This partnership is in line with Tech Mahindra’s strategy to develop and focus on the cybersecurity market globally.

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If it has been a summer of discontent, with the much-needed vacation eluding you, don’t fret. Autumn, with its stipulated batch of festive holidays, is just around the corner, and we’ve lined up a set of hot foreign destinations for you. While foreign breaks are coveted by most, financial reality, with prohibitively high flight costs, has a way of impinging on the best-laid plans. However, as Sanjay Bhasin, CEO, Goibibo, says, “A foreign vacation doesn’t have to burn a hole in your pocket. Indian travellers are discovering multiple international destinations that are pocket-friendly and, yet, offer a great experience.”This may have been the reason why nearly 58% of respondents remained unaffected by the dip in the rupee against the dollar and continued to pursue their holiday plans, as per a Yatra survey, in June. “In fact, there was an increase of 14% in international travel from India in January-March 2018, compared with the same period last year, as per the DGCA data,” says Sharat Dhall, COO (B2C), Yatra. com. By 2025, Indian outbound leisure trips are estimated to rise to 13.9 million from 4.8 million now, according to Tourism Ministry data. “The choice to book curated packages online at affordable rates has taken the stress out of planning and we are witnessing a large number of travellers from tier 2 and 3 cities opting for these,” says Saujanya Shrivastava, Group CMO, MakeMyTrip.If you too want to be a part of this outflow of vacationers without disrupting your budget, go through the five destinations we have shortlisted for you: Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Philippines. A couple can visit any of these for Rs 1 lakh, and for simplification of calculation, we have broken down this amount into six categories: airfare, accommodation, food, sightseeing, internal commute and visa fee. With a series of smart decisions regarding booking of flights and hotels, and savings on sightseeing and food, you will be able to fit your trip into the Rs 1 lakh budget. Of course, some of these destinations are cheaper than the others and you can have a longer trip or stay in a better hotel. On the other hand, in an expensive place like Hong Kong, you may have to scrimp on food, take public transportation instead of cabs, or cram in fewer tourist attractions.To further reduce the strain on your budget, we have scheduled the travel for all these destinations, except Hong Kong, in the shoulder season, which lies between the peak and off season. This means that you can avail of discounts during this period. “An average discount of 15% can be expected for stay and food for these destinations. As for airfares, booking three months in advance combined with the gains from shoulder season, will enable you to enjoy a discount of about 30%,” says Karan Anand, Head, Relationships, Cox & Kings.So take your pick according to your vacationing taste, book on time and have a great holiday!1. CambodiaDuration: 4N/5D 64804760 The traumatic past of this beautiful Southeast Asian country—rooted in the genocide inflicted by the Khmer regime—has translated into tourism potential. Add to it dollops of architecture and history, scenic beauty and affordability, and you have a country begging to be visited. We have picked two cities, capital Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, the gateway to the famed Angkor Wat temples. The biggest chunk of the budget, at 40%, is expectedly taken up by airfare, but the remaining amount can help you tour in style. Pick a 4-star hotel, commute in cabs and cover all the major tourist attractions.FLIGHT: It is important to book 3-4 months in advance and check multiple flight options to get the right price and comfortable flight duration (6-7 hours, one way). If you are unable to book early, you will be forced to buy an expensive ticket, say Rs 50,000-60,000 for a couple’s return trip, which means you will have to compromise on stay and sightseeing. You can still get a cheap ticket, but it will be for a long-haul flight of, say, 12 hours.Flight time: 5 HOURS, 15 MINUTES Direct Delhi-Phnom Penh one-way flightITINERARYDay 1: Arrive in Phnom Penh. Take a city tour.Day 2: Take a day trip to Koh Rong Island. Back to Phnom Penh.Day 3: Travel to Siem Reap. Visit Angkor Wat temple.Day 4: Visit the floating village in Tonle Sap.Day 5: Back to Phnom Penh. Onward to Delhi.STAY: The stay options range from budget (guesthouses, hostels) and midrange (2/3- star hotels) to luxury (5-star hotels/resorts). “The 3-star hotels offer a comfortable stay in Cambodia, though backpacking hotels offer great budget options,” says Bhasin of Goibibo. You can, however, easily opt for the 4-star hotels, which will cost Rs 4,000-6,000 per night.FOOD: “Street food is delicious and can save you a fortune each day,” says Anand of Cox & Kings. “A 12-inch baguette with meat fillers and salad comes for Rs 82, while a bowl of meat and noodles will cost only Rs 100,” he adds. If, however, you want a proper meal, it will cost you Rs 350-500 per person. You could end up spending more