Player and fan comfort in extreme heat conditions will be constant battles faced by Qatar soccer officials.

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"You're certainly playing outside your comfort zone in terms of weather conditions and lifestyle, plus they're a quality outfit so it makes it hard work, " he told BBC Sport.

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Many civil servants were "adapting well" and finding new ways of working, but Mr Maude added that conditions were "challenging" and many officials were "out of the comfort zone".

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Business conditions in the U.S. continue to be a relative source of comfort, according to Barclays analyst Tal Shapsa in New York.

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In some cases, builders and engineers also take into consideration pedestrian comfort, to make sure people walking on the street 90 stories below won't be blown back during windy conditions.

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