Entertainment
Cop guarding polio vaccination team martyred in Hangu attack
- Govt launches countrywide anti-polio campaign.
- 45m children targetted for inoculation against poliovirus.
- Pakistan reported one case of wild poliovirus this year.
A policeman deployed to protect an anti-polio team was martyred and four others were injured when unidentified assailants opened fire on them in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu on Monday.
Hangu SDPO Mujahid Hussain said that the attack targeted a police van carrying a team of five personnel assigned to provide security to a polio vaccination team in the Chapri Waziran area. All of the policemen sustained bullet wounds in the shooting, but one of them later succumbed to his injuries, he revealed.
The remaining injured personnel were shifted to a medical facility, the SDPO added.
The Pakistan Polio Programme officially commenced its second National Immunisation Days (NIDs) campaign of 2026 today, to make Pakistan a polio-free nation.
The five-day countrywide campaign aims to immunise over 45 million children under five years of age. This effort is seen as a decisive step in the country’s final push to stop poliovirus transmission and achieve eradication by the end of 2025.
NEOC confirmed the first wild polio case of 2026 in a four-year-old child from Bello Union Council, Sujawal district, Sindh, last month.
The case was reported through the polio surveillance network and confirmed by the Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Islamabad.
In Pakistan and neighbouring Afghanistan — the only countries where polio remains endemic — militants have for decades targeted vaccination teams and their security escorts.
Over the past decade, hundreds of police officers and health workers have been killed by militants.
Polio, a highly infectious virus mainly affecting children under five, can result in lifelong paralysis but is easily prevented by the oral administration of a few drops of a vaccine.
The Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI) is already analysing the best response to tackle and prevent further transmission.
Despite challenges, eradicating the global public threat of polio in Pakistan and worldwide is within reach, and the PEI continues to intensify its efforts to leave no child behind. Since 1994, thanks to polio vaccines, Pakistan has reduced polio cases by 99.8% – from 20,000 estimated cases in the early 1990s to 31 in 2025.
In 2025, Pakistan’s PEI carried out five nationwide campaigns, in addition to targeted rounds of oral and injectable polio vaccination and integrated activities with the national routine immunisation programme.
While the overall trend shows a decline in poliovirus detections compared to 2024, reflecting the impact of high-quality vaccination campaigns conducted in 2025, virus circulation persists in certain high-risk areas, including districts of Sindh and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
These detections underscore the continued need for robust, targeted efforts to interrupt transmission and consistent vaccination for children.
Polio is a highly contagious and incurable disease that can cause lifelong paralysis and death. However, the disease can be prevented thanks to polio vaccines, which are safe and effective and have been safely used in 195 countries, including all Muslim countries.
Polio eradication is a collective responsibility. While Pakistan’s dedicated frontline workers ensure that vaccines reach every child, parents and caregivers play a crucial role by making sure their children receive all recommended doses, including routine immunisations.
The PEI urges all parents and caregivers to ensure that their children are vaccinated during every campaign to protect them from lifelong disability and/or death.
Communities, religious leaders, and the media also play a vital role in promoting vaccination, countering misinformation, and ensuring that every child in Pakistan is protected. Together, we can achieve a polio-free future for every child, in Pakistan and worldwide.
Entertainment
Cole Sprouse reacts to brother Dylan confronting house intruder
Cole Sprouse addressed the recent burglary attempt at his brother Dylan Sprouse’s house in a new, but quite an unexpected statement.
The 33-year-old actor and photographer took to Instagram on Saturday, April 18, and responded to the incident which involved Dylan, 33, tackling the intruder at his home in Hollywood Hills.
Cole had a humorous take on the situation, as he shared one of his own old photos holding up a gun, and wrote, “Dylan Sprouse when he hears any noise at his house.”
In the following Story, the Riverdale alum shared a screenshot of a fan’s comment, writing, “Cole would have told the burglar ‘this isn’t you.”
The former Friends star’s reaction sparked laughter from fans who is loved for his distinct sense of humour.
Apart from the rare glimpses of life on his main account, Cole runs a separate Instagram account, called Camera Duels where he posts pictures of fans trying to take pictures of him, and publicly shares them with lengthy humorous captions.
Despite the funny commentary on the situation, Dylan and his wife Barbara Palvin – who was present in the house at the time of the break-in, were reportedly left quite “shaken” after the incident.
