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Home »Unlabelled » Nice Celebrities No Clothes photos


NICE CELEBRITIES NO CLOTHES PHOTOS


Nice Celebrities No Clothes photos



Some cool celebrities no clothes images:

Lisa Maree
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week... When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and
Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz
Australian Fashion Week. For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is
open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner. Fashion Week
is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most
talented and contemporary designers. The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise
Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines
and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion
week. For more information visit their official website. Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip... Sydney will be enjoying a
bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion
festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is
invitation only. Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in
its own right. Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections
to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount
to the bottom line. This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to
Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators
have welcomed. “The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was
initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so
it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate
communications David McCarthy. The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread
around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week
in Miami. The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last
year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is
understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the
details are confidential. MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the
festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue
fees. A trend over the past few years. This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to
use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk
venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00
to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites. Two of the festival’s
biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their
respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to
the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows
(Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere
seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with
Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example. For Melbourne Business
School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers
drop out is a “tricky” scenario. “On the one hand, you have to respect any
Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says.
“We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan. “But at the same
time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That
said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013
with open arms.” Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz,
sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY,
Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s
show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas,
Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey. Couture designer Johanna
Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the
prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big
fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley
Mischka. “To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a
priority,” McCarthy says. Johnson recently found international success, with
Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine
creations on the red carpet. The show will have the same feel â€" glamour, lots
of hand-beading and detailed finishes. “I hadn’t really considered doing it
and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says. “But
we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it
will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet
ready-to-wear.” She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three
catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as
the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded. “It’s our debut show so
we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says. Australian
accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But
for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the
accessories â€" be they handbags, jewellery or shoes. “The biggest thing is
when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight
the accessories,” she says. Customers can expect “understated quality”
from the new Oroton clothing range. “To me, functionality is important,”
Escobar says. “So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but
made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of
heritage as well.” While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says
there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”. For the
retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand. “We want to talk a
little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us
that space without having to scream.” This year, a great spread of overseas
buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter,
My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols
and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present. The retail picture in
Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting
growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at
just 0.5 per cent. IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high
Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can
buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is
straining profit margins. New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond;
Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny
Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy Not present this
year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine;
Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert;
Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie
Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc;
White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair
Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year) Returning to
the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon;
Akira Camilla... Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks
continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a
unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought
after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike.
Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles,
Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2
years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her
designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the
fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand
on the move. So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic
fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her
passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit
to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her
productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of
these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing
journey. Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into
ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla
has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope
of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database. Over
eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly
anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received
significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai,
Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from
Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel
beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a
testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness. Camilla is a
brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The
signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and
material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to
individual styles and that follow global trends. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up... Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia
Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections Sydney,
Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to
announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho,
Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will
be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13
Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join
already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in
venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the
diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations
and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than
hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing,
Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific. A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to
be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear
collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer
range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon
show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity,
Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her
eponymous label. Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway
at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating
Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska,
Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey
Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah. New talent showcasing
for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and
media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global
audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a
relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion. Other
newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear,
Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project
Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in
the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows
will be announced shortly. “We’re extremely excited by the response from
designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons
Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as
sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our
expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark,
Global Production Director, IMG Fashion. Leveraging our global network,
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces,
exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of
designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012. For
the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their
collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having
established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they
showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee
recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London
Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and
engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway. 2012 will
also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international
fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour
foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian
Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests. Key buyers
will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the
week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites,
utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be
able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on
one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer
offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities
for our participating designer brands. MBFWA hosts the world’s most
influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring
Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official
partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year
showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer. Title
sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination
NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and
EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia is an IMG event. The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place
April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com Follow us on
Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia) australia.mbfashionweek.com IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com Cruise Bar www.cruisebar.com.au Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography Eva Rinaldi Photography www.evarinaldi.com

Lisa Maree
Image by Eva Rinaldi Celebrity and Live Music Photographer Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week; Cruise Bar hosts famous fashion event; MBFWA business wheels in motion
Cruise Bar Hosts Fashion Week... When it comes to style the Cruise Bar and
Restaurant is a perfect host partner for the prestigious Mercedes-Benz
Australian Fashion Week. For the first time in many years, Cruise Restaurant is
open to the public everyday of fashion week for lunch and dinner. Fashion Week
is Sydney’s premier fashion and lifestyle event showcasing some of our most
talented and contemporary designers. The beautiful waterfront location of Cruise
Bar in Circular Quay is an ideal location to enjoy gourmet food, decadent wines
and delicious cocktails while enjoying the cultural surrounds that is Fashion
week. For more information visit their official website. Mercedes-Benz Fashion
Week: Business, fashion, beauty, deals and gossip... Sydney will be enjoying a
bevy of catwalk shows and party like events as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia commences tomorrow. But unlike the increasing number of fashion
festivals across the country where people can buy tickets to events, MBFWA is
invitation only. Today was media registration day, which was quite an event in
its own right. Over five days, fashion designers show their latest collections
to media reps, celebrities and retail buyers, and the response can be paramount
to the bottom line. This year happens to mark Mercedes-Benz’s return to
Fashion Week as the title sponsor, which many media and fashion commentators
have welcomed. “The strong link between Mercedes-Benz and fashion was
initiated in Australia with the launch of Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in 1995, so
it’s come full circle,” advised Mercedes-Benz senior manager of corporate
communications David McCarthy. The car maker’s Fashion Week events have spread
around the world to places such as New York and Berlin, and to Swim Fashion Week
in Miami. The Mercedes-Benz’s sponsorship deal was not exactly a secret last
year as Rosemount’s (wine) five-year run came to an end. The new deal is
understood to be valued at million over three years but McCarthy says the
details are confidential. MBFWA comes with a many change. A key change from the
festival organisers is that IMG Fashion have reduced the price of on-site venue
fees. A trend over the past few years. This year, it set back exhibitors ,250 to
use the newly returned Tent at the Overseas Passenger Terminal as a catwalk
venue, 00 to be a part of Fashion Week but show off-site and between 00 and 00
to showcase collections at The Rocks Pop-Up suites. Two of the festival’s
biggest names, Josh Goot and Dion Lee, pulled out a fortnight before their
respective shows. The designers who have fallen by the wayside in the lead-up to
the five-day event have either opted to concentrate on upcoming overseas shows
(Lee), to focus on getting collections out to coincide with northern hemisphere
seasons (Goot) or have chosen to disregard Fashion Week from the get-go, with
Fairfax Media pointing to Alex Perry as the example. For Melbourne Business
School associate professor of marketing Mark Ritson, having Australian designers
drop out is a “tricky” scenario. “On the one hand, you have to respect any
Australian designer focused on building their reputation overseas,” he says.
