U.S. and world news for Oct. 31

It’s scream season — why some love it and others have nightmares

(CNN) — Do you love to scream at Halloween? Or are you, like me, a certified scaredy-cat who avoids haunted houses and scary movies because my sleep depends on it? How you react to terror may lie in how you engage the world, according to Pamela Rutledge, director of the Media Psychology Research Center in Newport Beach, California, which conducts research to promote the use of media for positive social change. “Sensation-seeking individuals often enjoy horror because it provides safe thrills and novelty,” Rutledge said in an email. She is also a professor emerita of media psychology at Fielding Graduate University in Santa Barbara, California, who authored “Exploring Positive Psychology: The Science of Happiness and Well-Being.” “Empathetic people tend to absorb the feelings, so they are likely feeling emotional distress on the part of the characters,” Rutledge added. “This is somewhat different from someone who is anxiety prone who will react to the stress more than the emotion of fear or angst. Both are unpleasant.” Such distress can affect your sleep — even to the point of nightmares, said sleep specialist Jennifer Mundt, a clinical associate professor of family and preventive medicine at the University of Utah’s Sleep Wake Center.

Trump calls for end of Senate filibuster

(CNN) — President Donald Trump on Thursday urged congressional Republicans to unilaterally end the government shutdown by eliminating the Senate filibuster — urging them to take an unprecedented step that GOP leaders have firmly opposed until now. “It is now time for the Republicans to play their ‘TRUMP CARD,’ and go for what is called the Nuclear Option — Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post. The directive — which came after Trump returned from several days abroad — is likely to upend efforts on Capitol Hill to bring an end to the weekslong funding impasse. And it immediately ratcheted up the pressure on Republican leaders, who have adamantly opposed eliminating the 60-vote threshold for passing legislation as a way to end the shutdown. Top GOP lawmakers have long argued for keeping that threshold in place, asserting that the filibuster benefits Republicans — and will serve as a key safeguard against Democrats passing transformative legislation the next time they’re in power. Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier this month ruled out changing the Senate rules to end the shutdown, calling the filibuster “something that’s been a bulwark against a lot of really bad things happening with the country.” At the time, Thune said he’d gotten no pressure from the White House to end the filibuster.

Billie Eilish urged billionaires to give away their money 

(CNN) — When it comes to philanthropy, Billie Eilish has her money where her mouth is at the moment. The Grammy winner recently accepted the Music Innovator Award at the Wall Street Journal Magazine Innovator Awards held in New York City. Late night talk show host Stephen Colbert thanked her right before for allowing him to “break some news. This is extraordinary,” Colbert said. “Billie Eilish will be donating proceeds from her Hit Me Hard and Soft tour to support organizations, projects and voices dedicated to food equity, client justice, reducing carbon pollution and combating the climate crisis. That donation, ladies and gentleman, is $11.5 million.” “That’s wonderful,” Colbert said. “Billie, on behalf of humans, thank you very much.” Eilish then took to the stage to accept the award and had some words for the billionaires in the room, which reportedly included Mark Zuckerberg. “We’re in a time right now where the world is really, really bad and really dark and people need empathy and help more than kind of ever, especially in our country,” she said. “I’d say if you have money, it would be great to use it for good things, maybe give it to some people that need it.” Eilish then added: “Love you all, but there’s a few people in here that have a lot more money than me.” “If you’re a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?,” she said. “No hate, but yeah, give your money away, shorties.” She then expressed her love again and thanked everyone.

Western intelligence: Iran is rearming despite UN sanctions

(CNN) — Iran appears to be stepping up the rebuilding of its ballistic missile program, despite the reintroduction last month of United Nations sanctions that ban arms sales to the country and ballistic missile activity. European intelligence sources say several shipments of sodium perchlorate, the main precursor in the production of the solid propellant that powers Iran’s mid-range conventional missiles, have arrived from China to the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas since the so-called “snapback” mechanism was triggered at the end of September. Those sources say the shipments, which began arriving on Sept. 29, contain 2,000 tons of sodium perchlorate bought by Iran from Chinese suppliers in the wake of its 12-day conflict with Israel in June. The purchases are believed to be part of a determined effort to rebuild the Islamic Republic’s depleted missile stocks. Several of the cargo ships and Chinese entities involved are under sanctions from the United States.

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