News Broadcasting
CNN to launch new show ‘My City My Life’
MUMBAI: News broadcaster CNN will launch the show My City My Life on 3 May at 6:45 pm and 10:45 pm and on 4 May at 1:45 pm.
Each month the show takes viewers on a unique journey into the heart and soul of one of the world’s greatest cities. Icons from the world of film, music and fashion reveal the hidden treasures within their chosen city.
With celebrities as CNN’s tour guides, each programme will offer viewers an exclusive and personal insight into both their personality and the destination. Viewers will discover the locations that inspire them, where they like to go and what they love to do.
The show gives the personalities creative input on how their city is portrayed as CNN cameras follow them for at least a day.
Opening the series, the programme ventures to the heart of Florence in Italy, exploring the wonderful city through the eyes of Roberto Cavalli, world-renowned fashion designer. Cavalli, grandson of impressionist painter Giuseppe Rossi, grew up surrounded by art and fashion and Florence has always been of great significance to him, being the place he unveiled his first collection in 1972. Cavalli reveals the places in Florence he loves most and shares his inspirations.
In June’s episode, French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz, guides viewers through ‘his’ Paris, including the place where he was born; the differences between the north and south of the city and some of the locations that inspired his film, ‘La Haine’. The series will air on 7 June at 6.45 pm and 10.45 pm and 8 June at 1.45 pm.
Each intimate portrayal will provide CNN viewers with the opportunity to travel across continents, off the beaten tourist track and under the skin of the world’s most cutting-edge destinations, which include Paris, London, New York, Seattle, Los Angeles and Las Vegas among others.
CNN’s comprehensive website will allow access to all past episodes and special features via www.cnn.com/mycitymylife.
Samsonite will sponsor the show. The sponsorship takes effect from 3 May 2008 and signals the premium travel brand’s first television advertising campaign in four years and is a significant evolution of Samsonite’s traditionally spot-driven association with CNN International.
For Samsonite, its sponsorship of My City_My Life marks the next phase in its long term global communications campaign Life’s a Journey. The campaign is a compelling mix of brand and product advertising and will extend Samsonite’s brand footprint to connect with CNN International’s upscale audiences across Asia, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It will also reach audiences globally via CNN.com.
CNN International senior VP ad sales Rani R. Raad comments, “CNN International delivers the upscale business traveller audience that Samsonite wants to reach with their luxury high end travel products. We are excited Samsonite has chosen to cement its advertising relationship with us on this bespoke, cross-platform initiative and we look forward to delivering a powerful brand solution for them.”
Samsonite president and CEO Marcello Bottoli says, “We launched the ‘Life’s a Journey’ campaign in 2005 to add a much richer, more emotional depth to our communication; to showcase the new direction for Samsonite. Being associated with a travel feature like My City My Life is an exciting next step and brings our brand philosophy to life in front of a key audience.”
In addition to branded billboards attached to ‘My City_My Life’ television and web programming, Samsonite will also exclusively sponsor the series’ online destination. The My City_My Life microsite will stream the programme on demand and include written profiles and image galleries of the personalities and guides to the cities in the show. A user-generated content component will invite users to submit their own hot tips for the cities visited in the show and cast ‘Quick Votes’ for each of the cities. A branded promotional campaign across TV and web will drive viewer tune-in to the show.
Samsonite joins CNN’s roster of luxury goods clients including Rolex, Audemars Piguet, Omega and Breitling.
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.