“We are perilously under-represented in Paris and Milan. “But at the same
time, a designer has to be careful of burning branding bridges back home. That
said, if Goot or Lee make it in Europe they’ll be welcomed back home in 2013
with open arms.” Fashion Week is serious business. Alongside Mercedes-Benz,
sponsors that have signed on this year include DHL, EYE, HP, Maybelline NY,
Redken, Shangri-La Hotel Sydney, Pentax, Keystone Hospitality and Getty Images.
The NSW government, Destination NSW and Austrade are also supporting the event.
In addition, designers are obtaining their own sponsorships. Jayson Brunsdon’s
show, for instance, is being presented by Myer and sponsored by Qantas,
Woolmark, TRESemme, MAC Cosmetics and Joh Bailey. Couture designer Johanna
Johnson is the virgin Australian designer to showcase her collection at the
prestigious Mercedes-Benz Presents show, which has previously featured big
fashion names such as Herve Leger by Max Azria, Carolina Herrera and Badgley
Mischka. “To do [the Presents show] during our first year back was a
priority,” McCarthy says. Johnson recently found international success, with
Hollywood actresses Christina Hendricks and Maya Rudolph wearing her feminine
creations on the red carpet. The show will have the same feel â€" glamour, lots
of hand-beading and detailed finishes. “I hadn’t really considered doing it
and was focusing more on overseas expansion this year,” Johnson says. “But
we’re having so much feedback from Australians wanting to know more now, it
will be really good to showcase our luxury lifestyle line and red carpet
ready-to-wear.” She initially signed on to show in the smallest of the three
catwalk venues, the Box, but had to move the show to the Tent (the biggest) as
the number of outfits she wanted to parade expanded. “It’s our debut show so
we want it done as well as it possibly can be,” she says. Australian
accessories giant Oroton is launching its first ready-to-wear collection. But
for creative director Ana Maria Escobar, the clothes are there to show off the
accessories â€" be they handbags, jewellery or shoes. “The biggest thing is
when I walked into the stores, I saw they needed something soft to highlight
the accessories,” she says. Customers can expect “understated quality”
from the new Oroton clothing range. “To me, functionality is important,”
Escobar says. “So are the materials . . . it can be a simple singlet but
made out of really beautiful silk or customised fabrics. There’s a tone of
heritage as well.” While Oroton views Fashion Week as important, Escobar says
there is also “life beyond those 15 minutes on the catwalk”. For the
retailer, it’s about reminding people of the brand. “We want to talk a
little louder about the product we design,” she says. “Fashion Week gives us
that space without having to scream.” This year, a great spread of overseas
buyers will be in attendance, many from online retailers such as Net-A-Porter,
My Wardrobe, Shopbop, Moda Operandi and ASOS. Department store Harvey Nichols
and Hong Kong-based Joyce will also have buyers present. The retail picture in
Australia is not particularly strong, and IBISWorld analysts are predicting
growth for the local rag trade over the coming financial year will be flat at
just 0.5 per cent. IBISWorld general manager Karen Dobie says the high
Australian dollar is a double-edged sword for retailers, as local vendors can
buy overseas at a favourable rate, but increasingly tech-savvy competition is
straining profit margins. New to MBFWA: Dylan Cooper; Flowers for a Vagabond;
Toi et Moi Sydney; By Johnny; Oroton; Watson x Watson; An Ode to No One; Jenny
Kee; Aje; Roppa Pemmaraju; Bless’d Are The Meek and Nana Judy Not present this
year: Dion Lee; Josh Goot; Alex Perry; Arnsdorf; Morrison; Friend of Mine;
Flannel; Karla Spetic; Lover; Therese Rawsthorne; Ms Couture; Rachel Gilbert;
Little Joe Woman (voluntary administration); Nookie; Amber & Thomas; Marnie
Skillings; Kate Sylvester; Shakuhachi; Bianca Spender; Dhini; Camilla & Marc;
White Suede; Yeojin Bae; Lisa Blue; Limedrop; Stolen Girlfriends Club; Alistair
Trung; Saint Augustine Academy (which shut up shop late last year) Returning to
the show: Romance Was Born; Camilla; Aurelio Costarella; Ksubi; Jayson Brunsdon;
Akira Camilla... Since launching her label eight years ago, Camilla Franks
continues to receive global recognition as an Australian designer who has a
unique approach to creating colorful, playful and luxurious lifestyle fashion.
Her unique ready-to-wear and resort wear designs are becoming highly sought
after products, capturing the attentions of celebrities and fashionistas alike.
Camilla’s global fan club (which includes the likes of Beyonce Knowles,
Miranda Kerr, Kate Hudson, Lily Allen and Gwen Stefani) reached new heights 2
years ago when the queen of television, Oprah Winfrey, glowed in one of her
designs while taping her ‘down under’ series. The general public and the
fashion world gushed and stock sold out overnight. Camilla is definitely a brand
on the move. So, how did Camilla Franks become one of Australia’s most iconic
fashion designers? This iconic brand came to be whilst Camilla was exploring her
passions for theatrical artistry. Here, she embraced her inner creative spirit
to craft beautiful elaborate costumes for the various characters in her
productions. It wasn’t long before the Australian fashion market caught eye of
these imaginative, easy-to-wear designs and catapulted Camilla on this amazing
journey. Today, Camilla has evolved from beach and resort fashion into
ready-to-wear clothes that cater to all her client’s needs. Globally, Camilla
has begun weaving into the various fashion niches, resulting in a kaleidoscope
of high-end editorial and extending an already growing customer database. Over
eight years, Camilla has produced nine collections: these include the highly
anticipated 2011/12’s Spring Summer Collection, Labyrinth; which has received
significant media attention and 2012’s Autumn Winter Collection Caravanserai,
Camilla’s second winter season. The success of her brand is derived from
Camilla’s philosophy that “all women have the right to look and feel
beautiful no matter their age, colour, size or origin”, this is also a
testament to the company’s popularity and growing awareness. Camilla is a
brand that celebrates women, self-expression, beauty and individuality. The
signature ‘Camilla’ piece is a statement of brilliant colour, graphics and
material rhythm. It is a celebration of shapes that can be tailored to
individual styles and that follow global trends. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia Announces Preliminary Line-up... Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia
Announces Preliminary Line-upfor Spring/Summer 2012/13 Collections Sydney,
Australia (February 29, 2012) Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is excited to
announce cult label Ksubi, celebrity favourite Camilla, Zimmermann, Lisa Ho,
Toni Maticevski, Aurelio Costarella, Jayson Brunsdon, Ellery, and Carl Kapp will
be amongst the line-up of designers showcasing their Spring/Summer 2012/13
Collections at Sydney’s Overseas Passenger Terminal, April 30 to May 4, 2012.
