Oslo

NEW YORK -- Sometimes beauty is trumped by the beast. After bullish expectations and an aggressive marketing campaign for an image considered the quintessential expression of modern horror, Sotheby'sNew York sold Edvard Munch's 1895 “The Scream” for $119.9 million on Wednesday night, setting a record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction. The top spot was previously held by Picasso's 1932 “Nude, Green, Leave and Bust” -- a painting of his much-younger lover Marie-Therese Walter that sold at Christie's in 2010 for $106.5 million.

Five schools in Norway have cried "Uncle" in the face of the force that is Justin Bieber. "Believe" it or not, they're moving midterms up a week so as not to conflict with the pop star's scheduled shows in Oslo on April 16 and 17, the original testing dates.  "[L]ove this. 'Schools in Norway move midterms so students can attend Justin Bieber concert,'" Bieber tweeted Wednesday, forwarding a story link to his more than 37 million followers.  PHOTOS: Celebrities by The Times The schools involved are in the Aspelund region, which is a good eight hours' drive from Oslo, according to the Wall Street Journal -- meaning students with tickets would have to skip school to make the shows.

'Oslo, August 31st' No MPAA rating; in Norwegian with English subtitles Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes Playing: At Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex, Santa Monica; Laemmle's Playhouse 7, Pasadena; Laemmle's Town Center 5, Encino

LONDON -- Hailing postwar European reconciliation as “probably the most dramatic example in history to show that war and conflict can be turned so rapidly into peace and cooperation,” Nobel committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland presented the Nobel Peace Prize to top European Union officials at a ceremony in Oslo. The award to the 27-nation EU for advancing peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights, was handed to its three leaders, Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council; Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission; and Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament.

Thank you for the overdue article on one of the world's most wonderful cities, Oslo ("Oslo Inside Out," July 15). I cannot understand, however, how author Kristin Johannsen failed to mention Frogner Park, a dream of a place. It could also be called a sculpture garden because it contains more than 150 works by Gustav Vigeland. This man's life work is evident throughout the park and will impress anyone with its humanity and emotional impact. Visitors to Oslo should not miss it. LOU GOREN Los Angeles

LONDON -- Hailing postwar European reconciliation as “probably the most dramatic example in history to show that war and conflict can be turned so rapidly into peace and cooperation,” Nobel committee Chairman Thorbjorn Jagland presented the Nobel Peace Prize to top European Union officials at a ceremony in Oslo. The award to the 27-nation EU for advancing peace, reconciliation, democracy and human rights, was handed to its three leaders, Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council; Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission; and Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament.

A massive explosion rocked downtown Oslo on Friday, killing at least two people, injuring several others and causing widespread damage in Norway's government center. The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that police believe the blast was due to a bomb. News agencies said the twisted, charred wreckage of a car could be seen close to the blast site. The explosion occurred near Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg's office, but Norwegian media said Stoltenberg was safe. Photos: Oslo bomb blast Outside of Oslo, a gunman dressed in a police uniform opened fire at a youth camp run by Norway's Labor Party.

THANK you so much for the article on Oslo ["Norway's Grand Prize," Nov. 26]. I had the privilege of spending some time this past June in Oslo with my Norwegian daughter-in-law. We visited many of the wonderful places mentioned in the article, including Vigeland Park. Seeing hundreds of statues of different materials all sculpted by one man is truly amazing. Thank you again for an article that brings back many happy memories. LYN LOGAN Pasadena

Among the great train rides, the one between Oslo and Bergen, Norway's two largest cities, has to rank near the top of the world's ever-diminishing rail journeys. It rivals the Panama Canal not only as an engineering feat; the comparison goes further because you leave Oslo at sea level, cross the roof of Norway and arrive at Bergen, also at sea level, seven hours later. You will pass through 200 tunnels, cross 300 bridges and traverse 15 miles of snowsheds. It was cold as we boarded in November.

A horrific shooting rampage at a summer youth camp and a massive bomb in downtown Oslo stunned Norway, leaving at least 87 people dead in apparently related terrorist attacks in a nation long known as the home of the Nobel Peace Prize. It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attacks, but speculation swirled around both Islamic militant groups and domestic right-wing extremists. Al Qaeda previously has singled out Norway as an intended target, and a shadowy group affiliated with the terrorist network reportedly claimed responsibility, a statement that could not be verified.

