Akshay Kumar gets rolling with Master Chef India

There are few times in Bollywood, when reel life imitates real life. Akshay Kumar is certainly one of the lucky few who can vouch for this.

It is common knowledge that Akki was a cook before he joined Bollywood. The latest development on Khiladi Kumar’s end is the fact that he has been chosen as the host of ‘Master Chef India’, a show that is to be aired on Star Plus. The shoot for this has already begun, with Akshay playing the host cum ‘dost’ to the hilt!

For starters, ‘Master Chef India’ is a show that will showcase different traditional Hindustani cuisines, cooked using natural ingredients. Through this show, Akki plans to promote healthy Indian cooking methods, with him too cooking a few dishes on the show! Buzz is that Twinkle Khanna is styling Akshay for the show.

Truly a ‘delicious’ show to watch out for!

Defence Secretary Robert Gates Concerned About Blackwater’s Conduct

Defence Secretary Robert Gates will review allegations of misconduct in Afghanistan by the company formerly known as Blackwater and shares concerns raised by a top senator, the Pentagon said.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin had made a personal appeal to Gates last week for the Pentagon to consider blocking a potential $1 billion contract with Blackwater, which has changed its name to Xe, to train Afghan police. Levin cited what he called evidence of misconduct in a previous subcontract awarded to a Blackwater affiliate to conduct weapons training for the Afghan National Army. He is looking into it and he takes it seriously, Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said of Gates. But Morrell played down the chances of any swift action to bar Blackwater from contracts, citing Pentagon rules and the company’s unique capabilities. Like it or not, Blackwater has technical expertise that very few companies do have. And they have a willingness to work in places that very few companies are willing to work. So they provide a much-needed service and the ability to do it well, he added. In a letter to Gates dated February 25 and released publicly on Thursday, Levin, a Democrat, said Blackwater may have used a front company for the contract, made false official statements and misled Defence Department officials in its proposal documents. There was also evidence Blackwater may have misappropriated government weapons, carried weapons without authorization and hired unqualified personnel with backgrounds that included assault and battery, as well as drug and alcohol abuse, Levin said. Levin said the Pentagon should consider Blackwater’s past “deficiencies” in deciding whether to award the new contract worth as much as $1 billion to the company to provide Afghan national police training. A US court last December threw out manslaughter charges against the Blackwater guards involved in that incident, a decision that outraged Iraq’s government. In January, two US security contractors working for Paravant LLC, a unit of Xe, which was previously known as Blackwater Worldwide, were arrested in Afghanistan on charges they murdered two Afghans in Kabul and wounded a third.

Al-Qaeda Threats To Kill Iraqis, Who Vote In Elections

Al-Qaeda is threatening to kill Iraqis, who vote in Sunday’s (March 7, 2010) elections.
The threat message was posted on Al-Qadea’s website, the warning message proclaimed a 6am-to-6pm curfew “throughout Iraq and especially in Sunni areas.” Sunnis boycotted the 2005 elections but are expected to turn out in large number for this year’s vote, which has already begun for Iraqis living overseas. Anyone who violates the ban will “expose himself to the anger of Allah,” the terror group claimed.

Back Channel Diplomacy on Kashmir Underway: Mirwaiz

SRINAGAR: Back channel diplomacy between India and Pakistan regarding the Kashmir issue has already begun, All-Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) leader Mirwaiz Omar Farooq has said.

“I believe the process of talks is underway,” he said while addressing a congregation at the Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, adding that an APHC delegation would visit Pakistan after Eidul Azha.

“We will be meeting the Pakistani leadership. It is a part of our effort to seek a peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue,” he said, adding that talks were also underway between Kashmiri leaders and New Delhi.

Farooq said “some agencies” bent on sabotaging any headway to seek a resolution to the Kashmir issue. He said the “ongoing struggle of Kashmiris” had entered a crucial phase and urged all the pro-freedom groups to unite in their endeavours.

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Back Channel Diplomacy on Kashmir Underway: Mirwaiz was first posted on November 21, 2009 at 1:38 pm.