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AI bots flooded 2023 UK government consultation on disposable vapes ban

Three-quarters of all responses were machine-generated in failed attempt to stop bill from passing into law, research finds

AI bots flooded a government consultation with tens of thousands of fake responses in a failed attempt to stop the UK’s ban on disposable vapes.

Three-quarters of all the responses to the 2023 consultation on the tobacco and vapes bill were machine-generated, in what is thought to be the first coordinated attempt to use AI to derail health policymaking in the UK.

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© Photograph: Tim Parker/Getty Images

© Photograph: Tim Parker/Getty Images

© Photograph: Tim Parker/Getty Images

Democrats prep for election interference as Trump administration makes moves

27 October 2026 at 21:30
Democrats are preparing for potential election interference after a series of remarks from President Trump and actions from his administration targeting a swath of states.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) preemptively filed a lawsuit last week in Alaska that could block certification of results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses reelection, arguing that a win…

Democrats prep for election interference as Trump administration makes moves

27 October 2026 at 21:30
Democrats are preparing for potential election interference after a series of remarks from President Trump and actions from his administration targeting a swath of states.  The Department of Justice (DOJ) preemptively filed a lawsuit last week in Alaska that could block certification of results if Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan loses reelection, arguing that a win…

McCain predicts Elizabeth Holmes will get a Trump pardon

27 October 2026 at 19:59
Meghan McCain, former Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) daughter, predicts that convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will get a pardon from President Trump. “One of my hottest, hot takes is that Elizabeth Holmes will eventually get a Trump pardon,” McCain wrote on the social platform X. She shared her thoughts in another post, asking comedian and…

McCain predicts Elizabeth Holmes will get a Trump pardon

27 October 2026 at 19:59
Meghan McCain, former Sen. John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) daughter, predicts that convicted Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will get a pardon from President Trump. “One of my hottest, hot takes is that Elizabeth Holmes will eventually get a Trump pardon,” McCain wrote on the social platform X. She shared her thoughts in another post, asking comedian and…

CFTC sues to block Utah from enforcing gambling laws against prediction markets

27 October 2026 at 19:56
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) announced on Tuesday that it has filed a lawsuit against the state of Utah to stop the state’s efforts to shut down CFTC-registered contract markets. The lawsuit follows a lengthy battle the state has been fighting against prediction markets. In August, a federal judge in Utah ruled that the…

FEC electronic filing system hit with hours-long outage

27 October 2026 at 19:52
The Federal Election Commission’s electronic filing system has been down for hours on Tuesday, according to a spokesperson who confirmed the agency’s IT teams are working to restore the service. According to the FEC’s incident update page, the agency said Monday night it is “investigating this issue,” stating the FEC filing system is down. An…

DCCC pushes for ads targeting GOP on AI, data centers in dozens of key House races

27 October 2026 at 19:01
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) is pushing for advertising targeting Republican candidates over their record on AI and data centers in dozens of key House races, as technology-related issues take on new significance in the midterm elections. In a report shared first with The Hill, the Tech Oversight Project noted that House Democrats’ official…

Kalshi expands protections for users aged 18-20

27 October 2026 at 18:57
Prediction market platform Kalshi is expanding protections for young traders aged 18-20, which includes a new default monthly deposit limit.   Accounts in the age range will default to a $2,500 monthly deposit limit, Kalshi announced in a press release Tuesday. They will be automatically placed into “special accounts” that will have extra protections and…

Anthropic says risks for investors include blowback from runaway AI

The risks laid out by the San Francisco company in its filing Monday with the Securities and Exchange Commission range from the mundane to involvement in cyberattacks and the spread of dangerous misinformation.

Trump says he will ban the term artificial intelligence

27 October 2026 at 18:33
President Trump said Tuesday that he was banning the term artificial intelligence “in all relevant documents and everything else.” “In short order, we will be officially BANNING the term, ‘AI/Artificial Intelligence,’ in all relevant documents, and everything else, due to its inaccuracy,” he wrote on Truth Social. Trump hit on The Wall Street Journal for…

iPhone 18 Pro Max Installment Plans in Pakistan 2026: Price, Payment Guide

27 October 2026 at 14:25

Buying latest iPhone 18 pro max is not light on pocket, as the price starts at Rs6Lac for basic model and it goes up to a million for top of the line variant. But, if you dont want to spend that much in one go, there are installment plans for iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, with monthly payments starting as low as Rs26,837.

