Mattel Inc.’s turnaround had been overshadowed this year by two big hurdles — a lack of consistent sales growth and an internal probe into its accounting practices.

The El Segundo toymaker said it has overcome both issues, sending shares soaring.

Revenue, powered by robust gains from Barbie and Hot Wheels, rose 3.1% to $1.48 billion, the company reported Tuesday, topping analysts’ estimates, which called for a small decline. That gain was the biggest since 2013.

Simultaneously, Mattel said it resolved a whistleblower allegation that derailed a $250-million bond sale earlier this year. The company will restate the last two quarters of earnings from 2017, but the changes won’t have a financial impact.

Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer, who joined the company just as the accounting issues arose, will leave Mattel after a transition period.

Click Here: Maori All Blacks Store

The company’s performance contrasted with larger rival Hasbro Inc., which last week blamed disappointing results on customers changing and canceling orders ahead of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports slated to take effect in December.

“We didn’t see any impact from tariffs in the quarter and we don’t expect any for the year,” Mattel Chief Executive Ynon Kreiz said Tuesday in an interview. “We’ve had solid, consistent execution.”

Kreiz, who took over about 18 months ago, has two prongs to his plan. The first is stabilizing the core business of making dolls and action figures. The second is better utilizing its brands by pushing further into entertainment, such as with feature-length films, streaming shows and amusement parks.

Mattel shares rose as much as 21% in late trading. The stock had advanced 5.7% this year through Tuesday’s close, trailing a 21% gain in the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

In North America, sales were little changed at $822 million, meeting the company’s expectations, Kreiz said. International revenue climbed 10%, driven by gains in Asia.

An internal company investigation determined after reviewing the letter from an anonymous whistleblower sent in August to its auditing firm that the toymaker had understated an income tax expense by $109 million in the third quarter of 2017, and overstated it by the same amount in the fourth quarter, with no impact for the full year or on subsequent periods.

The investigation also found that the errors weren’t disclosed to the company’s chief executive once they were discovered.

The investigation determined that the company had a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. Mattel pledged to fix the issue.

Another allegation from the whistleblower letter was that Mattel’s auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers, wasn’t independent. The investigation found violations of auditor independence rules but otherwise determined that the auditor was independent.

Another Los Angeles Fashion Week is in the rearview mirror. And, while the twice-yearly slate of runway shows, presentations and events clustered around the California Market Center’s market week continues to suffer from a host of logistical challenges (including, but not limited to, multiple competing organizers, far-flung venues and a calendar that ends up stretching across three weeks), the standouts from October’s recently wrapped run of fashion happenings all seemed to have one thing in common: seizing on what makes Southern California special.

For the sophomore outing of Vegan Fashion Week, which kicked off on Oct. 10 with an awards show at the Ace Hotel in downtown L.A., that meant tapping celebrity presenters Mena Suvari, Moby and singer-songwriter Kate Nash and showcasing designers that focus on animal-free fashion. The event’s creator, Paris-to-L.A. transplant Emmanuelle Rienda, said she picked the City of Angels as the place to base her event for a specific reason. “I think Los Angeles is so advanced ethically,” she told The Times. “It just passed the fur ban. We banned foie gras. We have a community that is already very vegan. … It resonates with me and this movement. … I am trying to establish L.A. [as a] new ethical fashion destination.”

L.A. Fashion Week, which forged a relationship with the Petersen Automotive Museum in August of last year, returned to that Miracle Mile location for a third season of shows Oct. 8-12. It was notable for the number of international brands in the mix, including Lower (a South Korean footwear brand), Luooif Studio (hailing from London) and a handful of Thailand-based brands (Kanapot Aunsorn and Renim Project among them). “On the fashion scene, a lot of brands look at L.A. as a great PR play, a conversation starter,” said event organizer Arthur Chipman. “The cool kids are in L.A., so it really helps all these brands coming in from Australia and all these other places.”

That doesn’t mean there weren’t tangible benefits to be had for the hometown brands on the docket, particularly Coral Castillo, whose Oct. 11 runway show was sponsored by the accounting firm Moss Adams, longtime presenter of the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award, which comes with $5,000 worth of consulting services. “The [MAFI] is given to a designer who has done something innovative with respect to fashion and design over the past year,” said the firm’s Martin Hughes in presenting the award before the runway show. “And this year’s designer certainly deserves that award with her edgy and bold yet beautifully feminine designs.”

