Gulf States in April 2026: the most important developments in society
Daily life in the Gulf states in April 2026 was reshaped by the regional war, most visibly in Dubai. On April 3 Dubai closed churches and temples and cancelled Easter services for safety reasons, after Catholic churches had suspended all masses on April 2. On April 11 Dubai reopened places of worship, including a gurudwara and a Hindu temple, with adjusted visiting hours.
Schooling was the largest change. Cambridge cancelled its June 2026 exams in the UAE for IGCSE, O Level, AS and A Level students. Indian and Pakistani schools in Dubai opened the 2026-27 year online on April 6, and Abu Dhabi required live classes and strict attendance tracking under its distance learning rules. On April 14 the UAE announced a gradual return to in-person learning, and on April 15 that all students would return from April 20, ending more than a month of remote learning. School buses stayed suspended at first, leaving parents to arrange their own transport, and resumed on April 20. Schools introduced new safety protocols, including no assemblies and shelter-in-place drills.
Authorities also acted on public order and national feeling. Abu Dhabi Police arrested 375 people for filming and spreading misleading information. Dubai's ruler called on residents to raise the UAE flag, and flags sold out; in Ras Al Khaimah hundreds gathered to raise a 1,200-metre flag. The UAE said it embraces its Iranian community as part of its social fabric, while airlines and agencies reported tougher entry restrictions for Iranian nationals. Data showed that one in eight British residents had left the UAE since the war began.
Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia banned visit visa holders from performing the 2026 Hajj, allowing pilgrims with permits only. Kuwait's detention of the American reporter Ahmed Shihab-Eldin drew a demand for his release from the Committee to Protect Journalists on April 17. Oman granted citizenship to 226 people by royal decree, and Bahrain announced a review of its citizenship criteria.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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