Informing, engaging & connecting the people of the world. OCTOBER 31, 2019

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VIDEO: Washington’s Kennedy Center opened an unusual exhibition within the walls of its new art space: It’s a collection of paintings by former president George W. Bush. The total of 66 oil paintings of military veterans will be displayed in the center this fall.

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On October 31, 1926, vaunted magician Harry Houdini dies in a Detroit hospital. He was 52. The cause of death was peritonitis, and just 12 days before, the escape artist was telling a group of students about the strength of his stomach muscles. One student suddenly punched him before he had time to brace himself. The punch ruptured his appendix, which led to the peritonitis. Houdini was born in Hungary and later immigrated to Wisconsin. His specialty was being able to escape from seemingly any trap.

One of the Islamic State terror group’s media divisions is promising supporters that a major announcement is on the way. It’s the first communique from the group since the death of its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, in a U.S. raid on Sunday.

Officials in Pakistan say at least 74 people have been killed and dozens more injured after fire engulfed a passenger train near Pakistan’s Rahimyar Khan city ineastern Punjab province.

VIDEO: Dracula, Frankenstein and other monsters may have literary origins, but Hollywood has made them iconic characters that have scared and thrilled audiences around the world. Filmmakers looked to science and archeology for inspiration for the movie monsters. The connection between science and art is shown at an exhibit called the Natural History of Horror at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County.

North Korea has fired two short-range projectiles, likely ballistic missiles, off the country’s east coast, South Korea and Japan reported Thursday. It was the 12th such launch by the DPRK this year.