Turkey's long-time ruler Recep Tayyip Erdogan prefers coffee to tea, does not really like bread and sometimes shaves twice a day. Well, that is according to his Istanbul barber Yasar Ayhan, who has known the president for decades.
"He's a humble man, acting as a normal person," Mr Ayhan said from his barbershop in Istanbul's Kasimpasa neighbourhood, where both men grew up.
"He doesn't like tea, he mostly likes coffee. He doesn't really like bread either," he said.
He recalled how, at a meal of fish and bread that he had with Mr Erdogan when he was running for Prime Minister, "he only ate the fish, while we had an entire bread".
Mr Ayhan, 57, has been the president's barber since 1988, when Mr Erdogan was the Istanbul chairman of the defunct Welfare Party and long before he became Istanbul's mayor, then Prime Minister, and eventually President.
There may be a 12-year age gap between the two men, but Mr Ayhan remembers Mr Erdogan from when he was young.
"When he lived in Kasimpasa, we knew he would be something. But we didn't imagine that he would become a world leader, ruling the country for 20 years," he said.
"He always dressed very well. He was charismatic. Even at that time, the clothes he was wearing — even the Prime Minister then didn't have it.
"He was very careful with shaving. He shaved every day, but I know sometimes he did it twice — I did it personally."
Long gone are the days when Mr Erdogan used to visit Mr Ayhan's barbershop twice a week. After he became Prime Minister in 2003, traffic would come to a standstill in the busy neighbourhood, although Mr Erdogan still visits Kasimpasa.
Now when Mr Erdogan is in Istanbul — the presidential residence is in the capital Ankara — and he needs a trim, a car normally comes to collect Mr Ayhan.
"Of course it's an amazing feeling, to see and touch and shave the man you see on the television 24 hours a day. But after a while I got used to it. He's a sympathetic, calm, modest guy. He acts like we act. There's no tension, we joke sometimes."
Kasımpasa, a working-class area on the European side of Turkey's largest city, is clearly Mr Erdogan's neighbourhood.
Inside the barbershop is a picture of Mr Ayhan and Mr Erdogan from 2012, when the latter was Prime Minister. Outside on the bustling street, posters of Mr Erdogan and Turkish flags line the roads.
Mr Erdogan is facing the biggest challenge to his long-time rule from Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who has put on the most successful opposition campaign yet. However, even amid an economic crisis and alleged increased repression by the state, Mr Kilicdaroglu lagged around 5 per cent behind Mr Erdogan in the first round of voting two weeks ago.
Asked how Mr Erdogan had managed to stay on top for so long, Mr Ayhan said: "I think lots of people are praying for him. The second reason is the work he has done: people are directly benefiting from it. Hospital medicines, mosques, the roads. People see this service and continue to support him.
"On Sunday, I am praying for him to be re-elected and I am sure he will win again."
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
AUSTRALIA SQUAD
Steve Smith (capt), David Warner, Cameron Bancroft, Jackson Bird, Pat Cummins, Peter Handscomb, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Tim Paine, Chadd Sayers, Mitchell Starc.
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The five pillars of Islam
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The biog
Occupation: Key marker and auto electrician
Hometown: Ghazala, Syria
Date of arrival in Abu Dhabi: May 15, 1978
Family: 11 siblings, a wife, three sons and one daughter
Favourite place in UAE: Abu Dhabi
Favourite hobby: I like to do a mix of things, like listening to poetry for example.
Favourite Syrian artist: Sabah Fakhri, a tenor from Aleppo
Favourite food: fresh fish
Company Profile:
Name: The Protein Bakeshop
Date of start: 2013
Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani
Based: Dubai
Size, number of employees: 12
Funding/investors: $400,000 (2018)
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
'Panga'
Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta
Rating: 3.5/5
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