Entertainment
Humans far behind as robot breaks record at Beijing half marathon
A humanoid robot competing against flesh-and-blood runners broke the world record at a Beijing half marathon on Sunday, showcasing the rapid technological advancement achieved by Chinese makers.
Spectators lined the roads in Yizhuang in the capital’s south to watch the machines and their human rivals race, each group in a separate lane to avoid accidents or collisions.
Some of the robots were highly agile, moving like famous runners such as Usain Bolt, while others had more basic capabilities.
The winning humanoid, equipped with an autonomous navigation system and running for Chinese smartphone maker Honor, completed the roughly 21-kilometre (13-mile) course in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, at an average speed of about 25 kilometres per hour, according to state broadcaster CCTV.
That was far faster than the top human in Sunday’s race, while also surpassing the current men’s world record of 57:20 held by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo.
The result represented spectacular progress from last year, when robot-runners fell repeatedly and the best took more than two hours and 40 minutes to finish.
The number of humanoid entries jumped from around 20 last year to more than 100, according to organisers, a sign of the sector´s growing popularity.
‘Pretty cool’
Han Chenyu, a 25-year-old student who watched the race from behind a safety barrier, barely had time to take out her phone and snap a picture of the leading robot as it whizzed past.
She told AFP she was enthusiastic about such leaps in technology and thought the event was “pretty cool”.

But, she added, “as someone who works for a living, I’m a little worried about it sometimes. I feel like technology is advancing so fast that it might start affecting people’s jobs”, particularly with artificial intelligence growing increasingly sophisticated.
Humanoid robots have become a common sight in China in recent years, in the media as well as in public spaces.
Xie Lei, 41, who watched Sunday’s race with his family, said robots could “become part of our daily lives” within several years, potentially used for “things like housework, elderly companionship or basic caregiving” or “dangerous jobs, even firefighting”.
The humanoid half marathon aims to encourage innovation and popularise the technologies used in creating and operating such machines.
In a sign of the industry’s strength, investment in robotics and so-called embodied AI amounted to 73.5 billion yuan ($10.8 billion) in China in 2025, according to a study by a government agency.
“For thousands of years, humans have been at the top on planet Earth. But now, look at robots. Just in terms of autonomous navigation, at least in this specific sport event, they´re already starting to surpass us,” Xie said.
“On one hand, it does make you feel a little bit sad for humanity. But at the same time, technology, especially in recent years, has given us so much imagination.”
Entertainment
Karachi Kings win toss, opt to bowl first against Multan Sultans
Karachi Kings won the toss and decided to bowl first in the 28th match of Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi on Sunday.
The Sultans, led by Ashton Turner, are placed third on the points table, having secured four wins from their six matches so far in the tournament.
Meanwhile, the Kings sit seventh with an even record, winning three and losing three in six games.
Squads
Karachi Kings: David Warner (c), Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Khushdil Shah, Saad Baig, Moeen Ali, Azam Khan, Salman Ali Agha, Shahid Aziz, Mir Hamza, Adam Zampa, Hamza Sohail, Aqib Ilyas, Jason Roy, Haroon Arshad, Reeza Hendricks, Ihsanullah and Rizwanullah.
Multan Sultans: Ashton Turner (c), Shan Masood (vc), Mohammad Nawaz, Shehzad Gul, Faisal Akram, Imran Randhawa, Arafat Minhas, Sahibzada Farhan, Steve Smith, Peter Siddle, Tabraiz Shamsi, Lachlan Shaw, Delano Potgieter, Josh Philippe, Momin Qamar, Muhammad Awais Zafar, Muhammad Shahzad, Arshad Iqbal, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Muhammad Ismail and Atizaz Habib Khan.
This is a developing story and is being updated with further details.
-
Sports6 days agoThe case for Man United’s Fernandes as Premier League’s best
-
Entertainment6 days agoPalace left in shock as Prince William cancels grand ceremony
-
Business1 week ago100% road tax waiver for electric cars, new rules for 2, 3 and 4 wheelers – what Delhi govt’s draft EV policy says – The Times of India
-
Entertainment1 week agoDua Lipa hits major career high ahead of wedding with Callum Turner
-
Business1 week agoThe FAA wants gamers to apply for air traffic control jobs
-
Business6 days agoUK could adopt EU single market rules under new legislation
-
Fashion6 days agoEnergy emerges as biggest cost driver in textile margins
-
Sports1 week agoLamar Jackson hits back at critics with faithful message on social media
