For the ‘EVolution Road’ research project in Sweden, a Solaris Trollino trolleybus -- manufactured by Poland-based bus and coach maker Solaris -- will be test driven on a special electric-vehicle (

Swedish automaker Volvo has confirmed the specifications and pricing of the new, forthcoming model in its XC line-up -- the XC40 T5 plug-in hybrid SUV -- for the UK market.

Stockholm - Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson on Thursday posted an increase in first-quarter 2009 sales - but net income fell dropped dramatically due to losses attributed to its joint venture Sony Ericsson.

Pre-tax income in the quarter totalled 3.3 billion kronor (400 million dollars), a 25 per cent decline year-on-year but better than analysts had predicted.

Net income - after losses and restructuring charges - dropped 30 per cent to 1.8 billion kronor while sales increased 12 per cent to 49.6 billion kronor, Ericsson said.

Stockholm  - An 18-year-old man was Wednesday sentenced to a 15-month prison term for rioting and drug offences in connection with Sweden's Davis Cup tie against Israel in March.

Some two dozen people face charges for taking part in riots that erupted the southern Swedish city Malmo after a mass protest was staged against the Israeli bombing campaign against the Gaza Strip in January.

The Davis Cup tie in Malmo was held without spectators since city officials said they could not guarantee the safety of the players or officials.

Stockholm - Swedish state-owned energy group Vattenfall on Wednesday reported a strong first-quarter 2009 with a rise in sales and operating profits. Operating profit before tax and interest was 12.8 billion kronor (1.55 billion dollars), up 12.6 per cent year-on-year.

First-quarter turnover increased by 15 per cent to 52 billion kronor, Vattenfall said, while net profit was up 12.6 per cent to 8 billion kronor.

"It is a strong result, a great result," chief executive Lars G Josefsson told analysts later.

Stockholm - The SAS Group, operator of the joint carrier Scandinavian Airlines, on Tuesday reported a higher pre-tax loss and lower turnover for first-quarter 2009. The pre-tax loss was 1.02 billion kronor (125 million dollars), compared to a year-on-year pre-tax loss of
875 million kronor.

Turnover fell some 8 per cent to 11.3 billion kronor, while the net loss was 748 million kronor. A year ago, the net loss was 1.1 billion kronor.