DUBAI // Rolf Buchholz, the world’s most pierced man, who was denied entry into Dubai, was among the top 10 most-searched subjects on the internet in the UAE last month.
The 53-year-old German, who has 453 face piercings and two horns implanted in his head, was turned away last month because of his extreme facial jewellery.
His appearance, he said, led airport inspectors to suspect that he was involved in “black magic”.
Data provided by Google found that “Buchholz” was the sixth most-searched term in the UAE last month.
A spokesman for the internet search-engine giant said that judging by the number of Google image searches it was clear that many were intrigued about what he looked like. “Users in the UAE, curious as to what this man looks like, searched for his images and links on the breaking news story,” he said.
The most searched term last month was Robin Williams, the American comic great who committed suicide, followed closely by the Perseid meteor shower, both hot trending international topics.
India’s Independence Day on August 15, which Google marked with a doodle that day, was fourth.
“According to the Indian embassy, the Indian community in the UAE, numbering 1.75 million, constitutes 30 per cent of the total population,” the spokesman said.
“It is the largest expatriate community in the country, so it comes as no surprise that independence day was a trending topic as users went online to find out more about Indian culture, celebrations and things to do in the UAE on this day.”
The Indian community also impacted another trend last month with the term Raksha Bandhan being the eighth most searched. It is a Hindu festival that celebrates the protective relationship between men and women.
The 10th most-searched subject was Bollywood star Nazriya Nazim, the Kerala native who married fellow Malayalam actor Fahadh Fazil on August 21.
mcroucher@thenational.ae
The Top 10:
1. Robin Williams - Hollywood actor who committed suicide
2. Perseid Meteor Shower
3. Anders Jonas Angstrom - a 19th century physicist, whose birthday was marked with a Google doodle
4. Independence Day of India
5. International Friendship Day
6. Rolf Buchholz
7. John Venn - British philosopher, whose birthday was celebrated with a Google doodle
8. Raksha Bandhan, Hindu holiday
9. James Foley - American journalist beheaded by ISIS
10. Nazriya Nazim - Bollywood actress
NO OTHER LAND
Director: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal
Stars: Basel Adra, Yuval Abraham
Rating: 3.5/5
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km
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