looking for Indian food, which could be expensive. So it may be a good idea to carry pre-cooked Indian meals.Currency Rs 1 = 59.9 RIELBUDGET ALLOCATION 64804771 Visit during April or October 64804772 SIGHTSEEING: On the first day in Phnom Penh, visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum. After dinner, you could visit the Sisowath Quay. The next day, take a trip to Koh Rong, a beautiful island with pristine beaches, in Sihanoukville province. On the third day, travel to Siem Reap and explore the Angkor Wat temples, which can take you all day (two days, if you are really keen). On the second day, you can choose between Angkor Thom area and Ta Prohm Temple, and a boat trip to Tonle Sap to see the floating village. The latter will also give you time to do some shopping or relax in the evening. Return to Phnom Penh the next day and shop in the Russian market before flying back.Sightseeing Tourist hotspotsAngkor Wat Temple, Siem ReapAngkor Thom Area & Ta Prohm Temple, Siem ReapTonle Sap boat trip (fl oating village)Killing Fields, Phnom PenhTuol Sleng Genocide Museum, Phnom PenhRussian market & Sisowath Quay, Phnom PenhRoyal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and National Museum, Phnom PenhKoh Rong IslandCOMMUTE: “The best way to get around in the city is on remorque moto, which is like a tuk-tuk,” says Anand Menon, Vice-President & Head, Travel Tours, Leisure Business, FCM Travel Solutions. You could also hire cabs, which are affordable, especially if you are taking a city tour. While moving from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, take a Giant Ibis bus or a mini-bus, which will take around five hours, and is a better option than flying or taking a taxi, which are more expensive.PACKAGESCox & Kings: Discover Cambodia (3N/4D), @ Rs 1 lakh (with airfare, per couple) FCM Travel Solutions: Cambodian Highlights (5 D) @ Rs 65,000 (without airfare, per couple).2. Hong KongDuration: 3N/4D 64804761 This former British colony and global financial hub in China is the most expensive of the five destinations, with high cost of flight, stay and sightseeing. This not only translates to a shorter duration of stay, but also the need to pick budget options and deploy saving tricks. While most packages include travel to Macau as well, there is little point in shelling out extra if you are not into gambling at casinos. It’s better to explore the city in three days and even then you may have to leave out some tourist hotspots due to high expense. A good thing is that you don’t dole out anything for visa as you can spend 14 days visa-free on completing pre-arrival registration online (https://www.immd.gov. hk/eng/services/visas/pre-arrival_registration_ for_indian_nationals.html).FLIGHT: A red-eye (late night/ early morning) flight lasting about five hours will cost you Rs 53,000, nearly 50% of the budget. A cheaper night flight, at Rs 45,000, will take nearly 11 hours, with Air Asia and Singpore Airlines typically offering the cheapest fares. A good option is to register for fare alerts, opt for cashback offers and other online discounts. Also ensure that your airfares don’t rise while searching online by browsing incognito on the Internet.Flight time: 5 hours, 10 minutes. Direct Delhi-Hong Kong one-way flightITINERARYDay 1: Arrive in Hong Kong and take a city tour. Day 2: Day trip to Disneyland. Day 3: Ocean Park & Lantau Island. Day 4: Half-day shopping. Fly back to Delhi.STAY: A 3-star hotel will cost about Rs 5,000 a night, but of course, there are cheaper options like guesthouses, backpacker hostels and one-star hotels for around Rs 2,000 per night. “To save money, you could look for hotels in Hong Kong Island or East of Kowloon since they are a bit further away from tourist areas,” says Bhasin of Goibibo. Also, remember that room sizes in Hong Kong are generally quite small. “The stay prices go up during Canton Fair period in October, so remember to book in advance and negotiate well,” advises Anand of Cox & Kings.Currency Rs 1 = 0.12 HK DOLLARBUDGET ALLOCATION 64804762 Visit in early October 64804773 FOOD: “If you opt for Chinese meals and drinks, it can easily cost Rs 5,000 per person for a day, but meals at tea houses (cha chaan tang) or food stalls(dai pai dong) will not cost more than Rs 1,000 a day,” says Anand. Adds Dhall of Yatra: “Rather than buying food from supermarkets, one can pick fresh produce from the local market. Also, since meat is costlier, you can opt for vegetarian meals.” Fast food chains like McDonald’s or Pizza Hut, which are present across Hong Kong, will offer cheaper food than Indian meals. It is also a good idea to carry light snacks or pre-cooked meals. You should also preferably carry your own water bottle instead of buying it outside.SIGHTSEEING: The primary attractions in Hong Kong include Disneyland, Ocean Park, Lantau Island, Victoria Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade, Star Ferry and Repulse Bay. The first three sites not only require a day each to visit, but are also expensive. So make sure you keep aside a tidy sum of Rs 20,000-30,000 for sightseeing. Since a day devoted to each of these places is not feasible, you can take half-day trips or leave out