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U.S. artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has secured $30bn in fresh funding, more than doubling its valuation to $380bn in one of the largest private fundraising rounds on record.

The company, best known for its Claude chatbot, was valued at $183bn as recently as September. The latest round was led by Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC and hedge fund Coatue Management, underscoring surging investor appetite for advanced AI models.

Anthropic said its annualised revenue has reached $14bn, growing more than tenfold in each of the past three years. A key driver has been Claude Code, its AI-powered coding tool...

Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli silenced the doubters on Friday, setting the fastest time of the week to lead a Silver Arrows one-two finish as the first pre-season testing event concluded in Bahrain. The Italian teenager clocked a 1m 33.669s in the twilight conditions, edging out team-mate George Russell by 0.249s.

It was a vital confidence boost following a disjointed week. After reliability struggles defined day three, where Antonelli was sidelined by power unit issues, the youngster finally demonstrated the W17’s potential.

Antonelli’s appearance was delayed by an hour, but he wasted little time once out on track. He snatched...

The High Court has ruled that the UK government acted unlawfully in banning activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, citing a disproportionate interference with rights to free speech and assembly.

However, the proscription will remain in force while the government considers an appeal.

In its judgment, the court found that the group’s activities did not meet the «level, scale and persistence» required under terrorism legislation. Judges noted that only a limited number of incidents could potentially qualify as terrorism, making a full ban excessive.

The government swiftly defended its position. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said the...

The final day of the opening pre-season test in Bahrain began at full throttle, with George Russell setting the benchmark as teams continued to gather crucial data ahead of next week’s second test.

With just one more session remaining before a brief turnaround, Friday morning offered the final opportunity of this first test to refine set-ups under Formula 1’s sweeping 2026 regulations.

Russell quickest as Mercedes respond

Russell topped the session for Mercedes with a 1m 33.918s, the fastest lap of the test so far. It marked a strong response from the Silver Arrows after reliability concerns...

Seventeen-year-old Choi Ga-on delivered one of the moments of the Milan-Cortina Winter Games by denying Chloe Kim a historic third consecutive Olympic halfpipe gold.

It seemed set to be a coronation for Kim, widely regarded as the greatest women’s halfpipe rider in history. Instead, it was the South Korean teenager who stood atop the podium, completing what Kim later described as a «full circle moment».

Choi recovered from a heavy fall on her opening run to produce a superb final attempt worth 90.25 points, a score the 25-year-old American could not match. Kim, competing with a shoulder brace after...

Kazakhstan’s Otbasy Bank is preparing to enter the Uzbek market, Timur Onzhanov, deputy chairman of the management board of the Baiterek holding, told Bloomberg. Baiterek is the bank’s sole shareholder.

The holding is also considering expanding the lender’s presence into Malaysia and countries in the Middle East. The strategy includes developing mortgage lending and Islamic finance instruments in new markets.

Onzhanov said both the holding and the bank plan to raise foreign financing this year, either through direct borrowing from international banks or by issuing Eurobonds. Baiterek is also weighing the issuance of bonds denominated in yuan and...

Saudi-backed Midad Energy has signed a term sheet to acquire Russia’s Lukoil assets affected by Western sanctions, competing with rivals including private equity firm Carlyle Group. The agreement, reached in late January, covers all targeted assets and is conditional on approval from U.S. regulators, Reuters reports.

Under the deal, Midad will place its all-cash offer in escrow while seeking the necessary clearances, including from the U.S. Treasury. This approach aims to secure the transaction while adhering to sanctions restrictions. A source close to the negotiations described the bid as «high-stakes» and backed by strong political connections in...

Uzbekistan has seen a significant increase in enterprises with foreign investment over the past five years, nearly doubling to 18,500, according to the State Statistics Committee.

As of February 1, 2026, the country hosts 14,200 fully foreign-owned companies and 4,300 joint ventures. China leads with 5,200 companies, followed by Russia with 3,200 and Turkey with 2,100.

Other major investors include Kazakhstan with 1,200 companies, South Korea with 699, Afghanistan with 647, the United Arab Emirates with 413, Tajikistan with 410, India with 394, and Azerbaijan with 368.

The data highlights Uzbekistan’s growing attractiveness for foreign investors and the expanding...