"MBFWA is a fantastic opportunity for emerging Australian designers to join
already well established designers in showcasing their creations not just in
venues that people expect but in venues and spaces that will reflect the
diversity and vibrancy of the Australian fashion scene. The shows, presentations
and locations demonstrate that MBFWA has a flavour and style that can more than
hold its own around the world" says Gavin Allen, General Marketing,
Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific. A stand out on the 2012 schedule is expected to
be Romance was Born. The label is showcasing their polished ready to wear
collection combining art and wearable fashion in a sophisticated Spring Summer
range. Johanna Johnson will also attract hype as she hosts an intimate salon
show for her debut at MBFWA. Mixing old Hollywood charm and modern simplicity,
Johnson is renowned for her recent Oscar’s role dressing starlets in her
eponymous label. Iconic Australian brand, Oroton will also debut on the runway
at MBFWA for the first time demonstrating the brand is as skilled at creating
Ready to Wear women’s wear as well as their well known luxury accessories.
Joining this incredible line up of iconic designers are Magdalena Velevska,
Alice McCall, Lisa Maree, Gary Bigeni, Bec and Bridge, Miss Unkon, Bowie, Kooey
Australia, Michael Lo Sordo, Kirrily Johnston and Talulah. New talent showcasing
for the first time, Watson x Watson are sure to excite international buyers and
media with their collections, providing new ‘ones to watch’ for our global
audience. Watson x Watson focus on everyday luxury and easy glamour, with a
relaxed, sexy appeal that has become synonymous with Australian fashion. Other
newcomers joining the MBFWA family: We are Handsome, Aje, Elliot Ward Fear,
Roopa Pemmaraju, Flowers for a Vagabond, Suboo, An Ode to No One and Project
Runway Australia winner Dylan Cooper and alumni by Johnny. Designers involved in
the 2012 New Generation, Fashion Design Studio and Raffles emerging talent shows
will be announced shortly. “We’re extremely excited by the response from
designers and brands and are looking forward to showcasing the new seasons
Spring Summer Collections in our world class facilities on site as well as
sharing more of the city of Sydney’s wonderfully unique locations with our
expanded off site program of shows and presentations’” says Jarrad Clark,
Global Production Director, IMG Fashion. Leveraging our global network,
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia is introducing new showroom spaces,
exciting venue upgrades and unique presentation spaces to ensure our line up of
designers have innovative way to communicate their artistic vision for 2012. For
the first time on Australian soil, many designers will showcase their
collections via a studio style presentation space known as The Box. Having
established itself at MBFW in NY and Berlin, designers are redefining how they
showcase their collections using this blank canvas. Australian designer Dion Lee
recently used a presentation style space to showcase his collection at London
Fashion Week and wowed crowds with his use of lighting to create drama and
engagement around his collection without the confines of the runway. 2012 will
also see the much anticipated return of The Tent. Synonymous with international
fashion events, the sheer scale of The Tent showroom set on the Sydney harbour
foreshore will create an incredible billboard for MBFWA and the Australian
Fashion Industry for our attending local and international guests. Key buyers
will have the opportunity to get up close with designer collections during the
week via a unique offering of Designer Showrooms via The Rocks Pop-Up Suites,
utilising retail spaces within The Rocks historical precinct, designers will be
able to house their collections off runway, and meet buyers and media in one on
one appointments. It is here that designers are encouraged to create consumer
offerings around the Fashion Week schedule to create more retail opportunities
for our participating designer brands. MBFWA hosts the world’s most
influential buyers, media and industry players during the 5 day event and bring
Sydney city to life with Fashion Week fever. With the support of our official
partners, and showcasing designers, the 2012 season will be a standout year
showcasing the creative energy and raw talent that Australia has to offer. Title
sponsor Mercedes-Benz is proudly supported by Government partners Destination
NSW and Austrade, Maybelline New York, DHL, HP/Intel, Redken 5th Avenue NYC and
EYE and as well as media outlet Getty Images. Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week
Australia is an IMG event. The Spring Summer 2012/13 Collections will take place
April 30 to May 4, 2012, Press and Industry Registration opens March 1, 2012.
For more information please visit us online at mbfashionweek.com Follow us on
Twitter @MBFWA and on the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Facebook Websites
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (Australia) australia.mbfashionweek.com IMG Worldwide
www.imgworld.com Cruise Bar www.cruisebar.com.au Eva Rinaldi Photography Flickr
www.flickr.com/evarinaldiphotography Eva Rinaldi Photography www.evarinaldi.com

Russia V Ukraine over 5,000 people killed
Image by Firstbrook Just Click 100 Text From BBC News 5,358 people killed and
12,235 wounded Fatalities include 298 people on board flight MH17 shot down on
17 July 224 civilians killed in three-week period leading up to 1 February 5.2
million people estimated to be living in conflict areas 921,640 internally
displaced people within Ukraine, including 136,216 children 600,000 fled to
neighbouring countries of whom more than 400,000 have gone to Russia 12 Feb The
leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France announced that a ceasefire would
begin on 15 February. The deal also involves the withdrawal of heavy weapons
from the front line, but some issues remain to be settled. The pro-Russian
rebels in eastern Ukraine have signed the agreement. Thousands of people have
died in almost a year of fighting in the region. Not BBC Even though a cease
fire has been agreed both sides continue to kill one another , mainly civilians
are paying the cost , but if you are a politician away from the fighting nice
and warm and well fed and watered what does a few more hundred deaths matter, i
suppose they are working out the cost to kill each human and trying to make it
more cost effective . Feb 14 Fierce fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine,
hours before a ceasefire is due to come into force at midnight (22:00 GMT). A
police chief said the strategic town of Debaltseve was suffering a ferocious
bombardment by pro-Russian rebels. Renewed fighting is also reported near the
southern port city of Mariupol. Meanwhile, the US ambassador to Ukraine tweeted
recent satellite images that he said showed Russian artillery near Debaltseve.
Geoffrey Pyatt also said on Twitter that Russian units along the border were
preparing a large shipment of supplies to separatist fighters. He said that the
rebels were now better armed than some Nato countries. Ukraine and the West
accuse Russia of sending troops and weapons to help the separatists in Ukraine's
eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions - a claim the Kremlin vehemently denies.