The facility allows customers to purchase Apple’s flagship smartphones through repayment plans ranging from three to 36 months, with zero-markup options available on selected tenures. The offer covers PTA-approved iPhones distributed by Mercantile, an Apple-authorized distributor in Pakistan, and includes a device protection plan and a two-year warranty.

iPhone 18 Prices in Pakistan

Storage iPhone 18 Pro iPhone 18 Pro Max
256GB Rs565,000 Rs605,000
512GB Rs649,999 Rs690,000
1TB Rs819,999 Rs860,000
2TB Rs1,075,000 Rs1,115,000

iPhone 18 Pro Installment Plans in Pakistan

Customers purchasing the iPhone 18 Pro can select shorter installment periods with higher monthly payments or longer financing durations with smaller monthly installments.

Model 3 Months 6 Months 9 Months 12 Months
256GB Rs188,333 Rs94,167 Rs62,778 Rs47,083
512GB Rs216,666 Rs108,333 Rs72,222 Rs54,167
1TB Rs273,333 Rs136,667 Rs91,111 Rs68,333
2TB Rs358,333 Rs179,167 Rs119,444 Rs89,583

Iphone 18 Pro Max Installment Plans In Pakistan 2026 Price Payment Guide

Long-Term Installments for iPhone 18 Pro

Model 18 Months 24 Months 36 Months
256GB Rs42,438 Rs34,620 Rs26,837
512GB Rs48,822 Rs39,828 Rs30,875
1TB Rs61,591 Rs50,245 Rs38,949
2TB Rs80,745 Rs65,870 Rs51,062

iPhone 18 Pro Max Installment Plans in Pakistan

The iPhone 18 Pro Max is also available through the installment facility, offering repayment options for customers interested in Apple’s larger premium smartphone.

Under the 12-month plan, the 256GB Pro Max costs Rs50,417 per month. The amount drops to Rs37,071 with a 24-month repayment schedule and Rs28,737 for 36 months.

Meanwhile, the top-end 2TB variant requires monthly payments of Rs92,917 under the 12-month plan or Rs52,962 when financed over three years.

Model 3 Months 6 Months 9 Months 12 Months
256GB Rs201,667 Rs100,833 Rs67,222 Rs50,417
512GB Rs230,000 Rs115,000 Rs76,667 Rs57,500
1TB Rs286,667 Rs143,333 Rs95,555 Rs71,667
2TB Rs371,667 Rs185,533 Rs123,889 Rs92,917

Long-Term Installments for iPhone 18 Pro Max

Model 18 Months 24 Months 36 Months
256GB Rs45,442 Rs37,071 Rs28,737
512GB Rs51,827 Rs42,279 Rs32,775
1TB Rs64,596 Rs52,696 Rs40,849
2TB Rs83,749 Rs68,321 Rs52,962

Processing Fees and Zero-Markup Installment Options

According to the advertised financing schedule, three- and six-month installment plans carry no processing fee. However, customers choosing nine- or 12-month financing face processing charges of 5% and 12%, respectively.

The processing fee for 18-, 24-, and 36-month plans is listed at 2.5%.

Installment Tenure Processing Fee
3 Months 0%
6 Months 0%
9 Months 5%
12 Months 12%
18 Months 2.5%
24 Months 2.5%
36 Months 2.5%

Although the 36-month option offers smaller monthly installments, it increases the overall cost of purchasing the smartphone. A buyer choosing the iPhone 18 Pro 256GB at Rs26,837 per month would pay approximately Rs966,132 over 36 months, compared with its listed retail price of Rs565,000.

Purchasing the iPhone 18 Pro Max 256GB through 36 monthly installments of Rs28,737 would result in payments totaling approximately Rs1,034,532, excluding any additional charges. Customers should therefore compare the full repayment amount rather than deciding solely on the advertised monthly installment.

 

The post iPhone 18 Pro Max Installment Plans in Pakistan 2026: Price, Payment Guide appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

Anthropic’s record $2tn IPO could bring global risks to a head

27 October 2026 at 10:50

Anthropic, developer of AI chatbot Claude, has filed its prospectus and is expected to go public on Wall Street in November at a valuation of up to US$2 trillion. That would make it the highest-valued initial public offering (IPO) ever, ahead of SpaceX’s $1.77 trillion listing in June. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is expected […]

The post Anthropic’s record $2tn IPO could bring global risks to a head appeared first on Asia Times.