one, say, Lantau Island. The cheaper Star Ferry will take you through the harbour and is a must-do. A good way to reduce spending is to opt for the public transport like MTR and subway instead of taking a city tour. You could also visit various museums, such as the Museum of Art and the Heritage Museum, which don’t charge admission fees on Wednesdays.Sightseeing Tourist hotspotsDisneylandOcean ParkLantau Island / Tian Tan BuddhaVictoria PeakStar FerryTsim Sha Tsui PromenadeRepulse BayCOMMUTE: The cheapest option is MTR, followed by bus and then a cab. You could also opt for trams which are cheap. For MTR, you could use a three-day pass for unlimited rides. “The widely used Octopus Card, which is accepted by most forms of public transport, can help you save 5% per trip. Topping it up is easy and can be done at any MTR station or convenience store,” says Anand. It is also advisable to rent a bike and avoid peak hours or weekends for MTR.PACKAGESCox & Kings: Basic Hong Kong (4N/5D), @ Rs 1 lakh (with airfare, per couple) MakeMyTrip: Spectacular Hong Kong & Macau (5N) @ Rs 70,990 (with airfare, per person)3. IndonesiaDuration: 4N/5D 64804763 Bali is the most visible and inviting face of Indonesia, but there are several other places, like Yogyakarta, Raja Ampat Islands, Sulawesi, Flores, Lombok and the famous Komodo National Park in Nusa Tenggara Timur. These are as or even more enchanting, with their pristine beaches, volcanic mountains and marine and wildlife. The only hinderance is the high cost of travel to some of the remoter areas. This is why we have considered only Bali and Yogyakarta, with two nights each. The bigger part of the budget is again taken by airfare, but stay and food are not too expensive. You also save on visa fee since you don’t need one for stays of less than 30 days if you have an Indian passport.FLIGHT: “The faster you need to reach a destination, the more money needs to be shelled out. A layover that extends your flight time by a few hours can, however, result in discounted fares,” says Anand of Cox & Kings. So while a nine-hour flight will come for around Rs 56,000 for a couple, one that extends to 10-12 hours will be available for Rs 41,000-43,000. You can again look for multiple flight options, though “Air Asia offers cheap fares without meals and baggage for people on a budget”, suggests Bhasin of Goibibo. It is best to book at least 60 days in advance.Flight time: 9 hours, 10 minutes Direct Delhi-Bali one-way flightITINERARYDay 1: Fly in to Bali and take a city tour.Day 2: Full-day tour of Kintamani Volcano and Ubud in Bali.Day 3: Fly to Yogyakarta.Day 4: Take a full-day tour to Borobudur and Prambanan temples.Day 5: Fly back to Bali and then to Delhi.STAY: You can look for accommodation on Booking.com or any of the online aggregators and pick from a wide variety of stay options, including homestays, bed & breakfasts, guesthouses, boutique or star hotels. A good 3- or 4-star hotel will be available for Rs 3,000-4,000. If you want to splurge on sightseeing, you can cut from the accommodation cost and choose a cheaper place at Rs 1,000-2,000. “You could also do a split stay between hotels in Kuta and Seminyak since the former hotels are cheap and the latter can offer private villa with pool at a great price,” says Bhasin.Currency Rs 1 = 207.12 RUPIAHBUDGET ALLOCATION 64804774 Visit in April or October 64804764 FOOD: Local cuisine is always the cheapest and the best way to experience a new country. “You can try out the street-side noodle, snack and soup corners, which will not be too expensive,” says Anand. However, if you are not comfortable with the flavours, pick up basic food like sandwiches or other snacks from local markets or carry pre-cooked meals and snacks. Also, make sure you book a hotel that offers free breakfast, or city tours that include lunches. You can easily keep aside Rs 1,000-1,100 per meal for food.SIGHTSEEING: There are loads of famous temples in Bali and Yogyakarta, so you will have to carefully choose a mix of temples, beaches and natural wonders. In Bali, take a day trip to Ubud and Kintamani Volcano. The next day, visit the Tanah Lot and Uluwatu temples, and relax at the Kuta Beach. Yogyakarta is famous for its Borobudur and Prambanan temples and Merapi volcano, so you could take a day trip here. The next day, visit the Jomblang cave and shop or relax.Sightseeing Tourist hotspotsKintamani Volcano, BaliUbud (Royal Palace, Monkey Forest, Art Market, Tegallalang Rice Terraces), BaliKuta Beach, BaliTanah Lot Temple, BaliUluwatu Temple, BaliBorobudur Temple, YogyakartaPrambanan temple, YogyakartaJomblang cave, YogyakartaCOMMUTE: Taxis are the best way to travel as you can hire one for nearly Rs 3,000 a day. The most economical way of going from Bali to Yogyakarta is by the ‘economi’ train, though you will still have to use the ferry as these are two islands. However, this is timeconsuming and the best option is a domestic flight, which is the shortest (1.5 hours), and return trip for two can cost Rs 6,000-9,000. “Negotiation is the best skill to hone as it can save you about 30% of the quoted price since private transporters charge extra from foreigners,” says Anand from Cox & Kings.PACKAGESYatra: Bali package (6N/7D), @ Rs 39,990(with airfare, per person) FCM Travel Solutions: Balinese Wonder (5 D) @ Rs 98,200 (with airfare, per couple)4. Sri LankaDuration: 5N/6D 64804765 With its irresistible combination of affordability and abundance of beaches, wildlife, temples and natural beauty, Sri Lanka aces the list when it comes to budget foreign holidays. This is the reason that unlike other destinations, you can take a five-night, six-day trip to this southern neighbour and add many more places to visit instead of 1-2 cities. The airfare is reasonable, comprising about 34% of your budget, as is accommodation, food and sightseeing, the last cheaper as India is a part of the SAARC group of nations. We have considered four places to visit, including Colombo, Kandy, Galle and the Yala National Park.FLIGHT: The return Delhi-Colombo flight for a couple, with one layover, will cost around `34,000 and take 6-7 hours, one way. IndiGo and Jet Airways offer some of the cheapest fares and, if you watch out for discounts, flash sales and fare alerts, the ticket will cost you even lesser. Also try to be flexible about dates and opt for Google Flights. You will be able to view the day-wise fare for a few months. Typically, the fare for Mondays and Wednesdays is slightly lower than weekends. “Booking for the shoulder season in peak season will also get you a better deal,” says Anand.Flight time: 3 HOURS, 35 MINUTES Direct Delhi-Colombo one-way flightITINERARYDay 1: Arrive in Colombo and take a city tour.Day 2: Move to Kandy. On the way, visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage.Day 3: Take a day tour of Dambulla and Sigiriya in the north. Return to Kandy.Day 4: Take a trip to Galle and Mirissa.Day 5: Move to Yala National Park.Day 6: Return to Colombo. Fly back to Delhi.STAY: You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation options, ranging from hostels, homestays and guesthouses to vacation rentals, star hotels and resorts. Depending on how much you want to spend—below Rs 1,000 for guesthouses and hostels to a range of Rs 3,000-7,000 for good 3- or 4-star hotels—you can take your pick. A homestay can also be a good option since it will offer a unique flavour of the place, people and food, also making eating a cheaper option for you.Currency Rs 1 = 2.3 SL RUPEEBUDGET ALLOCATION 64804775 Visit in April, September-October 64804776 FOOD: Since Sri Lankan food is closer to the Indian cuisine, it will do you well to sample the local food, which will not only be cheaper but also delectable. Of course, Indian eateries and fast food joints will not be too difficult to find, but will definitely cost you more. “While it is advisable for foreigners not to have tap water, buying water can be expensive. So purchasing a bottle with purifier may be a good one-time investment as you will require a lot of water,” says Anand.SIGHTSEEING: The cost of primary tourist attractions is virtually half of what a foreigner would pay due to the lower prices applicable to SAARC group of nations. So you will end up spending only about Rs 12,000 for a larger number of sites. In Colombo, you can visit the Gangaramaya Buddhist Temple and Galle Face Green. On the way to Kandy, visit the Pinnawala Elephant Orphanage, and the next day, take a trip to the famed Sigiriya World Heritage site and Dambulla Cave Temple. A visit to Galle and nearby Mirissa is also a must for their beautiful beaches and the sea turtle hatchery.Sightseeing Tourist hotspotsGangaramaya Buddhist Temple, ColomboTemple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, KandyPinnawala Elephant Orphanage, KandySigiriya World Heritage siteDambulla Rock Cave TempleSea Turtle Hatchery Centre Mahamodara, GalleGalle Fort, GalleYala National Park safari, YalaCOMMUTE: Though trains, buses and tuk-tuks are cheaper ways to travel, these can be crowded, time-consuming and not very comfortable. So, taxis will be your best option in this country, not just for inter-city transfers but within the cities as well, because they will offer more comfort without denting your budget too much. In fact, you can hire cabs for all your trips and transfers through the trip. “You can even plan a budget of around Rs 15,000 for a private cab for five days assuming that the driver’s food and stay are taken care of by the hotel or the driver himself,” says Anand.PACKAGESFCM Travel Solutions: Mystical Sri Lanka (7D) @ Rs 98,700 (with airfare, per couple) MakeMyTrip: 6 Days Holiday in Sri Lanka (5N) @ Rs 51,800 (with airfare, per person)5. PhilippinesDuration: 4N/5D 64804766 Though Philippines seems to pale in comparison with other popular Southeast Asian destinations like Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore, it has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world and is worth a visit. One reason for the lukewarm response among Indians is that Philippines is an archipelago of 7,641 islands and 82 provinces, making island hopping a time-consuming and expensive affair. This is also the reason we have considered only two destinations, Manila, the capital city, and Palawan, for the four-night, five day trip, even though there are several beautiful islands and provinces like Boracay, Cebu, Bohol, Surigao, Bicol