Petro Poroshenko warned the deal to end the war in the east was in "great
danger" "The militants are destroying Debaltseve," Donetsk region police chief
Vyacheslav Abroskin was quoted as saying on the censort.net website. "The
shelling of residential areas and civilian buildings continue. The city is on
fire. There has been a direct hit from Grads (rockets) on the city police
station." In Mariupol, reports said pro-Russian rebels were using artillery and
tanks to attack nearby villages. The port city lies between rebel-held eastern
areas and the southern Crimea peninsula, which Russia annexed last March.
Ukrainian Deputy Defence Minister Petro Mekhed said the rebels wanted to "raise
their flag" over Debaltseve and Mariupol before the ceasefire kicked in.
Ukraine's military said on Saturday morning that seven service personnel had
been killed and 23 wounded over the past 24 hours. The latest Minsk agreement:
Ceasefire to begin at 00:01 local time on 15 February (22:01 GMT 14 February)
Heavy weapons to be withdrawn, beginning on 16 February and completed in two
weeks - beyond a buffer zone behind the current front line for Ukrainian forces
and behind the September front line for separatist forces All prisoners to be
released; amnesty for those involved in fighting Withdrawal of all foreign
troops and weapons from Ukrainian territory. Disarmament of all illegal groups
Ukraine to allow resumption of normal life in rebel areas, by lifting
restrictions Constitutional reform to enable decentralisation for rebel regions
by the end of 2015 Ukraine to control border with Russia if conditions met by
the end of 2015 Feb 14 22.00 GMT Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko orders his
country's forces to begin ceasefire in line with Minsk agreement describing it
as "the last chance" for peace. Feb 15 Fighting in east Ukraine has subsided but
not stopped since a ceasefire came into effect, the warring parties say.
Spokesmen for both the government and the pro-Russian rebels said some shelling
had continued, mainly around the besieged town of Debaltseve. But both sides say
the truce that came into effect at midnight (22:00 GMT Saturday) is largely
holding. Fierce battles raged near Debaltseve - a key transport hub - in the
hours leading up to the truce. Analysts point out that previous truces initially
appeared to be holding but eventually failed, and say the next 48 hours are
critical. Two rebels commanders, meanwhile, have been quoted as saying they are
entitled to open fire in Debeltseve, with one reportedly saying it was "their
territory" and the ceasefire only applied to the frontline. The US, which has
warned it could begin supplying arms to Ukraine if the peace initiative failed,
claimed on Saturday it had evidence that the Russian military had deployed
weaponry around Debeltseve - contrary to Moscow denials that it is playing any
direct role in the conflict. The rebels say they have completely cut off supply
routes to Debaltseve, encircling the town. Ukraine denies the claim. European
leaders have warned Russia that it could face additional sanctions if the
13-point ceasefire agreement is not respected. Feb 16 Observers are to try again
to reach the besieged Ukrainian town of Debaltseve, where fighting has continued
despite a ceasefire. The OSCE were denied access to Debaltseve by pro-Russian
rebels on Sunday, the European security group said. Separatists have said they
have the town encircled so it should be considered theirs. In other areas of
Ukraine the ceasefire has broadly been observed. But the exception has been
Debaltseve, a key transport hub, which has seen some of the fiercest fighting in
recent weeks. Although the fighting was reported to have lowered in intensity,
shelling continued through Sunday. "Of course we can open fire (on Debaltseve).
It is our territory," Eduard Basurin, a rebel commander, told Reuters. "The
territory is internal, ours. And internal is internal. But along the line of
confrontation there is no shooting." Meanwhile, a military spokesman said
Ukrainian troops had come under fire 60 times in the hours after the truce came
into force, AFP reports. But both sides have said that in most of the country,
the ceasefire held on Sunday. Crucial period Monitors from the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said that as of Sunday evening, "the
ceasefire had been holding in the first 18 hours, with some exceptions, notably
in Debaltseve, Raihorodka and Luhansk city". The monitoring mission said that on
Monday it would "further seek full access, including to Debaltseve, and areas
where violations have been reported". Rebel-held Donetsk was reported to quiet
Despite the ceasefire, the EU is expected to proceed with adding 19 new names of
Russians and Ukrainians subject to travel bans and asset freezes for their roles
in the conflict. European leaders have warned Russia that it could face
additional sanctions if the 13-point Minsk ceasefire agreement is not respected.
Ukraine and the West accuse Russia of sending troops and weapons to help the
separatists in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions - a claim the
Kremlin vehemently denies. On Sunday leaders of the four countries that
negotiated the truce last week - France, Germany, Ukraine and Russia - held
further talks, agreeing to move towards implementing the next stage of the
latest Minsk deal. Fighting is continuing in eastern Ukraine more than a day
after a ceasefire was supposed to take effect. The Ukrainian military command
said the pro-Russian rebels had attacked 112 times since early Sunday, mostly in
the bitterly contested Debaltseve area. A Ukrainian officer said there was also
fighting near Mariupol, a port city. The rebels accused Ukrainian forces of
shelling Donetsk airport. Meanwhile, further EU sanctions against Russia have
gone into effect. The new sanctions list targets 19 officials - most of them in
the pro-Russian separatist strongholds of Donetsk and Luhansk, but also two
Russian deputy defence ministers and a Russian celebrity singer and MP, Iosif
Kobzon. Armed separatist groups are also targeted, including a Cossack
formation. Those listed are now subject to visa bans and asset freezes across
the EU. Russia is accused of fomenting the revolt in eastern Ukraine and giving
the separatists reinforcements and heavy weapons. Russia denies doing so, but
admits that Russian "volunteers" are fighting there. The Russian foreign
ministry said the latest sanctions showed that "again the EU preferred to walk
on a leash behind the 'party of war' in Kiev". "Such decisions look especially
ridiculous against the background of the Minsk [ceasefire] accords." Feb 17
Ukraine's government and separatist rebels have failed to begin withdrawing
heavy weapons from the front line, despite a Monday deadline. The two sides were
given until two days after the latest truce came into effect to start the
pullout. The government said it would not pull back until fighting ended in the
beleaguered town of Debaltseve. The leaders of Germany, Ukraine and Russia
discussed the crisis in an overnight phone call. Germany said on Tuesday they
had agreed "concrete measures" for observers to have greater access, but gave no
details. Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE), who are charged with monitoring the ceasefire, have been trying to reach
Debaltseve after being denied access by the rebels on Sunday. "The German
chancellor and Ukrainian president called on the Russian president to exercise
his influence on the separatists to enforce the ceasefire," German government
spokesman Steffen Seibert said. Fierce fighting is reported inside the key
Ukrainian town of Debaltseve despite a ceasefire deal agreed last week. Rebels
say they have taken most of Debaltseve, a transport hub, but the government says
it is still in control. International observers tasked with monitoring the
ceasefire have been unable to enter the town. Earlier, both sides failed to
begin withdrawing heavy weapons, despite a Monday deadline agreed in the truce.
