 A student demonstrates his skill during the Colour Belt Taekwondo promotion test conducted by Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy on May 13.  Students line up for their Colour Belt Taekwondo promotion test conducted by Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy on May 13.Dimapur, (MExN): The Faith in Action Taekwondo Academy conducted its Colour Belt Taekwondo promotion test on May 13 at Grace Academy, GC Paira Colony, Dimapur. A total of 156 Taekwondo players from Little Star Higher Secondary School, Grace Academy, Pranabananda Women’s College, Immanuel Taekwondo Academy, Little Angels School and Manic Taekwondo Academy appeared for their promotion test, informed a press release from the Academy. Matsungyanger, Nito Sema, Lidya Yepthomi and Kimeri of LSHSS and Wadankokba K Yaden of Grace Academy have obtained double promotion for their excellence in overall Taekwondo techniques during the test, it said. The Taekwondo Colour Belt Promotion test was taken under the World Taekwondo Academy’s curriculum, it added. Faith in Action conducts Colour Belt Taekwondo promotion test | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Adobe expands India footprint, opens new office (2026-06-17T11:49:00+05:30)
 ANS Photo New Delhi, (IANS): US-based software major Adobe on Friday opened a new office in Noida, as the global technology company continues to expand its presence in India and deepen its focus on artificial intelligence-driven innovation. Located in Sector 129, Noida, the new facility is Adobe's seventh office in India and its third in Uttar Pradesh. The campus currently houses more than 700 employees across engineering and customer-facing functions, according to the company. "As the world is transformed by AI and agentic technologies, Adobe is at the forefront of reimagining innovation and creativity. The opening of our new Noida office marks an important milestone in our continued focus on driving innovation from India," said Abhigyan Modi, Country Manager, Adobe India, and Senior Vice President, Document Cloud. The office has been designed as a technology-enabled, collaborative workspace aimed at fostering innovation, co-creation, and employee engagement in the AI era. Swati Rustagi, Head of Employee Experience, Adobe India, said the space has been built to help teams collaborate more effectively in a rapidly evolving technology landscape. The Noida campus is IGBC Platinum-certified and incorporates sustainable building practices, energy-efficient systems, and environmentally responsible infrastructure. Adobe entered India in 1997 as an engineering research and development centre and has since grown significantly. The company currently employs more than 8,000 people in the nation that largest workforce outside the United States and India accounts for more than one-third of Adobe's global innovation output.On the talent development front, Adobe earlier this year announced free access to tools such as Firefly, Photoshop, and Acrobat for students at accredited institutions across India, as part of its push to build an AI-ready workforce. Adobe expands India footprint, opens new office | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Junk food is promoted online to appeal to kids and target young men, our study shows (2026-06-11T11:51:00+05:30)
Tanita Northcott, The University of Melbourne and Christine Parker, The University of MelbourneThe Australian government has been investigating whether we should ban unhealthy food advertising online, and how it could work. In the United Kingdom, a ban on unhealthy food and drink advertising online will start in October 2025. We recently used the Australian Ad Observatory to investigate targeted junk-food ads on Facebook in Australia. Our study finds that unhealthy food and drinks are promoted in ways designed to appeal to parents and carers of children, and children themselves. Additionally, young men in our study were being targeted by fast-food ads. Kids, young people and parents should be aware of the strategies online advertisers use to normalise unhealthy eating patterns. We should all demand a more healthy digital environment. Our work supports ongoing calls for a ban on junk food advertising online. What did we see in the ads?The Australian Ad Observatory has created the world’s largest known collection of the targeted ads people encounter on Facebook. Our 1,909 volunteers have donated 328,107 unique ads from their social media feeds. This gives researchers an unprecedented opportunity to examine what ads Australians see on social media and how they are being targeted. We searched the database for ads promoting the top-selling unhealthy food and drink brands. These are “discretionary” or “sometimes” foods that tend to be high in fats and sugars. They include fast-food meals, confectionery, sugary drinks and snacks. (To identify unhealthy food and drink categories, we used government guidance on healthy food and drinks.) We also looked at online food delivery companies because of their popularity on digital