and Ilocos. The biggest chunk of the budget is expectedly taken up by the airfare and accommodation.FLIGHT: “The airlines don’t always follow dynamic pricing and, hence, booking in advance may not always work. It just guarantees availability,” says Saujanya Shrivastava, Group CMO, MakeMyTrip. It is still a good practice because you get a better choice with the day-wise change in fares. So, while you may get a return fare of Rs 42,022 for 1-5 November visit, the price for 4-9 November may shoot up to Rs 56,134.Flight time: 6 HOURS, 30 MINUTES Direct Delhi-Manila one-way flightITINERARYDay 1: Arrive in Manila and take a city tour.Day 2: Sightseeing in Manila.Day 3: Move to Palawan.Day 4: Visit El Nido & Puerto Princesa.Day 5: Return to Manila. Fly back.STAY: Various aggregator sites like Hotels.com throw up various options to suit every budget, but you can fit in a 3-star hotel for Rs 3,000-4,000. Remember that hotels in central areas or close to the city centre may be more expensive, as will resorts in remote islands, compared with those in popular destinations like Manila. There are more luxury resorts on islands and will be beyond your budget. “Since several stay options don’t have an online presence, you can personally go and haggle over the price of hotels or homestays, and negotiation skills may come in handy in such a case,” says Anand of Cox & Kings.Currency Rs 1 = 0.78 PESOBUDGET ALLOCATION 64804767 Visit in May or November 64804768 FOOD: “Street food is extremely cheap, with meals starting at Rs 60, while local non-vegetarian meals can cost Rs 200-500,” says Anand. However, there is a chance that even vegetarian food may have some meat, so opt for fruit, light snacks or basic confectionery items from the local market. You can assign a budget of about Rs 9,000 for the entire trip.SIGHTSEEING: You can keep two days for Manila and two for Palawan. In Manila, you can take a day trip and visit Fort Santiago & Rizal Shrine Museum, San Agustin Church and Museum, Manila Ocean Park, and the historical city of Intramuros. For shopping, you can consider the Divisoria Market. In Palawan, do not miss the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, visit to El Nido and diving in the Tubbataha Reefs, besides relaxing at the beautiful beaches.Sightseeing Tourist hotspotsFort Santiago & Rizal Shrine Museum, ManilaSan Agustin Church and Museum, ManilaManila Ocean Park, ManilaIntramuros Historical City, ManilaDivisoria Market, ManilaManila Baywalk, ManilaPuerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, PalawanEl Nido, PalawanDiving in the Tubbataha ReefsCOMMUTE: For intra-city travel, you can use the local Jeepney or van which can be cheap, with prices ranging from Rs 100-1,200 a day. “You can also use cabs, but make sure you opt for apps like Grab and Uber, instead of the local taxis,” suggests Bhasin of Goibibo. However, it is better to fly while hopping between islands because it is not too expensive and will save you a lot of time. The return trip from Manila to Puerto Princesa in Palawan can cost around Rs 9,000 and takes around one hour.PACKAGESCox & Kings: Romantic Philippines (3N/4D), @ Rs 87,240 (with airfare, per couple) FCM Travel Solutions: Best of Philippines (6D) @ Rs 77,300 (without airfare, per couple)Prices and flight duration are subject to change; food costs have been rounded off; airfares for flights between September and November; currency rates as on 18 June 2018; 1 US$= `67.8; exchange rate as on 22 June 2018

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IT consultancy firm Tech Mahindra has announced a strategic partnership with LIFARS, a New York -based cybersecurity digital forensics and incident response firm, for an advanced managed threat detection and response service for their customers.Tech Mahindra’s Security Operations Center (SOC) offering and LIFARS’ incident response service will be combined to innovate and create new services in specific areas of threat detection, mitigation, incident management and integrated cyber resilience.“LIFARS and Tech Mahindra’s partnership is aimed at addressing the growing needs of customers to combat the rampantly increasing number of cyber threats. By leveraging the combination of LIFARS’ world-class team of elite cyber security specialists for incident response services, and the expertise of Tech Mahindra’s skilled SOC analysts, we will develop an enhanced cyber breach and emergency response service offering,” said Rajiv Singh, Global Head of Enterprise Security & Risk Management, Tech Mahindra. This partnership is in line with Tech Mahindra’s strategy to develop and focus on the cybersecurity market globally.“We are very pleased to enter into a strategic partnership with Tech Mahindra in the cybersecurity space. This collaboration will further help us expand our capabilities and reach,” said Ondrej Krehel, CEO, LIFARS. “Today, the market clearly recognizes the immense need for companies to implement thorough cybersecurity measures on-site. Tech Mahindra’s operational skills and reach in SOC delivery, combined with LIFARS’ in-depth cybersecurity knowledge will bring robust solutions and new innovation to the cyber security marketplace”, he added.

