Today's Current Affairs 18th November 2023

INTERNATIONAL

Pedro Sanchez Re-Elected As Spanish Prime Minister

• Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has secured a second term.
• He assumed office as Prime Minister in June 2018.

About Spain:

Capital: Madrid

King: Felipe VI of Spain

Official language: Spanish

Continent: Europe, Africa

NATIONAL

Kochi in Condé Nast List of Best Places to Visit In 2024

• Kochi, a vibrant city in the Indian state of Kerala, has earned a prestigious spot on Conde Nast Traveller’s list of the best places to visit in Asia in 2024.
• Kochi International Airport (CIAL) stands out as the world’s first airport to operate solely on solar energy.

India Achieves Historic Milestone in Patent Grants: 41,010 Patents in 2023-24

• Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal announced that the Indian patent office has achieved an unprecedented milestone by granting a record-breaking 41,010 patents in the current fiscal year, up until November 15.
• He hailed the accomplishment as the “highest ever number of patents granted so far in 2023-24.

OBITURY

Renowned Art Historian BN Goswamy Passed Away At 90

• GOI honored him with the civilian Padma Shri award in 1998.
• Furthermore, in 2008, Goswamy received another notable accolade as he was once again featured in the Republic Day Honours list, this time for the esteemed Padma Bhushan, the third-highest civilian honor.

 APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Kotak Mahindra Bank Appoints Ashok Vaswani as MD & CEO

About kotak mahindra bank:

Founder: Uday Kotak

Founded: 21 November 1985

Headquarters: Mumbai

 IMPORTANT DAYS

World Prematurity Day 2023: Date, Theme, Significance

• In 2008, European Parent organizations united to establish this international awareness day for preterm birth.
• The global theme for this year’s World Prematurity Day is “Small actions, big impact: Immediate skin-to-skin care for every baby everywhere.

World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Violence 2023

• The United Nations has designated November 18 as the “World Day for the Prevention of and Healing from Child Sexual Exploitation, Abuse, and Violence.”

RANKING

India Ranks Third In Global Unicorn Rankings with 72 Unicorns

• The cumulative valuation of these unicorns stands at a staggering $195.75 billion.
• The first Indian company to make a mark on the global stage is BYJU’s, securing the 36th position with a noteworthy valuation of $11.50 billion.
• China holds the second-highest number of unicorn companies, boasting a total of 172 with a combined valuation of $641.67 billion.

BofA Survey Japan and India as Preferred Markets in Asia Pacific

• In a recent fund manager survey (FMS) conducted by Bank of America (BofA), Japan and India emerged as the most favored markets in the Asia Pacific region.
• The survey revealed that Japan holds the top position with a net 45 percent overweight, followed by India at 25 percent.
• In contrast, Thailand, China, and Australia are perceived as less attractive.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

DGFT Forecasts Explosive Growth in Indian E-commerce Exports, Aiming for $200 Billion in 6-7 Years

• India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) predicts a remarkable surge in the country’s e-commerce exports, projecting a potential rise from the current $1.2 billion to an impressive $200 billion.