Daily Current Affairs Quiz 18th October, 2026 for Banking & Competitive Exams |

Daily Current Affairs: 18 October 2026

Q1. The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed annually on 17 October. What is the overarching focus theme for the 2026 observance under the multi-year cycle “United for Peace and Human Rights”?

(a) Ending Social and Institutional Maltreatment

(b) Safe Homes for All

(d) Acting Together to Empower Children and Families

(e) Building Forward Together

Answer: b

Solution:

The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is observed annually on 17 October to highlight the importance of eliminating poverty and protecting human rights, human dignity and peace.
The theme for 2026–2028 is “United for Peace and Human Rights.”
The focus of the 2026 observance is “Safe Homes for All,” which highlights the importance of adequate housing as a foundation for security, participation in society and a dignified life.
The origin of the observance dates back to 17 October 1987, when more than 100,000 people gathered at the Trocadéro in Paris, France, to honour the victims of extreme poverty, violence and hunger.
The gathering took place at the site where the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed in 1948, and participants proclaimed that poverty constitutes a violation of human rights.
These convictions were recorded on a commemorative stone unveiled on that day, and replicas of the stone have since been installed in different parts of the world, including the garden of the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) officially declared 17 October as the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty through Resolution 47/196, adopted on 22 December 1992.
The resolution invited all States to promote concrete activities for eradicating poverty and destitution according to their national circumstances, while encouraging intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations to support national observances.
Through Resolution 72/233, the UNGA proclaimed the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027).

Q2. Shri Vipul (IFS: 1998), currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to Yemen, with residence in Riyadh ?What is the capital city of Yemen?

(a) Aden

(b) Sanaa

(d) Hodeidah

(e) Taiz

Answer: b

Solution:

Shri Vipul (IFS: 1998), who is currently serving as the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, has been concurrently accredited as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Yemen.
He will serve as India’s Ambassador to Yemen with residence in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Yemen is located in the southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia and shares its land borders with Saudi Arabia to the north and Oman to the east.
Yemen has a coastline along the Red Sea in the west and the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea in the south, with the Guardafui Channel also associated with its southern maritime region.
Yemen occupies a strategically important position near the entrance to the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean with the Red Sea.
The capital of Yemen is Sana’a.

Q3. Shri Sudhakar Dalela (IFS: 1993), currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to which neighboring country?

(a) Nepal

(b) Bhutan

(d) Maldives

(e) Bangladesh

Answer: a

Solution:

– Shri Sudhakar Dalela (IFS: 1993), who is currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Nepal.

Q4. Which country was designated as the incoming Chair of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 2027 during the Annual Meetings in Bangkok?

(a) Bangladesh

(b) Indonesia

(d) Pakistan

(e) Vietnam

Answer: d

Solution:

Pakistan was designated the incoming Chair of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for 2027 on 16 October 2026.
The announcement was made during the plenary session of the 2026 WBG–IMF Annual Meetings held in Bangkok, Thailand.
Pakistan is set to chair the two institutions’ Boards of Governors for the first time since 1953.

Q5. The Reserve Bank of India approved the amalgamation of Emirates NBD Bank’s Indian branches with which Indian private sector bank, effective December 1, 2026?

(a) Federal Bank

(b) RBL Bank

(d) IndusInd Bank

(e) Bandhan Bank

Answer: b

Solution:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the amalgamation of the Indian branches of Emirates NBD Bank with RBL Bank, with the merger scheduled to take effect on 1 December 2026.
Emirates NBD Bank opened its first Indian branch in Mumbai in 2017 and subsequently expanded its operations to Gurugram and Chennai.
The Ministry of Finance had previously approved Emirates NBD’s acquisition of a significant stake in RBL Bank.

Q6. Indian wrestler Komal secured a bronze medal at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships in Las Vegas, USA. In which weight category did she compete?

(a) Women’s 50kg

(b) Women’s 53kg

(d) Women’s 59kg

(e) Women’s 62kg

Answer: d

Solution:

India’s Komal won the bronze medal in the women’s 59 kg category at the Under-23 World Wrestling Championships 2026, held in Las Vegas, United States.
She secured the bronze medal by defeating Viktoriia Khusainova of Kazakhstan by 7–2 in the bronze-medal bout, finishing third in the competition.