platforms. They play a likely role in promoting unhealthy foods. We found nearly 2,000 unique ads by 141 separate advertisers observed about 6,000 times by individuals. Ads for fast-food brands made up half of the unhealthy food ad observations in our study. Fast-food giants KFC and McDonald’s combined accounted for roughly 25% of all unhealthy food ad observations. Snack and confectionery brands, like Cadbury, featured in a third of the ad observations. Soft drink brands such as Coca-Cola were promoted in 11% of observations. About 9% of ads promoted online food delivery companies, and typically promoted fast-food options. Other advertisers we might not think of as junk food brands, such as Coles supermarkets and 7-Eleven convenience stores, also regularly promoted junk foods. The power of junk food The vulnerability of children to junk food ads is well established. Children’s exposure to food marketing has been associated with what types of food they prefer and ask their parents to purchase. When they develop preferences for unhealthy foods, this contributes to unhealthy habits and related health concerns. But it’s not only children who are susceptible to unhealthy food marketing. Junk food advertising also shapes the food norms and attitudes of young people aged 18 to 24. Our experiences online and digital technologies more generally can impact our health. These are known as “digital determinants of health”. Food advertisers use the vast amounts of data collected about individuals to target specific audiences. They can seamlessly integrate advertising into everyday life. Our study shows junk food advertising is disproportionately served to young people, especially young men. Young men are seeing a much higher proportion of fast food ads (71%) compared to the sample overall (50%), suggesting fast food is marketed to them more aggressively. Many ads promoted special “app-only” deals, including free delivery, especially for fast food. The ‘halo effect’ We also found examples of ads aimed at busy parents, painting fast food as something that saves parents time, quietens children and feeds families. Even though Facebook accounts are available only to people 13 and over, junk-food ads still use child-oriented themes, such as characters and games. Many appear to be designed to appeal directly to children. This included ads promoting “healthy” foods, such as vegetables, in kids’ meals. The most insidious marketing tactics we found connect junk foods, and the brands synonymous with junk foods, to wholesome or popular activities. This creates a “halo effect”. For example, many ads use “sports-washing” to associate unhealthy foods with healthy sports activities or pleasurable spectator sports. Sports in junk-food marketing can appeal to a broad audience, including young people. While not all of these sport-related ads promoted or displayed unhealthy food products directly, the sport provided the focal point of ads with strong brand-specific elements, therefore forging the connection. Other ads used “mental health-washing”, including ads for chocolate bars, packaged snacks or fast food co-promoting community mental health organisations. Last week a Parliamentary Inquiry into Diabetes in Australia repeated calls for the government to restrict the marketing and advertising of unhealthy food to children on television, radio, in gaming and online. The federal government should soon issue its report on how best to limit unhealthy food marketing to children. Our study supports the government’s proposal to ban all unhealthy food and drink advertising online. The proposed ban should cover not just unhealthy food itself, but also any mention of the brands synonymous with those foods. This is because mentioning these brands brings such foods instantly to mind. We also recommend the government should include all types of promotions. This includes ads from online food delivery companies, supermarkets and sports clubs that cross-promote unhealthy foods. Many are concerned about the impact of social media and its algorithmic content feeds on children and young people. Our study highlights the food and drink ads targeting children, young people and harried parents can also create an unhealthy digital environment. Tanita Northcott, Research Fellow, Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne and Christine Parker, Professor of Law, The University of Melbourne This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
Online ads are becoming harder to spot – but we’re not powerless to stop it (2026-06-03T13:51:00+05:30)
 Gabrielle Henderson/Unsplash
