On a scorching Dubai August day in the early 1950s, the last thing guests at the house-warming lunch wanted to hear was that an equally hot curry was on the menu.
No need to worry, Mark Stott, manager of the British Bank of the Middle East, reassured his eight guests, who included Desmond McCaulley, the town’s only doctor, and Edward Henderson, later to become Britain’s political agent in Abu Dhabi.
His home, Stott explained, had been fitted with a new device known as an air conditioner. No matter how ferocious the spices in the dish, guests would remain beautifully cool.
As the meal progressed, even Stott, who had acquired his taste for curry in the Indian Army, was beginning to sweat heavily.
Henderson, who later described the meal in his memoirs as “the hottest curry I can ever remember”, suggested that the ceiling fan might also be turned on.
No need, Stott insisted. The air conditioner was new and probably just needed time to “settle down”.
Later, the gathering moved outside to the garden, which seemed considerably cooler than the house, helped by a steady flow of cool air from what should have been the exhaust of the AC unit.
It turned out the unit had been installed back to front. “We had been air conditioning the garden and breathing in the exhaust,” Henderson recalled.
Such incidents were not unusual in the early days of air conditioning in the Arabian Gulf. Technology that in much of the world was an increasingly common way to beat the heat was still a novelty there.
Yet in just a couple of decades, air conditioning would transform the way people lived and the way cities were built.
For centuries, people had managed the blistering heat and drenching humidity of an Arabian Gulf summer as best they could, retreating indoors where wind towers might bring down the thermometer reading by a few degrees, or escaping to the relative cool in the mountains of Al Ain.
Suddenly a new invention promised instant relief from the most brutal July day. But air conditioning did more than that. It made the modern Gulf possible, with its office blocks, apartment towers, shopping malls and hotels.
It is fair to say that without air conditioning, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the modern cities of the GCC countries could not exist.
The widespread use of air conditioning in the UAE and Gulf really began with the expansion of cities and oil-fuelled economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s.
But cooling machines powered by electricity had first appeared in the region the late 1930s, as sweaty colonial administrators tried to make their lives a little more comfortable.
Modern air conditioning ― essentially circulating air over coils that were chilled by special gases ― was invented in the United States, where it was used to cool cinemas and theatres in the 1920s. The first units were large ― up to four metres long ― and extremely expensive, but by the 1930s, the familiar window ledge version for home use had been developed.
Thousands of kilometres away, British workers sweltering in their Bahrain offices cast envious eyes at this new innovation. For more than a century, Britain and her Empire had been effective masters of the Gulf ― but they couldn’t control the weather.
The unbearable summer heat, which could last from May to October, was a major factor in jobs in the Gulf being labelled “hardship postings” to be endured for only a couple of years at best.
Orders from Manama were placed with the manufacturers in San Francisco in February 1936. Archive documents reveal this was the second attempt to introduce air conditioning “with many difficulties found in the ones tried out last summer".
The first customers were oil companies, including the Bahrain Petroleum Company, then part of Standard Oil, and in Saudi Arabia, where employees of Aramco, the Arabian American Oil Company, could rent them for their rooms.
British diplomats were next, although the cost to the Foreign Office budget was a significant factor. A “rather high” estimate for just one room in the Bahrain Political Agency worked out at 4,000 Indian rupees ― the currency in the Gulf at the time ― or equivalent to nearly £16,000 or Dh74,000 at today’s prices.
Approving a seven-and-a-half horsepower unit for the same agency in 1947 meant a price tag of 7,733 rupees, or nearly Dh140,000 today. And that was only for buying and installing air conditioning. The annual running costs were calculated at 1,500 rupees, or almost Dh28,000 today.
Still, what price expatriate comfort? Throughout the 1950s and into the early 1960s, air conditioning spread to wherever westerners worked in the Gulf, from Muscat in Oman to the port of Bushehr, in what was then called Persia.
Pity those who had to go without. “I find it extremely difficult and sometimes impossible to work in the heat of the summer in my present office,” the chief of Dubai police, Maj P G Lorimer, complained in 1963.
