Good morning from The National on June 24, 2026.
Here are the latest developments in the Emirates:
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to hold high-level talks in the UAE today in support of efforts to secure peace in the region.
Mr Rubio arrived in the Emirates last night to begin a Gulf tour which will also take in Bahrain and Kuwait, three countries which have come under heavy attack from Iran in recent months.
He will speak to allies about the merits of the interim peace agreement in place between the US and Iran and the final deal that could follow.
The Secretary of State said his visit to the Gulf nations was to “make sure that their views are taken into account” in the US negotiations with Iran.
Mr Rubio said Iran would not be able to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz as part of a final agreement with the US. Such an arrangement would be contrary to international law, he added
The first round of renewed US-Iran talks in Switzerland at the weekend ended on a positive note, despite conflicting claims about what was agreed.
Mr Rubio's arrival in the region came as Iranian officials held their own talks in Oman on Tuesday, with both sides embarking on diplomatic drives to shore up their positions as negotiations towards a permanent peace deal continue.
Read more on Mr Rubio's Gulf visit here and more on the US-Iran peace effort in our live blog here
Etihad Rail to launch first passenger service next week
Etihad Rail will launch its first passenger service this Tuesday between Abu Dhabi and Fujairah. The eagerly awaited inaugural trip is a milestone for transport in the UAE.
Journeys on the route will take one hour and 45 minutes, authorities have said. More train stations are to open on September 30 at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai and Al Dhaid in Sharjah.
A station in Al Dhafra region of Abu Dhabi will open on December 30, followed by University City station in Sharjah on March 30 next year.
Details of the operations were announced by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, as he inaugurated the Mohamed bin Zayed City passenger station.
To find out more read the full story here
Dubai launches 'Flexi Rent' pay-per-month scheme to support tenants
Dubai has introduced an initiative that allows tenants to pay rent in monthly instalments, as part of efforts to enhance quality of life and maintain a strong property market.
The "Flexi Rent" scheme was unveiled by the Dubai Land Department yesterday in partnership with a dozen property companies including Deyaar, Wasl, Dubai Investment Real Estate and Driven Properties.
It allows tenants to pay rent using flexible methods, such as debit or credit cards, said Khalid Al Shaibani, director of the rental affairs department at the DLD. It will also help to reduce the financial burden on tenants, including by waiving fees for bounced cheques, officials said.
“We have an agreement with 12 real estate companies that they can divide the instalment plan, they can provide grace period, they can redesign the payment plan and, if there is any increment for this year, and only for specific cases, they can just ignore it,” Mr Al Shaibani said.
Read the full report from Fareed Rahman here
Fact of the day
The UAE will be issuing Dh50 million ($13.6 million) in its inaugural sovereign retail treasury sukuk programme, which is open to all residents and is aimed at encouraging financial responsibility. Read more here
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