Daniel Angus, Queensland University of Technology; Lauren Hayden, The University of Queensland, and Nicholas Carah, The University of QueenslandProfound changes are ahead for online advertising. At the recent Google Marketing Live event, the tech giant outlined expanded artificial intelligence (AI) systems for digital ads. What will that look like? Picture ads integrated directly into your conversation with an AI chatbot. Or a discounted price that only you see because an AI system served it based on your browsing behaviour, intent to buy the product, and what’s available locally. And, of course, generative AI tool suites for producing online ads start to finish. Meta and ByteDance (parent company of TikTok) have similarly accelerated the rollout of their own AI-driven advertising systems. Meta is expanding tools that automatically generate and personalise ad images, video backgrounds, captions and targeting across Facebook and Instagram feeds.  Facebook is offering tools to create personalised ads based on users’ interests and behaviours. MetaBytedance’s TikTok Symphony suite can generate promotional videos, scripts, AI avatars, dubbed voiceovers, and creator-style content from simple text prompts or product links. At the same time, ads on these social media platforms are becoming harder to recognise. As one example, Instagram and Facebook recently eliminated their familiar “sponsored” labels in favour of smaller “ad” markers. It may look like a minor interface tweak, but it signals something larger: the steady erosion of clear boundaries between advertising, entertainment, recommendation, and ordinary social interaction. Dissolving into the flowSocial media platforms have engineered ads to mimic organic content. Just think of influencer and creator partnerships, AI-personalised search results, or brands using memes. Increasingly, online ads are less of an interruption to the content you consume. Instead, they’re designed to dissolve into the flow itself. When companies buy advertising space on social media, ads are automatically disclosed as a commercial message. With partnerships and AI-personalised results, the platforms currently offer limited forms of disclosure. The result is a blurring of the lines. Products, ideas and political messages are spread through ads that look a lot like all other, non-sponsored content. And the less an ad feels like an ad, the more effective it often becomes. This is precisely where public accountability starts to break down. For several years, researchers like us, working through projects such as the Australian Ad Observatory and the Australian Internet Observatory, have documented how difficult it already is to observe and analyse online advertising systems. Our work has examined everything from political advertising and astroturfing campaigns, the marketing of alcohol and unhealthy foods, and the veracity of “green” claims made by advertisers. In many cases, this work depends on relatively simple but crucial forms of signalling. Researchers need to know what counts as an advertisement, who paid for it, where it appeared, and why it was shown to particular audiences. But those signals are weakening. Blurry and harder to auditA blurred system is harder to audit. Audiences should be able to recognise when they’re targeted with ads. Without clear ad disclosures, we can’t easily detect or question commercial influence in our feeds and search results. New AI tools intensify this challenge. Instead of seeing discrete ads in your feed, you might be getting a stream of product suggestions and discounts nobody else sees. This means regulators and researchers can’t even audit them. These personalised, disguised ads could also make product recommendations that are biased and potentially harmful. For instance, you might be telling an AI assistant that you’re stressed, and suddenly be offered a discount on a case of wine. AI-driven dynamic advertising is highly concerning for products that are unhealthy, harmful or regulated – such as alcohol and gambling. If ads appear one moment and are gone the next, it’s almost impossible to make sure they comply with relevant regulations. The danger is not simply that users may encounter more advertising. It’s that the underlying commercial and promotional logic and messaging become even harder to see. We’re not powerlessAustralia’s emerging digital duty of care framework offers an opportunity to confront this problem directly. Much of the current discussion has focused, understandably, on harms such as misinformation, scams, abuse, or risks to children. But opaque advertising systems are also a public interest issue. They shape political communication, consumer behaviour, health information, financial decision-making, and civic trust. If platforms increasingly profit from blurring advertising and ordinary communication, then stronger positive obligations around disclosure and transparency become essential. Minimum disclosures for digital advertising on social media should include:
This is not about banning advertising. Nor is it about returning to some imagined “clean” internet untouched by commerce. Advertising has always adapted to new media and will continue to do so. But there’s a fundamental difference between visible persuasion and persuasion that disappears into the infrastructure. Without clear signals on what is and isn’t an ad, we lose one of the few remaining ways to understand who is shaping the information environments we increasingly depend on every day. Daniel Angus, Professor of Digital Communication, Director of QUT Digital Media Research Centre, Queensland University of Technology; Lauren Hayden, Research Officer, School of Communication and Arts, The University of Queensland, and Nicholas Carah, Associate Professor in Digital Media, The University of Queensland This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