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LINEUPS – BRAZIL v MEXICO - MATCH 53 @ 2018 FIFA World Cup™
The lineups are in for Brazil v Mexico. How do you think this one will go? Who are the players to watch? Tell us in the comments below. Find out where to watch live: fifa.tv/watch2018 More match highlights: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCGIzmTE4d0hww7NG9ytmooEUZov2k-23 More from Russia 2018: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCGIzmTE4d0ia-PWE7WoysqLao-0y7jEz More World Cup stories: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCGIzmTE4d0j5nOjvXOP55xyW3aJCyeGo Follow all the action from Russia across the FIFA Platforms: 👉 http://www.youtube.com/fifa 👉 https://ift.tt/1lBiWzz 👉 http://www.twitter.com/fifaworldcup 👉 https://ift.tt/1M0OH0G 👉 http://www.fifa.com


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We compare the big six streaming music services to find the best one for you.

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On Spotify Lite there's a lot you can't do, like searching for single tracks or making playlists.

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Vivo Z1i has 6.26-inch display and 4 GB RAM and 128 GB internal storage with 256 GB for micro-sd.

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IT/BPM, Health, e-commerce, manufacturing and pharma are the five sectors ready for GDPR guidelines.

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By Harshal Dewangan

NEW DELHI: Why is Mukesh Ambani, the owner of Reliance Industries (RIL), buying a loss-making company from Oregon, US for $75 million? The reason behind RIL's decision to acquire Nasdaq-listed telecom solutions provider Radisys Corp is that Ambani wants to up the ante in his bitter war with market leader Bharti Airtel, Vodafone India and Idea Cellular.Reliance Jio Infocomm has so far fought the incumbents in India's telecom sector with freebies and ultra-cheap data. Now it is taking the game to the next stage by planning to lead through innovation. Radisys acquisition will be a shot in the arm for Jio because the American company will drive it into the uncharted territory of Internet of Things (IoT) and 5G. Akash Ambani, director of Reliance Jio, has said that the acquisition would further accelerate Jio’s global innovation and technology leadership in the areas of 5G, IOT and open source architecture adoption.Radisys is Jio's new weapon after it devastated the leaders by storming into the telecom market with cheap data and freebies. But, according to an ET report, data tariffs have dropped 90% while voice tariff by about 60% in the past couple of years, resulting in gross revenue of telecom companies falling 8% on-year to Rs 2.6 lakh crore in 2017. The companies will now want to shift focus from core telecom services to emerging technologies such as IoT. A market which could be worth well over $9 billion by 2020 in India holds big promise for leading telcos which are locked in internecine battles. And Jio wants to become the first mover in the next-gen services.Telcos offering IoT services will create a vast range of new clients from individuals to industries. IoT can revolutionise fields such as vehicle tracking, smart appliances, smart metering and security & surveillance. For retail, manufacturing, healthcare and automotive industries, IoT offers a radically transformative potential. Rohan Dhamija, head, India and the Middle East for consultancy firm Analysys Mason, told ET that telcos would need to go beyond their comfort zone of offering services beyond connectivity which only forms 20 to 25% of the IoT value chain in terms of revenue.Jio is aggressively pursuing this new opportunity for revenue. It has already set up a narrowband IoT network which is commercially active in a few cities, including Mumbai. It has now followed it up with the acquisition of Radisys. Other telcos don't want to be left behind in the new game. In a major push, Airtel is in advanced talks with US telecom major Verizon for a broad partnership around IoT. It has already initiated several IoT projects at its Manesar network centre, and is establishing a new centre in Bengaluru to work on these technologies. Dhamija said that Indian telcos see a huge IoT opportunity even in the short to medium term, especially with the arrival of 5G due to low latency and higher capacity benefits. 5G technology, according to analysts, will support billions of connected devices, and digitisation of different sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and smart cities, thereby creating a huge demand for IoT and M2M devices which will be connected by the telco infrastructure.