Q7. Indian shuttler Jagsher Singh Khangurra secured a bronze medal in the Men’s Singles event at the BWF World Junior Championships 2026. In which city was this international tournament organized?

(a) Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(b) Jakarta, Indonesia

(d) Bangkok, Thailand

(e) Suwon, South Korea

Answer: c

Solution:

India’s Jagsher Singh Khangurra won a bronze medal at the BWF World Junior Championships 2026, held in Cairo, Egypt, in October 2026.
He finished third in the men’s singles event after losing his semifinal match to Radithya Bayu Wardhana of Indonesia by 6–15, 15–13, 3–15.
This bronze medal was India’s seventh medal in the individual events at the BWF World Junior Championships.
With this achievement, India’s overall medal tally at the championships reached 13 medals, comprising one gold, five silver and seven bronze medals.

Q8. Freyr Energy, a leading residential rooftop solar enterprise under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, signed which cricketer as its first-ever brand ambassador?

(a) Virat Kohli

(b) Suryakumar Yadav

(d) Jasprit Bumrah

(e) Hardik Pandya

Answer: c

Solution:

Freyr Energy, India’s second-largest residential rooftop solar company under the PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, has appointed India’s World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma as its first-ever brand ambassador.
The association has been launched through the nationwide campaign “Solar Ho, Toh Freyr Ho!”, which emphasises that rooftop solar is a long-term investment requiring reliable service over the years.
The campaign also features an advertisement film titled “Rishta Pakka,” starring Rohit Sharma as the protagonist.

Q9. The National Security Guard (NSG) celebrated its 42nd Raising Day on October 16, 2026. Under which Act of Parliament was the NSG established as India’s premier counter-terror force?

(a) National Security Guard Act, 1984

(b) National Security Guard Act, 1986

(d) Special Protection Group Act, 1988

(e) Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967

Answer: b

Solution:

The National Security Guard (NSG) celebrated its 42nd Raising Day on 16 October 2026.
The NSG is India’s premier counter-terrorism force, specially trained and equipped to respond to serious terrorist attacks and other exceptional security situations.
NSG personnel are popularly known as “Black Cats” because of the black drill cotton coveralls and balaclavas or helmets they wear.
The force was raised in 1984, following Operation Blue Star and the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
The NSG was established under the National Security Guard Act, 1986, and functions under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), which also exercises operational tasking.
The force was modelled on the pattern of the Special Air Service (SAS) of the United Kingdom and GSG-9 of Germany.
The motto of the NSG is “Sarvatra Sarvottama Suraksa.”
The headquarters of the NSG is located in New Delhi.
The head of the organisation is designated as the Director General (DG), who is selected by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

Q10. SEBI updated the operational framework for equity cash and derivative markets. What is the newly specified duration for the Closing Auction Session in the equity cash market?

(a) 5 minutes

(b) 10 minutes

(d) 20 minutes

(e) 30 minutes

Answer: b

Solution:

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised the timings and operational framework of the Closing Auction Session in the equity cash market and updated the settlement methodology for stock and index derivatives contracts.
Under the revised framework, the Closing Auction Session will operate for 10 minutes, from 3:30 PM to 3:40 PM, on all trading days.
The session will include separate phases for calculating the reference price and placing orders, while the order-entry window will close at a randomly determined time between 3:38 PM and 3:40 PM.
Trading in stock and index derivatives will continue until 3:45 PM. However, on expiry days, trading in expiring index derivatives contracts will end at 3:30 PM, while stock derivatives trading will continue until 3:45 PM.
The post-closing session in the equity cash market will take place from 3:50 PM to 4:00 PM, with trades executed at the closing price.
For index derivatives on expiry days, settlement prices will be based on the value of the underlying index, calculated using the volume-weighted average prices (VWAPs) of constituent stocks during the final 30 minutes of continuous trading.
For stock derivatives, settlement prices will be determined using the VWAP of the underlying stock during the same 30-minute period.
SEBI has also specified rules for carrying forward unexecuted orders into the Closing Auction Session, including provisions for iceberg orders. Such iceberg orders will be converted into fully disclosed limit orders, subject to specified conditions.
The revised provisions, except those relating to the transition of unexecuted orders, will come into effect on 7 December 2026.
The provisions concerning the transition of unexecuted limit orders and iceberg orders will come into force on 8 February 2027.