News Broadcasting
ABC News, RealNetworks expand relationship
CHICAGO: ABC News and RealNetworks, which claims to be a global leader in network-delivered digital media, have announced that they have expanded their agreement.
With this announcement, RealNetworks is the only premium content subscription service to offer ABC News Live. This is ABC News’ 24-hour live news service, which launched in March. In addition to providing ABC News content to RealOne SuperPass subscribers and supporting premium video news content for ABC News On Demand, ABC News will also collaborate with RealNetworks on new mobile content services.
The new agreement also provides for inclusion of ABC News content in new RealOne subscription services in international markets.
ABC News’ president David Westin said,”With news breaking around the world and throughout the day, we realise the importance of reaching our audience 24 hours a day at home and at the workplace. ABC News has set a new direction for news networks, whereby 24-7 quality news coverage is no longer limited to the television.
“In cooperation with Real’s technology and the RealOne service, ABC News is making notable advances in the news and media marketplace through their commitment to broadband delivery of ABC News Live, their dedication to production and editorial quality, and their interest to deliver news globally as well as via wireless devices.”
Part of the RealNetworks’ subscription services since August 2000, ABC News continues to expand its content and programming on the Internet. The launch of RealOne SuperPass in 2001 featured World News Tonight with Peter Jennings and Nightline.. earlier in the year ABC News added ABC News Live and the “virtual control room,” a quad screen format, which provides Internet viewers with four live simultaneous video feeds.
Most recently, ABC News Live added hourly news briefs with anchor/correspondent Alina Cho. Cho also anchors breaking news and live events as news develops throughout the day. In addition to live feeds from around the world, ABC News Live programming includes reporting exclusively for ABC News Live and repackaged, high profile ABC News interviews, including Barbara Walters’ exclusive interview with senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