Does ‘free’ shipping really exist? An expert shares the marketing tricks you need to know (2026-04-01T11:24:00+05:30)
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You’re scrolling through an online retailer, like Amazon, Shein or eBay, and spot a shirt on sale for $40. You add it to your cart, but at checkout, a $10 shipping fee suddenly appears. Frustrated, you close the tab. But what if that same shirt was priced at $50 with “free” shipping? The likelihood that you would have bought it without a second thought is much higher. COVID changed the way we shop and accelerated our reliance on e-commerce. But as online sales have grown, so has the expectation of free delivery. The reality, however, is that shipping physical goods is never actually free. Retailers use subtle marketing strategies and psychological hacks to mask these costs. As a result, consumers are often the ones footing the bill. The magic of zero There is something uniquely attractive about the concept “free”. In behavioural economics, zero is not just a lower price; it flips a psychological switch. When a transaction involves a cost, we instinctively weigh the downside. But when something is entirely free, we experience a positive emotion and perceive the offer as more valuable than it is mathematically. Retailers no doubt realise that offering free delivery is one of the most effective ways to stop a consumer from abandoning a digital shopping cart. The minimum spend trap Perhaps the most common marketing tactic is the free shipping threshold. Sometimes this is phrased as: “Spend $55 to qualify for free shipping.” If your shopping cart is sitting at $40, you face a dilemma. You can pay $10 for postage, or you can find a $15 item to reach the threshold. Many of us choose the latter, reasoning it is better to get a tangible product, such as a pair of socks, than to “waste” money on shipping. This tactic uses the “goal gradient effect”, which describes the tendency to put in more effort the closer we get to a goal. It also works incredibly well for the retailer. Research shows that free shipping increases both purchase frequency and overall order size. Policies with a threshold for free shipping often prompt this exact “topping up” behaviour. The consumer ends up buying things they did not initially want, thus boosting the retailer’s sales.  Minimum spend threshold marketing ploys are encouraging consumers to spend more to ‘avoid’ shipping costs. Polina Tankilevitch/PexelsBaked-in costs and the reality of ‘free’ returns Another strategy is unconditional free shipping, where the delivery cost is simply baked into the product’s base price. This allows consumers to avoid the “pain of paying” a separate fee at checkout. However, we are still paying for the postage through higher item costs. For retailers, offering unconditional free shipping without a markup can be difficult to sustain profitably. The bump in sales usually does not offset the lost fee revenue and the costs of fulfilment. A major reason for this lack of profitability is that free shipping leads to significantly higher product return rates. Consumers tend to make riskier purchases if the appearance of waived fees lowers the perceived financial risk of the transaction. For example, you might order the same shirt in two different sizes, knowing you can just send one back for free. Who pays for that added convenience? The retailer, who now has to cover the courier fees twice. The retailer usually won’t simply absorb this cost, but will have to pass it on in other ways. The subscription illusion To combat these unpredictable costs, many businesses are turning to membership, loyalty, or subscription models such as Amazon Prime. Consumers pay an upfront annual fee in exchange for “free” expedited shipping year-round. Membership-based programs successfully increase customer loyalty and purchase frequency, and allow for better customer segmentation. But in the long run, they may actually hurt a retailer’s profit margins. While loyalty rises, the operational costs of fulfilling many smaller, free-shipped orders can potentially outweigh the benefits if not strictly managed. For the consumer, this model manipulates our “mental accounting”. Because we view the upfront fee as money already spent, every additional purchase feels like it comes with a free perk. We end up shopping more frequently on that specific platform just to “get our money’s worth”. Don’t buy the illusion The age of limitless free shipping may be coming to an end. As global supply chain costs remain volatile, we are likely to see retailers raising their minimum spend thresholds, removing offers, or increasing base product prices to