News Broadcasting
Reuters announces multimedia package for World Cup football
Reuters, the global information, news and technology group has announced ambitious multimedia plans for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The event kicks off on 31 May in Korea and Japan.
Reuters is offering its clients a multimedia package of online football information products including detailed venue, team and player profiles, along with breaking news, pictures, interactive graphics and a live results service. Reuters will run its largest off-site editorial operation in Korea and Japan with over 165 editorial staff, including 135 journalists, photographers, TV journalists and graphic artists chipping in. Reuters will cover all 32 teams and, as a major component of its World Cup coverage, one photographer will shadow each of the top 17 teams during the tournament both on and off the pitch, with unrestricted access to the teams’ training grounds, hotels and free time.
According to an official release, the 1998 World Cup in France was viewed by over 3.7 billion people and created more online traffic than any other single media event. The official france98.com website received more than 13 million visitors and generated over 1 billion page impressions, claims Reuters.
The Reuters World Cup portfolio includes nine distinct media products. These include the Reuters World Cup News Service in English, which offers clients in-depth previews and analysis of matches, squad announcements and group-by-group analysis, team news and interviews of star players competing in the 2002 finals, and the Reuters World Cup news language variants which provide tailored coverage that addresses the needs and interests of the local audience. Services are available in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and Turkish.
The Reuters World Cup top news and picture gallery in Chinese and Japanese offers clients in-depth previews and analysis of matches, squad announcements and group-by-group analysis, team news and interviews of star players competing in the 2002 finals. The Reuters World Cup Interactive Graphic product is a once-off animated interactive online graphics package will provide illustrated explanations on key facts about the tournament, including the off-side rule, the timetable fixtures, the venues used in Korea and Japan and how the equipment has evolved. With an interactive format created in Macromedia Flash, football fans will enjoy delving into a multi-linked, visually rich information database that brings this major sports event to life.
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.
