Standing

Westminster council has recommended banning ‘vertical drinking’ or ordering at the bar in new draft licensing policyNo 10 has vowed to confiscate powers from local councils who try to restrict customers from standing up while drinking in pubs or ordering at the bar.It comes after the Guardian revealed on Thursday that Westminster council in central London recommended not allowing “vertical drinking” or ordering at the bar in its new draft licensing policy. Continue reading...

Joint statement is being finalised, but Tehran says deal alone would not guarantee waterway’s securityMiddle East crisis live – latest updatesIran and Oman have reached an understanding on ⁠the geographic coordinates for a shipping route through the strait of Hormuz, and ⁠a joint announcement ⁠is ​being finalised, provided certain third parties did not interfere, Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil ⁠Baghaei said on Wednesday.Baghaei added that any such agreement between Iran and Oman would not, by ⁠itself, guarantee security in the strategic waterway. Continue reading...

• OpenAI reported that its internal model, Astra, successfully produced 10 new mathematical and science theorems. • The process cost approximately $2,000 in API tokens, providing a rare glimpse into the financial cost of high-level AI reasoning. • This development is significant as it reframes frontier AI research as a budgetable expense, though the results still require verification by human mathematicians.

• The law firm Paul Weiss, once a progressive stronghold and a leader in legal resistance against Donald Trump's first term, has reportedly shifted its stance and "surrendered" its activist identity. • The firm previously played a pivotal role in landmark civil rights cases, such as the 2013 Edith Windsor litigation that helped lead to the national recognition of same-sex marriage. • This transformation marks a significant departure from the firm's history of challenging executive power and championing progressive causes.

• India currently ranks eighth in the overall medal tally on Day 9 of the 2026 Commonwealth Games. • The multi-sport event is being hosted in Glasgow, Scotland, featuring athletes from across the Commonwealth. • This standing reflects India's current competitive performance and medal acquisition relative to other participating nations.

• Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella defended U.S. tech giants against Wall Street concerns regarding the rise of low-cost, open-source AI models from China. • Nadella argued that American companies will maintain their lead due to global trust in U.S. infrastructure and the strength of its open ecosystem. • The comments address a critical industry tension between the development of proprietary AI models and the accessibility of open-source alternatives.

• The U.S. is approximately 100 days away from midterm elections that are expected to significantly influence the trajectory of Donald Trump's presidency and Israel's international standing. • Democrats are currently aiming to gain three seats in the House of Representatives to secure control of the chamber. • The outcome is critical as it could trigger new investigations or lead to another impeachment attempt against the president, mirroring the political climate following the 2018 midterms.