“In the past, I have taken work and clerical staff to my house when it was too difficult to work in the office, I have not had air conditioning in the past as the local contractor's electricity was insufficient to run it and I had no provision for it in the current year's budget when the Dubai Electricity Company's supply became available.
“I am now one of the very few people in Dubai who does not have air conditioning in his office.”
Lorimer’s plight was unusual for a western expatriate. At the time, air conditioning was generally considered an unnecessary luxury for workers from hotter countries.
“Muscat is a filthy climate and I remember being hot enough even in October without air conditioning,” one British diplomat wrote impolitely in a memo from 1968. “I have recommended air conditioning for the offices, so that our own expatriate staff will at any rate derive some benefit from this measure."
In Abu Dhabi, things were a little different. The first western family arrived in 1954, with Tim Hillyard appointed to run the off-shore oil concession, and accompanied by his wife Susan, and infant daughter Deborah.
Abu Dhabi Marine Areas, a subsidiary of British Petroleum, had built a house for the Hillyards, to Tim’s design, and which included gaps in the exterior walls to improve air flow, and porous coral blocks for the bottom of walls.
As it turned out, this was a sensible precaution. Susan, who died in 2014, recalled in her memoir, Before the Oil, that BP had provided two air-conditioning units but not the generators to run them for another two years.
These were the only AC units in Abu Dhabi. Most of the population lived in homes built of palm and rope, with no electricity or running water. Before the discovery of oil, air conditioning would have been an impossible luxury for almost everyone.
From that point, the bedrooms in the house were air conditioned, but when it was proposed to extend it to the sitting room, Hillyard put his foot down, saying he wanted somewhat of the same living conditions as the local population and specifically the Ruler, Sheikh Shakhbut, a traditionalist.
“If my living conditions aren’t to be like his, however can I get on his wavelength?” Susan remembered her husband saying.
Such hardships rapidly ended with the discovery of oil in 1958. Abu Dhabi began to expand, with the traditional arish houses replaced with buildings of concrete and glass.
Canny local businessmen set up thriving import businesses on the back of this new wealth and, as the population grew rapidly, air conditioning units were soon in high demand.
Today air conditioning is ubiquitous and all-powerful, to the extent that even in August, it is often a sensible precaution to take a jumper for a visit to the cinema.
Marwa Koheji, a doctoral student at the University of Bahrain, has studied the impact of air condition on her native Bahrain and the Gulf countries.
“Air conditioning does not only produce expectations of comfort but can also shape users’ everyday life, marking and making social distinctions. This technology travels, changes places and people, and is in turn also changed by them,” she says.
Air conditioning is a major factor in the astonishing population growth of cities in the Gulf, from 500,000 at the end of the Second World War to more than 20 million today.
One consequence is that as much as 70 per cent of electricity in the region is used to power air conditioning, contributing to one the world’s highest carbon footprints. As a way to keep cool, air conditioning has become a hot topic.
US PGA Championship in numbers
1 Joost Luiten produced a memorable hole in one at the par-three fourth in the first round.
2 To date, the only two players to win the PGA Championship after winning the week before are Rory McIlroy (2014 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational) and Tiger Woods (2007, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational). Hideki Matsuyama or Chris Stroud could have made it three.
3 Number of seasons without a major for McIlroy, who finished in a tie for 22nd.
4 Louis Oosthuizen has now finished second in all four of the game's major championships.
5 In the fifth hole of the final round, McIlroy holed his longest putt of the week - from 16ft 8in - for birdie.
6 For the sixth successive year, play was disrupted by bad weather with a delay of one hour and 43 minutes on Friday.
7 Seven under par (64) was the best round of the week, shot by Matsuyama and Francesco Molinari on Day 2.
8 Number of shots taken by Jason Day on the 18th hole in round three after a risky recovery shot backfired.
9 Jon Rahm's age in months the last time Phil Mickelson missed the cut in the US PGA, in 1995.
10 Jimmy Walker's opening round as defending champion was a 10-over-par 81.
11 The par-four 11th coincidentally ranked as the 11th hardest hole overall with a scoring average of 4.192.
12 Paul Casey was a combined 12 under par for his first round in this year's majors.
13 The average world ranking of the last 13 PGA winners before this week was 25. Kevin Kisner began the week ranked 25th.
