Daily Current Affairs Quiz: October 17, 2026

Notes:
The World Health Summit 2026 was held from 11–13 October 2026 in Berlin, Germany, with additional online participation. The theme of the summit was “From Crisis to Resilience: Innovating for Health.” It brought together leaders from politics, science, civil society and the private sector to discuss major global health challenges. The summit served as a platform for international cooperation, innovative solutions and partnerships to improve global health. A key objective was to transform innovation into more resilient, inclusive and future-ready health systems capable of responding effectively to health emergencies and long-term challenges.

Notes:
JWALA-MK1, developed by Indian private defence company IG Defence, is preparing for trials following successful solid rocket motor tests in October 2026. It is described as India’s first private-sector micro-missile, designed to intercept and physically destroy hostile drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This short-range surface-to-air missile uses a hard-kill interception approach and aims to provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive air-defence missiles. Its development supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat by promoting indigenous defence technology and strengthening India’s counter-drone capabilities.

Notes:
The Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2026, released on 14 October 2026, ranked India 100th out of 122 countries, with a score of 24.1, placing it in the “serious” hunger category. India’s GHI score improved from 37 in 2006 to 24.1 in 2026, indicating long-term progress in reducing hunger, although significant challenges remain. The GHI measures hunger using four indicators: undernourishment, child stunting, child wasting and under-five mortality. A higher score indicates a more severe hunger situation. Child stunting among children under five declined from 50% in 2000 to 29.3% in 2026. However, child wasting remains a major concern. It increased from 18% in 2000 to 19% in 2026, after falling to 15% in 2012.

Notes:
Lankamala Wildlife Sanctuary, located in Andhra Pradesh, is known for its diverse wildlife and forest ecosystem. It extends across parts of Kadapa and Annamayya districts. Recent camera-trap surveys conducted as a spin-off of the latest tiger census have recorded a rich variety of wildlife, including bears, leopards, mountain goats, wild boars, deer, wild cats and jungle fowl. The camera traps have also captured different varieties of lizards, large monitor lizards and considerable numbers of peafowl. The sanctuary covers nearly 5.50 lakh hectares.

Notes:
Pi ZT Lalrithangi, a successful strawberry grower from Mizoram, was named among the FAO 100 Women Heroes in Agrifood Systems and Rural Development for the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026. She belongs to Lawngtlai district, Mizoram, and is the first Mizo woman to receive this recognition. She was selected from more than 600 candidates representing 131 countries. Only two women from India were selected for this recognition. The award was presented during the World Food Forum at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Rome, Italy. The recognition honours her achievements in strawberry cultivation, dedication and hard work, as well as her efforts to inspire future generations of women farmers.