Good morning from The National on May 11, 2026.
Here are the latest developments in the Emirates:
Pupils going back to classrooms today will symbolise the reconnection of a community, a school principal in Dubai said.
Classroom learning will return to the UAE after a week of online lessons due to the Iranian missile threat.
The decision to allow pupils to return to the classroom came after “the continuous monitoring of developments and co-ordination with the relevant authorities, ensuring the continuity of the educational process and academic assessments”, state news agency Wam reported.
“It’s not just about reopening but also reconnecting as a community and we look forward to seeing our students and families,” said Simon Jodrell, principal of Jebel Ali School.
It comes as:
- US President Donald Trump said Iran's reply to American proposals to stop the conflict was "totally unacceptable"
- The UAE's air defence systems engaged with two drones launched from Iran on Sunday, authorities said.
- Get live updates on the Iran war through our live blog here
Opening of Ras Al Khaimah's landmark Wynn gaming resort delayed by Iran war
The Iran war has led to the opening of Ras Al Khaimah's multibillion-dollar Wynn Al Marjan Island gaming resort being delayed due to “logistical and shipping challenges” caused by the Iran war.
The five-star project – expected to create a major tourism and economic boost to Ras Al Khaimah – was due to open to the public in the spring of 2027.
Craig Billings, chief executive of Wynn Resorts, which runs upmarket hotel complexes in Las Vegas, Boston and the Chinese territory of Macau, said construction would continue but there would be a “modest delay”.
“We do expect a modest delay in our opening timeline and I expect that we will quantify that in the coming months,” Mr Billings said during Wynn's first-quarter earnings call this week.
Read the full report from Chris Maxwell here
Dubai opens 500-metre bridge to cut congestion under key World Trade Centre traffic master plan
Dubai opened a 500-metre bridge as part of a plan to cut congestion and boost travel times on one of the emirate's busiest routes.
The new transport link will seek to ease traffic flow from Al Bada towards 2nd December Street and provide onward access to Sheikh Rashid Road and Al Mustaqbal Street.
It is part of the wider Dubai World Trade Centre Roundabout Development Project, which will improve connectivity to Sheikh Zayed Road, the emirate's main motorway.
The single-lane bridge will be able to accommodate up to 1,200 vehicles an hour, with the goal of reducing journey times from eight to two minutes.
The full story can be found here
Fact of the day
High humidity and fog are expected to drift into the UAE by midweek, as hotter summer weather patterns push temperatures up to 46ºC. Read the full story from Nick Webster here
Today's must-reads
Front page
See more of The National’s award-winning journalism in your Google search results – click here to add us to your preferred sources.
Did you enjoy this newsletter? The National produces newsletters across an array of subjects. You can sign up to them here
