By Reuters

(Reuters) — 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.

“The contention by the accused that the charges against him were a witch hunt and politically motivated were 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.

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.

‘Unmistakable bond’ with fugitive financier

Najib last year apologized 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.

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.

Test of government stability

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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Por Jessie Yeung, CNN

Cada vez que la activista no binaria de alto perfil Siufung Law concedía entrevistas a los medios, los periodistas siempre preguntaban: ¿qué pronombre les gustaría utilizar?

Durante mucho tiempo, la nativa de Hong Kong, que usa los pronombres “they”/”them” en inglés, no tuvo una respuesta fácil porque los pronombres chinos se dividen en gran medida en dos cuando se refieren a personas (una forma masculina y una femenina) y ninguna de las dos le parecía correcta.

Finalmente, en 2017, Law encontró una posible solución: un pronombre no oficial inventado por la comunidad intersexual y no binaria. El carácter se parecía a los pronombres chinos existentes, pero se modificó con una especie de X al lado, lo que le recordó al género X, el “tercer pronombre” que a veces se usa en documentos de identidad y pasaportes en otros países.

A pesar de haber existido durante casi una década, este pronombre chino inventado ha permanecido al margen por una razón: como carácter no oficial, no existe en nuestros teclados, y aunque a menudo se le estiliza como X也, es complicado escribirlo y confunde a las personas que no están familiarizadas con él.

Sin embargo, esto podría cambiar pronto. En septiembre, el pronombre se añadió a Unicode, un estándar global de símbolos y caracteres utilizado por desarrolladores web y gigantes tecnológicos de todo el mundo.

Esto significa que los usuarios podrían eventualmente escribir el carácter en teléfonos y portátiles, y buscarlo y visualizarlo en línea. El proceso podría tardar varios años más, pero aun así se ha celebrado como un gran paso hacia un reconocimiento más amplio, especialmente en China, donde las actitudes conservadoras y la represión gubernamental han dificultado cada vez más la vida de la comunidad LGBTQ+.

“Tener un pronombre dirigido más específicamente a las personas que no quieren ser etiquetadas o encasilladas dentro de los pronombres masculinos y femeninos… podría ser una muy buena alternativa”, dijo Law, también candidata a doctorado en estudios de género y sexualidad.

Es “el reconocimiento de que personas como yo existimos y que no estamos borrados dentro de… esos sistemas binarios, ya sea el idioma, la cultura o la historia misma”.

Los pronombres chinos no siempre fueron tan binarios. De hecho, el idioma no tenía pronombres de género desde un principio: lo que ahora se considera el pronombre masculino, 他, se usaba antiguamente para todas las personas.

Esto también se evidencia en su escritura. Los caracteres chinos se componen de bloques que a menudo ofrecen pistas sobre su significado u origen. En el caso del pronombre, antes universal, sus bloques simplemente significan “persona”, sin ninguna indicación de género.

“Durante miles de años, parece que nadie sintió la necesidad de hacer esta distinción”, escribió el erudito chino Huang Xingtao en su libro de 2009 sobre el tema. Pero a principios del siglo XX, China entró en mayor contacto con las naciones occidentales, lo que impulsó al país a “crear vigorosamente nuevos caracteres… para expresar ciertos términos en las lenguas occidentales”.

Fue también entonces cuando el primer movimiento feminista de China cobró impulso, con activistas que exigían la independencia, la educación y la representación de las mujeres, incluso en la palabra escrita.

Estos movimientos simultáneos dieron origen al nuevo pronombre femenino, 她. Se pronuncia “ta”, igual que el 他 original, la nueva X也 y otros pronombres chinos utilizados para animales y objetos inanimados.

Es por eso que algunas personas ahora argumentan que la creación de un nuevo pronombre de género neutro

Por Nimi Princewill, Jessie Yeung, CNN

Después de meses de advertir que Estados Unidos podría tomar medidas militares para detener la violencia contra los cristianos en Nigeria, el presidente Donald Trump anunció el día de Navidad que había hecho precisamente eso: lanzar un ataque contra los terroristas de ISIS en el noroeste de la nación africana.

