News Broadcasting
Al Jazeera English named ‘Best Digital Team’; wins award for Yoga show
NEW DELHI: After the announcement by the United Nations about marking of 21 June as the International Day of Yoga, this ancient practice appears to have picked up on the media as well.
While the event on 21 June in Delhi will be telecast live, a series is being produced by an international channel into the history of Yoga.
And now Al Jazeera English online has won an award for the Best Use of Photography for its Portrait of a Yogi, which was a photographic exploration of the power of yoga to unite people across cultural and physical divides. The photo gallery was commended for its innovative and dynamic approach to photography, which had dramatically added to a user’s experience when visiting the site.
The award was one of three awards won by the channel at the prestigious Online Media Awards in London. The other awards were for Best Technical Innovation and Outstanding Digital Team.
The Best Technical Innovation and Outstanding Digital Team of the Year went to the Palestine Remix Project, which was a network wide initiative that allowed users to access some of Al Jazeera’s best documentaries on Palestine. The project also had interactive maps and timelines, which allow users to truly understand the Palestinian issue and to contextualize it.
Palestine Remix was awarded for demonstrating how technology was applied in a way that is creative and mould-breaking.
The awards were judged by an independent panel from the British Journalism Review for the outstanding digital team award, Al Jazeera English online beat Vice News, Channel 4 News online, the Huffington Post, the Guardian and BBC News Online. The Online Media Awards, now in its fourth year, identify the cleverest, boldest and most original purveyors of news and views from around the world.
Al Jazeera English head of online Imad Musa said the awards were the culmination of years of hard work from members of the entire newsroom. “This recognition by our peers is a testament to Al Jazeera’s efforts to find new ways of storytelling, and to explain complex issues to a global audience. Our team is small but incredibly passionate about what they create, and it’s great that our peers agree that they are the best digital team in the world. We will continue to push the boundaries of original journalism and innovative design,” Musa said.
Senior producer and Palestine Remix Technical project lead Mohammed El-Haddad added, “Winning two awards for the best digital team and best technical innovation is a huge privilege for Al Jazeera. Palestine Remix weaves the latest HTML5 video technology with informative videos to truly involve our audience in the storytelling process. The interactive team alongside our journalists constantly tries and uses new ways to tell a story. Winning these awards has shown Al Jazeera is ahead of the pack for original journalism and using innovative tools.”
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.
