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Day: October 7, 2025
Forty-eight hostages remain inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
In the wake of Finding the Holy Path, published in 2014, and Cold Shadows in 2016, Naked Nimbus is Shahsanem Murray’s long-awaited third novel. Once again, Murray’s multifaceted plot is woven with intrigue and mysticism, referencing the stark cultural contrasts between life in Central Asia under the Soviet regime and that in the West.
The story focuses on Arthur, a young, ambitious artist struggling to find his way in the world and recognition for his craft. Haunted by his role in a fatal accident, he searches for atonement whilst battling to maintain his moral, personal, and professional integrity.
Faced by numerous challenges, Arthur experiences a storm of emotions from despair to euphoria, and, highly sensitive to his surroundings and everyone he meets, the thin line between reality and fantasy blurs as he continues to hold out hope for true love. Friendships are put to a test, and he must muster the strength to forgive both himself and those closest to him for acts of disloyalty.
Arthur’s journey takes him across the globe, from his Soviet homeland to Scotland, France, and finally, the wilds of Siberia. Often feeling dislocated, he finds himself questioning his identity and self-worth both as a man and an artist; a situation compounded by supernatural encounters.
Murray further explores the human condition and the problems faced by society at large by introducing parallel stories of other characters’ lives, including Arthur’s acquaintances and his friend Alik’s father, Turdubek, as he searches for a soulmate under the Soviet regime.
Like the Surrealist paintings which inspired it, this novel is filled with poignant visual imagery and symbolism, which, open to interpretation, lead the reader to ponder the outcome of events.
Editor Laura Hamilton caught up with Shahsanem Murray to discuss the author’s new novel:
LH: What is the meaning or inspiration behind the book’s title?
SM: I wanted the title to be both poetic and to act as a key for the reader’s attention. After writing the first two chapters, I realized that the original title wouldn’t work. Then, one Sunday morning, my business partner Gordon Murray mentioned the word ‘nimbus.’ Unfamiliar with the term, I began searching for images and decided that ‘Naked Nimbus’ would be a perfect description of Arthur’s plight. As a man without wings, he is unable to fly, and so, if he is to soar in his life’s journey, he must explore, harness, and embrace the moral and cultural tenets of the society in which he lives and works.
LH: The video trailer recreates the opening violent murder scene, but unlike typical crime fiction, the book focuses on its prolonged mental impact on the protagonist. Was it your intention that readers view crime from a different perspective?
SM: The video trailer was carefully created as a marketing tool to entice readers. It sets the scene for the impact the accidental murder has on the protagonist’s life. I hope it doesn’t disappoint!
LH: In common with your previous novels, the new book provides a glimpse of life in Central Asia – especially your native Kyrgyzstan – both before and after the fall of the USSR, and your adopted home in Scotland. Are any of the characters in Naked Nimbus drawn from real people or events?
SM: My characters possess the attributes of people I have encountered and their response to specific events and circumstances, especially during the period under and leading up to the fall of the USSR. Having lived in Kyrgyzstan during that period and afterwards, in Scotland, I was inspired by both my own and my associates’ experiences as we gradually adapted to significant changes in the societies in which we lived.
LH: Mysticism and legends – important in Kyrgyz culture – also feature prominently in your writing. What draws you to incorporate these to enhance your storyline and the mental state of your characters?
SM: Kyrgyz literature is rich in mysticism, and legends based on ancient folklore are integral to our culture. I’m constantly revisiting tales narrated by my grandparents and rediscovering a rich and powerful trove of material that can be incorporated into my work. By comparing the two, and to my surprise, I recognized similarities in how Scottish and Kyrgyz folklore is revered, treasured, and preserved by generations both past and present.
LH: Arthur, the key protagonist in Naked Nimbus, is portrayed as a man battling to come to terms with his involvement in a murder, leading him to question his very being and his place in the world. Crime aside, is this something that was inspired by your own experience of having to adapt to life in a country alien to where you grew up?
