Educated people refusing to vaccinate their children during polio campaigns across Pakistan is an unfortunate situation, an official has said.

A large number of educated people did not want to vaccinate their children during the recent polio drive here, Dawn online quoted Additional Deputy Commissioner Abdul Sattar Isani as saying.

He said all possible steps would be taken to ensure that every child was administered the polio drops.

Cases were registered against those who refused to get their children vaccinated, he said.

Senator Ayesha Raza Farooq, the focal person on polio eradication in Pakistan, said she was against registering cases as administration of polio vaccine was a continuous process.

She requested the media to play a role in creating awareness about polio vaccination and that it is safe.

Samples collected from Islamabad and Rawalpindi were found positive for the poliovirus. A special polio campaign was launched on March 27 in the high risk areas.

"It was strange that we faced a strong resistance from even well-educated people. Though they did not have religious reasons but were not in favour of vaccinating their children," a campaign official said.

"A majority of them claimed that they had administered the polio drops privately but failed to produce a vaccination card or certificate," he said.

According to the official, the team faced an awkward situation when a deputy secretary of a ministry refused to administer polio drops to his children.

"A well-known doctor, who works in a private hospital, was involved in asking citizens not to administer polio drops to children.

According to Isani, some people believe that they should administer polio drops to their children privately.

Ayesha Farooq said arrangements were made to send officials from house to house and convince people to vaccinate their children as refusals were reported from across the country.

According to a polio programme report in March, 46,967 parents across Pakistan refused to vaccinate their children.
 

Alex Rodriguez has confirmed his relationship with Jennifer Lopez by gushing about her on TV.

The 41-year-old former baseball star recently started dating Jennifer, 47, and during a TV appearance on "The View", he couldn't resist talking about her, reported People magazine.

When asked about their relationship, he says, "It's obvious. We're having a great time, she's an amazing, amazing girl, and one of the smartest human beings I've ever met and also an incredible mother.

"She just likes simple things. I mean, she's a very, very simple person. Loves family. Is a great sister. Is a great daughter." 

Jennifer has nine-year-old twins Max and Emme with her former husband Marc Anthony, while Alex and his ex Cynthia Scurtis have daughters Natasha, 12 and eight-year-old Ella together.

The pair are believed to have met at one of the singer's shows in Las Vegas last month in February and have been inseparable ever since.

After a trip to the Bahamas together in early March, Alex jetted to Los Angeles recently, where he was spotted with Jennifer at the Bel- Air hotel.

Jennifer and Alex also worked out together at her trainer Gunnar Peterson's gym and spent quality time together at her Bel-Air home.

Country singer and actress Jana Kramer says she will not stop taking her daughter to zoos and aquariums just because some fans don't like it.

The "Whiskey" singer was targeted earlier this week when she posted pictures of herself and her 13-month-old daughter Jolie visiting Discovery Cove in Orlando, Florida and swimming with dolphins.

Followers and fans accused her of being insensitive to the happiness of animals by visiting the SeaWorld park, prompting Jana to take the photos down.

She later reposted them on Instagram and told her haters, "I had an incredible day at @discoverycove… and I learned so much about each one (of the dolphins), met the trainers, and I asked very specific questions as to how they were being taken care of." 

The former One Tree Hill star on Access Hollywood Live said she wasn't going to let critics ruin her daughter's upbringing.

"I understand people have their beliefs about dolphins in captivity and all that, but she (daughter) was being a fussy girl and I wanted to just take her out and see some dolphins…," she said.

"I was raised on going to aquariums and zoos and I want her to see those things." 

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh on Saturday sought an apology from Goa CM Manohar Parrikar for "cheating the people of the state", and asked him to thank Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for "aggressive MLA buying", thus helping him form the government in the coastal state.

"Shame on you Mr Parrikar and your hunger for Power. You have cheated the People of Goa. Apologise to them," he said on Twitter.

His remarks came a day after the Goa Chief Minister took a dig at him by thanking him for the government formation in the state.

Singh said Parrikar should instead thank Nitin Gadkari for doing "aggressive MLA buying".

"Manohar Parrikar thanks me for letting him form Govt in Goa. If he has to thank anyone, it is Nitin Gadkari who did aggressive MLA shopping on 12th March early morning from an hotel in Goa.