compensate. The next time you are shopping online, resist the urge for instant gratification. If you are about to add a $15 pair of novelty avocado socks to your cart, just to save $10 on shipping, take a step back. Ask yourself if you truly need that purchase to arrive this week. Instead of rushing to checkout, let your digital basket fill up naturally over time with items you actually need. You will eventually hit the threshold, but on your own terms. “Free” delivery is just a clever psychological illusion. The cost is rarely eliminated; it is simply redistributed into higher product prices or reframed as a loyalty perk. Don’t let the allure of “free” shipping trick you into paying for more than you intended. Adrian R. Camilleri, Associate Professor of Marketing, University of Technology Sydney This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
Akshay Kumar & Wamiqa Gabbi twin in matching outfits as they commence promotion for 'Bhoot Bangla' (2026-03-03T11:31:00+05:30)
 Photo: Wamiqa Gabbi/ Instagram) Mumbai, (IANS) Bollywood actress Wamiqa Gabbi is all set to share the screen with Akshay Kumar for the first time in Priyadarshan's upcoming horror comedy, "Bhoot Bangla". As the project nears release on April 10, the cast has commenced the promotions of the eagerly-awaited drama. Akshay and Wamiqa will make their first stop at Nashik to promote their next. Sharing the professional update on social media, Akshay and Wamiqa were seen twinning in matching outfits. Both of them opted for white shirts with blue denim as their outfit of the day. Dropping two photographs posing with Akshay on her official Insta handle, Wamiqa wrote the caption, "Heading towards Nashik… starting first day of promotions of Bhoot Bangla… need your wishes and prayers (sic)." For those who do not know, "Bhoot Bangla" marks the reunion of director Priyadarshan and Akshay after a long gap of 14 years. The beloved actor and director duo is credited with delivering some memorable hits like "Hera Pheri", "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", "Garam Masala", and "Khatta Meetha". The core cast of the drama has on board some prominents names, including Tabu, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Jisshu Sengupta, and Asrani, along with others. "Bhooth Bangla" will also see Akshay and Tabu coming on screen together after 25 years, after sharing the screen in "Hera Pheri" and "Tu Chor Main Sipahi". Presented by Balaji Motion Pictures, a division of Balaji Telefilms Ltd, in collaboration with Cape of Good Films, and backed by Akshay Kumar, Shobha Kapoor, and Ektaa R Kapoor, the story of "Bhooth Bangla" has been penned by Akash A Kaushik, with the screenplay provided by Rohan Shankar, Abilash Nair, and Priyadarshan. Moreover, Rohan Shankar is credited with the dialogues for the film.Over and above this, Wamiqa will also be seen alongside Ayushmann Khurrana, Rakul Preet Singh, and Sara Ali Khan in "Pati Patni Aur Woh Do" Akshay Kumar & Wamiqa Gabbi twin in matching outfits as they commence promotion for 'Bhoot Bangla' | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Cristiano Ronaldo tipped for ownership role at Spanish club (2026-02-19T12:14:00+05:30)
.jpg) 10-09-2025, Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could be involved in an ambitious takeover of a Spanish club fighting for promotion to La Liga, GOAL reports, citing Marca. Ronaldo could become involved in the Saudi takeover of Almeria, who have been purchased by an investment group led by Mohamed Al-Khereiji. The relationship between the new owner and Ronaldo is said to be closer after he facilitated the former Real Madrid star's move to Al-Nassr in 2022. Ronaldo could buy shares in the investment group that has completed the takeover and is linked to media, advertising and sport. The report states it is likely he would then be involved in Almeria in the future. The club are currently battling to win promotion back to La Liga in the final weeks of the season. Ronaldo has been building a business empire away from football, including investments in hotels, fashion, technology and health. He also has a stake in water brand URSU.Ronaldo is likely to feature in Al-Nassr's final two matches of the Saudi Pro League season, against Al-Khaleej and Al-Fateh, though did miss Friday's 1-1 draw with Al-Taawoun. Source Article |
The marketing tricks that have kept Barbie’s brand alive for over 60 years (2026-02-19T12:13:00+05:30)
