Copenhagen  - Denmark's new prime minister made his first cabinet appointments Tuesday, designating among others a new finance and labour minister.

Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen formally took over the reins of Denmark's government this weekend after his predecessor, Anders Fogh Rasmussen, accepted a position as NATO secretary general.

Claus Hjort Frederiksen, until now the labour minister, will take over the finance portfolio. Karin Ellemann was named interior minister, while Karin Stjberg is to take over the labour portfolio.

Copenhagen  - Newly-designated NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen formally handed in his resignation Sunday as prime minister to Danish Queen Margrethe II.

Rasmussen, 56, is to be succeeded by his namesake, 44-year-old Finance Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, as head of the government.

The formal resignation comes a day after the NATO summit in Strasbourg chose Rasmussen as alliance's next secretary general to succeed outgoing NATO chief Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. Rasmussen would take over his NATO post on August 1.

Copenhagen - NATO leaders reached a deal Saturd

Copenhagen  - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Friday held meetings with his cabinet and confirmed he was a candidate for new NATO secretary general, Danish media reported.

After the meetings, the premier left for a summit of the defence alliance, but did not met the press.

Rasmussen, who has been premier since 2001, has been mentioned as a favourite to become the new secretary general of NATO. However, Turkey has expressed opposition to his appointment.

Brussels/Copenhagen  - Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, 56, has officially thrown his hat into the ring for the position of NATO secretary general, Danish media reported Thursday.

According to the newspaper Politiken, Rasmussen made his announcement at a meeting of NATO ambassadors on the eve of a NATO summit in Germany and France to celebrate the defence alliance's 60th anniversary.

Turkey opposes Rasmussen's candidacy, which means the heads of NATO countries will have to deliberate on the decision during the summit.