NEW DELHI: Paytm has launched hotel bookings on its platform and acquired NightStay, which offers deals on last-minute bookings at luxury hotels, as the Alibaba-backed payments and ecommerce company expands its travel business.

Paytm said it plans to invest Rs 500 crore in scaling up its travel operations and has partnered with more than 5,000 hotels across the budget, luxury and business segments.

Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart have told mobile phones, electronics and other companies, which sell their wares exclusively on these platforms, that they will be able to operate like they do now — albeit with some tweaks and rephrasing of agreements — once the revised ecommerce FDI norms come into effect.

Adversely impacted by the national carrier Air India’s recent switch to single ticketing platform, travel agent industry bodies have written to Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) to reverse the retrograde move and bring respite to lakhs of small travel operators hit hard by airline’s decision.

Maharashtra: Social activist Anna Hazare on Wednesday announced the beginning of his fast to demand the setting up of a Lokpal at the Centre and Lokayuktas in states as the Narendra Modi government "had failed" to set up the anti-corruption bodies.

"Through Lokpal, even the Prime Minister can be investigated if people will give any evidence against him... Similarly, in Lokayukta a Chief Minister and all ministers and MLAs under him can be investigated if somebody gives any evidence against them.

Singapore: Indian Oil Corp (IOC) is seeking a commissioning cargo for its new Ennore liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in south India, two industry sources said on Wednesday.

The state-owned company is seeking a partial cargo for delivery on Feb 25, with offers due by Feb 11, one of the sources said.

Mumbai: The rupee depreciated by 25 paise to 71.36 against the US dollar in early trade on Wednesday amid strengthening of the American currency and rising crude prices.

Forex traders said strengthening of the US dollar against some currencies overseas and sustained foreign fund outflows weighed on the local unit. However, fresh foreign fund inflows and positive opening in domestic equities capped the losses for the domestic unit.

The BSE benchmark Sensex Wednesday rallied over 250 points on heavy buying in metal, IT and banking stocks amid positive cues from other Asian markets ahead of US-China trade talks and US Fed policy meet outcome.

The 30-share index was trading 188.10 points, or 0.5 per cent, higher at 35,780.60.

No more misuse of IRCTC next-generation e-ticketing website! Soon, a cyber crime cell is likely to be set up by Indian Railways in a bid to prevent the misuse of the automation software on its ticket booking website i.e., IRCTC (Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation) website, irctc.co.in. In order to explore the feasibility of setting up such a cell, a committee has been constituted by the Railway Board, according to sources quoted in a PTI report.

Betting on providing better profitability for Intermediary Commercial Vehicle (ICV) customers, Mahindra’s Truck and Bus Division (MTB) on Tuesday launched two models — Furio12 and Furio14 — with a starting price of Rs 17.45 lakh and Rs 18.10 lakh, respectively.

The ICV segment comprising 9-14 tonne gvw (gross vehicle weight) of vehicles sells 1,50,000 units per annum.

Jammu and Kashmir Police Chief Dilbag Singh, on Tuesday, said that Pakistan was using social media to radicalise Kashmir youths and running disinformation campaigns against India.

The DGP said that Pakistan was cooking false stories to entice young minds into terrorist activities.

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