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Cleaving their way through the sapphire waters of the Indian Ocean, the ships bore their cargo into port. Whether at Colombo, on the island of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) or one of the Indian ports such as Madras, Calcutta or Bombay, the cargo was the same: hordes of eager young women, sweltering in the corsets, stockings and flannel underwear they were required to wear beneath their dresses — some still suffering from sea sickness as they staggered down the gangway into the searing heat. These were the girls of the ‘Fishing Fleet’, and they had come to India for the...

Amidst a haystack of words on the parlous state of the British economy, the Queen’s speech at the State Opening of Parliament contained the following needle of intent: “My Government looks forward to an enhanced partnership with India.” The Times took up the theme with a substantial report entitled “Hague heads east for new ‘special relationship’.” It told of the Foreign Secretary’s planned sojourn to India sometime this summer as “Britain’s new Government tries to turn cultural and trade ties with the emerging superpower into a ‘genuinely special relationship’.” The Foreign Secretary’s aides later confirmed that the country was considered...

As the midnight hour approached for India 60 years ago on Aug. 15, 1947, Jawaharlal Nehru, the prime minister designate, took to the podium to address India's Constituent Assembly in session in New Delhi. Nehru said: "Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom." Freedom came with a cost as British India was partitioned to create Pakistan on the basis of...

VOTERS ARE BY now accustomed to automated political-campaign calls, but many were stunned by one that hit households in Montgomery County and Northeast Philadelphia over the weekend. The recorded voice was that of a distraught, tearful woman. "I had an abortion performed on me," the woman said in a shaky voice, adding that she wanted to tell "the truth about Allyson Schwartz." "The truth is that 18 lawsuits have been filed against Miss Allyson Schwartz's clinic, including assault, battery, negligence, perforated bowels and uteruses," the woman said, "and even abortions performed without consent of her patients." The woman finished by...

Faces In The News Raj Uses Pachyderms For PR Scott Reeves, 10.12.06, 4:00 PM ET Republican House candidate and former reality TV show contestant Raj Peter Bhakta believes riding an elephant across the Rio Grande is the way to take a seat away from the Democrats. Bhakta, challenging first-term Rep. Allyson Schwartz of Pennsylvania, rode the elephant across the Rio Grande along the Texas-Mexico border to make a point about border security. He's no stranger to stunts and is media savvy after The Donald fired him from "The Apprentice" two years ago. "The Apprentice" is broadcast by NBC, a division...

Reports of an elephant crossing the river or people trying to smuggle an elephant across were rampant Tuesday while an elaborate political stunt was taking shape near the mouth of the Rio Grande. It was a while later that the stunt, which was a photo shoot, was abruptly met by federal agents. “The elephant never made landfall into Mexico, but I tell you something, he could have made 15 laps back and forth, but no one showed up,” said Raj Peter Bhakta, a former star on the NBC show “The Apprentice,” who also is a Republican candidate for the 13th...

My name is Raj Peter Bhakta, your candidate for Congress in Pennsylvania's 13th District. We all know that our political system is broken. The ‘pay to play’ culture of corruption and the status quo of scandal harms us all. Now I need your help to fix it. Help defeat the machine! If you’re tired of the endless lies of machine politicians please join my campaign. This is a race of national importance between a reformer and a machine politician - one who is in the top one percent of Congress in fundraising millions and millions of dollars from special interests.

IS IT RESURGENCE OF POWER BY PROXY-IIBush stumbles on a trump card in a dangerous world – IndiaSimon JenkinsGeorge Bush’s visit to India was such good news that it is hard to know where to begin. No, he was not greeted with garlands, dancing girls and hippies chanting peace and love. There were no pictures of him and Laura by the Taj Mahal, though Bush did say “we pledge to be invited back”. This was India modern not exotic. The only chanting was from chief executives waving contracts and the only tigers were generals patrolling fast breeder reactors. Bush...

One 'Apprentice' Is Running for Office; Could There Be Another? By: Robert B. BlueyPosted 03/09/0602:20 PM Raj Bhakta, who was “fired” by Donald Trump on the second season of “The Apprentice,” will run on the Republican ticket this November against Democratic Rep. Allyson Schwartz in the suburban Philadelphia district, reports the Associated Press. “We offer voters legitimate change,” Bhakta told the AP. “I am not a politician. I am someone from a business background who wants to make a change.” Who knew Trump would breed an aspiring Republican lawmaker? The truth is, however, Bhakta isn’t the only cast member from...

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Raj Bhakta, the aspiring "Apprentice" turned aspiring politician, is running for Congress. Bhakta, who was fired by Donald Trump during the second season of the NBC reality show "The Apprentice," is challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz for the state's 13th District seat representing suburban Philadelphia. Bhakta received the county GOP's endorsement days before making his announcement Monday. "We offer voters legitimate change," Bhakta said. "I am not a politician. I am someone from a business background who wants to make a change." If elected in November, Bhakta said he would serve a maximum of three terms...

A student who cursed, gestured after Ann Coulter's speech is escorted out in handcuffs AUSTIN - Note to hecklers at the University of Texas: When jeering, keep it clean or face possible arrest. Ajai Raj, a 19-year-old English major, thought he was exercising his right to free speech when he quizzed conservative pundit Ann Coulter on her definition of marriage after a lecture she delivered at the LBJ Library. Trouble was, he used profanity and then made obscene gestures while walking away from a microphone set up for the question-and-answer portion of Tuesday's event. Moments later, university police were inside...