Oslo/Stockholm  - Norwegian cross-country ski star Marit Bjoergen and her Swedish rival Charlotte Kalla were considering not competing in the 10-kilometre classic event on Thursday at the world championships in the Czech resort of Liberec.

Bjoergen, 28, told broadcaster NRK on Tuesday that she had recovered from a stomach infection that she came down with over the weekend and on Wednesday would decide definitely if she would compete in the event.

Copenhagen/Stockholm  - The New Year's Eve celebrations in the Nordic region were marred by reports of two stabbing deaths as well as scores of injuries caused by fireworks.

The two stabbing deaths involved a 37-year-old man in a Copenhagen night spot, and a man in his 30s on the Baltic Sea island of Gotland, but there were no other police details.

Meanwhile in Denmark, emergency services group Falck Thursday reported 43 injuries related to fireworks, compared to 40 last year.

Victims included a 14-year-old boy who sustained burns caused by fireworks and was taken to the University Hospital in Copenhagen.

A 13-year-old boy lost a finger due to an exploding firework in the city of Aalborg.

Prague  - Arianna Follis of Italy claimed the women's Tour de Ski lead after three stages with a sprint victory on Monday while Swiss Dario Cologna retained first place overall on the men's side of the cross-country skiing event.

Tor Arne Hetland of Norway won the men's freestyle sprint in the Czech capital from Vassili Rotchev of Russia and Frenchman Jean Marc Gaillard.

Stockholm  - The main stock exchanges in the Nordic region ended on a high note Monday, buoyed by the news of a US government plan to rescue banking giant Citigroup.