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UK health minister Matt Hancock quits after kissing photos trigger violation of Covid protocols

The UK health minister Matt Hancock resigned on Saturday, a day after he apologized for breaching social distancing rules with his office aide. He has resigned over allegations that he broke country’s Covid protocols during an affair with his close aide.

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UK health minister Matt Hancock

The United Kingdom health minister Matt Hancock resigned from his post on Saturday over the allegations of breaking country’s Covid protocols.

His resignation comes after the Britain’s health minister caught breaking Covid-19 rules by kissing and embracing an aide in his office.

In his resignation letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Hancock said Britain have worked so hard as a country to fight the pandemic.

Hancock, 42, wrote to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign after The Sun newspaper published photos on Friday of the married minister embracing senior aide Gina Coladangelo, who he had appointed to a taxpayer-funded role to scrutinize the performance of his department.

Johnson had said on Friday he had accepted an apology from the minister and considered the matter to be closed, but Hancock had faced rising pressure to quit.

Hancock has been at the centre of the government’s fight against the pandemic, routinely appearing on the television to tell people to strictly follow Covid protocols to contain the virus.

It will be really challenging for Johnson to appoint a new minister to take the charge of a huge department that is responsible for overseeing the health service and tackling the virus, at a time when cases have started to rise again. The controversy may also harm the health department’s efforts to tackle the pandemic and undermine its messaging about the importance of maintaining social distancing.

Hancock, who ran against Johnson for the Tory leadership in 2019, had already been under pressure over his handling of the crisis. Johnson’s former aide, Dominic Cummings, earlier this month published text messages he said showed the premier regarded Hancock as hopeless. Cummings also accused Hancock of lying and incompetence at the height of the Covid outbreak last year.

Hancock and Coladangelo had been friends since their time together at Oxford University and both are married with children. At the time the photos were taken, pandemic rules advised against meeting people from different households indoors.

With 128,000 deaths, Britain has one of the highest official death tolls from Covid-19 in the world and Hancock, in the post for almost three years, had been heavily criticised for his initial handling of the pandemic.

Read Also: AIIMS chief says availability of Covid vaccine for kids will pave way for school reopening

However Johnson’s Conservative government has been boosted by a rapid rollout of the vaccine programme, with 84 percent of adults having one dose and 61 percent having both, well ahead of most other countries.

India News

PM Modi marks Operation Sindoor anniversary, calls it India’s firm stand against terrorism

PM Modi said Operation Sindoor showcased India’s firm response against terrorism while paying tribute to the armed forces on the operation’s first anniversary.

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PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said Operation Sindoor demonstrated India’s firm response against terrorism and highlighted the country’s commitment to national security.

Marking one year of the operation, the Prime Minister praised the courage, precision and professionalism of the Indian armed forces. He said the military action was carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack that had claimed the lives of 26 civilians in 2025.

Operation Sindoor was launched on May 7, 2025, as a calibrated tri-services operation targeting terror infrastructure linked to cross-border terrorism. Reports said the operation showcased coordinated action by the armed forces and was seen as a major counter-terror response by India.

On the anniversary of the operation, PM Modi also changed the display pictures across his social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The image carried the text “Operation Sindoor” along with the Indian tricolour design.

The Indian Air Force also shared visuals and messages recalling the operation and highlighting India’s military response. A video released by the force described the operation as a strong message against terrorism and referred to the precision strikes carried out during the mission.

Operation Sindoor was launched following the Pahalgam terror attack, after which India carried out strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, according to official statements and reports published at the time.

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Vijay meets Tamil Nadu Governor again as TVK pushes to prove majority

TVK chief Vijay held another meeting with Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar as the party intensified efforts to secure majority support after emerging as the single-largest party in the Assembly elections.

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Actor vijay

Actor-turned-politician Vijay met Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar again on Thursday as his party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), continued efforts to prove it has enough support to form the next government in the state.

TVK emerged as the single-largest party in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly after winning 108 seats, but it remains short of the majority mark of 118.

The Congress has extended support to TVK, adding five MLAs to Vijay’s side. However, the alliance still needs additional backing from other parties or independents to comfortably cross the halfway mark.

According to reports, the Governor has not yet been fully convinced that TVK currently has the required numbers to form a stable government. This has delayed clarity over the swearing-in ceremony and the formal invitation to form the government.

Political activity intensified after reports emerged that some AIADMK legislators were moved to a resort in Puducherry amid speculation over possible support to TVK. AIADMK leaders, however, publicly denied any internal crisis.

TVK sources have expressed confidence that the party will be able to demonstrate majority support during discussions with the Governor.

The Tamil Nadu election results marked a major political shift in the state, with TVK breaking the long-standing dominance of the DMK and AIADMK in its first Assembly election contest.

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PM Modi changes social media profile pictures to mark Operation Sindoor anniversary

PM Modi changed his social media profile pictures to commemorate one year of Operation Sindoor, with several NDA leaders following the move.

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PM Modi speech

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday updated the display pictures of his social media accounts to mark the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor. The new image was seen across his profiles on X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp channels.

The updated profile picture carries the text “Operation Sindoor” on a black background along with elements of the Indian tricolour. One of the letters in the word “Sindoor” has been stylised using vermilion, commonly associated with married Hindu women.

Operation Sindoor was launched a year ago by Indian defence forces and the Border Security Force along the western border. The anniversary was also marked by several Union ministers and NDA leaders, who changed their social media profile pictures in a similar manner.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and other senior leaders were among those who adopted the commemorative display image on social media platforms, according to reports.

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