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US retail giant Walmart today defended its move to acquire Flipkart, saying it is in line with the government's FDI policy, amid protests by traders against the deal. The acquisition will boost manufacturing in India by providing thousands of local suppliers access to consumers through the marketplace model, the company said in a statement. The Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), a body of traders, today organised mass protests in different parts of the country against the Walmart-Flipkart deal. CAIT has been demanding the government to scrap the deal and constitute a regulatory authority to regulate and monitor the country's e-commerce market. "This partnership (with Flipkart) will support SME suppliers, farmers in the country to get access to the market through this platform and boost local manufacturing in India," Walmart said in a statement. The company further said, "We believe the combined capabilities of Flipkart and Walmart will create India's leading e-commerce platform. This will benefit India by providing quality, affordable goods for customers, while creating new skilled jobs and fresh opportunities for small suppliers, farmers, and women entrepreneurs." CAIT Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal, however, strongly objected to the merger of two companies alleging that Walmart, which is the world's largest retailer, will create an "unfair competition and uneven level playing field" and "will indulge in predatory pricing, deep discounts and loss funding". The trader's body said it apprehends that the deal is bound to circumvent established laws and FDI policy of the government. It said if the issue is not addressed immediately, traders will decide on the future course of action in CAIT's National Convention to be held in Delhi from July 23-25. Walmart, however, said its continued efforts have been to support domestic manufacturing in India by sourcing locally from SME suppliers, small farmers and women-owned businesses. "A clear testament of that is showcased in our merchandise 95 per cent of which come from within the country," Walmart said. India is one of the important countries from where it sources a significantly large volume of products including handicraft, textile, apparel, pharmaceuticals etc., hence giving a boost to local manufacturing and exports, the company added. "In line with government's FDI policy allowing 100 per cent FDI under automatic route in marketplace ecommerce model, our partnership with Flipkart will provide thousands of local suppliers and manufacturers access to consumers through the marketplace model," Walmart said. The company further said it will continue to focus on agri supply chain investment to help rural farms generate more income - particularly for small farmers - mainly due to improvement in farming techniques, increased access to markets and less food waste in the value chain from farm to fork. Supporting Walmart, Internet and Mobile Association of India President Subho Ray said the FDI rules for market place model of e-commerce were made after due consultation with all stakeholders. Walmart does not seem to have violated any existing FDI rules for investment in e-marketplaces, he added. The commerce and industry ministry notifies FDI policies through press notes. Press Note 3, which was released in 2016, enlists guidelines for foreign direct investment in e-commerce sector. It also articulated that no discounting is allowed and that no inventory ownership directly or indirectly is allowed by e-commerce marketplaces.

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The output pace of India's eight major industries slowed down to 3.6 per cent in May against a growth of 4.6 per cent in April. The growth was led by increased output in coal, cement, fertilizers and electricity sectors. The eight infrastructure sectors of coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity, constitute 40.27 per cent of the total industrial production in the country. "The combined Index of Eight Core Industries stands at 131.4 in May, 2018, which was 3.6 per cent higher as compared to the index of May, 2017," the ministry said in a statement.Official data released by commerce and industry ministry on Monday showed six industries registering a positive growth. Among the gainers, Coal production surged 12.1 per cent in May vs 16 per cent rise in April; Fertilizers rose 8.4 per cent vs 4.6 per cent in April; Cement 5.2 per cent against 16.5 per cent; Electricity generation 3.5 per cent vs 2.1 per cent; Petroleum Refinery 4.9 per cent vs 2.7 per cent; and Steel by 0.5 per cent vs 3.8 per cent.Among the losing sectors, Crude Oil production declined 2.9 per cent while Natural Gas production declined by 1.4 per cent.

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ITC Limited today said it planned to add 2,500 rooms to its hotel segment to take the total inventory to 12,000 in five years from 9,500 now, even as the diversified group mulls foraying into the healthcare space.Sanjiv Puri, ITC Managing Director,said the company would invest Rs 2,500 crore in the next two to three years in Telangana, among others,to set up an integrated consumer goods manufacturing unit and logistics facility and for the capacity augmentation and efficiency of Bhadrachalam Paperboard.He said ITC appointed a committee internally to examine the possibility of foraying into the healthcare space. Once it submitted its report, the Board would examine it and take a final call."Currently we have four brands under ITC hotels. Some are owned and some are managed. We currently have 107 hotels with 9,500 rooms.In the next five years we can add another 24 hotels which are at various stages of construction, both owned and managed. It will bring another 2,500 rooms. This would take to roughly 130 hotels with 12,000 rooms," he said.ITC's hotel group operates under four distinct brands -- 'ITCHotel' at the luxury end, 'WelcomHotel' in the 5 star segment, 'Fortune' in the mid-market to upscale segment and WelcomHeritage' in the heritage leisure segment.ITC today formally inaugurated ITC Kohenur, a luxury hospitality project at Hitec City, constructed at a cost of Rs 775 crore.The hotel has 271 rooms, suites and service apartments.Puri said ITC earlier said it would invest Rs 25,000 crore over the next five years in various sectors, of which Rs 10,000 crore would be invested in food processing."Our vision is to build 20 integrated consumer goods manufacturing and logistics hubs in the country. Some of them are under construction," he added.Earlier, in his inaugural address, Telangana Minister K T Rama Rao asked ITC Chairman Y C Deveshwar to look into the possibility of helping the revival of Ballarpur Industriies Limited (BILT) unit near Warangal.The Minister also said revival of the plant would help 2000 of its employees get employment.BILT shut down its pulp manufacturing factory at Kamalapuram in 2014, citing losses.Reacting to the Ministers request, Deveshwar said they would look into it if the state government comes out with some sops for the unit's revival.On investments in Telangana, Puri said ITC had invested about Rs 2,500 crore in the state, including for the hotel in Kohenur."A similar investment is underway in the form of integrated consumer goods manufacturing unit and logistics facility and for capacity augmentation and efficiency of Bhadrachalam paperboard," he said.ITC has aspeciality paper and paperboard manufacturing unit near Bhadrachalam in Telangana.To a query, Puri said the cigarette industry is under a lot of pressure due to the steep increase in taxation.He said 80 per cent of ITC's capital employed is in the non-cigarettes business.

