Here are the top stories this Saturday evening:

WHO lauds Uttar Pradesh govt's COVID contact-tracing plan: '93% high-risk contacts traced'

Undertaking a massive exercise to assess Uttar Pradesh's Coronavirus (COVID-19) contact-tracing, World Health Organisation (WHO) on Thursday, lauded the Yogi Adityanath government's thorough contact-tracing which helped the state fight the pandemic. WHO's National Public Health Surveillance Project - aided with 800 on-ground monitoring staff assessed the quality of contact tracing of 58,000 cases across 75 districts from 01-14 August 2020. Uttar Pradesh - India's densest state - has 5,07,602 confirmed cases with 7557 fatalities.

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J&K: Pak resorts to ceasefire violation as Indian Army continues to foil infiltration bids

After the Indian Army's befitting reply to Pakistan at the Line of Control on Friday, sources have reported that the neighbouring country is resorting to heavy shelling across the border due to the Indian Army's success in foiling constant infiltration bids. This comes after the Indian Army foiled the second infiltration bid on Friday following which Pakistan opened fire at 4 different places on the LoC. On the intervening night of November 7-8, three terrorists were killed and four Indian Army soldiers were martyred as they successfully foiled an infiltration attempt.

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Akhilesh Yadav rules out alliances with 'bigger parties' for 2022 Uttar Pradesh polls

After backing the Mahagathbandhan's 'victory claim' in Bihar polls, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday, ruled out alliances with any 'larger parties' for the Uttar Pradesh state elections in 2022. Yadav who has previously tied-up with Congress and Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP), has stated that he was open to adjusting estranged uncle Shivpal Yadav's Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party with SP. Recently, by-polls to 7 UP seats were held - with SP winning one seat. The state's next elections will be held in the month of February-March 2022.

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JD(U) blames Paswan for not emerging as single-largest party, demands LJP's exit from NDA

The rumblings within the NDA came to the fore on Saturday as JD(U) called upon BJP to expel Chirag Paswan-led LJP out of the ruling alliance. According to JD(U) spokesperson Rajiv Ranjan, his party could easily have become the single largest party if LJP has not fielded candidates against them. He contended that LJP divided pro-NDA votes resulting in the victory of the Mahagatbandhan in many constituencies.

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Religious places to reopen in Maharashtra from November 16 amid declining COVID-19 cases

In a big development on Saturday, Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray announced that religious places in the state will reopen for devotees from November 16. While the Ministry of Home Affairs permitted the reopening of religious places in India from June 8 onwards, the Maharashtra government decided against implementing this relaxation owing to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in the state. Reminding people about the havoc caused by COVID-19, the Maharashtra CM cautioned people against letting their guard down.

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