Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th January, 2026 Check Important Questions Here

By solving daily current affairs quizzes, candidates can track their preparation progress and identify areas that need improvement. This consistent practice enhances accuracy, builds confidence, and improves overall performance in time-bound competitive exams.

Daily Current Affairs: 18 January, 2026

Q1. The Central Government appointed Justice Sujoy Paul as the Chief Justice of which of the following High Courts in January 2026, based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium?

(a) Bombay High Court
(b) Delhi High Court
(c) Calcutta High Court
(d) Madras High Court
(e) Allahabad High Court

Answer: c

Solution:

• The Central Government has appointed Justice Sujoy Paul as the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court.
• The appointment was made based on the recommendation of the Supreme Court Collegium.
• The Collegium meeting was headed by the Chief Justice of India, Justice Surya Kant.
• The recommendation was finalised in a meeting held on 9 January 2026.

Q2. Nestlé India announced the appointment of a new Chief Financial Officer in January 2026, effective from March 1, 2026. Who has been named to assume this position?

(a) Svetlana Boldina
(b) Edouard Mac Nab
(c) Mark Schneider
(d) Laurent Freixe
(e) David Rennie

The correct answer is: (b)

Solution:

• Nestlé India has appointed Edouard Mac Nab as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• The appointment was announced in January 2026 through an exchange filing.
• Mac Nab will assume charge on 1 March 2026.
• He will succeed Svetlana Boldina, whose term as CFO ends on 31 January 2026.

Q3. According to the annual startup ecosystem ranking released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), which of the following States/UTs were placed in the “Best Performers” category for fostering a startup-friendly environment?

(a) Gujarat, Goa and Punjab
(b) Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh and Goa
(c) Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh
(d) Maharashtra, Telangana and Rajasthan
(e) Himachal Pradesh, Kerala and Haryana

Answer: b

Solution:

• Gujarat, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa were ranked as the “Best Performers” in developing a startup ecosystem, according to the latest ranking released by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in January, 2026.
• Gujarat secured the top position for the fifth consecutive year.
• Karnataka, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh were categorised as Top Performers.
• The ranking is an annual exercise by DPIIT to assess the efforts of States and Union Territories in building a conducive environment for startup growth.
• A total of 34 States and Union Territories participated in the evaluation.
• They were ranked under five categories:
  • Best Performers
  • Top Performers
  • Leaders
  • Aspiring Leaders
  • Emerging Startup Ecosystems
• States and UTs were also divided into two population-based groups: those with more than 1 crore population and those with less than 1 crore.
• The exercise aims to promote best practices, healthy competition, and collaboration among States and UTs to strengthen startup ecosystems nationwide.
• Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Nagaland were categorised as Leaders.
• Assam, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Mizoram, Sikkim, and Tripura were ranked as Aspiring Leaders.
• Chhattisgarh, Delhi, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry were placed under the Emerging Startup Ecosystems
• States and UTs were evaluated across six reform areas and nineteen action points, including:
  • Policy and institutional support
  • Physical and digital infrastructure
  • Access to funding
  • Market access and linkages
  • Capacity building for entrepreneurs and ecosystem stakeholders
  • Innovation-led growth

Q4. The world’s first global repository of mountain ice cores was inaugurated to preserve climate records threatened by glacier loss. At which of the following locations is this facility situated?

(a) Concordia Research Station, Antarctic Plateau

(b) McMurdo Station, Antarctica
(c) Vostok Station, Antarctica
(d) Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
(e) Summit Camp, Greenland

Answer: a

Solution:

• Scientists have inaugurated the world’s first global repository of mountain ice cores at the Concordia Research Station on the Antarctic Plateau.
• The facility is designed to preserve climate records that are at risk due to rapid glacier loss caused by global warming.
• The repository is called the “Ice Memory Sanctuary.”
• It has been developed by the Ice Memory Foundation, a consortium of European research institutions from France, Italy, and Switzerland.
• The sanctuary is a cave carved into compacted snow, maintained at a constant temperature of around –52°C to ensure long-term preservation of ice cores.
• The first ice cores stored were drilled from:
  • Mont Blanc (France)
  • Grand Combin massif (Switzerland)
• These cores were transported to Antarctica over a 50-day journey using refrigerated ships and aircraft.
• Ice cores act as atmospheric time capsules, preserving traces of:
  • Gases
  • Aerosols
  • Dust
  • Pollutants
  • Other indicators of past climate conditions
• The samples help scientists reconstruct historical climate changes, including atmospheric composition, pollution levels, and long-term climate trends.
• The Ice Memory Project was launched in 2015.
• So far, ice cores have been identified and drilled from 10 glacier sites worldwide.
• There are plans to expand storage capacity and establish an international convention over the next decade to safeguard these climate archives.

Q5. Which iconic Indian sportsperson has been appointed as the Goodwill Ambassador for the inaugural Pune Grand Tour 2026?

(a) Sachin Tendulkar

(b) Virat Kohli

(c) Rohit Sharma

(d) Neeraj Chopra

(e) Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Answer: e

Solution:

• Mahendra Singh Dhoni, former Indian cricket team captain, has been named the Goodwill Ambassador for the Pune Grand Tour 2026.
• The event is scheduled to be held in Pune from 19 to 23 January 2026.
• The race is officially titled the Bajaj Pune Grand Tour 2026.
• It is India’s first international multi-stage professional road cycling race.
• The event is categorized as a Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) 2.2 category race.
• It is a five-day continental road cycling race for men, placing India on the global professional cycling circuit.
• The race covers a 437-kilometre route.
• The route passes through the Deccan Plateau and the Sahyadri Range, featuring sharp bends and challenging elevations.
• The event has attracted 171 riders.
• These riders represent 29 teams from 35 countries, highlighting strong international participation.