News Broadcasting
Disney Channel inks pan-European mobile deal with Orange
MUMBAI: The Disney Channel has announced that it has signed its first pan-European deal to provide content to mobile phones. Through an agreement with Orange, the service will be available to customers in the UK, Belgium, Switzerland, Portugal, Poland, Holland, Romania, Slovakia and, in time, France.
The service will consist of 65 to 120 minute programming loops featuring some Disney Channel’s most popular content, including full 22-minute episodes of live-action programming franchises That’s So Raven and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and animated hits like Kim Possible and Disney’s Recess. In addition, consumers will be able to watch clips from Hannah Montana and a selection of Disney Channel Original Movies, informs an official release.
Disney Channels, EMEA executive vice president and managing director John Hardie said, “This is a break-through deal which we expect to be a huge hit with kids all over Europe. With parents’ consent and knowledge, it allows kids to watch their favourite Disney Channel programmes on the way home or wherever they are. It’s how today’s kids are growing up to watch TV – at a time and in a place they choose and it’s important that content providers are able to deliver that.”
In other agreements announced by the two companies, Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), Disney’s international TV distribution division, and France Telecom-Orange will extend their existing broadband VOD movie licensing agreement in France across other markets in Europe. With these agreements, Orange VOD subscribers in Spain and TPSA VOD subscribers in Poland will be the first to enjoy movies from Walt Disney Pictures, Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films.
Titles include global box office hit Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe and the forthcoming sequel The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian are also included in the agreements.
Orange currently boasts of more than 2.9 million mobile broadband customers. France Telecom Executive Vice President Patricia Langrand said, “The agreement for the mobile services illustrates our desire to develop dedicated formats and programs specifically adapted for our mobile services with prestigious partners. Our agreement with Disney for VOD will enrich the content offer for our on demand services across multiple territories and platforms.
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.
