Ukraine's growth is held back by a weak business environment—with shortcomings in the legal framework, pervasive corruption, and large parts of the economy dominated by inefficient state-owned enterprises or by oligarchs—deterring competition and investment.

Dubai has risen the ranks of the Global Financial Centres Index, GFCI, to the eighth position, representing its highest ever-ranking. The city is the only financial centre within the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, MEASA, to appear within the top 10 rankings, placing it alongside other pivotal financial hubs such as London, New York, Hong Kong and Singapore.

The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park is the world’s largest single-site project to generate renewable energy. It will have a capacity of 5,000 megawatts (MW) by 2030 with investments of AED 50 billion. It is based on the independent power producer (IPP) model. This model contributed to world record prices for solar energy projects. According to a study published by Japan's Nikkei Asian Review, the UAE's interest in renewable energy production has contributed to its global cost reduction. Through its projects, the solar park will accelerate the shift towards adopting and using solar energy.

Azerbaijan's economy is continuing to recover from a banking crisis and recession. Real GDP growth reached 1.4 percent in 2018 and 2.4 percent in the first half of 2019, supported by increases in natural gas production and activity in the services sector.

The US made another request to import-dependent Japan to join the coalition, and leaders are expected to discuss it at the UN General Assembly in New York next week.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is a sea route chokepoint between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. Most exports of petroleum and natural gas from the Persian Gulf that transit the Suez Canal or the SUMED Pipeline pass through both the Bab el-Mandeb and the Strait of Hormuz.

Foremost among the areas to be patrolled is the Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, through which about one-fifth of the world’s seaborne crude flows out of the Gulf.

The UK's Royal Navy will work with the US to assure the security of merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the Ministry of Defence said.

Kuwait reported oil revenue of $60.7bn for the 2018 fiscal year ending March 31, 2019, according to state news agency KUNA. This is a 24% increase from the previous year. Its non-oil revenue also grew 24% to hit $6.9bn.

Russia has said it wants to cut substantially its gas flows to Europe via West-leaning Ukraine by doubling the capacity of the existing Nord Stream trunk via the Baltic Sea and laying gas pipes to Turkey and onwards through the Black Sea.