Defund Elon Musk | Robert Reich

27 October 2026 at 10:00

No private individual should have the power to determine US foreign policy, as Musk has attempted to do in Ukraine

He’s Exhibit A on why billionaire wealth should be taxed, why we must get big money out of politics, why billionaires shouldn’t be allowed to buy up major media, and why our government shouldn’t give them huge military contracts.

I’m talking about Elon Musk, of course.

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© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

© Photograph: Matt Rourke/AP

Apple iPad Mini 2026 vs iPhone Duo: Full Specs, Price Comparison

27 October 2026 at 08:29
Apple unveiled redesigned iPad mini, with OLED display, smarter processor, water resistance and a slimmer body to its smallest tablet, while preparing for another major product announcement that could transform the future of MacBooks, just after the company comes up with first ever foldable phone which seems a ipad when opened.

The new iPad mini is one of the biggest upgrades in the device’s history. However, the improvements come at a higher price, with the entry-level model starting at $699, significantly above the previous generation. The launch comes as Apple prepares for its October 28–29 “Pro and Tell” event in Los Angeles, where the company is widely expected to introduce its first touchscreen MacBook Pro laptops.

Specs Comparison

Feature iPad mini (2026) iPhone Duo (2026)
Device type Compact tablet Foldable smartphone
Main screen 8.5-inch OLED 7.6-inch foldable OLED
Secondary screen None 5.4-inch OLED
Refresh rate 60Hz Up to 120Hz ProMotion
Peak HDR brightness 1,200 nits 1,600 nits
Processor A20 Pro A20 Pro
Rear cameras 12MP Dual 48MP cameras
Front camera 12MP Center Stage Front cameras for folded/unfolded use
Thickness 5.4mm 5.2mm unfolded; 11.3mm folded
Weight Approx. 255g 254g
Water/dust resistance IP67 IP68
Storage 128GB, 256GB, 512GB 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, 2TB
Stylus Apple Pencil Pro and USB-C Apple Pencil USB-C support
Operating system iPadOS 27 iOS 27.1
Colors Midnight, Starlight Night Sky, Star White
US starting price $699 $1,999
Availability November 6, 2026 October 23, 2026

iPad mini

One of the most noticeable changes is the replacement of the iPad mini’s traditional LCD panel with an 8.5-inch Super Retina XDR OLED display.The previous model featured an 8.3-inch screen, but Apple has managed to increase the display size without substantially enlarging the device. This has been achieved by reducing the surrounding bezels by approximately 24%.

Apple Ipad Mini 2026 Vs Iphone Duo Full Specs Price Comparison

The OLED technology promises deeper blacks, richer colors and improved contrast, making the tablet better suited for watching videos, editing photos, reading and gaming.

Brightness has also received a major boost. The new display can reach 1,200 nits when showing HDR content, while full-screen SDR brightness is approximately 600 nits. Apple is offering an optional nano-texture glass finish on higher-storage configurations to reduce reflections. Despite these improvements, the company has not announced a 120Hz ProMotion display, indicating that the new iPad mini is expected to retain a 60Hz refresh rate.

Apple Ipad Mini 2026 Vs Iphone Duo Full Specs Price Comparison

The updated iPad mini measures approximately 5.4mm in thickness and weighs around 255 grams in its Wi-Fi configuration. These changes make it thinner and lighter than its predecessor, improving portability without sacrificing screen space. For the first time, an iPad mini also carries an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance, offering additional protection against accidental exposure to moisture and dust.

Inside the tablet, Apple has installed its A20 Pro chip, replacing the A17 Pro used in the previous generation. The processor is designed to offer faster everyday performance, stronger graphics capabilities and more efficient artificial intelligence processing. However, not every version of the tablet necessarily carries the same chip configuration. Some lower-storage models use variants with fewer active processing or Neural Engine cores.

The camera system includes a 12-megapixel rear camera and a 12-megapixel front-facing camera positioned along the landscape edge. The front camera supports Center Stage, allowing users to remain in frame during video calls.

