1) World Environment Day: 5 June
•World Environment Day (WED) is the biggest annual event for positive environmental action and takes place every on 5 June. This year’s host country is Canada.
•The theme for World Environment Day 2017 is "Connecting People to Nature". The theme implores to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth.
2) India successfully test-fires 1st all weather tracked-chassis QR-SAM
•India has successfully test-fired its first all weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) from a mobile launcher at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.
•The test was carried out for validating various parameters of the sophisticated weapon system to further strengthen its air defence system.
3)India slips to 45th spot in IMD's World Competitiveness list
•India has been ranked 45th, down four notches from last year, in terms of competitiveness in the annual rankings compiled by IMD which saw Hong Kong topping the list. US was pushed out of the top three slots while Hong Kong consolidated its dominance of the annual rankings for the second year in the list compiled by the International Institute for Management Development's (IMD) World Competitiveness Center.
•Switzerland and Singapore were ranked second and third respectively, with the USA at the fourth spot - its lowest position in five years and down from third last year. The IMD World Competitiveness Center is a research group at IMD business school in Switzerland. It has been publishing the rankings every year since 1989. This year's list comprises 63 countries with Cyprus and Saudi Arabia making their first appearance.
4) TATA Projects launches initiative to promote green cover
•TATA Projects has announced the launch of Green Thumb, an initiative to enhance the green cover. This new initiative of the infrastructure company coincides with World Environment Day (05th June). TATA Projects planted over 42,000 saplings across over 100 locations during 2016-17.
•This year, under the initiative, while the company plants the trees, citizens who wish to do their bit to save the environment, can express their support for the cause. Over the past few years, over 1,00,000 saplings have been planted by TATA Projects at its various project sites.
5) SEBI forms committee on corporate governance
•Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Uday Kotak, Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank to help improve the standards of corporate governance of listed companies in India.
•Besides Kotak, the panel comprises of 20 members including representatives of Corporate India, stock exchanges, professional bodies, investor groups, chambers of commerce, law firms, academicians and research professionals. In the past, SEBI had set up committees on corporate governance under the Chairmanship of N.R. Narayanamurthy and Kumaramangalam Birla.
•The Panel has been tasked to go into issues in accounting and auditing practices by listed companies. SEBI has advised this Panel to "endeavour" to submit its report within a period of four months.
6) B Sai Praneeth rallies to win Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title
•B Sai Praneeth has clinched the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold badminton title by defeating Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in a closely-fought final in Bangkok. The success in the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold extended Sai Praneeth’s remarkable run in 2017.
•In April, the ward of national coach Pullela Gopichand had defeated Kidambi Srikanth in an all-Indian Singapore Open Grand Prix final to claim his maiden Grand Prix title. In 2016, Sai Praneeth had won the Canada Open Grand Prix.
