Munch masterpieces recovered, cops say

Munch masterpiecesrecovered, cops say
OSLO, Norway -- Police recovered two paintings they believe are the Edvard Munch masterpieces "The Scream" and "Madonna," two years after masked gunmen seized the priceless artworks from an Oslo museum in a bold, daylight raid, authorities announced Thursday.
Both paintings, stolen from the Munch Museum in August 2004, were in better-than-expected condition, police said. They were recovered following the conviction of three suspects in the case in May. During the hunt for the paintings, Norwegian news media reported that they might have been burned to get rid of evidence.
"The Scream," which shows a waif-like figure apparently screaming or hearing a scream, has become a modern icon of human anxiety. Munch died in 1944 at the age of 80.
Today's birthdays
Former Defense Secretary Melvin R. Laird is 84. Actress Yvonne De Carlo is 84. Conductor Seiji Ozawa is 71. Comedian-actress Lily Tomlin is 67. Singer Archie Bell is 62. Singer Barry Gibb is 60. Talk show host Dr. Phil McGraw is 56. Singer Gloria Estefan is 49. Jazz musician Boney James is 45. Singer-musician Grant Lee Phillips (Grant Lee Buffalo) is 43. Rock singer JD Fortune (INXS) is 33.