Phantom A novel Jo Nesbo Knopf, 400 pp., $25.95 Jo Nesbo, whose crime thrillers have sold more than 10 million copies in Europe and the U.S., has been anointed as the latest king of Scandinavian noir, the heir to the addictive-page-turning throne left vacant by the death of Stieg Larsson. But reading his books in Los Angeles brings to mind a different archetypal noir figure: Michael Connelly's tortured LAPD detective Harry Bosch. Nesbo's detective, who is featured in nine of his 16 books, including his latest, "Phantom," is also named Harry.

BOGOTA, Colombia - Among the many thorny issues to be hammered out in peace talks beginning Wednesday in Oslo between Colombia's government and the country's largest rebel group is what sort of post-conflict political role will be afforded to the insurgents. Guaranteeing a political voice for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, is one of the five main issues in the talks, which are to begin in the Norwegian capital and then move to Havana. The other points to be negotiated are agrarian reform, victims' rights, an end to the rebels' alleged drug trafficking and logistics for stopping the conflict.

'Oslo, August 31st' No MPAA rating; in Norwegian with English subtitles Running time: 1 hour, 36 minutes Playing: At Laemmle's Monica 4-Plex, Santa Monica; Laemmle's Playhouse 7, Pasadena; Laemmle's Town Center 5, Encino

NEW YORK -- Sometimes beauty is trumped by the beast. After bullish expectations and an aggressive marketing campaign for an image considered the quintessential expression of modern horror, Sotheby'sNew York sold Edvard Munch's 1895 “The Scream” for $119.9 million on Wednesday night, setting a record for the most expensive artwork sold at auction. The top spot was previously held by Picasso's 1932 “Nude, Green, Leave and Bust” -- a painting of his much-younger lover Marie-Therese Walter that sold at Christie's in 2010 for $106.5 million.

A psychiatric evaluation has found that Anders Behring Breivik, the man who killed 77 people in Norway in July, was clinically insane at the time of the attacks, prosecutors said Tuesday. The finding could pave the way for psychiatric treatment instead of a prison sentence for the right-wing, anti-Muslim militant, according to Norwegian law. After hours of interviews with Breivik, two forensic psychiatrists concluded that he was a paranoid schizophrenic who operated in his own "delusional universe," prosecutor Svein Holden told reporters in Oslo, the capital.

The sandy-haired young man runs his finger over an orange wristband with the word "Utoya," a leftover ID bracelet from the Labor Party youth camp where 68 people, mostly teenage activists, were gunned down last week. "I can't take it off," Vegard Groslie Wennesland says softly, seated at a cafe in central Oslo where broken glass was still being cleared from the separate car bombing that terrorism suspect Anders Behring Breivik also admits to committing. Tragedy is transforming the lives of young Norwegians — and in many cases, such as that of the 27-year-old Workers' Youth League member, strengthening their resolve.

A horrific shooting rampage at a youth summer camp left at least 80 people dead as Norway reeled from apparently related terrorist attacks in a nation long known as the home of the Nobel Peace Prize. In addition to the shooting at a youth camp attended by hundreds on the island of Utoya, a massive bomb exploded in downtown Oslo, killing seven and injuring dozens. Police director Oystein Maeland told reporters early Saturday they had discovered many more victims after initially reporting the death toll at 10, the Associated Press reported.

Norwegian police said Saturday that the death toll from Friday's attacks has risen to 92 and confirmed that they have arrested a suspect whom they described as a right-wing Christian fundamentalist. In a news conference Saturday morning in Oslo, police confirmed that they had arrested Anders Behring Breivik, 32, on suspicion of orchestrating both the Oslo bombing and the youth-camp shooting rampage and had begun searching two apartments that he owns. Breivik reportedly owns four properties including a farm on the outskirts of Oslo, allegedly to enable him to store legally a large amount of fertilizer.

It was supposed to be a defining moment for Norwegian terrorism suspect Anders Behring Breivik. He had hoped that Monday's hearing into last week's twin attacks would be televised live by the world's media, authorities say. He wanted to dress in uniform to defend his actions as part of a bid to trigger an anti-Islamic revolution in Europe. But to his disappointment, Breivik's much-anticipated first court appearance was neither seen nor heard by the public. A Norwegian judge ruled that the proceedings should be held behind closed doors, siding with prosecutors who are increasingly nervous about giving the suspect a forum to espouse his radical views.

A long line of Norwegians streamed into Oslo's cathedral Sunday morning for a service focused on the grief and need for healing after Friday's attacks that left 93 dead. Police searched bags as people entered the service, which was attended by Norway's king and queen. "Today we are mourning. Today we want to stop and remember those who died," Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said at the service, as attendees in the pews wept. Photos: Norway attack In all, 93 people were killed and 97 wounded in the Oslo bombing and Utoya Island shooting rampage.