"And the Goa Governor who violated the Constitution, Sarkaria Commission guideline and the Supreme Court…and robbed the mandate of people of Goa," he said in a series of tweets.

In Goa, the Congress had emerged as the largest party after the recently held polls, but the BJP led by Parrikar managed to form the government with the support of other parties.
 

Filmmaker David Leitch says with Deadpool 2 will pay homage to the first installment.

A sequel to the successful 2016 superhero movie Deadpool which features Ryan Reynolds as the titular character, is currently being developed, and director David Leitch, who took over the role from the first movie's director Tim Miller, says he will not be making radical changes to the character, reported CinemaBlend.

"I think you have to pay homage to this movie that's so beloved. Everybody is anticipating it. And I think we have to find a way to make it distinctly our own, and we're doing that.

The DNA of Deadpool shouldn't change. He's such a lovable character, we're going to carry that through," Leitch says.

Meanwhile, writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are determined to get Hugh Jackman , who is known for playing Wolverine in X-Men, to feature in the sequel after Deadpool pinned a photograph of the dark-haired hunk on his face in the first installment.

And although the Australian star has ruled out making an appearance as the metal claw-bearing mutant in future movies after starring in his swansong Logan, the writers believe there could be a possibility of twisting the plot to feature Jackman as himself.

DMK president MK Stalin on Saturday met Tamil Nadu protesting farmers in Delhi and slammed the Union government for not paying any attention to them.

"Tamil Nadu farmers have been continuously protesting in Delhi but the Centre does not seem to be bothered about it," Stalin said after meeting the farmers.

Saying that an all party meet should be convened to address farmers' issue, he said that Tamil Nadu chief minister should also visit them and find a solution to their problems.

"An all party meeting should be convened on this issue," he said, adding Tamil Nadu CM should come and find a solution to their problems, instead he is busy with RK Nagar by poll in Chennai.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Friday met protesting Tamil Nadu farmers at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi and sought drought relief funds from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the farmers.

Nearly two weeks now, a group of farmers from Tamil Nadu are protesting in New Delhi, demanding drought relief from the government. From holding skulls, rats, dead snakes to wearing black clothes, the agitated farmers are carrying out protests in unique ways to draw attention from the government.

Protesting against the sharp increase in third-party insurance premium, goods vehicles owners across states started an indefinite strike from Saturday.

The move is likely to disrupt the supplies of commodities and it could lead to a spike in prices of essential goods.

"We have no alternative but to go ahead with the strike. As many as 35 lakh trucks will be off the road in the southern states," the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners' Association (ACOGOA) President Channa Reddy said.

The South India Motor Transport Association had already gone for the indefinite strike from Thursday and now ACOGOA joined the protest. All India Motor Transport Congress' (AIMTC) and Bombay Goods Transport Association will join the league from April 20.

AIMTC President S.K. Mittal said truckers have been demanding the category-wise real time data from the insurance regulator but it has not been provided.

Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) initially proposed 50 per cent increase but later it asked to implement 41 per cent increase in third-party insurance premium effective from Saturday, Mittal added.

"The fight for justice by truckers of India will continue till IRDAI reverses its proposal to third party insurance premium hike," Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association's (FWBTOA) Joint Secretary Sajal Ghosh said.

Ghosh also said that as many as 20 district level associations in West Bengal with three lakh trucks joined the indefinite strike starting from Saturday.

"As members of the ACOGOA decided to keep their goods vehicles off the road, it will have impact in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, part of Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka," he added.

According to Ghosh, truck owners had a meeting with the Union Finance Department's officials and would meet IRDAI officials on Monday to resolve the issue. 

"After that, associations will decide the next course of action," he added.

Protesting against the sharp increase in third-party insurance premium, goods vehicles owners across states started an indefinite strike from Saturday.

The move is likely to disrupt the supplies of commodities and it could lead to a spike in prices of essential goods.

"We have no alternative but to go ahead with the strike. As many as 35 lakh trucks will be off the road in the southern states," the All India Confederation of Goods Vehicles Owners' Association (ACOGOA) President Channa Reddy said.