The two sides were given until two days after the latest ceasefire came into
effect to start the pullout. A spokesman for the self-proclaimed Donetsk
People's Republic told Russian news agency Interfax that the police station in
Debaltseve had been taken as well as the railway station. He said most of the
city was under the control of the separatists and that a mopping-up operation
was continuing. The rebels also said that dozens of Ukrainian troops in
Debaltseve had surrendered and others had been killed. A Ukrainian military
spokesman quoted by Reuters news agency confirmed that rebels were attacking the
railway station but said the town was still in government hands. Rebels have
offered Ukrainian troops under siege there a safe corridor to leave. Speaking by
phone from inside the town, deputy regional police chief Ilya Kiva said rebels
were using small arms, mortars and rocket-propelled grenades. "There are wounded
and killed but we cannot confirm the numbers yet," he said. Although Debaltseve
has suffered weeks of artillery exchanges, correspondents say this is the first
fierce fighting inside the town. 'Internal territory' Most of Debaltseve's
25,000 population have been evacuated but about 7,000 civilians are still
believed trapped by the fighting, according to Amnesty International. The
ceasefire, which came into effect on Sunday, has been broadly observed but
separatists insist the agreement does not apply in Debaltseve because they have
the town almost surrounded. Denis Pushilin, a spokesman for the Donetsk People's
Republic, described Debaltseve as "internal territory" and said fighting for it
was "a moral thing". "We do not have the right [to stop fighting]," he told
Reuters. Another rebel leader in the Donetsk region, Andrei Purgin, said
separatists planned to discuss the possible withdrawal of weapons later on
Tuesday with representatives of Ukraine, Russia and the OSCE, Russian news
agency RIA Novosti reported. In the neighbouring Luhansk region, separatist
leader Igor Plotnitsky said he had begun pulling back his tanks and artillery in
line with the ceasefire agreement. His claim could not be independently
verified. Ukraine's military said on Tuesday that five soldiers had been killed
and 14 wounded in the past 24 hours. A spokesman told AFP news agency that most
of the deaths happened near Debaltseve. Ukraine's president described rebel
attempts to take the town as a "cynical attack" on the ceasefire. "Today the
world must stop the aggressor," Petro Poroshenko said in a statement posted on
his website. "I call on the permanent members of the UN Security Council to
prevent further violation of fundamental principles and rules of the UN and the
unleashing of a full-scale war in the very centre of Europe." Speaking on a
visit to Hungary, Russian President Vladimir Putin said he hoped the ceasefire
agreements would be observed by both sides. Russian President Vladimir Putin has
urged the Ukrainian government to allow its troops to surrender to rebels in the
strategic town of Debaltseve. Mr Putin also said he hoped the rebels would let
any captured troops return to their families. Fierce fighting raged throughout
Tuesday in the town despite a ceasefire deal signed last week, with rebels
saying they now controlled most areas. The UN Security Council called for an
immediate end to hostilities. On Tuesday evening a resolution drafted by Russia
calling on all sides to respect the deal, signed in the Belarusian capital Minsk
last week, was adopted unanimously by the council. International observers
monitoring the truce have been unable to enter Debaltseve. The town has become a
key prize for rebels and government forces, as it sits on a strategic railway
line linking rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk. Feb 18 The US has accused Russia of
violating the Minsk agreement on Ukraine, as the UN Security Council voted
unanimously to approve the ceasefire deal. Vice-President Joe Biden said "the
costs to Russia will rise" if it continued to violate the accord. Fighting is
continuing around the strategic town of Debaltseve, with pro-Russian rebels
saying they now control most areas. Media reports say Ukrainian troops are
withdrawing from the town. It comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin urged
Ukraine's troops there to surrender. 'Stop pretending' Although the Security
Council unanimously approved a Russian-drafted resolution to endorse the Minsk
ceasefire deal agreed in Belarus last week, angry words were exchanged among
ambassadors. US Ambassador Samantha Power welcomed the agreement but said that
Russia had to prove its commitment to peace. She said: "Stop arming the
separatists. Stop sending hundreds of heavy weapons across the border in
addition to your troops. Stop pretending you are not doing what you are doing."
She added: "Russia signs agreements then does everything within its power to
undermine them. Russia champions the sovereignty of nations and then acts as if
a neighbour's borders do not exist." Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin called
her comments "offensive". "Since the very start of the crisis, Russia has
actively called for a peaceful settlement through inclusive, transparent
dialogue between all sides in the internal Ukrainian conflict," he said. After
speaking to Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, Mr Biden said he "strongly
condemned the violation of the ceasefire by separatist forces acting in concert
with Russian forces, in and around the town of Debaltseve". He added: "If Russia
continues to violate the Minsk agreements... the costs to Russia will rise." The
Ukrainian president says his forces are making an "organised" withdrawal from
the embattled town of Debaltseve. Mr Poroshenko said 80% of Ukraine's troops had
left on Wednesday morning, with more to follow. Fighting has raged over the
transport hub, with pro-Russian rebels seizing control of most areas, despite a
ceasefire deal. Russia's foreign minister said Ukrainian forces had been
encircled and were forced to battle their way out. "I'm reckoning that common
sense will prevail," said Sergei Lavrov as he urged the rebels to provide troops
who surrendered with food and clothes. Earlier US Vice-President Joe Biden
accused Russia of violating the accord, agreed in Minsk last week. Mr Lavrov
told reporters that the rebel attack in Debaltseve did not violate the ceasefire
agreement, because Debaltseve was part of the rebel-held area at the time the
peace deal was signed. Eyewitnesses saw dozens of tanks and columns of weary
Ukrainian troops retreating from Debaltseve on Wednesday. This morning the
Ukrainian armed forces together with the National Guard completed an operation
for a planned and organised withdrawal from Debaltseve," the Ukrainian president
said in a statement before travelling to the frontline in eastern Ukraine. "As
of now we can say that 80 percent of our units have left," he said. "We are
expecting another two columns (to leave)." The withdrawal comes after Russian
President Vladimir Putin urged Ukraine's troops in Debaltseve to surrender.
International observers monitoring the truce have been unable to enter the town.
