Oslo, Jan 8 : The Norwegian daily newspaper Aftenposten Friday reprinted cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed that generated controversy 2005 when they were first published in a Danish newspaper.

"We have always defended media's right to print these cartoons, and we printed a facsimile when the dispute began 2005," Aftenposten editor-in-chief Hilde Haugsgjerd wrote.

Oslo (Norway), Dec. 10 : The United States President, Barack Obama, on Thursday accepted the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize in a special award ceremony

“I receive this honor with deep gratitude and great humility. It is an award that speaks to our highest aspirations -- that for all the cruelty and hardship of our world, we are not mere prisoners of fate. Our actions matter, and can bend history in the direction of justice,” said Barack Obama during his Nobel Prize speech.

Oslo, Dec 10 : US President Barack Obama accepted the Nobel Peace Prize Thursday at a ceremony in this Norwegian capital.

The prize was awarded to Obama in October for his "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".

"Compared to some of the giants of history who have received this prize... my accomplishments are slight," Obama said in his acceptance speech at Oslo's City Hall.(DPA)

Oslo, Dec 10 - US President Barack Obama arrived early Thursday in Oslo, where he later was to accept the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

The president was accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama and welcomed by Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store and Kaci Kullmann Five, deputy chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

The highlight of Obama's visit will be his receipt of the coveted prize and delivery of an acceptance speech at Oslo City Hall.

Oslo, Dec 9 :Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was Wednesday selected as winner of "dictator of the year prize", students at Oslo University said.

The Iranian leader was chosen from 11 candidates - selected by human rights experts - including North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Myanmar's General Than Schwe.

Oslo  - A lithography by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch was stolen late Thursday in a break-in at an art dealer in Oslo, police and media said Friday.

"It is a unique hand-coloured print," Pascal Nyborg who runs the art dealership told broadcaster NRK. He declined to state its value.

According to Nyborg the thief or thieves apparently did not touch any other works, and smashed one of the front windows opening on to the street.

A van used in the break-in was found a few blocks away from the art dealership and is being investigated by police.

Oslo - Helping Afghans claim their future was the main theme of a meeting between NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg in Oslo Friday.

"The way forward is that the Afghan people and government take responsibility for security in Afghanistan," Rasmussen said. "Our mission in Afghanistan ends when Afghanistan is capable to take charge of its security. That is what we will help with."

Oslo  - Norwegian energy giant Statoil's net income increased by 6 per cent in the third quarter of 2009 despite lower oil and gas prices, the state-owned group said Wednesday.

Net income for the quarter was 6.6 billion kroner (1.1 billion dollars) compared to 6.3 billion kroner for the corresponding quarter 2008.

Net operating income declined 40 per cent to 28.3 billion kroner, while year-on-year revenues fell 30 per cent to 122 billion kroner, Statoil said.

Oslo/Belgrade - Cooperation between authorities in Serbia and Norway has resulted in the recent arrest of several suspects in the Scandinavian country, Norwegian police said Tuesday.

Norwegian police have cooperated "extremely well" with Serbian police on the matter, Norwegian police prosecutor Havard Kampen said in a statement to the German Press Agency, dpa.

Citing the ongoing investigation, the Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service declined to go into details about the suspects or what crime they were suspected of planning.

Oslo/Belgrade - Cooperation between authorities in Serbia and Norway has resulted in the recent arrest of several suspects in the Scandinavian country, Norwegian police said Tuesday.

Norwegian police have cooperated "extremely well" with Serbian police on the matter, Norwegian police prosecutor Havard Kampen said in a statement to the German Press Agency, dpa.

Citing the ongoing investigation, the Norwegian Criminal Investigation Service declined to go into details about the suspects or what crime they were suspected of planning.

Oslo - Norway had as of Thursday registered a higher number of swine flu cases and fatalities than its Nordic neighbours, sparking speculation of a possible mutation of the A(H1N1) virus.

The Norwegian Institute of Public Health reported Norway has registered 13 deaths, neighbouring Sweden has to date had two, and Denmark none.

The institute however said that tests so far have shown that the virus was the same as in neighbouring countries.

Oslo - A random spot check by Norwegian customs officials resulted in the find of 14 baby pythons and 10 albino gecko lizzards strapped to the would-be smuggler's body, reports said Monday.

The incident took place Sunday when a man arriving with a passenger ferry from Denmark was stopped for a spot check. When customs officials found a box containing a tarantula in his luggage, they decided to search him more thoroughly.

The man then admitted that he was carrying other reptiles, a customs official told the regional Faedrelandsvennen newspaper.

Oslo - All citizens of Norway were urged Friday to vaccinate themselves against the A(H1N1) virus, or swine flu.

The Nordic country of 4.8 million people has registered 10 deaths among more than 2,000 cases reported.

"Norway is well prepared for this pandemic," Health Minister Anne-Grete Strom-Erichsen said at a news conference, saying enough vaccines had been ordered for the whole population.

Oslo (Norway), Oct. 9 : United States President Barack Obama has been surprisingly given the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 for his extraordinary efforts in strengthening international diplomacy and for taking landmark initiatives to create a nuclear-free world.

Announcing the award here, an official of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said that Obama was yet to be informed about the award, and would receive the award on December 10 this year.

He also said that Obama had beaten 205 other nominees for the prestigious award, which includes a gold medal, a Nobel diploma and 1.4 million dollars.

Oslo  - The terms for Volkswagen's takeover of sports-car maker Porsche have been questioned by the Norwegian state pension fund, reports said Thursday.

The pension fund, which has a minority stake in Volkswagen, expressed "deep concern" over the deal in a letter sent Wednesday to Volkswagen's supervisory board.

The fund said it was not convinced the deal would "benefit Volkswagen's various shareholders equitably."

Oslo  - Tourists to Norway can now visit two new national parks.

The mountainous landscape of new national park Breheimen is situated in the districts of Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. With an area of nearly 1,794 square kilometres, it is among the largest national parks in the country.

The other new national park, Ytre Hvaler, is on the Norwegian-Swedish border and is a "unique maritime landscape" of more than 6,000 animal and plant species on the outer Oslo fjord.

Oslo  - Telecommunications groups Telenor of Norway and Russia's Altimo on Monday unveiled plans to create a jointly-owned mobile phone operator.

The united company VimpelCom Ltd is to operate in Russia, Ukraine and other countries in the Commonwealth of Independent States as well as Georgia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, a statement said.

The groups also aimed to expand business in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Oslo - US actor Will Smith and his wife, actress Jada Pinkett Smith, have been selected to co-host the upcoming Nobel Peace Prize Concert, organizers said Wednesday.

Among acts slated to perform at the December 11 concert are singer Wyclef Jean, disco queen Donna Summer, US country musician Toby Keith, and the duo Amadou & Miriam from Mali.

The concert is to be held the day after the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony.

Oslo - Norway's largest bank said Friday it planned a rights issue worth 14 billion kroner (2.4 billion dollars) to strengthen its equity capital base and meet future demand for capital.

Chief Executive of the DnB NOR bank, Rune Bjerke, said that three of the bank's main shareholders - that together own 48 per cent of the bank - backed the proposal, adding that bank had not changed its earlier projections of earnings.

Oslo  - Norway's central bank on Wednesday kept its benchmark interest rate at 1.25 per cent, saying that was the "appropriate" level.

The Norwegian economy had overall "fared well through the financial crisis," the central bank said noting that "high activity in the oil industry" as well as monetary and fiscal policy measures had helped keep up demand for goods and services.

In addition, underlying inflation was close to its target while unemployment was lower than projected.

The bank's most recent cut, of 0.25 prcentage points, was June 17.  dpa