SM: Although Naked Nimbus is fictional, Arthur’s involvement in the murder is, sadly, something that occurs daily worldwide. I recall a newspaper article about one young man who, returning from a night out celebrating his birthday, was attacked and robbed by a local gang. Had he chosen to join the gang, he would not have ended up in hospital with serious injuries. And worse, had he fought back, he might well have committed murder. The world is a dangerous place for young men, especially those faced with pressures to join the ‘dark side.’ Through Arthur, I wanted to explore the consequences, both mental and moral, of rejecting crime and violence to follow a good and honest life.
To quote Shakespeare: ‘To be or not to be, that is the question.’
LH: The book contains many parallel stories, and the ending is open to interpretation. What role did your knowledge of Surrealist art play in your often enigmatic plots and use of the imaginary?
SM: Surrealism is my favorite art genre. It has the power to surprise and force the viewer to re-evaluate what the artist is trying to convey whilst conjuring up personal memories. The inclusion of parallel plots in my book is akin to the Surrealist artists’ juxtaposition and layering of motifs; interrelated yet standing alone as vehicles of the characters’ dreams, disappointments, and aspirations.
Snowstorms strand hikers in China and a South Korean climber dies in Nepal
Discovery of 1,900-year-old headstone dedicated to Roman sailor sets off effort to repatriate item to Italy
A New Orleans couple clearing away undergrowth in their home’s yard unearthed a grave marker, setting off a quest for answers about how the roughly 1,900-year-old relic ended up there – and an effort to repatriate it to Italy.
The remarkable discovery was the work of Tulane University anthropologist Daniella Santoro and her husband, Aaron Lorenz, according to a report published online Monday by the magazine of New Orleans’s Preservation Resource Center (PRC).
A Chinese fighter jet carrying missiles got within 200 feet of the Canadian CP-140 Aurora plan, it was reported.
Kevin Carter/Getty Images
- The travel trade deficit is projected to reach $70 billion in 2025, the US Travel Association said.
- The United States has historically had a travel trade surplus, but inbound travel has declined.
- The decrease has been driven primarily by a sharp decline in Canadian visitors.
A stated goal of President Donald Trump’s ambitious tariff policy was to reduce the United States’ trade deficits around the world, but at least one has ballooned this year: the travel trade deficit.
A trade deficit occurs when a country imports more goods and services than it exports. When it comes to travel, that means when Americans are spending more money on travel abroad than international visitors are spending in the United States.
According to the US Travel Association’s travel forecast released last week, the travel trade deficit for 2025 was on track to be nearly $70 billion, as international visitors have pulled back on visiting the United States.
Travel is a major export for the United States. While exports are often thought of as physical products that are shipped abroad, such as crude oil or cars, they also include services produced domestically and consumed by foreigners. For instance, a French national’s five-night stay at a hotel in New York is considered a service export, since it brings money into the country from a non-resident.
Historically, the industry has produced a trade surplus, meaning that foreigners spent more visiting the United States than Americans spent abroad on travel. But at the same time that international inbound travel has declined, the number of Americans traveling abroad has continued to increase.
In April, after international travel to the United States experienced a decline, the US Travel Association said the country was running at a $50 billion travel trade deficit, marking “a sharp reversal from our historical surplus in travel exports.” In 2022, the United States had a $3.5 billion travel trade surplus, according to data from the US Department of Commerce.
The recent US Travel Association’s travel forecast also said the number of international arrivals to the United States was expected to decline by 6.3% in 2025 compared to 2024, marking the first decline in inbound travel since 2020. Visitor spending was expected to decline by 3.2%.
The US Travel Association said the decline in visitors from Canada was the primary driver of the decrease. Some Canadians began boycotting travel to the United States earlier this year in response to Trump’s tariffs and comments about making the neighbor to the north the 51st state.
In August, the number of Canadians returning to the country from the United States by car was down nearly 34% compared to the same month a year prior, according to data from the Canadian government. United States border towns and business owners recently told Business Insider they are feeling the economic impact of fewer Canadian visitors.
There are a couple of major travel events coming up next year that could help reverse the decline in international visitors to the United States: the FIFA World Cup and celebrations for America’s 250th birthday. The US Travel Association said it expects international visitation to resume growth as a result of these events.
However, it also said the United States is at risk of further deterring international visitors due to “potential increases in visa fees, extended wait times for visa applications and renewals, and negative sentiment towards the U.S. in key markets.”
Do you have a story to share about traveling to, or avoiding travel to, the United States? Contact this reporter at kvlamis@businessinsider.com.
Read the original article on Business Insider
Two people were also injured after 30-year-old suspect opened fire during a hearing over property dispute the Tirana Court of Appeal.
Among those arrested, DHS identified a Venezuelan man officials allege is affiliated with the Tren de Aragua gang.
Two weeks after winning a special election for Arizona’s 7th congressional district, Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva has yet to be sworn in to Congress—and the delay is also preventing a key development in the saga surrounding late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whom President Donald Trump has tried to distance himself from despite apparent associations.
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Grijalva told Phoenix radio network KJZZ Monday that she’s heard “absolutely nothing” from House Speaker Mike Johnson or House officials on when she could take her oath. “There has been direct communication with the Speaker’s office and myself,” Grijalva said. “But they’re—having canceled all of their votes, have no indication at all as to when I might get sworn in.”
Johnson had committed to swearing in Grijalva swiftly: speaking to CBS Mornings last Thursday, the House Speaker said that while “the House is not on the floor doing business” that week, he promised to do so “early next week as soon as everyone returns to town. We have to have everybody here, and we’ll swear her in.”
But the Speaker broke that promise. On Friday, a notice from Johnson read on the House floor said that Oct. 7-13 will be a “district work period,” which means lawmakers can work from their districts rather than in D.C. Previously scheduled votes were cancelled. With no committee hearings scheduled and no bills up for floor consideration, the House is effectively out of session.
“The House did its job,” Johnson said Friday, referring to a continuing resolution to fund the government that was passed by the Republican-majority lower chamber. “And it’s been rejected by the Senate.”
But Johnson’s move to put the House in recess has also effectively prevented Grijalva from starting her job. “I am still waiting,” Grijalva told KJZZ. “The sad part is that there are so many questions,” she added.
Grijalva argued she can be sworn in “at any time,” as Johnson has done with other lawmakers who won special elections. But there’s incentive for Johnson and Republicans to delay Grijalva’s official duties: once sworn in, Grijalva can break a different congressional impasse herself. She vowed on the campaign trail to be the last-needed vote in the House’s bid to force the Trump Administration to release undisclosed documents related to Epstein. (The bill would still need to also pass in the Republican-majority Senate.)
Democrats have pushed to fast-track the process of Grijalva’s swearing-in and accused Johnson and the House Republican leadership of stalling to protect Trump and their chamber from incurring the President’s wrath.
“You get the White House undermining our democracy,” Massachusetts Rep. Jim McGovern, the senior Democrat on the House Rules Committee, said Monday, “and now you get the Speaker of the House doing the same thing.”
Who is Adelita Grijalva?
A Tucson native, Grijalva, 54, is the daughter of former Arizona Rep. Raúl Grijalva. The elder Grijalva served in the House since 2003, representing the state’s 7th district from 2003 to 2013, the state’s 3rd district from 2013 to 2023, and the 7th district again from 2023 until his death at age 77 in March. He was set to retire at the end of his term but suffered from lung cancer and died from related complications.
The younger Grijalva, who is married to a librarian and has three children, worked in the public sector for a while before running for Congress. According to her campaign biography, Grijalva was first elected to the Tucson Unified School District Governing Board in 2002, and she served on the Pima County Board of Supervisors after being elected in 2020 and re-elected in 2024. She also worked at Pima County Teen Court for more than 25 years.
After her father’s death, Grijalva announced her candidacy for his congressional seat on March 31. She won the Democratic primary in July, and on Sept. 23, she faced off against Republican candidate Daniel Butierez. Grijalva won the special election with almost 69% of the vote.
How can Grijalva influence the Epstein files’ release?
Grijalva has said that one of her top priorities is to sign the petition on the discharge of the so-called “Epstein files,” which the Justice Department under Trump has said that it has no plans to release. “First, I will sign the discharge petition for the release of the Epstein files and other similar petitions,” Grijalva told El Pais Monday.
The Epstein files have been the subject of congressional fascination ever since controversy around the Trump Administration’s handling of the issue exploded over the summer. Reps. Thomas Massie (R, Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D, Calif.) have led an effort to compel the Justice Department to release those files. Johnson, on the other hand, has backed a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee probe into the files—a move that is largely seen as symbolic and ineffectual, given that the panel isn’t required to take any action on the files on the House floor.
In the House, the Speaker works with committee leaders to set the chamber’s agenda and decide on the bills and resolutions that get a vote. This allows House leaders to ignore any agenda they don’t want to handle. But Massie’s and Khanna’s discharge petition could bypass Johnson and force the House to vote on the release of the files if it gets 218 signatures from House members.
The petition currently has 217 signatories: all 213 current House Democrats, plus four Republicans—Massie, Lauren Boebert (Colo.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Nancy Mace (S.C.). Once Grijalva takes office, she is expected to be the much-awaited 218th signature.
But Grijalva’s signature doesn’t automatically send the discharge petition to the Senate. Supporters of the discharge petition must wait seven days before they can motion for a vote, and then the Speaker is required to hold a vote on the proposal within two legislative days. Still, Johnson can try to block the discharge effort in the Rules Committee, though the panel has rebelled against him in the past. He can also motion to “table” the vote, but that would require the Republican signatories of the discharge to support the tabling of it, which they are unlikely to do.
Is delaying Grijalva’s appointment allowed?
Johnson has suggested that Grijalva will be sworn in as soon as the shutdown ends. “The House will come back into session and do its work as soon as Chuck Schumer allows us to reopen the government,” he said.
But Grijalva and others believe the crucial Epstein vote is the sole reason for the delay in her swearing-in.
“Johnson and the House Republicans care more about protecting the Epstein files than protecting the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Schumer (D, N.Y.) said Friday.
“I really, truly try not to be a conspiracy theorist about any of it,” Grijalva told KJZZ. “I think there’s plausible explanations for most things. Unfortunately, in this case, the only thing that differentiates me from the other three people that have been sworn in in specials this year is that I am the 218th signer to the discharge petitions to release the Epstein files.”
Johnson called the suggestion “totally absurd” on NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday. “This has nothing to do with that. It’s another red herring,” he said.
But even some of the handful of Republicans in favor of the discharge petition have also connected the dots. “Why are we in recess? Because the day we go back into session, I have 218 votes for the discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files,” Massie posted on X. “Not being in session certainly does avoid the Epstein discharge petition, which I’ve never understood why it’s anything to hide,” Greene told Axios. “Aren’t we all against convicted pedophiles and anyone who enables them?”
Compared to Grijalva’s case, Johnson has not taken his time swearing in other newly elected lawmakers who won in special elections earlier this year. The House was not in regular session when Johnson swore in Florida Republican Reps. Randy Fine and Jimmy Patronis in April, just a day after their election victories. And in September, Johnson swore in Virginia Democratic Rep. James Walkinshaw the day after he won.
Under House rules, “until a Member-elect has subscribed to the oath, he does not enjoy all the rights and prerogatives of a Member of Congress.” Those rules, however, do not specify when a swearing-in ceremony should occur.
Because of the inconsistency, some have flagged Johnson’s apparent double standards and raised questions about whether the delay is even allowed. Grijalva’s fellow Arizona Democrat, Rep. Greg Stanton, told Johnson in a Sept. 30 letter that with his “blocking” of Grijalva’s swearing-in, he is “depriving more than 800,000 Arizonans of their rightful voice in Congress,” which Stanton alleged is “a direct violation of both the Constitution’s guarantee of representation and the House’s duty to respect the will of the voters.”
“My election does not change Democrats into the majority. We’ll still be in the minority,” Grijalva told KJZZ. “Our constituents are losing out because of these games that are being played with my swearing in.”
Grijalva, however, posited another theory for the delay. “Perhaps Johnson needs a little more time to try to convince one of the four Republicans to remove their name from the petition,” she told media personality Don Lemon on Monday night.