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Rejected by the toy industry at first, Barbie is now one of America’s most trusted brands. “She” – the 11.5 inch blonde doll, but also her brand persona – generated worldwide sales of around US$1.5 billion (£1.3 billion) in 2022, and has a brand value of US$590 million. Barbie debuted on March 9 1959 at the New York International Toy Fair as Barbie Teenage Fashion Model. Sixty-four years later, the doll continues to be the subject of cultural, sociological and psychological interest. By creating an iconic brand with special meaning for fans of all ages (Barbie is marketed to children aged three and older), toy company Mattel has successfully extended the lifecycle of the Barbie brand for well over half a century. Barbie is also a polarising figure. The brand embodies the notion of a “double bind”, celebrated as an inspirational role model while at the same time blamed for creating unrealistic expectations of women, particularly when it comes to how they should look. But while most toys remain popular for only two or three years, Barbie’s long-term success reflects Mattel’s responsiveness and adaptability to the changing cultural and political discourse in society and around this doll. So how has the company done it? A Barbie girl, in a Barbie worldResearch shows there are many ways to build and sustain brand characters, but Mattel has used a “multiply” strategy for Barbie. This has involved introducing other characters that play supporting roles in Barbie’s “world”. Over the years, these supporting acts were introduced to portray Barbie’s relationship with friends and family. First there was Ken (1961), Barbie’s boyfriend, then her younger sister Skipper (1964), followed by friends including Midge (1963) and Christie (1968), the first black Barbie character. The storylines and individual characteristics of these additional characters connect to Barbie’s persona and increase brand visibility. Mattel has also used storytelling tactics such as announcing that Barbie and Ken had officially broken up on Valentine’s Day in 2004 (they got back together in 2011). Such stories resonate with fans’ emotions, sustaining interest in the brand. These tactics typically work for a while, but how has Mattel sustained true brand longevity for this long? There are many strategies designed to revitalise mature brands. Mattel successfully extended Barbie’s brand to capture new audiences, drive growth and expand into new types of products beyond dolls. This is a risky endeavour if the brand is stretched too far. But Barbie’s brand has been successfully extended into other profitable categories such as clothes, accessories, cosmetics and entertainment (music, movies and games). And now, after several computer-animated, direct-to-video and streaming television films, Barbie’s first big budget, live action movie will be released in cinemas in July 2023. Early reports suggest the movie – helmed by Oscar-nominee Greta Gerwig, who also directed Little Women (2019) and Lady Bird (2017) – is likely to be rated PG-13. This is not the “universal” rating you might expect for a film about a popular toy. It hints at another strand of Mattel’s successful Barbie branding strategy: nostalgia. Life in plastic, it’s fantasticAlongside ongoing efforts to appeal to young girls, Mattel also deliberately targets older consumers. Specific objects – not just toys but clothes, food such as sweets, or even items like vinyl records – can give a physical form to a set of attitudes, relationships and circumstances for people. This evokes a powerful sense of the past. This kind of nostalgia generates trust and positive attitudes towards a brand, influencing consumer preferences when it comes to choosing between toys. In addition to the upcoming film, Mattel has attempted to capitalise on the nostalgia Barbie evokes in other ways. It sells more sophisticated designer and limited edition lines of collectible dolls aimed at adult fans, for example. These items are typically sold in speciality or boutique stores, and carry higher price tags than the average doll. As Barbie’s brand has expanded and evolved, the doll has also encountered criticism. Over the years, Barbie went through many transformations to look more confident, and was marketed as having many life options, particularly when it comes to work. There are now Barbie dolls representing more than 200 careers – from astronaut, surgeon, paratrooper, game developer, architect and entrepreneur to film director and even US president. But critics have argued that these career dolls are a “misfire attempt at inspiring girls”. This negative perception of the brand’s moral vision is linked to the notion that Barbie is rooted in an ideal of femininity that still characterises women by their physical appearance. Barbie has been accused of promoting unrealistic body standards, stereotyping and objectification of women, as well as having a negative influence on girls’ self-esteem and body image. But research suggested that young girls aged between three and ten prefered the original tall and petite dolls. They were negative about “curvy” Barbie, and this doll also received intense public scrutiny. In 2017, Mattel took another significant step by introducing ethnically and racially diverse dolls of different nationalities, including the first hijab-wearing Barbie doll. However, this approach prompted criticism that Mattel was treating race and ethnic differences as “collectible”, and commodifying culture. Despite this, Barbie continues to be a toy that many children play with. The longevity and iconic status of the doll is a tribute to Mattel’s astute marketing and reinvention efforts. These have helped the brand remain relevant even now, 64 years after it was launched. Sameer Hosany, Professor of Marketing, Royal Holloway, University of London This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
