Oslo- The Norwegian Foreign Ministry distanced itself Wednesday from an e-mail sent by a Norwegian diplomat comparing Israel's offensive in Gaza with events in World War II and the persecution of Jews.

"We have clearly stated that the content does not represent Norway's official view," Foreign Ministry spokesman Haakon Svane told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The female diplomat, based in Saudi Arabia, sent an e-mail from her official foreign ministry account with some 40 photos from Gaza paired with World War II images.

Oslo/Copenhagen  - Nordic leaders Tuesday congratulated new US President Barack Obama on his inauguration and expressed hopes for good cooperation in the future with the new administration.

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he expected "very, very close ties" to remain between the United States and Denmark, and hoped to cooperate on efforts to tackle climate change.

"We expect him to be very active in achieving a climate treaty in Copenhagen in December," Rasmussen told Danish television news.

Oslo- The third daughter of Norwegian Princess Martha Louise, daughter to King Harald and Queen Sonja, was christened Tuesday.

The christening of Emma Tallulah Behn was held in the Palace Chapel in Oslo in the presence of the king and queen as well as her parents, Martha Louise and writer Ari Behn.

Among her seven godparents were Norwegian Crown Princess Mette- Marit, Princess Alexia of Greece and her grandmother Marianne Solberg Behn.

Tallulah means leaping or running water in Choctaw Indian.

Oslo - Olympic ski-jump champion Lars Bystoel of Norway has tested positive for doping, reports said Friday.

Bystoel told the weekly gossip magazine Se og Hoer that he "had tested positive" but said the substance was "not performance enhancing and was not taken in connection with a competition."

According to the weekly the 30-year-old has tested positive for THC, a substance found in marijuana.

The test was conducted in connection with a competition in November 2008.

Bystoel won gold in the normal hill event at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

Oslo - Egil Olsen was named Wednesday as caretaker manager of the Norwegian national team until a longterm replacement is found for Age Hareide, who resigned in December after a string of poor results.

Olsen will remain at the helm until April and his first match in charge will be Norway's friendly international against Germany on February 11 in Dusseldorf. He will also be in place for the internationals against South Africa and Finland.

The 66 year-old was also Norway coach between 1990 and 1998 during which time the country qualified for two World Cups.

Hareide took over in 2003 but missed out on qualification for the 2006 World Cup in Germany as well as Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Oslo  - Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store was due to visit Egypt for talks with his counterpart Ahmed Abul Gheit on Wednesday before flying out for a meeting of European officials in Paris the next day..

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, Middle East envoy Tony Blair, and European Union external affairs commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner would be part of the meeting in Paris Thursday.

Norway currently chairs the international donors group for the Palestinians, known as the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee.