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Malaysia court finds ex-PM Najib Razak guilty of abuse of power in biggest 1MDB trial

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Malaysia court finds ex-PM Najib Razak guilty of abuse of power in biggest 1MDB trial


Prison officers escort former Malaysian PM Najib Razak, as the jailed politician leaves the court during a break in proceedings, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. — Reuters/File
  • Ex-PM Najib charged with four counts of corruption.
  • Former premier also faces 21 counts of money laundering.
  • $4.5bn stolen; over $1bn make way to accounts linked to Najib. 

KUALA LUMPUR: Jailed former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak was found guilty of abuse of power on Friday in the biggest trial yet in the multibillion-dollar 1MDB scandal, a ruling that could have significant political repercussions.

The judge had yet to deliver the full verdict and sentencing.

Malaysia and US investigators say at least $4.5 billion was stolen from 1Malaysia Development Berhad, a state fund Najib co-founded in 2009 while in office. More than $1 billion allegedly made its way into accounts linked to Najib, who has consistently denied wrongdoing.

Najib has been charged with four counts of corruption and 21 counts of money laundering for receiving illegal transfers of more than 2.3 billion ringgit ($569.45 million) from 1MDB. He had consistently denied wrongdoing.

“The contention by the accused that the charges against him were a witch hunt and politically motivated was debunked by the cold, hard and incontrovertible evidence against him that pointed towards the accused having abused his own powerful position in 1MDB, coupled with the extensive powers conferred upon him,” Judge Collin Lawrence Sequerah said in an ongoing reading of the verdict.

Supporters of former Malaysian PM Najib Razak hold banners featuring his portrait outside the Palace of Justice, in Putrajaya, Malaysia on December 26, 2025. — Reuters
Supporters of former Malaysian PM Najib Razak hold banners featuring his portrait outside the Palace of Justice, in Putrajaya, Malaysia on December 26, 2025. — Reuters

Najib could face maximum jail terms of between 15 and 20 years on each charge, as well as a fine of up to five times the value of the alleged misappropriations.

Najib, 72, has been in prison since August 2022, when Malaysia’s top court upheld a verdict convicting him of corruption for illegally receiving funds from a 1MDB unit. His 12-year jail sentence in that case was halved last year by a pardons board.

Link with fugitive financier

Najib last year apologised for mishandling the scandal while in office but had consistently denied wrongdoing, saying repeatedly that he was misled by 1MDB officials and the fugitive financier, Jho Low, about the source of the funds.

Judge Sequerah, in reading the verdict, had earlier said evidence had revealed Najib had an “unmistakable bond and connection” with Low, who acted as the then prime minister’s “proxy and intermediary” in 1MDB affairs.

Low, who has been charged in the United States for his central role in the case, denies all wrongdoing, and his whereabouts are unknown.

Najib has maintained he was misled by Low and other 1MDB officials into believing that funds deposited into his account were donations from the Saudi royal family.

A supporter wears a shirt with former Malaysian PM Najib Razaks potrait printed on it, outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, Malaysia on December 26, 2025. — Reuters
A supporter wears a shirt with former Malaysian PM Najib Razak’s potrait printed on it, outside the Palace of Justice in Putrajaya, Malaysia on December 26, 2025. — Reuters

But Sequerah said Najib’s argument was “implausible” and dismissed letters on the donations produced by Najib that allegedly originated from the Saudi royal family, saying they were not corroborated by evidence and were probably forgeries.

“The irresistible conclusion is that the Arab donation narrative is not meritorious … the evidence pointed unmistakably to the fact that the monies were, in fact derived from 1MDB funds,” Sequerah said.

Govt’s test

The verdict came just days after another court denied a bid by Najib to serve his jail sentence under house arrest — a decision that reignited tensions within current Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s administration.

Najib’s party, the United Malays National Organisation, campaigned against Anwar in a 2022 election but joined his coalition to form a government after the poll ended in a hung parliament.

Some UMNO leaders expressed disappointment with the decision to deny Najib house arrest and others were angered by social media posts by some members of Anwar’s coalition celebrating the earlier ruling.

Anwar on Tuesday called for calm, urging all parties to accept the court verdict with “full patience and wisdom”.





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See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber

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See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber


See Hailey Bieber’s Valentine Day tribute for Justin Bieber

Hailey Bieber gave fans a rare peek into her Valentine’s Day celebrations with husband Justin Bieber, sharing a light-hearted and affectionate moment that kept things personal and understated.

The Rhode founder posted to her Instagram Stories on Saturday, revealing a handwritten note that read, “You are my forever Valentine,” finished with a red kiss mark. 

She followed it with a close-up snap of chocolate-covered strawberries, suggesting the couple marked the day with a cosy, low-key treat rather than anything over the top.

Source: Instagram/haileybieber
Source: Instagram/haileybieber

Hailey, 29, and Justin, 31, have been married since 2018 and are parents to a son, Jack Blues, who is just over a year old. 

While the couple tend to keep their family life private, Hailey’s Valentine’s Day posts offered a gentle snapshot of their relationship at home.

Away from the holiday romance, Hailey also found herself in the spotlight last week after stepping out at the Sydney premiere of Wuthering Heights

The model turned heads in a plunging, completely sheer black lace gown by Saint Laurent. 

Hailey also leaned into romance in another way ahead of Valentine’s Day by sharing a post suggesting that her bond with Justin is written in the stars. 

On Friday, Feb. 13, she reposted a picture from an astrology-focused meme account highlighting their zodiac signs. Born on Nov. 22, Hailey is a Sagittarius, while Justin, who turns 32 on March 1, is a Pisces.

The post showed the couple in PDA, with “Sagittarius” written above Hailey and the phrase “a Pisces who takes them places and lets them be wild” across Justin. 

The post, which explored how different signs connect with Sagittarius in relationships, was captioned, “Which sign is our valentine this year #sagittarius #zodiac #astrology #explore #horoscope.”

Hailey liked the post and reshared the image, which was originally taken on holiday and had appeared in a black-and-white Instagram photo dump she shared back in November. 

At the time, Justin reacted simply, commenting, “Oh my f—in god.”

Together for nearly eight years, the Biebers continue to share glimpses of their relationship in subtle ways, blending quiet family moments, public appearances and playful nods to their connection as Valentine’s Day came around once again.





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Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony

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Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony


Maya Hawke, Christian Lee Hutson tie knot in Valentine’s Day Ceremony

Maya Hawke and Christian Lee Hutson have officially tied the knot, exchanging vows in a romantic Valentine’s Day ceremony in New York City on Feb. 14.

The couple said “I do” during a low-key but star-studded wedding, marking a meaningful milestone in a relationship that began as a long friendship. 

According to PEOPLE, the ceremony took place in the city they both call home, with close family and friends in attendance.

For the special day, Hawke wore a white wedding dress with a classic ball gown silhouette, paired with a lace veil and an oversized, feathery white coat that added a winter-ready touch. 

Hutson kept things timeless in a black tuxedo, complete with a white shirt, vest and a floral boutonniere.

Hawke’s parents, Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, were both present to support their daughter. 

Thurman was photographed in a light blue, floor-length look with matching shoes, while Ethan Hawke wore an all-black ensemble and was seen holding his daughter’s bouquet as he walked alongside her. 

He later walked Hawke down the aisle. Also attending was Hawke’s brother, Levon Roan Thurman-Hawke.

Several of Hawke’s Stranger Things castmates were spotted at the ceremony, including Finn Wolfhard, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink and Natalia Dyer, underscoring just how personal the celebration was for the actress.

Following the ceremony, the newlyweds and their guests made their way to a reception at The Players Members Club, where the celebrations continued for hours.

The wedding comes after years of creative and personal collaboration between Hawke and Hutson. 

The pair were friends for four years before their relationship turned romantic while working together on Hawke’s 2024 album, Chaos Angel.

Speaking on The Zach Sang Show in June 2024, Hawke praised the foundation of their relationship, saying, “I cannot recommend highly enough dating your friends. It’s the best.”

Hutson subtly confirmed their engagement last year during a radio interview when Hawke was referred to as his “fiancée,” replying simply, “Yeah.” 

Not long after, Hawke was photographed in New York wearing a diamond ring, fuelling further speculation.

Music has remained central to their bond. 

Hutson has appeared on Hawke’s albums Moss and Chaos Angel, while Hawke features on his most recent release, Paradise Pop. 10, and even joined him on stage during parts of his 2025 tour. 

Reflecting on their partnership, Hawke previously said Hutson had been “so encouraging” as she grew into her identity as a musician.

Now married, the couple’s Valentine’s Day wedding feels like a fitting next chapter for two artists whose friendship, creativity and romance have grown hand in hand.





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Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’

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Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’


Global pandemic of ‘shrinking attention span’ 

Attention span refers to the duration for which a person can maintain concentration on a single task, activity, or stimulus.

Being a crucial part of humans’ cognitive functioning, it influences how we learn, work, and interact with the surroundings.

The shrinking attention span is more like a global pandemic that has affected every individual on the planet directly or indirectly. Research shows that the average attention span of a human is only 8.25 seconds which is less than that of a goldfish (9 seconds).

This is considered one of the most documented cognitive shifts of the 21st century. Research led by Dr Gloria Mark at the University of California, Irvine, has traced the average duration of focused attention on digital screens over the 20-year period.

The research found that in 2004, the average attention span was approximately 150 seconds which reduced to 75 seconds in 2012. Recent data from 2012 reveals that this figure has decreased to 75 seconds. While in 2024, the average attention span has plummeted to just 47 seconds.

This suggests a broader restructuring of the human cognitive baseline. The decline is primarily linked to the disruption between two main attention systems i.e., the involuntary system (reacts to external stimuli) and the goal-oriented system (enables sustained focus).

Digital platforms especially social media are engineered to trigger the involuntary system via constant notifications, vibrant visual cues, and algorithmic unpredictability. This constant trigger systematically fatigues the prefrontal cortex (region of brain responsible for executive function and impulsive control).

How does the human brain shift attention?

With each instance of attention shifting, “switching cost” occurs. It refers to the measurable reduction in performance particularly slower reacting times and increased errors that usually happen when the brain shifts attention from one task, rule, or mental set to another.

As human brain works as a serial processor, it can’t multitask in the literal sense. Rather, it engages in rapid task-switching. To process each switch, it requires several minutes for the brain to regain its focus.

In a digital environment dominated by short-form content, where a user consumes different content of 15-to-30-second videos in a single session, the brain remains in a continuous state of partial attention.

This continuous state prevents the human’s cognitive system from entering a flow state, a condition where the brain can develop deep engagement that’s required for complex problem solving and creative synthesis.

Additionally, the constant push to check notifications from social media platforms activates the sympathetic nervous system that keeps the body in a state of low-level “fight or flight” mode.

The psychological stress response, measured by high heart rate and perceived stress levels, contributes to the modern epidemic of digital burnout and generalised anxiety. 





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