Breaking News August 8: BJP governed states likely to felicitate Modi, Shah for repealing Article 370

Pakistan on Wednesday decided to suspend bilateral trade with India. At the National Security Committee meeting, chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, it was also decided to downgrade the diplomatic relations with New Delhi. India on Tuesday removed part of Article 370 of the Indian Constitution that gave Jammu and Kashmir a significant autonomy. The central government also divided the state in two Union Territories (UTs) - Jammu and Kashmir with its own legislature and Ladakh with legislature.

Check all the live updates here:

22.05 pm: Neeraj Shekhar to be the BJP candidate in the upcoming Rajya Sabha by election from Uttar Pradesh. 

21.32 pm: I am very concerned about the rainfall and landslide in Wayanad. I have talked to officers there and also talked to the Chief Minister of Kerala over it. I will also take this up with the Prime Minister and request him for assistance, says Rahul Gandhi.

21.11 pm: BJP governed states to pass a resolution to felicitate Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Central Government for repealing Article 370.

20.53 pm: All schools, colleges and government offices to reopen in Jammu and Kashmir tomorrow.

20.03 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses national after scrapping of Article 370.

19.28 pm: Former President Pranab Mukherjee receives 'Bharat Ratna' from President Ram Nath Kovind.

18.37 pm: Coffee Day Enterprises Ltd: Board of Directors has appointed Ernst&Young LLP (EY) to investigate into circumstances leading to statements made in purported letter of former Chairman, late Mr VG Siddhartha and to scrutinize books of accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries.

18.10 pm: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh approves acquisition of two BrahMos supersonic cruise missile coastal batteries for Indian Navy. The minister also clears acquisition of Made in India software defined radios for the armed forces.

17.37 pm: Western Railway: List of various trains affected on Western Railway from August 8-12 due to heavy rain and water-logging at Kim and Kosamba stations of Vadodara Division.

16.44 pm: Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel has disqualified MLAs Anil Bajpai and Devendra Sehrawat on grounds of defection. They had joined BJP from AAP earlier this year.

16.13 pm: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: 11,000 hotspots will be installed across Delhi. The work to provide free WiFi has started in a way. Every user will be given 15 GB data free, every month. This is the first phase.

15:00 pm: Maharashtra Chief Minister's Office: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke to Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa who agreed to release 5 lakh cusecs water from Almatti Dam in Karnataka. This will help to bring down the water level in Sangli, Maharashtra.

14:40 pm: "No Indian movie to be screened in Pakistani cinemas," says Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Special Assistant to Pakistan Prime Minister on I&B: Geo English

14:25 pm: Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation will be a television broadcast and will be played out at 8 PM.

14:20 pm: Maryam Nawaz, daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been arrested by National Accountability Bureau (NAB): Pakistan media

14:00 pm: Pakistan suspends Samjhauta Express services, says Pakistan media.

13:55 pm: Hyderabad: Junior doctors of Osmania Medical College and Gandhi Hospital, hold protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019, at Dharna Chowk.

13:45 pm: Congress MP and leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad is being sent back to Delhi. J&K Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir and he were stopped at Srinagar airport today.

13:30 pm: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Pakistan: Work on Kartarpur Sahib Corridor will be continued by Pakistan.

13:15 pm: A delegation led by Home Minister of Bangladesh, Asaduzzaman Khan met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi today.

13:00 pm: Telangana: Five students have been hospitalised after allegedly consuming contaminated food in Social Welfare hostel in Khammam town.

12:45 pm: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, Congress leader in Lok Sabha: PM had announced from Red Fort that we'll take Kashmiris forward not with bullets but by embracing them, but today, the situation in Kashmir is similar to that of a concentration camp.

12:32 pm: Congress MP & leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Gulam Ahmed Mir have been stopped at Srinagar Airport. More details awaited.

12:25 pm: MEA: The recent developments pertaining to Article 370 are entirely the internal affair of India. The Constitution of India was, is and will always be a sovereign matter. Seeking to interfere in that jurisdiction by invoking an alarmist vision of the region will never succeed.

12:20 pm: Ministry of External Affairs: It is not surprising that such developmental initiatives that could address any disaffection in Jammu and Kashmir should be negatively perceived in Pakistan, which has utilized such sentiments to justify its cross-border terrorism.

12:15 pm: Ministry of External Affairs: We have seen reports that Pakistan has decided to take certain unilateral actions in respect to its bilateral relations with India. This includes the downgrading of our diplomatic relations.

12:10 pm: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary: PM had announced from Red Fort that we'll take Kashmiris forward not with bullets but by embracing them,but today situation in Kashmir is similar to that of a concentration camp. No mobile/internet connection, no Amarnath pilgrimage,what's happening there?

12:05 pm: Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Pakistan decides to suspend trade with India: I knew Pakistan was going to do something. Kashmir issue is our internal matter. Our country has the right to decide which law to pass in the nation.

11:55 am: Umaria: Tigress T-23 died at Bandhavgarh National Park late last night. It was 17-years-old. Carcass sent for postmortem.

11:45 am: 22 motorcycles, 2 four-wheelers gutted in fire in Mumbai’s Vijay Nagar. 

11:35 am: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case: Senior advocate K Parasaran, lawyer for 'Ram Lalla Virajman', also says in Supreme Court, 'There is no dispute that it is the 'Janmasthan' of Lord Ram. Both Hindu and Muslim side calls disputed area Janmasthan.'

11:30 am: Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case: Senior advocate K Parasaran, lawyer for 'Ram Lalla Virajman', says in Supreme Court ‘Janmasthan’ need not be the exact spot but can also mean the surrounding areas. The whole area is the 'Janmasthan'.

11:25 am: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the nation in a special broadcast by All India Radio at 4 pm today.

11:15 am: Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Former Chief Minister & BJP leader Babulal Gaur continues to be in a critical condition at Narmada Hospital. He was admitted here yesterday evening. 

11:05 am: Former Civil Aviation Minister and NCP leader Praful Patel arrives at Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Office for interrogation in Aviation scam case. 

11:00 am: IGI Airport: Due to enhanced security arrangements, flyers are requested to reach Delhi Airport minimum 3 hours in advance for all domestic flights and 4 hours in advance for all international flights.

10:45 am: Supreme Court refuses urgent hearing on a plea filed by Tehseen Poonawalla seeking withdrawal of curfew, blocking of phone lines, internet, news channels and other restrictions from Jammu and Kashmir. 

10:20 am: Petition filed in SC by Tehseen Poonawalla seeking withdrawal of curfew, blocking of phone lines, internet, news channels and other restrictions from Jammua nd Kashmir. The plea also seeks "immediate release of political leaders from illegal custody". Plea will be mentioned today. 

10:00 am: Karnataka CM BS Yediruppa today visited flood-affected areas of Belagavi.

9:45 am: BJP membership campaign extended by 9 days; will now continue till August 20. Earlier it was supposed to conclude on August 11 but has been extended since BJP MPs couldn't participate in the drive. 

9:20 am: Pranab Mukherjee to be awarded Bharat Ratna today. 

9:10 am: India condemns Cairo terror attack. 

9 am: Three dead and one critically injured after the car they were travelling in got hit by a speeding truck on the Eastern Peripheral Expressway near Mawi Kalan, Baghpat.