14 The world ranking of Justin Thomas before his victory.
15 Of the top 15 players after 54 holes, only Oosthuizen had previously won a major.
16 The par-four 16th marks the start of Quail Hollow's so-called "Green Mile" of finishing holes, some of the toughest in golf.
17 The first round scoring average of the last 17 major champions was 67.2. Kisner and Thorbjorn Olesen shot 67 on day one at Quail Hollow.
18 For the first time in 18 majors, the eventual winner was over par after round one (Thomas shot 73).
Blonde
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Set-jetting on the Emerald Isle
Other shows filmed in Ireland include: Vikings (County Wicklow), The Fall (Belfast), Line of Duty (Belfast), Penny Dreadful (Dublin), Ripper Street (Dublin), Krypton (Belfast)
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
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AS%20WE%20EXIST
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
DUBAI WORLD CUP CARNIVAL CARD
6.30pm Handicap US$135,000 (Turf) 2,410m
7.05pm UAE 1000 Guineas Listed $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
7.40pm Dubai Dash Listed $175,000 (T) 1,000m
8.15pm Al Bastakiya Trial Conditions $100,000 (D) 1.900m
8.50pm Al Fahidi Fort Group Two $250,000 (T) 1,400m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (D) 2,000m
The National selections
6.30pm: Gifts Of Gold
7.05pm Final Song
7.40pm Equilateral
8.15pm Dark Of Night
8.50pm Mythical Magic
9.25pm Franz Kafka
Company profile
Name: Dukkantek
Started: January 2021
Founders: Sanad Yaghi, Ali Al Sayegh and Shadi Joulani
Based: UAE
Number of employees: 140
Sector: B2B Vertical SaaS(software as a service)
Investment: $5.2 million
Funding stage: Seed round
Investors: Global Founders Capital, Colle Capital Partners, Wamda Capital, Plug and Play, Comma Capital, Nowais Capital, Annex Investments and AMK Investment Office
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
Silent Hill f
Publisher: Konami
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC
Rating: 4.5/5
Founders: Abdulmajeed Alsukhan, Turki Bin Zarah and Abdulmohsen Albabtain.
Based: Riyadh
Offices: UAE, Vietnam and Germany
Founded: September, 2020
Number of employees: 70
Sector: FinTech, online payment solutions
Funding to date: $116m in two funding rounds
Investors: Checkout.com, Impact46, Vision Ventures, Wealth Well, Seedra, Khwarizmi, Hala Ventures, Nama Ventures and family offices
Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
Sunday's fixtures
- Bournemouth v Southampton, 5.30pm
- Manchester City v West Ham United, 8pm
Indika
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The specs: 2018 GMC Terrain
Price, base / as tested: Dh94,600 / Dh159,700
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Power: 252hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 353Nm @ 2,500rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.4L / 100km
TALE OF THE TAPE
Floyd Mayweather
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
Conor McGregor
- Height
- Weight
- Reach
- Record
UAE Rugby finals day
Games being played at The Sevens, Dubai
2pm, UAE Conference final
Dubai Tigers v Al Ain Amblers
4pm, UAE Premiership final
Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Jebel Ali Dragons
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
La Mer lowdown
La Mer beach is open from 10am until midnight, daily, and is located in Jumeirah 1, well after Kite Beach. Some restaurants, like Cupagahwa, are open from 8am for breakfast; most others start at noon. At the time of writing, we noticed that signs for Vicolo, an Italian eatery, and Kaftan, a Turkish restaurant, indicated that these two restaurants will be open soon, most likely this month. Parking is available, as well as a Dh100 all-day valet option or a Dh50 valet service if you’re just stopping by for a few hours.
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Moon Music
Artist: Coldplay
Label: Parlophone/Atlantic
Number of tracks: 10
Rating: 3/5
Cry Macho
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam
Rating:**