El Ministerio de Asuntos Exteriores de Nigeria confirmó que los dos países habían coordinado el ataque, y un asesor presidencial indicó que Estados Unidos y Nigeria estaban “en la misma página en la lucha contra el terrorismo”.

Todavía están surgiendo detalles sobre el ataque, que se produjo después de que Trump amenazara con suspender la ayuda a Nigeria por la violencia contra los cristianos, e incluso pidió a su secretario de Defensa que se “preparara para una posible acción” contra la nación más poblada de África en noviembre.

Pero la realidad sobre el terreno es más matizada de lo que sugiere la caracterización de Trump, según declararon expertos y analistas a CNN este año.

Tanto cristianos como musulmanes —los dos principales grupos religiosos del país de más de 230 millones de habitantes— han sido víctimas de ataques de islamistas radicales, afirman.

Esto es lo que necesitas saber.

Nigeria ha enfrentado durante años problemas de seguridad profundamente arraigados debido a diversos factores, incluidos ataques con motivaciones religiosas.

El país tiene aproximadamente el mismo número de cristianos, que se encuentran predominantemente en el sur, y de musulmanes, que se concentran principalmente en el norte.

En 2012, el grupo islamista Boko Haram emitió un ultimátum, ordenando a los cristianos de la región norte que se marcharan, mientras que instaba a los musulmanes del sur a “regresar” al norte. La mayoría de los asesinatos selectivos de los últimos años han ocurrido en el norte.

Además de Boko Haram, también existe el grupo Lakurawa menos conocido, prominente en los estados del noroeste, que, según analistas de seguridad, podría haber sido el objetivo de los ataques del jueves.

El grupo Lakurawa se ha vuelto cada vez más letal este año, en el que ha atacado a menudo comunidades remotas y a las fuerzas de seguridad, mientras se ocultan en los bosques entre los estados, según informó Reuters.

Los observadores dicen que otros conflictos violentos surgen por tensiones comunales y étnicas, así como por disputas entre agricultores y pastores por el acceso limitado a la tierra y al agua.

Sí, aunque eso es solo una parte del panorama.

John Joseph Hayab, pastor que dirige la Asociación Cristiana de Nigeria (CAN, por sus siglas en inglés) en la región norte del país, está de acuerdo con la afirmación de Trump sobre “asesinatos sistemáticos de cristianos” en esa zona.

La magnitud de las matanzas se ha reducido en los últimos dos años, afirmó. Sin embargo, este año se ha producido una oleada de ataques de gran repercusión en zonas predominantemente cristianas del norte, lo que ha atraído la atención y la condena internacionales.

En abril, hombres armados, presuntos pastores musulmanes, Read more

By Cecilia Laurent Monpetit, Philippe Cordier, CNN

Paris (CNN) — Flexible hours, being your own boss, fresh air and views of Notre Dame – it’s a job with a lot going for it. Paris’ bouquinistes have been a fixture along the banks of the Seine for some 500 years and are determined to keep their profession alive.

“It’s my life, it’s not just a job,” 76-year-old Sylvia Brui, who’s been selling ancient books for eight years on Quai de Conti, told CNN. “We sell things that we love.”

The history of Paris’ world-famous book merchants dates back to 1550, when a dozen street vendors set up shop on the Île de la Cité, in the heart of the French capital. The trade took off with the construction of the Pont Neuf in 1606, the first bridge without buildings atop, offering a vast space for new vendors of portable wares.

By the early 1900s, the city standardized the iconic look of the stalls: sellers worked out of metal boxes painted the same “wagon green” color, and their open lids were designed to preserve the riverbank views. Today, around 230 booksellers stretch along roughly three kilometers of the Seine, offering antique and contemporary books, engravings, stamps and magazines.

It’s a unique setting to appreciate the written word: a skyline of historic stone buildings frames this open-air bookshop.

‘Commitment to books’

Booksellers pay no tax or rent but must comply with strict regulations. Vacant spots are allocated and regulated by the City of Paris through a dedicated committee. Candidates must apply with a resume and a cover letter explaining their plans.

