29 June 2014 Current Affairs Updates

1) Saina Nehwal wins Australian Open Super Series title: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal produced a dominating performance to lift her second title of the season, winning the $750,000 Star Australian Super Series after beating Spain's Carolina Marin in the summit clash on 29 June 2014. The sixth seeded Indian, who had won the India Open Grand Prix Gold earlier this year, prevailed 21-18, 21-11 in a 43-minute contest which left her richer by $56,000. The 24-year-old Saina, who enjoyed a 1-0 head-to-head record against Marin going into Sunday's match, logged the first point and displayed some deft net play against her rival, stroking in some delectably timed volleys to take a 5-2 lead in the opening game.

2) French foreign minister arriving on two-day visit, to meet Modi: French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will be on a two-day official visit to India from Monday to establish the first high-level contact with the Narendra Modi government. Fabius will call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj. The French minister and Sushma Swaraj will discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest. A number of other engagements are envisaged during the visit, said an official statement.

3) Netherlands, Costa Rica Advance to World Cup Quarterfinals: Costa Rica and the Netherlands, both in dramatic fashion, have reached the quarterfinals of football's World Cup in Brazil. Already beating the odds by advancing out of one of the most difficult first round groups, Costa Rica shocked Greece in a penalty kick shootout Sunday in Recife. The teams ended regulation and in extra time tied a 1-1, and Costa Rica made all five of its kicks from the penalty spot to prevail 5-3. Earlier Sunday in Fortaleza, the Netherlands stunned Mexico with two late goals in a 2-1 victory. This is the first time Costa Rica has reached the World Cup quarterfinals.

4) Rahul Dravid Named Batting Consultant for England Tour: Rahul Dravid will assist chief coach Duncan Fletcher as Team India's batting consultant on the current tour of England. Dravid was the only successful Indian batsman when MS Dhoni's team were drubbed four-nil in the last Test series in England in 2011. Dravid, who is the coach of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, is regarded as a master tactician and his presence in a dressing room full of young players will come in handy. India play a five-Test series starting July 9. He will be with the team till the beginning of the first Test.

5) Pankaj Advani creates history in Egypt: Indian cueist Pankaj Advani Sunday created history by becoming the first player in the world to win world titles in the long and shorter formats of both billiards and snooker by pocketing the IBSF World 6-Red snooker Championship, in Sharm El-Shiekh, Eygpt.

Advani, India’s poster boy of cue sports, defeated Kacper Flilpiak of Poland in the final that lasted barely an hour to win his maiden 6-Red world title and ninth overall. He has now won both World snooker titles on debut — the IBSF World Snooker Championship, China and this one, the IBSF 6-Red World Snooker Championship in Egypt.