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Kaustubh Belapurkar, Morningstar Investment Adviser, tells ET Now, that while largecaps should form the core of a portfolio, smallcaps would be the growth drivers which you buy and forget for the next 10, 15 years.Edited excerpts: In this mid-cap carnage, which are the funds that have stood resilient and which are the ones which are going down? We have seen a fair bit of drawdown on the midcap indices this year but over the long term, when I look at three, five-year basis, a lot of funds have stood rock solid. So, names like HDFC, DSP, L&T, Kotak, Franklin Templeton, these are the ones on top of my mind, the funds that have done extremely well during this period of time.Some of the names that I mentioned have actually stood pretty solid even in this carnage. They have been in some of the stocks that did not correct as much or actually actually appreciated during this time. So, it is important to appreciate that in the midcap index the divergence of returns is massive. While some have fallen 60% on the short period of time, someone is actually up 40% in the same timeframe.Which are the ones which are giving you that kind of stark underperformance within the funds?Banking stocks like Bank of India, Union Bank, these are some names of financials that have really depreciated over this period of time.Would you have a list of funds which are underperforming? I would not say over a short term. There are a bunch of names that have probably fallen off 15% which is in line with the index, but I would want to look at it on a long term basis. Funds will go through periods of underperformance where stocks which ran up sharply in 2017 are now down because the valuation has corrected but that does not necessarily mean that the fund has become a bad fund over the short period of time.The point about the stark underperformers and stark outperformers is interesting. It is always stock picking at the end of the day, index of course is just essentially a benchmark to judge what they are doing. So, going forward, where exactly do you think the funds in the mid and small caps spectrum, that should be poised to be able to deliver well? Should one invest in growth funds?In the midcap and small cap segment, I would park a lot of my money in funds where most of the managers are in growth style. These are stocks that are expected to grow at significant rates over the next five, ten years and that is why the managers are really betting money. It is not really too much of a value play in this segment. There could be some value plays where some negative news has really brought a stock down but largely you would see that you are looking at large growth numbers coming from these stocks. That is why managers are betting on a five, 10-year cycle on these stocks.Any themes?Some of the trends that we have seen in materials, cement stocks, paint stocks, that is happening. Consumer cyclicals, some of the auto ancillary companies or leisure companies are some of the trends that are catching up. The latest trend obviously is some of the mid-tier IT companies which have appreciated. One sees manager interest in MindTree, Cyant, a couple of other names. It is an interesting mix but growth is going to be the primary parameter when you are looking at it.But have you seen a dramatic shift in how funds are approaching small and mid-caps? Are you seeing some of the hybrid variety or multicap funds reduce their exposure drastically or are you seeing that within small and mid-caps, they are shifting from one end of the curve to maybe the other IT, pharma or whatever?A couple of things; one thing that has happened is clearly with regards to valuations. The way they had run up, managers became even more stock specific in the small and midcap space. They do have some leeway in buying largecaps. You want to pad that up with some largecap names just to provide some more liquidity in your portfolio. So, it is not a large shift but there is some shift happening there. The other thing that has happened is obviously more of a regulator forced move where SEBI has come and said that if you are a smallcap fund you need to hold at least 65% of your portfolio into smallcap stocks and ditto for midcap funds. There has been more of a shift because they have been realigning the portfolio over the last couple of quarters to get in line with the regulator mandate and move.So you have seen them becoming more pure small and midcap funds and obviously taking a much more measured approach when getting into some of these counters. In terms of sectors, IT is one of the counters where we have seen some additions on the midcap counter other than obviously the larger ones and the other parts of the market.Where have you seen money move out of? Any specific sectors or themes?So, I would say not too much money but the focus has moved away from financials, especially in this counter. This is because most of the street prefers some of the large banks and larger financial services companies, the safer guys.So, a lot of managers even in the small and midcap funds, wherever they can take some exposure they take it in the likes of Kotak Mahindra and HDFC rather than going into some of the newer names.What about large cap funds? Large cap funds certainly have been great outperformers . What is the trend you have witnessed?Largecaps are in a catch-up situation. Small and midcap indices just hit it out of the ballpark in 2017. The smallcap and midcap indices were 40-50-60% up whereas the large caps lagged behind. Hence the correction. We started the year with largecaps rallying, especially some of the technology names and few of the others.In the correction after that, there was no big fall in largecaps. The index is almost flattish and the funds have been either around the index level. Largecaps form the core part of the portfolio that is the one which should always be there. Smallcaps would be your growth driver which you buy and forget for the next 10, 15 years in your portfolio.

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