Stockholm  - Swedish banking group Swedbank Monday said it was to withhold its planned dividend for 2008, citing "a continued deterioration of macroeconomic conditions" in several markets including the neighbouring Baltics.

A month ago, the bank's board had proposed a dividend of 2.9 billion kronor (315 million dollars) for the financial year 2008. The dividend was to be halved to 4.50 kronor per share.

Malmo, Sweden/Tel Aviv  - Israeli tennis player Andy Ram has described the protests against his country at the Davis Cup in Sweden as a "sad moment for tennis, sport and for Israel," in an article published by Israel's daily Yediot Achronot on Sunday.

Ram wrote that he had never encountered such hatred and mixing of sport and politics in his entire sporting career.

"These events have changed my view of Sweden completely and I doubt whether I even want to return here," he said.

Stockholm  - The Swedish Academy, the body that awards the Nobel Literature Prize, on Friday named author and literary critic Lotta Lotass as one of its members.

Elected by secret ballot, Lotass was to succeed long-serving member Sten Rudholm who died in November at age 90.

Lotass, born 1964, lives in the west-coast city of Gothenburg. She made her literary debut in 2000 and two years later published her doctoral dissertation on Swedish author Stig Dagerman (1923-1954).

Malmo/Stockholm - Swedish police officers Friday greatly outnumbered demonstrators as play got underway at the arena hosting the Davis Cup tie between Sweden and Israel.

The tie in the southern city of Malmo is been played behind closed doors. The first match featured Sweden's Thomas Johansson against Israel's Harel Levi.

It has been classified as a high-risk event over potential protests by groups wanting to protest against the recent Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza.

Stockholm - The Swedish government Friday named Sverker Goranson as new supreme commander of the Swedish Armed Forces.

Goransson, a lieutenant general, was to assume his post March 25. He succeeds Hakan Syren, who is to head the European Union Military Committee (EUMC), replacing French General Henri Bentegeat later this year.

The EU military committee advises the bloc's foreign and security chief Javier Solana.

Stockholm - Women in developing countries risk severe setbacks, and efforts to promote gender equality are at risk as the global financial crisis spreads, a Swedish government agency said Friday.

Employment opportunities in export-driven industries and agriculture were falling as "demand and purchasing power drops in the West and later in developing countries," said Anders Nordstrom, head of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).