Indian election casts spotlight on Modi lookalikes
Al Jazeera
Modi lookalikes have become local celebrities as India’s 43-day-long election is set to conclude on June 1.
Muslim electric rickshaw driver Rashid Ahmed is fondly called “Our Modi” in his Delhi neighbourhood for his striking resemblance to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, now seeking a third consecutive term in the ongoing general elections.
If, as widely anticipated, Modi wins the polls, which conclude on June 1 with vote counting set for June 4, he will be only the second leader after Indian independence hero and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to serve three consecutive terms.
“I have been like this from the beginning. But since Modi has become prime minister, there has been more discussion of it,” said Ahmed, 60, whose white hair and beard, trimmed like Modi’s, along with similar clothing, spurred the comparison.
Living with his wife, children and grandchildren in a two-room home, Ahmed is a celebrity in the surrounding area and is often interrupted at his daily tasks by visitors who want to meet him or take pictures with him.
He is known only as “Modi uncle” to the children there, many of whom he drives to school every day.
Price for a dozen eggs has increased by more than 60 percent over the last year as millions of birds killed.
Moscow kicks out the diplomat, who, it says, was ‘conducting intelligence and subversive work that threatens the security of Russia’.
The ICC will decide next steps for the Pakistan-hosted tournament after India refused to travel to the country.
Authorities says five more people have been rescued, bringing the total to 33 survivors while seven remain missing.
Justin Trudeau and Claudia Sheinbaum urge dialogue as Donald Trump plans to hit US neighbours with 25-percent tariffs.
Officials have arrested a group of 14 people who emerged unassisted, including a teenage boy.
Despite claims its election victory is illegitimate, Georgian Dream party plans vote for new president on December 14, using rules it pushed through in 2017.
A court in Chittagong denied bail to the man charged with sedition as India cautioned about justice for minorities.
The federal criminal cases against Trump relating to 2020 election interference and mishandling of classified documents will no longer go ahead.
Violent clashes continue in Islamabad as security forces use tear gas, rubber bullets to disperse advancing protesters.