The family of actor James Van Der Beek has received an outpouring of support following his death at the age of 48.

Van Der Beek, best known for starring in Dawson’s Creek, died on February 11 after a battle with colorectal cancer. In the days after the news broke, friends set up a GoFundMe account to help his wife Kimberly Van Der Beek and their six children.

By February 12, the campaign had raised $1 mln, surpassing the original target of $250,000. The goal was later increased to $1.3 mln. The fundraising page explained that the family faced financial...

Uzbekistan is preparing to gradually replace state control with a system of market supervision, authorities said during a presentation to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. A draft law on «Market Control» has already been prepared.

The reform also targets outdated standards. Currently, Uzbekistan has over 33,000 standards, around half of which do not meet international requirements. Plans include cancelling six technical regulations and revising 29 more. This year, 4,460 international standards are set to be introduced, with more than 2,500 to follow in 2027 and another 817 by 2028.

From July 2026, international standards will be implemented in textiles, leather, furniture...

Uzbekistan’s real estate gathered momentum in January, with 28,600 sales transactions recorded during the month, almost 12% more than in the same period of 2024, according to the Centre for Economic Research and Reforms.

The strongest growth was reported in Tashkent, where the number of deals jumped by 33.4%. Solid increases were also seen in Samarkand region, up 26%, and Syrdarya region, which rose 24%.

Prices Edge Up on Secondary Market

Price growth in the secondary housing market remained moderate. Across Uzbekistan, the average price per square metre increased by 0.9% month on month and by 8% year...

Anthropic has secured $30 bn in fresh funding, more than doubling its valuation to $380 bn and highlighting strong investor appetite for artificial intelligence ventures.

The round, announced on February 12, was co-led by D. E. Shaw Ventures, ICONIQ and MGX. It also included previously disclosed investments from Microsoft and Nvidia. The company is backed by Google and Amazon.

In early September, Anthropic said it had raised $13 bn in a Series F round that valued the firm at $183 bn. The latest deal marks a sharp increase in its market worth.

Focus on Coding Drives Growth

Anthropic...

Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Digital Technologies has confirmed that personal data belonging to around 60,000 citizens was compromised following cyberattacks on three state information systems.

The disclosure was made during a press conference attended by Digital Technologies Minister Sherzod Shermatov. The attacks took place between January 27 and 30.

Earlier reports circulating on social media had claimed that data belonging to 15 mln citizens had been leaked. The ministry rejected those claims as false.

Shermatov said unauthorised access to the affected information infrastructure had been blocked. User passwords for the unified identification system OneID were updated and additional safeguards were...

Italian short track legend Arianna Fontana extended her historic Olympic run on Thursday (12 February), claiming a silver medal in the women’s 500m at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

The medal marks Fontana’s 13th Olympic podium finish, making her the most decorated short track speed skater in history and tying the overall Italian Olympic medal record set by fencer Edoardo Mangiarotti at the 1960 Summer Olympics.

The 35-year-old, who made her Olympic debut as a 15-year-old at Turin 2006, has now won medals at six consecutive Winter Games. Earlier this week, she captured gold in the mixed team relay...

Two-time Olympic champion Sidney Crosby is once again leading Team Canada into battle, bringing what he describes as a «focused type of confidence» ahead of the men’s ice hockey tournament at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Crosby, a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins, has already claimed Olympic gold twice and remains one of the most accomplished players of his generation. Yet the veteran centreman insists past success guarantees nothing.

«We’re confident, but I think it’s a focused type of confidence,» Crosby said after practice at Milano Santagiulia Arena on Wednesday. «We believe...

One of the most talked-about names in international winter sport, Eileen Gu, continues to draw global attention — not only for her medals, but for the flag she represents.

Born and raised in San Francisco, the 22-year-old freestyle skiing sensation competes for China, the homeland of her mother, rather than the United States. Gu announced her decision in 2019, saying she hoped to help grow winter sports in China, adding that the US «already has the representation.»

Her citizenship choice quickly became a subject of debate in American media and politics. However, Gu has remained focused on competition...