It has become a key prize for rebels and government forces, as it sits on a
strategic railway line linking rebel-held Donetsk and Luhansk. Earlier, Russian
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov insisted the rebels' actions in Debaltseve had
not violated the ceasefire because it was a rebel-held city when the peace
agreement was signed last week. Russia's state-controlled Channel One TV showed
footage of what it said were rebels raising their flag on top of a high-rise
building in the city. Feb19 Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin has denounced
Ukraine's call for the deployment of UN peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine as a
destructive move. The Ukrainian president's call "raises suspicions that he
wants to destroy the Minsk accords", Mr Churkin said. The Minsk ceasefire deal
was reached a week ago but fighting round the strategic town of Debaltseve saw
the withdrawal of Ukrainian troops there. Shelling significantly increased in
the rebel-held city of Donetsk on Thursday. And Ukrainian officials reported
mortar attacks by separatists on the coastal town of Shirokyne, near Mariupol.
'Violation' Mr Churkin accused Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko of seeking a
new scheme instead of doing what he had signed up to. "If one proposes new
schemes right away, the question arises whether [the accords] will be
respected", he said. The leadership of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's
Republic described the call for peacekeepers as a violation of the Minsk
accords. The leaders of Russia, Ukraine, Germany and France, the four parties to
the Minsk accords, held further talks over the phone on Thursday. The French
presidency said the ceasefire breaches were denounced and the leaders called for
"the implementation of the full package of measures agreed in Minsk" including a
full ceasefire, withdrawal of heavy weapons and the release of prisoners. Mr
Poroshenko called for UN-mandated peacekeepers to enforce the ceasefire after
fighting continued following the rebel advance on Debaltseve. A police mission
by the European Union would be the best format for a peacekeeping operation, Mr
Poroshenko said on his website. It would help guarantee security "in a situation
where the promise of peace is not being kept", he told an emergency meeting of
Ukraine's national security and defence council. Analysis: Jonathan Marcus, BBC
defence and diplomatic correspondent Could a peacekeeping force help to secure
the ceasefire in eastern Ukraine? Well for a start there would need to be a
functioning ceasefire; nobody is going to send troops into an active war zone.
Just getting agreement at the UN for such a force might be an insurmountable
diplomatic hurdle. Russia - with a key veto power on the Security Council - is
not just an interested bystander. Despite its denials, it is seen by Ukraine and
the West as an active participant in the conflict. An effective peacekeeping
force paradoxically might be in nobody's interests. Peacekeepers tend to fix
battle lines in place. In Ukraine both sides probably have further ambitions on
the ground. The Russian-backed separatists may well want to advance further and
the Ukrainian government's forces certainly aspire to take back territory that
they have lost. Many experts fear there is a lot more fighting to be done
whether this ceasefire is implemented or not. RAF jets were scrambled on
Wednesday after two Russian military aircraft were seen off the Cornwall coast,
the Ministry of Defence has said. The Russian Bear bombers did not enter
sovereign airspace, it said. On the same day, Defence Secretary Michael Fallon
warned that Russia's President Putin posed a "real and present danger" to three
Baltic states. Prime Minister David Cameron said the Russian action should not
be dignified with "too much of a response". He added: "I think what this episode
demonstrates is that we do have the fast jets, the pilots, the systems in place
to protect the UK. "I suspect the Russians were trying to make some sort of a
point." BBC political correspondent Ross Hawkins said the appearance of Russian
aircraft near the UK coast was a show of strength from the Russians, and such
incidents were carried out with political intent because they would be reported
on. Our correspondent said it was part of a trend which had seen Russian
aircraft flying close to UK airspace and there had also been concern about
similar incidents in Europe. Shelling is reported from several places in eastern
Ukraine despite the official ceasefire between government forces and pro-Russia
rebels. Artillery fire could be heard in the region's biggest city, Donetsk,
where the truce had been observed so far. Ukrainian military sources also
accused rebels of shelling positions near the port city of Mariupol. The
fighting comes as Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany held further talks over
the phone. Most of the renewed fighting in Donetsk appears to be in the north of
the city towards the airport. The BBC's Ian Pannell, who is in the city, says it
sounded like shells were being fired in both directions, although that could not
be verified. Further south, a spokesman for the Ukrainian government forces said
rebel units had attacked the village of Shirokyne, killing one soldier, with
shells also fired towards Mariupol. The government-held port city of Mariupol is
in a highly strategic position, sitting between rebel-held eastern areas and
Crimea, which Russia annexed nearly a year ago. The Organisation for Security
and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) - which is charged with monitoring the
ceasefire - also reported more shelling near the embattled town of Debaltseve
which observers have not been able to reach. Thousands of people are trapped in
the conflict zone in and around Debaltseve The town, a railway hub that links
the two rebel-held cities of Luhansk and Donetsk, fell to the rebels on
Wednesday. Semen Semenchenko, a member of the Ukrainian parliament who leads the
volunteer Donbass Battalion, told the BBC he blamed the fall of Debaltseve on
the Ukrainian army command and called for it to be overhauled. "I can assure you
that we lost Debaltseve not because of the Russian military advantage, but
because our generals refuse to take responsibility," he said. He also reiterated
calls for the West to send arms to Ukraine. "I believe if we don't stop the
Russian military machine now the West would have to interfere later, but it
would be more serious," he said. Ukraine says 82 soldiers missing after
withdrawal from strategic town of Debaltseve on Wednesday Russian Foreign
Ministry spokesman says UK defence secretary's comments on Baltics were "beyond
diplomatic ethics" Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin has denounced Ukraine's
call for the deployment of UN peacekeepers in eastern Ukraine as a destructive
move. Feb 20th Britain and the European Union have been accused of a
"catastrophic misreading" of the mood in the Kremlin in the run-up to the crisis
in Ukraine. The House of Lords EU committee claimed Europe "sleepwalked" into
the crisis. The EU had not realised the depth of Russian hostility to its plans
for closer relations with Ukraine, it said. It comes as European Council
president Donald Tusk called PM David Cameron to discuss how the EU should
respond to the ongoing violence in east Ukraine. The report also follows
comments from Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, who has warned that Russian
President Vladimir Putin poses a "real and present danger" to three Baltic
states. On Wednesday, RAF jets were scrambled to escort two Russian military
aircraft that were seen off the Cornwall coast. Ill-equipped The Lords
committee's report said Britain had not been "active or visible enough" in
dealing with the situation in Ukraine. It blamed cuts in the Foreign Office,
which it said meant it had fewer Russian experts and put less emphasis on
analysis. A similar decline in EU foreign ministries had left them ill-equipped
to formulate an "authoritative response" to the situation in Ukraine, it said.