The South India Motor Transport Association had already gone for the indefinite strike from Thursday and now ACOGOA joined the protest. All India Motor Transport Congress' (AIMTC) and Bombay Goods Transport Association will join the league from April 20.

AIMTC President S.K. Mittal said truckers have been demanding the category-wise real time data from the insurance regulator but it has not been provided.

Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India (IRDAI) initially proposed 50 per cent increase but later it asked to implement 41 per cent increase in third-party insurance premium effective from Saturday, Mittal added.

"The fight for justice by truckers of India will continue till IRDAI reverses its proposal to third party insurance premium hike," Federation of West Bengal Truck Operators' Association's (FWBTOA) Joint Secretary Sajal Ghosh said.

Ghosh also said that as many as 20 district level associations in West Bengal with three lakh trucks joined the indefinite strike starting from Saturday.

"As members of the ACOGOA decided to keep their goods vehicles off the road, it will have impact in West Bengal, Odisha, Assam, Tripura, Bihar, part of Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka," he added.

According to Ghosh, truck owners had a meeting with the Union Finance Department's officials and would meet IRDAI officials on Monday to resolve the issue. 

"After that, associations will decide the next course of action," he added.

The Uttar Pradesh government has transferred many mafias from one jail to another following complaints that they were lording over in prisons, conducting anti-social and criminal activities from even inside the jails.

An official while informing of the development said on Saturday that mafia don turned politician Mukhtaar Ansari has been sent from Lucknow to Banda jail. Five sharp shooters have also been sent from one prison to another.

Former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ateeq Ahmad who is named in many criminal cases ranging from murder to extortion and is languishing in Allahabad prison has also been shifted out to Deoria jail.

Umesh aka Goa Rai has been moved out from the Banda prison to Rampur, Kaushlesh Tripathi to Basti jail, Shailendra aka Shailu to Deoria, Dilip Raidas from Banda to Lakhimpur Kheri and Alam Singh to Bijnore. Sachin Pandey who is in Sultanpur has also been shifted to the Bijnore prison.

Officials of the prison department informed that the rejig had been initiated to "break the spine of organised criminals" who were allegedly running their criminal empire from behind the prison walls. 

The BJP during their campaign for the state assembly polls had raised this issue many a times and had promised a turn around.

The Uttar Pradesh government has transferred many mafias from one jail to another following complaints that they were lording over in prisons, conducting anti-social and criminal activities from even inside the jails.

An official while informing of the development said on Saturday that mafia don turned politician Mukhtaar Ansari has been sent from Lucknow to Banda jail. Five sharp shooters have also been sent from one prison to another.

Former Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Ateeq Ahmad who is named in many criminal cases ranging from murder to extortion and is languishing in Allahabad prison has also been shifted out to Deoria jail.

Umesh aka Goa Rai has been moved out from the Banda prison to Rampur, Kaushlesh Tripathi to Basti jail, Shailendra aka Shailu to Deoria, Dilip Raidas from Banda to Lakhimpur Kheri and Alam Singh to Bijnore. Sachin Pandey who is in Sultanpur has also been shifted to the Bijnore prison.

Officials of the prison department informed that the rejig had been initiated to "break the spine of organised criminals" who were allegedly running their criminal empire from behind the prison walls. 

The BJP during their campaign for the state assembly polls had raised this issue many a times and had promised a turn around.

Comedian Russell Brand says he still feels very warm towards his ex-wife Katy Perry and has got over the trauma of getting divorced.

The 41-year-old comedian split from the singer in 2012 after being married for 14 months, but the actor has says he holds no bad feelings towards the 32-year-old musician, reported Female First.

"I have come away from that experience and I still feel very warm towards her. When I hear about her or see her, I think 'Ah, there's that person, that person in the world'," Brand says.

He believes that the undulating nature of fame was the cause for their break-up.

"Katy was obviously very, very occupied and busy. I was occupied and busy but not to the same degree. The marriage didn't last for a very long time and I think that is due to the undulating nature of fame, living in those conditions."

Comedian Russell Brand says he still feels very warm towards his ex-wife Katy Perry and has got over the trauma of getting divorced.

