Smart spending: You can rent a yacht and live a day like a billionaire

Any mention of yachts evokes images of the luxury boats owned by the wealthiest men in the world – the size of their ships directly proportional to the amount of money that's spent on them. In that world, bigger is better; and around the globe, yachts have been a billionaire pursuit – from Aristotle Onassis's 99-metre superyacht ‘Christina O’ to absconding billionaire Vijay Mallya's 95-metre ‘Indian Empress’. But what most may not know is that it's possible to sail like a billionaire even if for a day or two because most owners lease their boats out when they aren't using them. Case in point – can you rent ‘Ashena’ – a 45-metre superyacht with five cabins owned by Raymond's boss Gautam Singhania? It's possible if you cough up Rs 800,000 a day, and if that's too steep for the wallet, there are other options that cater to every budget.

In the island metropolis of Mumbai, the business of boats is a less flashy affair with most owners being avid sailors as opposed to grandstanding tycoons who throw champagne parties for hundreds of people after an F1 race when docked in Monte Carlo or Barcelona. Which also means that ‘Ashena’ is an exception, and most of the boats range between 10 metres and 20 metres. A 20-metre boat can host a party for two dozen people with ease. These boats can be leased for an evening or a weekend from any one of the couple dozen companies such as Gateway Charters, Sailing Stuff and Yacht Charters India in Mumbai. The upside: it's cheaper than shelling out a few lakhs for a ballroom at a five-star hotel in the city.

Anti-tourism attacks in Spain: Who is behind them and what do they want?

Already plagued by long security queues at airports, holidaymakers visiting top destinations in Spain face more vacation woes once they arrive. Anti-tourism activists have been targeting Barcelona, Majorca, Valencia and San Sebastián with protests – some of them involving violence. The goal seems to be to rail against the negative impact of mass tourism on local life and living standards.

In Barcelona, which welcomes some 32m visitors annually, a sightseeing bus was attacked at the end of July as it arrived at FC Barcelona’s iconic Camp Nou stadium. Masked assailants slashed the tyres and daubed graffiti on the sides of the bus.

They sprayed the message (in Catalan) “tourism kills neighbourhoods” in orange paint on the windscreen. Passengers, including several Britons, said they initially thought they were under attack from terrorists. Elsewhere in the city, bicycles rented out to tourists have been vandalised and rendered unusable.
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Lionel Messi to marry childhood sweetheart Antone Roccuzzo on June 30

Soccer superstar Lionel Messi's Argentine hometown is preparing to host footballing and showbiz celebrities when he marries childhood sweetheart Antonella Roccuzzo this month in Latin America's wedding of the decade.

Colombian popstar Shakira, wife of Messi's Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique, has said she hopes to attend the wedding.

Media such as local Rosario newspaper La Capital also expect other current and former Barcelona stars such as Luis Suarez, Neymar, Cesc Fabregas and Xavi Hernandez to be among the invitees.

The Barcelona forward's agents confirmed in a statement that the couple will wed in Rosario on June 30, a week after Messi's 30th birthday.

The guest list, venue and party details are the subject of a swirl of rumours.

Sources in the city's cathedral contacted by AFP denied reports that Messi and Roccuzzo would have a religious wedding ceremony there.

The couple still have friends and family in the northern city, where Messi discovered his love of football -- and of his brunette future bride.

It is also where their two children were baptized -- Thiago, 4 and one-year-old Mateo, both born in Barcelona.

Some media predicted 600 guests, but La Capital said no more than 250 were expected, including 21 Barcelona players.

National newspaper Clarin said Argentine singer Karina, wife of Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, will be a guest and also hired to sing at the wedding.

A source in the city hall told AFP it was considering security measures for the crowd of major football stars visiting.

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