The report claimed that for too long the EU's relationship with Moscow had been
based on the "optimistic premise" that Russia was on a trajectory to becoming a
democratic country. The result, it said, was a failure to appreciate the depth
of Russian hostility when the EU opened talks aimed at establishing an
"association agreement" with Ukraine in 2013. 'Unjustifiable and illegal'
Committee chairman Lord Tugendhat said: "The lack of robust analytical capacity,
in both the UK and the EU, effectively led to a catastrophic misreading of the
mood in the run-up to the crisis." The UK had a particular responsibility to
Ukraine because it was one of four signatories to the 1994 Budapest Memorandum
which pledged to respect Ukraine's territorial integrity, the committee said.
Neither Britain nor the EU had a strategic response on how to handle Russia for
the long term, it added. A Foreign Office spokeswoman said no-one could have
predicted the scale of the "unjustifiable and illegal" Russian intervention in
eastern Ukraine. "The blame lies squarely with the pro-Russian separatists,
backed by the Russian authorities, not with an Association Agreement between the
EU and Ukraine which had been under negotiation for more than seven years before
Russia decided to illegally invade and then annex part of its neighbour," she
said. "If the Ukrainian people want a closer social, economic and political
relationship with the EU, that is for the people of Ukraine to decide, not
Russia." 'Deep concern' In response to the call from European Council president
Mr Tusk to discuss the EU's response, a Number 10 statement said: "Mr Tusk said
that the EU will be scrutinising the situation on the ground very closely in the
coming days and both leaders agreed that European member states would need to
review the EU's response accordingly." It said both men expressed "deep concern"
that Russian-backed separatists have continued to attack Debaltseve, despite the
ceasefire agreement that came into effect on Sunday. "They agreed that the EU
should make clear to Russia that the pro-Russian rebels must abide by the
ceasefire," it went on. The European Council is made up of the heads of state or
government of the 28 EU member states and it sets the EU's overall political
direction and priorities. The US has also said it is "deeply troubled" by
reports of continued fighting in eastern Ukraine. Shelling was reported from
several areas on Thursday, including around the rebel-held city of Donetsk. The
US says it is "deeply troubled" by reports of fighting in eastern Ukraine
despite the ceasefire agreement that came into effect on Sunday. A White House
spokesman called on all sides to abide by the commitments of the deal. Shelling
was reported from several areas on Thursday, including around Russian opposition
leader Alexei Navalny has been sentenced to 15 days in prison for handing out
leaflets to publicise a forthcoming demonstration. His imprisonment bars him
from taking part in the planned rally on 1 March. Navalny was given a suspended
sentence for defrauding two firms in December. He says the legal cases against
him are motivated by his opposition to President Vladimir Putin. Navalny left
the courthouse on Thursday in a police car and wearing handcuffs. He urged his
followers to attend the rally against President Putin's policies. The law he
breached is one that restricts demonstrations. Street protests "To ease the
economic and political crisis we have to pressure the authorities. Let's go to
the anti-crisis rally," he said in a video posted on his Twitter account.
Correspondents say that although he has little chance of posing a serious
challenge to Mr Putin, he had pledged to lead 100,000 demonstrators in the
march, which he says is against Kremlin policies that are leading Russia into a
severe economic crisis. Mr Navalny led Moscow street protests against President
Putin between 2011 and 2012. Last year he and his brother Oleg were accused of
stealing 30m roubles (2,000;£300,000) from two companies. Oleg was given a
three-and-a-half-year jail sentence, while Navalny was given a suspended
sentence that prosecutors say they will appeal against. Critics of the Kremlin
and the US say that his case is an attempt to stifle political dissent. Since he
was sentenced, Navalny has taken an increasingly defiant stance, cutting off his
house arrest tag in January. Alexei Navalny and his brother Oleg were both found
guilty in December Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has accused Russia of
direct involvement in the sniper fire which killed dozens of protesters in
central Kiev a year ago. He was speaking as the capital marked the first
anniversary of the clashes between protesters and police which toppled
ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. A top Kremlin aide, Vladislav Surkov, had
organised snipers, he alleged. The Russian government hit back at the claim,
calling it "nonsense". More than 100 people died in the violence on Kiev's
central Independence Square, known as the Maidan, a year ago. The
anti-Yanukovych revolt was called the "EuroMaidan revolution", as huge crowds
demanded a pact with the EU. In a speech at the Maidan on Friday, President
Poroshenko condemned the insurgency by pro-Russian rebels in the east. Earlier
he told Maidan victims' relatives that, according to Ukrainian state security,
"the Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov led the organisation of groups
of foreign snipers on the Maidan". He was speaking just two days after his army
retreated from the key town of Debaltseve, now in rebel hands. Rebel advance The
Ukrainian government, Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that
Russia is helping the rebels with heavy weapons and soldiers. Independent
experts echo that accusation. Moscow denies it, insisting that any Russians
serving with the rebels are "volunteers". A Ukrainian military spokesman, Andriy
Lysenko, said more than 20 Russian tanks, 10 missile systems and busloads of
troops had entered Ukraine in the past 24 hours, heading for Novoazovsk, a
rebel-held town on the coast. The report has not been confirmed. The Maidan
ceremony includes poetry, a choir singing the national anthem, and a performance
of Mozart's Requiem by the National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. What happened
in the Maidan? A look back to the events of 20 February 2014, one the bloodiest
days of Ukraine's civil unrest Mr Yanukovych - a political ally of Moscow - fled
into exile in late February 2014, but soon resurfaced in the southern Russian
city of Rostov-on-Don. He said he had been ousted in an "illegal coup" and
lambasted the "fascists" who had taken power in Kiev. For weeks in the bitterly
cold winter of 2013-2014 the Maidan was a vast campsite populated by the
EuroMaidan protesters, who kept police at bay with barricades and burning tyres.
Most of those killed in the Maidan clashes were shot by snipers, and some
uniformed police were filmed firing at protesters. Ukrainians will remember 20
February for many years to come. It became the tipping point for the
anti-government protest that had gained momentum all winter. What started as a
peaceful rally against President Yanukovych's decision to steer Ukraine off its
pro-European path morphed into a fight against the corrupt government. It ended
in a violent stand-off between riot police and protesters. Mr Yanukovych's rule
came to an abrupt end, but the price was high - more than 100 people killed in
the clashes. They are now remembered as the "Heavenly Hundred". Many of them
died on 20 February, the last and most dramatic day of the protests. A year on,
people are coming to the Maidan again to honour those who gave their lives
fighting for a better Ukraine. The untold story of the Maidan massacre Mr
Poroshenko said on Friday that phone records obtained by Ukrainian state
security showed a direct Russian state role in the Maidan shootings. Those
records, he said, revealed "conversations between Yanukovych and Russian state
security officials. "They prepared for the shooting together, in advance."