The 41-year-old comedian split from the singer in 2012 after being married for 14 months, but the actor has says he holds no bad feelings towards the 32-year-old musician, reported Female First.

"I have come away from that experience and I still feel very warm towards her. When I hear about her or see her, I think 'Ah, there's that person, that person in the world'," Brand says.

He believes that the undulating nature of fame was the cause for their break-up.

"Katy was obviously very, very occupied and busy. I was occupied and busy but not to the same degree. The marriage didn't last for a very long time and I think that is due to the undulating nature of fame, living in those conditions."

After Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhya Pradesh is all set to launch anti-Romeo squads to ensure safety of women.

The campaign is to keep a check on ‘Majnoo-type’ behavior and prevent harassment of women in the state.

"We will reform 'Majnoo' type of persons. They don't know how to respect… They are not good for the civilised society… A campaign will be launched against Majnoos," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

The campaign is to ensure a safe environment for  women so that they can live a carefree life without being scared of harassment and 'eve-teasing' by men in the state, Singh on Friday told the media.

“Police should create such an atmosphere so that women are able to move around independently without any fear. It should take stern measures against criminal elements," he said.

He also announced about introducing bill to provide death sentence for raping minors.

“A bill providing death sentence for rape of minors would be presented in the coming monsoon session. Once it is passed it would be forwarded to the President for assent,” he said.

“The first condition for the development of the state and the country is a good law and order system and this is the major responsibility of the police,” he added.

After Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh, the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhya Pradesh is all set to launch anti-Romeo squads to ensure safety of women.

The campaign is to keep a check on ‘Majnoo-type’ behavior and prevent harassment of women in the state.

"We will reform 'Majnoo' type of persons. They don't know how to respect… They are not good for the civilised society… A campaign will be launched against Majnoos," Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said.

The campaign is to ensure a safe environment for  women so that they can live a carefree life without being scared of harassment and 'eve-teasing' by men in the state, Singh on Friday told the media.

“Police should create such an atmosphere so that women are able to move around independently without any fear. It should take stern measures against criminal elements," he said.

He also announced about introducing bill to provide death sentence for raping minors.

“A bill providing death sentence for rape of minors would be presented in the coming monsoon session. Once it is passed it would be forwarded to the President for assent,” he said.

“The first condition for the development of the state and the country is a good law and order system and this is the major responsibility of the police,” he added.

Plains in Uttarakhand are in throes of unprecedented heat wave as mercury on Saturday climbed and set new records in the hill state.

According to the Met office, temperatures in Udhamsinghnagar, Pantnagar and Dehradun have broken records set 25 years back.

The temperatures are hovering over 35-36 degrees Celsius in the plains.

Pantnagar which last had the highest temperature of 36.3 degrees Celsius on March 31, 1991, recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius on Friday.

Dehradun continued to singe as the temperature climbed to 35.8 degrees Celsius, another record. The last equivalent temperature was seen in 2001.

Vikram Singh, the Met office director, said the temperatures in most of the plain areas were higher by 6-8 degrees Celsius than the average during this period of the year.

The weatherman has however forecast a slight drop in temperature over the next week as rains are likely to occur in some parts.

Plains in Uttarakhand are in throes of unprecedented heat wave as mercury on Saturday climbed and set new records in the hill state.

According to the Met office, temperatures in Udhamsinghnagar, Pantnagar and Dehradun have broken records set 25 years back.

The temperatures are hovering over 35-36 degrees Celsius in the plains.

Pantnagar which last had the highest temperature of 36.3 degrees Celsius on March 31, 1991, recorded 36.9 degrees Celsius on Friday.

Dehradun continued to singe as the temperature climbed to 35.8 degrees Celsius, another record. The last equivalent temperature was seen in 2001.

Vikram Singh, the Met office director, said the temperatures in most of the plain areas were higher by 6-8 degrees Celsius than the average during this period of the year.

The weatherman has however forecast a slight drop in temperature over the next week as rains are likely to occur in some parts.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday greeted the people of Odisha on Utkala Dibasa.

"Utkala Dibasa greetings to the people of Odisha," Modi tweeted.

Utkala Dibasa is celebrated on April 1 in the memory of formation of Odisha as a separate province in 1936.