T20 World Cup and Sri Lanka’s tourism promotion (2026-02-19T12:12:00+05:30)
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The ongoing ICC T20 World Cup – co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka – has created an atmosphere of excitement and frenzy in the island as the country is hosting a major sporting event after a long period of time. A large number of Irish tourists was seen among the crowds who watched the game between Sri Lanka and Ireland last Sunday and the confirmation of the clash between India and Pakistan has already raised the excitement associated with the tournament. Sri Lanka does not get the chance to host international sporting events regularly and hence this is a good opportunity to promote the island’s attraction as a tourist destination among travellers with high spending capacity. Last time Sri Lanka hosted an international event of this magnitude was in 2012 when the T20 World Cup was held entirely in the country. Unfortunately, it is questionable whether the tourism promotion authorities pay adequate attention to integrate such events into long-term promotion initiatives. The absence of planners with vision and foresight has always stifled the progress of many sectors of the economy and tourism is no exception. Integrating international sporting events to tourism promotion activities in a thoughtful manner is imperative at a time when analysts and observers have expressed disappointment about the level of tourism income despite the growth in arrivals. Earnings from tourism amounted to $ 3.22 billion last year, compared to $ 3.17 billion in 2024, recording a year-on-year growth of 1.6%. During the same period, tourist arrivals rose to more than 2.36 million in 2025, up from 2.05 million arrivals in 2024, reflecting a 15.1% year-on-year increase. Thus, tourism earnings per visitor declined from $ 1,543 in 2024 to $ 1,363 in 2025. A volume-driven strategy in the model of Bangkok and Bali is not ideal for a geographically small country like us, hence; we need to develop a strategy which maximises earnings per visitor through proper planning and shrewd marketing strategies. It has been observed that unlike in the past, the majority of the visitors to Sri Lanka come from places like India, China, and Russia whose average length of the stay is shorter, and spending is less than traditional European travellers. The industry as well as the economy would be best served by enhancing the income generated through tourists instead of being satisfied by merely increasing the number of visitors. Such an approach requires tourists to get exposed to more enhanced offerings and activities. In 1998, Malaysia used Commonwealth Games as part of Malaysia’s broader strategy to position itself as a modern, world-class destination and reinforced Malaysia’s emerging global tourism brand – “Malaysia, Truly Asia”. The games were strategically used as a tourism and nation-branding platform, not just a sporting event. The enormous international exposure the country receives from worldwide media coverage of an event like the T20 World Cup provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the island’s appealing tourism offerings without having to spend a lot of money. Nevertheless, the extent to which efforts are undertaken to position Sri Lanka as a sought-after travel destination by capitalising on the widespread media exposure associated with international events of this nature are not satisfactory to say the least. It is high time that policymakers make use of international sporting events as part of Sri Lanka’s long-term strategic initiatives to position the island as a tourist destination among high-spending travellers to overcome the stagnation of the industry in terms of its economic outcomes. T20 World Cup and Sri Lanka’s tourism promotion | Daily FT |
Lifestyle changes, intake of ultra-processed foods driving obesity at alarming rate: Eco Survey (2026-02-16T12:42:00+05:30)
 IANS Photo New Delhi, (IANS): Obesity is rising at an alarming rate and is today a major public health challenge in India, said Economic Survey for 2025-26 on Thursday. According to the Economic Survey, tabled in the Parliament by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the concerning trend was driven by unhealthy diets, lifestyle changes, including sedentary lifestyles, increased consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and environmental factors. “It is affecting people across all age groups and increasing the risk of NCDs such as diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, impacting both urban and rural populations,” the Survey said. Citing data from the 2019-21 National Family Health Survey (NFHS), the Survey said that 24 per cent of Indian women and 23 per cent of Indian men are