Russia's foreign ministry spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said Mr Poroshenko had
been duped by his security aides. "Ukraine's investigative and security services
have things to be getting on with. But at the moment, instead of carrying out
investigations, they're exploiting people's deaths and putting out nonsense
worthy only of a mental hospital," he said. Battlefield A ceasefire for war-torn
eastern Ukraine, signed in Minsk on 12 February, looks fragile as shelling
continues in some areas. An intense rebel bombardment forced some 2,500
government troops to retreat from Debaltseve on Wednesday, and dozens of others
surrendered. The village of Chernukhino, near Debaltseve, is now in rebel hands
too, the Kiev-appointed governor of Luhansk region, Gennadiy Moskal, said on The
streets of Debaltseve were mostly quiet and mostly deserted as we entered the
city for the first time since intense fighting ended. Those civilians still
holed up in the city, who have been without water, gas and electricity since
early January, were slowly emerging from shelters to see what was left of their
homes. But there were more rebels than civilians, with convoys of victorious
separatists returning from the recent clashes. Evidence of the fighting was
littered across the roads and we spotted the bodies of two Ukrainian solders
that had been lying in the cold for three days. Ukraine crisis: Debaltseve 'in
total shock' 20 February 2015 Last updated at 19:47 GMT The Ukrainian capital,
Kiev, has been marking the first anniversary of the clashes between protesters
and police which toppled ex-President Viktor Yanukovych. More than 100 people
died in the violence in Maidan Square in the centre of the capital one year ago.
The killings triggered the collapse of Ukraine's pro-Russian government,
prompting Moscow to annex Crimea and sparking a separatist war in the east. One
of the towns engulfed by the ensuing violence is the strategically important
town of Debaltseve, from where Paul Adams reports. Read more Ukraine accuses
Russia over Maidan 2014 killings Feb 21 A rally has taken place in Moscow to
condemn the "coup" in neighbouring Ukraine, a year after the downfall of its
pro-Russian president. Russian state media heavily promoted the rally and march
with the slogan "We won't forget! We won't forgive!". Ukraine's protests ousted
pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych in 2014. Speaking on Russian TV, the
ex-leader condemned "lawlessness" in Ukraine, saying the situation there had
caused him "very many sleepless nights". Since Mr Yanukovych's departure, Russia
has annexed Ukraine's Crimea peninsula and is accused of backing rebels in
eastern Ukraine. A ceasefire plan agreed this month in Minsk has appeared close
to collapse since taking effect just over a week ago. The Ukrainian government,
Western leaders and Nato say there is clear evidence that Russia is helping the
rebels in eastern Ukraine with heavy weapons and soldiers. Independent experts
echo that accusation. Moscow denies it, insisting that any Russians serving with
the rebels are "volunteers". Nearly 5,700 people have died since the fighting
erupted last April and some 1.5 million people have fled their homes, according
to the UN. In developments on Saturday: The rebels announced a prisoner exchange
to take place in the Luhansk region under which between 35 and 39 Ukrainian
soldiers would be handed over in exchange for 37 people held by the Ukrainian
government An adviser to Ukrainian President Viktor Poroshenko, Yuri Biriukov,
reported on his Facebook page (in Russian) that the Ukrainian death toll in the
battle for Debaltseve was possibly 179 with 81 missing - a much higher figure
than previously announced Shelling could be heard in the city of Donetsk, the
rebels' main stronghold. 'Anti-Maidan' Groups of demonstrators gathered in
central Moscow on Saturday under patriotic Russian banners. Police estimated
that about 35,000 people in total took part. The Moscow event was styled as an
"anti-Maidan" march - a reference to Ukraine's pro-EU protests that started on
Kiev's central Independence Square, widely known as the Maidan. The BBC's Sarah
Rainsford, at the scene, says marchers included Cossacks in full uniform and
young women in anoraks emblazoned with pictures of Russian President Vladimir
Putin. Among those at the rally was Ukrainian rebel politician Oleg Tsarev, who
marched alongside the leader of Russia's Night Wolves motorcycle club, Alexander
"The Surgeon" Zaldostanov, a prominent Russian nationalist. One group of
marchers in military fatigues could be seen with a placard which read "Maidan is
an illness - we're going to cure it!" Another placard read "Maidan benefits the
enemies of Russia!" Our correspondent says many people at the march blame
America and Europe for engineering regime change in Ukraine. The anti-Yanukovych
revolt was triggered by a sudden U-turn that ditched a wide-ranging pact with
the EU in favour of closer ties with Russia. Since Mr Yanukovych fled Kiev, the
new authorities in Ukraine have issued an arrest warrant for him over the "mass
murder of peaceful citizens". President Poroshenko accused Russia on Friday of
direct involvement in the sniper fire that killed dozens of protesters in Kiev
on 18-20 February last year. Speaking at a commemorative gathering in Kiev, he
said Russian presidential aide Vladislav Surkov had organised "groups of foreign
snipers". The Russian foreign ministry hit back at the claim, calling it
"nonsense". Mr Poroshenko was speaking just two days after his army retreated
from Debaltseve, now in rebel hands. The rebels took the strategic transport hub
in spite of the ceasefire signed on 12 February, arguing the truce did not apply
to the flash-point town. US and its allies considering additional sanctions
against Russia over Ukraine, US Secretary of State John Kerry says Ukraine
crisis: Prisoner swap boosts ceasefire Ukrainian government and rebel forces
have exchanged dozens of prisoners, a week after a ceasefire came into effect in
the east of the country. A total of 139 Ukrainian soldiers were freed and 52
rebels. The exchange is the first step carried out successfully under the terms
of the 12 February Minsk agreements, brokered by France and Germany Feb 22nd Tex
from BBC news Rebels in eastern Ukraine have agreed to begin to pull back heavy
weapons from the frontline, a Russian general involved in implementing a truce
says. Gen Alexander Lentsov said the pro-Russian rebels had signed the orders to
complete the withdrawal over the next two weeks, starting from Sunday. It is not
clear whether the move will be reciprocated by Ukraine. This comes as Ukraine
and the separatists exchanged 191 prisoners, a key part of the Minsk ceasefire
deal. It was the first step carried out successfully under the terms of the 12
February agreements signed in the Belarusian capital, brokered by France and
Germany. The exchange came as US Secretary of State John Kerry said Washington
was considering "serious sanctions" against Russia following breaches of the
truce, and that a decision would be made in the coming days. the government and
rebels in eastern Ukraine have agreed to start pulling back heavy weapons from
the front line more below




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