News Broadcasting
New cricket betting product launched
NEW JERSEY: Interactive Systems Worldwide has announced that ukbetting, a strategic partner of its wholly owned subsidiary, Global Interactive Gaming Ltd. (GIG), has introduced into live service a revolutionary new version of ISWI’s SportXction system, which enables users to bet on a broad range of wagering propositions that relate to events which occur during the course of a cricket match.
With the new product, customers of ukbetting’s sites, ukbetting.com and totalbet.com, are now able to place bets throughout the course of cricket matches in the World Cup being hosted by South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe. Examples of the types of bets which are available during the cricket World Cup include whether runs will be scored off a particular ball, whether a wicket will fall in a particular over and how the next man out will be dismissed.
Commenting on the launch, ukbetting plc’s CEO, Eric Semel, said, “The new cricket product is really unique. We can now offer an even wider range of wagering markets that no other bookmaker is able to match, including bets about the outcome of individual deliveries and whether certain events will occur during an over or not.” He added, “Cricket is the perfect sport for the in-run betting product. This World Cup is in a similar time zone as the UK, allowing our customers to access the Internet service at the same time they are likely to be in front of a computer screen. Once logged on, they can bet straight through the game if they wish, with any winnings instantly credited back to their accounts.”
SportXction is a patented, real-time, software system, which allows a player to make play-by-play wagers on a sporting event while the event is in progress. Wagering may be conducted while viewing a live or televised sporting event, or listening to it on the radio. The wagers offered are mostly oriented to short-term action.
ukbetting the digital wagering operator, is the owner and operator of sports content sites sportinglife.com, sportal.com, bettingzone.co.uk and TEAMtalk.com, and the betting sites totalbet.com and ukbetting.com.
GIG was purchased by ISWI from international owners, principally the Kirch Group the German multimedia conglomerate in late July.
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.
