• National

The government introduced DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill .

• The government introduced DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill 2018 in the Lok Sabha.
• The Bill seeks to provide regulation for the use and application of DNA Technology for establishing the identity of certain categories of persons including the victims, offenders, suspects, under trials, missing persons and others.

• National

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank .

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch 650 branches of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB) on the 21st August, 2018.
• The IPPB has been setup under the Department of Post, Ministry of Communication with 100% equity owned by the Indian government.

• National

Suresh Prabhu launched ‘Niryat Mitra – mobile App’ in New Delhi.

• Union Minister of Commerce & Industry and Aviation Suresh Prabhu launched ‘Niryat Mitra – mobile App’ in New Delhi.
• The app developed by the Federation of Indian Export Organisations is available both on Android and on IOS platforms.

• National

The Ministry of HRD has embarked on SWAYAM.

• The Ministry of HRD has embarked on a major and new initiative Project called ‘Study Webs of Active Learning for Young Aspiring Minds’ (SWAYAM), which will provide one integrated platform and portal for online courses. This covers all higher education subjects and skill sector courses.
• The objective is to ensure that every student in the country has access to the best quality higher education at the affordable cost.

• International

Colombia’s conservative Ivan Duque Marquez took oath as the country’s 60th president .

• Colombia’s conservative Ivan Duque Marquez took oath as the country’s 60th president, succeeding Juan Manuel Santos, who had been in power since 2010.
• Duque defeated Petro, in a presidential run-off in June with 54% votes.

• Economy and Business

The value of transactions made through mobile wallets touched a record ₹14,632 crore in June .

• The value of transactions made through mobile wallets touched a record ₹14,632 crore in June 2018 as per the data released by Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• Debit and credit card transactions too hit a new record of ₹3.62 trillion in June 2018.

• Appointments

Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the Chief of United Nations Human Rights .

• UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced the appointment of Michelle Bachelet as the Chief of United Nations Human Rights.
• Bachelet also served in 2010 as the first director of UN Women, the UN agency promoting gender equality worldwide.

• Appointments

Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected as the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman .

• Harivansh Narayan Singh has been elected as the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman by defeating the joint Opposition candidate BK Hariprasad.
• Elections for the post of the Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman were held on 9th August 2018.

• Appointments

S. gopalkumar appointed as Director and Genetal manager of United India Insurance Company .

• Public sector non-life insurance firm United India Insurance Company announced the appointment of S Gopakumar as its Director and General Manager.
• Prior to taking up the new role, Gopakumar was serving GIC Housing Finance Ltd as its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.

• Science and Tech

Astronomers has detected the most distant radio galaxy ever observed.

• An international team of astronomers has detected the most distant radio galaxy ever observed.
• The researchers determined that the galaxy is about 12 billion light-years away.

• Miscellaneous

Oscars ceremony has added a new category to honour popular films.

• The Academy which runs the Oscars ceremony has added a new category to honour popular films.
• The Academy also plans to set an earlier air date for the Oscars in 2020 — February 9 — and will be making that broadcast more “globally accessible.”

• Miscellaneous

The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve .

• The Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve has become the 11th Biosphere Reserve from India that has been included in the UNESCO designated World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
• Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve in Sikkim is one of the highest ecosystems in the world.

• Miscellaneous

State Bank of India (SBI) launched one more digital initiative called MOPAD .

• State Bank of India (SBI) launched one more digital initiative called MOPAD (Multi Option Payment Acceptance Device) on 8th August,2018.
• It will enable customers to make payments through cards, Bharat QR, UPI and SBI Buddy (e-wallet) on a point of sale (PoS) terminal.

• Important Days

The International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples is observed across the world on August 9 .

• The International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples is observed across the world on August 9 with an aim to strengthen international cooperation for solving problems faced by indigenous peoples in areas such as human rights, the environment, education, health and social development.
• The theme of 2018 International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples was ‘Indigenous peoples’ migration and movement’.