New iPad Mini Price, Pre-Orders

Model Starting price
iPad mini Wi-Fi (128GB) $699
iPad mini Wi-Fi + Cellular $849
Previous iPad mini original launch price $499

Customers can choose between 128GB, 256GB and 512GB storage capacities. Pre-orders open on October 28 at 10:10 a.m. Pacific Time in the United States, while retail availability begins November 6.

iPhone Duo to cost around Rs15Lac in Pakistan, enough to Buy Used Cultus, Mehran

The post Apple iPad Mini 2026 vs iPhone Duo: Full Specs, Price Comparison appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

EcoStar launches 100-Inch QD Mini LED TV in Pakistan, bringing Cinema-Scale Entertainment Home

27 October 2026 at 07:48

EcoStar has introduced its new 100-inch Smart 4K QD Mini LED TV in Pakistan, bringing a bigger, more immersive entertainment experience to modern homes. Combining advanced display technology, smooth performance, and premium sound, the latest addition to EcoStar’s television lineup is designed to transform everyday entertainment, whether it’s watching movies, following live sports, or enjoying gaming sessions with friends and family.

At the heart of the television is QD Mini LED technology, combining Quantum Dot technology with Mini LED backlighting to deliver vibrant colours, deeper blacks, and impressive picture detail. Its 4K Ultra HD resolution and local dimming technology enhance clarity and contrast, while Dolby Vision and HDR10 support bring greater depth and richness to on-screen visuals.

No two people experience entertainment quite the same way. Some look forward to movie nights, others live for the excitement of a cricket match, while gaming enthusiasts have an entirely different world to explore. It’s this individuality that sits at the heart of EcoStar’s “Your World, Your Way” campaign, where cinema, sports, and gaming each find their place.

The Cinema World takes centre stage with an expansive 100-inch display that transforms movie nights and favourite dramas into larger-than-life experiences. QD Mini LED technology and Dolby Vision bring scenes to life with vivid colours, enhanced contrast, and remarkable detail, while Dolby Atmos and a premium 4.1-channel sound system with a built-in subwoofer deliver fuller sound and deeper bass. From an action-packed blockbuster to a quiet, emotional scene, the television creates a cinematic atmosphere that makes every story more engaging.

Ecostar Launches 100 Inch Qd Mini Led Tv In Pakistan Bringing Cinema Scale Entertainment Home

For sports enthusiasts, the Sports World brings the excitement of the stadium closer to home. A higher refresh rate delivers smoother motion, making fast-moving cricket matches, football games, and other sporting moments more enjoyable to watch. Combined with the expansive display, vibrant picture quality, and immersive audio, the television captures the energy of every boundary, goal, and match-winning moment, turning live sports into a shared experience for friends and family.

For gaming enthusiasts, the Gaming World brings together speed, precision, and impressive visuals. The television’s 144Hz native refresh rate delivers smoother gameplay, while support for up to 288Hz through DLG technology enhances motion performance in compatible gaming modes. HDMI 2.1 connectivity allows gamers to connect compatible consoles such as the PlayStation 5, while QD Mini LED technology adds richer colours, sharper details, and greater visual depth to the gaming experience.

Beyond these entertainment worlds, the television offers the convenience of Google TV powered by Android 14. Built-in Chromecast makes it easy to cast supported content from compatible devices to the big screen, while Google Assistant enables voice commands for searching entertainment and navigating smart features. With 3GB RAM, 64GB internal storage, and Bluetooth 5.1 connectivity, the television brings smart functionality into everyday use.

Recognizing that every home has different entertainment needs, EcoStar’s QD Mini LED TV range is available in 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, 85-inch, and 100-inch sizes, allowing consumers to choose the screen that best suits their living space and viewing preferences.

With this launch, EcoStar continues to strengthen its premium television portfolio in Pakistan, bringing together innovation, performance, and thoughtful design to make everyday entertainment more rewarding. Whether it’s cinema, sports, or gaming, EcoStar makes room for every preference, because it’s “Your World, Your Way.”

Consumers can explore the complete QD Mini LED TV range, compare available screen sizes, and check the latest prices and specifications on the official EcoStar website. To discover more about the flagship model and its features, visit the EcoStar 100-inch Smart 4K QD Mini LED TV.

The post EcoStar launches 100-Inch QD Mini LED TV in Pakistan, bringing Cinema-Scale Entertainment Home appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

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