Former French culture minister Jack Lang has resigned as president of the Institut du monde arabe after newly released U.S. justice department files detailed his past connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The documents, part of a recent tranche of Epstein-related disclosures, show extensive correspondence between Lang and Epstein, including requests for private transport and expressions of gratitude for the financier’s «generosity.» In one 2017 message, Lang thanked Epstein and asked to borrow a chauffeur-driven car for a private event.

Lang, 86, has denied any knowledge of Epstein’s criminal history at the time of their association, saying...

South Korea’s intelligence agency has concluded that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has effectively designated his teenage daughter Kim Ju Ae as his successor, marking a significant shift in the country’s dynastic politics.

Lawmakers briefed by Seoul’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) said Kim Ju Ae has moved from being described as «in training» to the «successor-designate stage,» and is now considered the de facto second-highest figure in the regime. The assessment follows her increasingly prominent appearances at state events and indications she has begun offering input on policy matters.

Kim Ju Ae first appeared publicly in...

Adam Mosseri, head of Instagram at Meta, testified in a major Los Angeles trial that he does not believe people can be clinically addicted to social media, pushing back against a key argument made by plaintiffs seeking to hold platforms responsible for harm to children.

The case centers on a 20-year-old plaintiff identified as «KGM,» whose lawsuit is seen as a bellwether for thousands of similar claims against social media companies. Meta and Google’s YouTube are the remaining defendants after TikTok and Snap reached settlements.

During testimony, Mosseri distinguished between clinical addiction and what he described as «problematic...

Germany’s hard-Right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party will attend this year’s Munich Security Conference after a two-year absence, prompting concerns from mainstream politicians about potential security risks.

The summit at Munich’s Hotel Bayerischer Hof is Europe’s leading defence forum, where sensitive discussions between global leaders often take place. Critics from the Greens, SPD and CSU have warned that AfD delegates could misuse access to confidential briefings, citing the party’s pro-Russian stance.

The AfD has rejected accusations of Kremlin ties as politically motivated. Its delegation will include MPs Rudiger Lucassen, Anna Rathert and Heinrich Koch, though co-leaders Alice Weidel

U.S. President Donald Trump’s $10 bn defamation lawsuit against the BBC will go to trial next year after a federal judge in Florida rejected the broadcaster’s bid to dismiss the case.

Court filings from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida show Judge Roy K Altman has scheduled the trial to begin on February 15, 2027. The lawsuit stems from a 2024 episode of Panorama that featured edited footage of Mr Trump’s January 6, 2021 speech.

The programme appeared to show Mr Trump urging supporters to march on the Capitol, using...

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc topped the timing sheets as second day of Bahrain pre-season testing concluded under the floodlights at Sakhir. The Monegasque driver’s morning benchmark of 1m 34.273s remained unbeaten throughout the afternoon and evening sessions, signalling a strong start for the Scuderia’s 2026 campaign.

While Ferrari enjoyed a smooth programme, the narrative elsewhere in the paddock was defined by reliability struggles and marathon stints. Lando Norris finished second fastest for McLaren, just over half a second adrift of Leclerc, but the reigning World Champion’s headline statistic was his mileage. Norris completed a staggering 144 laps, proving the durability...

Ukraine’s Vladyslav Heraskevych has been disqualified from the 2026 Winter Olympics after refusing to remove a helmet paying tribute to athletes killed in the war with Russia.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled that the design breached Rule 50.2 of the Olympic Charter, which prohibits political demonstrations at Olympic venues. Heraskevych, 27, had insisted he would not «betray» those who lost their lives, even if it meant sacrificing his Olympic dream. His accreditation has been revoked.

Speaking after the decision, Heraskevych described a feeling of «emptiness,» arguing that other athletes had been allowed personalised helmet designs.

Charles Leclerc set the pace in the opening half of day two of Formula 1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, as several leading teams encountered reliability concerns under the new 2026 regulations.

The Ferrari driver, running solo for the full day, posted a best time of 1m 34.273s to finish half a second clear of reigning World Champion Lando Norris. Alpine’s Pierre Gasly was a distant third, with Oliver Bearman and Alexander Albon completing the top five.

Ferrari strong, McLaren busy

Ferrari enjoyed a smooth and productive morning, with Leclerc completing 62 laps and comfortably surpassing race distance. The...