The region covers EU countries such as Bulgaria and Romania, as well as Turkey and ex-Soviet Union countries including Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Georgia, and was described by Romanian MEP Ioan Pascu as a "gate to and from Europe".

BBC: Black Sea strategy

Some 12 new franchise stores are planned to be opened this year worldwide including in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, Laura Ashley said.

BBC: Laura Ashley returns to profit

Today, Geely has 14, 000 employees, nine manufacturing sites in China, plus kit assembly factories in several countries, including Russia, Ukraine and Malaysia.

FORBES: Autos

Polish forces completed 10 rotations in Iraq, which ended October 1, and commanded 10 national contingents, including Armenia, Latvia, Mongolia, Romania, Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

CNN: U.S. military says al Qaeda in Iraq mastermind dead