ABU DHABI // What a difference a deal makes. Online interest in the capital has never been as high as during the past week, with more Google searches for Abu Dhabi than ever before. More than 7,000 news articles have been written worldwide about the Manchester City takeover in the past two weeks. The Google Insights application, which allows users to follow rising trends and track the popularity of Google searches worldwide, shows that interest in Abu Dhabi is growing considerably across the world.
The interest coincided with the takeover of Manchester City by the Abu Dhabi United Group on Aug 31. The next day saw the most Google searches for Abu Dhabi ever, although the number is not specified. Previous highs for Google searches for Abu Dhabi include the announcement, in January 2007, of the city's first Grand Prix, and, weeks later, news that the Louvre was to open a branch in the capital.
Before the Manchester City deal, the largest number coincided with the visit of George W Bush in January. Most searches for Abu Dhabi in the past 30 days came from the city itself, Dubai, London and Manchester. Online interest in Manchester City among Abu Dhabi internet surfers has been less than enthusiastic so far, with cities such as Sao Paolo, Brussels and Lisbon searching for the club on Google more often than the capital itself over the past 30 days.
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While you're here
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A MINECRAFT MOVIE
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Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
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Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
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NO OTHER LAND
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
The Sidr tree is an evergreen tree with long and strong forked branches. The blossom from this tree is called Yabyab, which provides rich food for bees to produce honey in October and November. This honey is the most expensive, but tastiest
Samar Honey
The Samar tree trunk, leaves and blossom contains Barm which is the secret of healing. You can enjoy the best types of honey from this tree every year in May and June. It is an historical witness to the life of the Emirati nation which represents the harsh desert and mountain environments
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Ms Yang's top tips for parents new to the UAE
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The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
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