“You must show your commitment to books,” Jérôme Callais, president of the Association Culturelle des Bouquinistes de Paris, told CNN. Twelve new booksellers were appointed in October 2025.

Each occupancy permit is granted for five years. Booksellers must open their stalls at least four days a week, except in bad weather. They are allowed to sell old books, second-hand books, old papers and engravings. They may add a small selection of other items – like coins, medals, old stamps and postcards – as long as they do not exceed the contents of a single box.

“You need to have experience, to be knowledgeable,” Callais said, “It’s not surprising that the majority of booksellers are over 50, about 80% of them.”

Among that older cohort is new bouquiniste Ozan Yigitkeskin, who plans to offer a selection of multilingual books. He decided to set up shop on the quays at the age of 52 after working as an online book seller. “My first job was selling books by bicycle in Istanbul at the age of 15. I’ve also been a typist and a journalist, and I’m still passionate about books.”

Yigitkeskin knows how fragile small bookshops can be, constantly struggling to cover their rent – a problem he boasts he won’t have as a bouquiniste.

Six years ago, 35-year-old Camille Goudeau opened her own stall specializing in science fiction and fantasy on Quai de l’Hôtel de Ville, after spending years working for other booksellers.

“I deal in inexpensive second-hand books to encourage people who don’t read, or read very little, or have stopped reading, to read again,” she told CNN.

“I had a 30-year-old woman like that, she didn’t dare go into a bookstore,” fellow bookseller Sylvia Brui chipped in. “She bought her first book here: ‘The Old Man and the Sea.’ Later, she read Joyce. Now she goes to bookstores.”

Polling from IPSOS/CNL suggests French readers have been buying more second-hand books over the past decade, with those aged 25 to 34 reading the most books per year on average.

Working outdoors: freedom and human connection

Booksellers work outdoors all year round, often with nothing more than a folding chair for comfort and a tiny table serving as b

By Nimi Princewill, Jessie Yeung, CNN

(CNN) — After months of warning that the US could take military action to stop violence against Christians in Nigeria, President Donald Trump announced on Christmas Day that he had done just that – delivering a strike on Islamic State terrorists in the country’s northwest.

Nigeria’s foreign ministry confirmed that the two countries had coordinated on the strike, and one presidential adviser said the US and Nigeria were “on the same page in the fight against terrorism.”

Details are still emerging about the strike, which came after Trump threatened to suspend aid to Nigeria over violence against Christians, even calling on his secretary of defense to “prepare for possible action” against Africa’s most populous nation in November.

But the reality on the ground is more nuanced than Trump’s characterization suggests, experts and analysts have told CNN this year. Both Christians and Muslims – the two main religious groups in the country of more than 230 million people – have been victims of attacks by radical Islamists, they say.

Here’s what you need to know.

Years of violence

Nigeria has grappled for years with deep-rooted security problems driven by various factors including religiously motivated attacks.

The country has roughly equal numbers of Christians – who are predominantly in the south – and Muslims, who are mainly concentrated in the north.

In 2012, the Islamist group Boko Haram issued an ultimatum, ordering Christians in the northern region to leave while calling on Muslims in the south to “come back” to the north. Most targeted killings in recent years have been in the north.

Besides Boko Haram, there’s also a lesser-known Lakurawa group prominent in northwestern states – which security analysts said could have been the target of Thursday’s strikes. The Lakurawa group has become increasingly deadly this year, often targeting remote communities and security forces, and hiding in the forests between states, Reuters reported.

Observers say other violent conflicts arise from communal and ethnic tensions, as well as disputes between farmers and herders over limited access to land and water.

Are Christians being killed?

Yes – though that’s only part of the picture.

John Joseph Hayab, a pastor who leads the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the country’s northern region, agrees with Trump’s claim of “systematic killings of Christians” in that area.

The scale of the killings has reduced in the last two years, he said. However, this year has seen a spate of high-profile attacks in predominantly Christian pockets of the north, which has drawn international attention and condemnation.

In April, gunmen believed to be Muslim herders Read more