweden's six-month presidency of the EU next year, Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt said.

Assessment commissioned of bank taken over by Swedish state

SwedenStockholm - Independent firms have been commissioned to assess the value of Carnegie Investment Bank AB recently taken over by the Swedish state, officials said Friday.

Bo Lundgren, head of the Swedish National Debt Office that took over the bank last week, said the two entities that make up Carnegie were to be sold separately but said it was unlikely a deal would be clinched before the end of the year.

The entities comprise Carnegie Investment Bank AB, and pension insurance advisor Max Matthiessen Holding AB that Carnegie took over in early 2007.

Swedish parliament ratifies Lisbon Treaty after debate

Stockholm - The Swedish parliament ratified the European Union reform treaty late Thursday after a nine-hour debate.

The Lisbon Treaty was approved by 243 legislators while 39 voted against. Thirteen members of the 349-seat legislature abstained while 54 members did not attend the vote.

EU Affairs Minister Cecilia Malmstrom, who had urged legislators to ratify the treaty, said it contained "new rules" and offered a "more efficient and open EU."

Rejecting the treaty would mean that Sweden would have "poorer means of influencing decisions" and would lose its say, Malmstrom said.

Birgitta Ohlsson, member of Malmstrom's Liberal Party, earlier said the treaty would make the EU more up-to-date.

Swedish parliament opens Lisbon Treaty debate

SwedenStockholm- The Swedish parliament Thursday began to debate ratification of the European Union reform treaty, with opponents scrambling to postpone the ratification.

Five of the seven parties in the foreign affairs committee a week ago supported approval of the Lisbon Treaty in accordance with the government's recommendation.

Engineering group Sandvik to cut over 1,000 jobs

SandvikStockholm - Swedish engineering group Sandvik said Thursday it planned to cut 1,040 jobs and reduce production over weakened demand mainly in the automotive and engineering industries.

The group has some 47,000 employees worldwide and operations in 130 countries.

Its core operations include tools for metal-working, machinery and equipment for rock excavation, as well as stainless and high-alloy steels and other metals.

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