overweight or obese. Among women aged 15-49 years, 6.4 per cent are obese, and among men, 4.0 per cent are obese. The prevalence of excess weight among children under five has risen from 2.1 per cent in 2015-16 to 3.4 per cent in 2019-21. As per estimates, more than 3.3 crore children in India were obese in 2020, and it is projected to reach 8.3 crore children by 2035. The Economic Survey also flagged concern over the rising UPF market in the country, which is displacing long-established dietary patterns, worsening diet quality, and is associated with increased risk of multiple chronic diseases. “India is one of the fastest-growing markets for UPF sales. It grew by more than 150 per cent from 2009 to 2023. Retail sales of UPFs in India surged from $0.9 billion in 2006 to nearly $38 billion in 2019, a 40-fold rise. It is during the same period that obesity has nearly doubled in both men and women. This mirrors the global rise of obesity, parallel to dietary shifts,” it said. “The rising use of UPFs imposes a substantial economic cost through higher healthcare spending, lost productivity, and long-term fiscal strain,” it added. The Survey also cited comprehensive, multi-pronged initiatives launched by the government to prevent, manage, and reduce obesity in the country. The interventions include POSHAN Abhiyaan & Poshan 2.0, Fit India Movement, Khelo India, Eat Right India, Nationwide Awareness Campaign - ‘Aaj Se Thoda Kam’ and AAMs, the School Health Programme, and Yoga promotion.These aim to promote a holistic approach that integrates health, nutrition, physical activity, food safety, and lifestyle modifications and continue to advance the goal of a healthier, stronger, and obesity-free India. Lifestyle changes, intake of ultra-processed foods driving obesity at alarming rate: Eco Survey | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
Tamannaah Bhatia says her new OTT has ‘first-mover’ advantage (2026-02-11T12:16:00+05:30)
 Mumbai: Actress Tamannaah Bhatia poses for a picture during the Filmfare Glamour and Style Awards 2025 in Mumbai, Sunday, September 07, 2025. (Photo: IANS) Mumbai, September 13 (IANS) Actress Tamannaah Bhatia, who is receiving positive response to her recently released streaming show ‘Do You Wanna Partner’, has spoken about the first-mover advantage with the series, and how it had the “best of both worlds”. The actress spoke with IANS in the Khar West area of Mumbai during the promotional campaign of the show, and shared how having two directors on board, added up to the larger narrative. She told IANS, “We had the best of both worlds with Archit Kumar and Collin D’Cunha. Archit had a firm grip on emotional graph and Colin was just somebody who held fort whenever it came to anything extremely comic. They both are two very different directors but thanks to Prime Video and Dharmatic, I think we were able to pull off a very ambitious schedule and we were able to get ready very quickly but one interesting thing is that we shot the show in April last year. But in so much time, still no one has picked up this type of subject”. She further mentioned, “Considering, in today's time, there's a lot of talk about entrepreneurship, startups, there's a lot of knowledge about it, there's a lot of information but no one has picked up this type of story yet. So, we're hoping that we kind of have that first mover advantage in this space”. Earlier, Tamannaah had called her character in the show a ‘hustler’, who is impulsive and passion-driven. She said that her character in the show is more sort of voice of reason and she creates that sense of balance in her madness. Helmed by Collin D'Cunha and Archit Kumar, the series also stars Jaaved Jaaferi, Nakuul Mehta, Shweta Tiwari, Neeraj Kabi, Sufi Motiwala, and Rannvijay Singha in key roles.‘Do You Wanna Partner’ is available to stream on Prime Video. Tamannaah Bhatia says her new OTT has ‘first-mover’ advantage | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com |
After Five-Year Campaign, Woman Successfully Rallies a Nation to Protect 763,000 Square Miles of Ocean (2026-01-20T13:10:00+05:30)
Over 763,000 square miles of ocean are now protected from pollution, seabed mining, and overfishing thanks to one 48-year-old marine conservationist. Jacqueline Evans is the hero behind the Marae Moana legislation that was passed in the Cooks Islands, protecting the ocean territory rich with stunning array of marine biodiversity—including whales, sea turtles, manta rays, seabirds, several threatened shark species, and migrating humpbacks. Despite how traditional Polynesian cultures have come to rely on large-scale commercial fishing, Evans spent five years tirelessly persuading, traveling, and advocating for the legislation’s approval.In July 2017 her conservation goals became enshrined in law, and now Evans is being honored with the 2019 Goldman Prize for Islands and Island Nations. After Five-Year Campaign, Woman Successfully Rallies a Nation to Protect 763,000 Square Miles of Ocean
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