Castillo, who was born in Mexico City and studied fashion design at the Art Institute of California, San Francisco, designs her collections in an Echo Park studio and sells them online to clients as close as SoCal and as far away as the U.K. and Greece. She’s sent previous collections down L.A.’s runways in the past and is a firm believer in the runway-show format. “It’s like magic seeing all these beautiful women in beautiful dresses,” Castillo said in a backstage preshow interview. “I don’t think we should lose that. I know you can find out all about clothes [by looking online], but there’s nothing like the experience of seeing it live. I love that.”

The designer said her most recent spring and summer 2020 collection was inspired by classical mythology. “I love how Greek people portrayed women. If you see the goddess Nike, she’s a woman and she’s beautiful and she’s the goddess of victory and strength and everything that is glorious. Think of the [Winged Victory of Samothrace] sculpture — I wanted to bring that to the runway. I want women to feel beautiful and strong and powerful and feel like they can conquer the world if they want to.”

On the runway, that took the form of flowing dresses that mixed feminine touches — fringe, tiered ruffles and floral lace — with metal embellishments including studding and grommet-like rings. (It wasn’t all dresses, though; there was a sharp-looking pantsuit accessorized with an asymmetrical fringe-trailing belt that would be the perfect ensemble for a modern-day goddess of victory.)

The next day, the scene shifted 64 miles north to a rural patch of land in Ventura County, where L.A.-based designer Heidi Merrick presented her first full runway collection (and her first menswear pieces) framed by grassy hills. “This place calms me. I become more myself when I’m here,” the designer said of the 55-acre mix of orchards, forestland and sage-filled fields outside of Ojai. “And it gives me the inspiration to go back [to L.A.] and do stuff.”

On Oct. 13, the focus was on downtown L.A., where two things of note were unspooling. One was the second (and sold-out) Unity: Equality Fashion Week gala — organized to honor and uplift the LGBTQIA2S community — which took place at the Globe Theatre and where Allison K. Joseph of August Brave received the emerging designer award. “From designers, hair and makeup artists to models, we created a platform for members of our community to shine and increase visibility,” event organizer Nik Kacy, a shoe designer and nonbinary queer activist, told The Times. “Having a safe space with inclusion and diversity is our mission, because through exposure and visibility is where understanding and acceptance comes from.”

The other big event was the first-ever fashion show from streetwear brand the Hundreds in collaboration with a collective of indigenous-owned labels called Obsidian, which took place on the front steps of City Hall as part of the city’s official Indigenous Peoples Day celebration.

On Oct. 17, Art Hearts Fashion picked up the mantle, kicking off a four-day slate of runway shows and art installations at the Majestic Downtown that marked the group’s 13th season presenting shows in the City of Angels. The occasion was noted by the office of L.A. City Councilman José Huizar, which issued a certificate of recognition — presented before the night’s first runway show — to organizer Erik Rosete for the group’s “contribution to the cultural diversity and economic contribution to the City of Los Angeles.”

That was followed by the runway show of Charbel Zoe, who hails from Lebanon and whose glitz-and-glamour gowns have been seen on the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Nicki Minaj. His runway collection served up plenty of red carpet-worthy looks, many festooned with intricate beading and embroidery. Despite the abundance of ruffles, tulle and frill, the collection had a certain armor-like vibe to it, which reminded us of Castillo’s aforementioned Victorious collection presented the previous week.

Click Here: Maori All Blacks Store

The stunner of the collection was a gown with a bodice of beaded flames and a voluminous skirt of red tulle that’s almost certainly destined for a future awards show red carpet.

Bharbi Hazarika contributed to this report.

Luxury fashion house Valentino reopened at South Coast Plaza in October with an expanded and new-look boutique now including menswear offerings. More than 1,000 square feet of the 6,400-square-foot store is dedicated to menswear, with pieces such as Valentino-emblazoned tees, slate-gray trench coats and suits.

The Costa Mesa boutique is the latest in a new global store concept developed by Valentino Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli together with David Chipperfield Architects. Luxe decor elements inside the store include green velvet panels and Venetian terrazzo oak.

The new boutique will serve as a showcase of sorts for the brand’s newly launched VSling handbag; the store features a VSling Stop, a play on a bus stop, referencing the latest ad campaign featuring the bag and model Kendall Jenner. The campaign was shot on a Los Angeles bus by famed Dutch photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The VSling is inspired by the geometric silhouettes of the 1970s; calfskin leather in colors such as raspberry and emerald green carry a prominent V logo and a gilt chain on one side. The bag retails for $2,575.

Valentino, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, valentino.com

By:Fashionaholic

At By:Fashionaholic, customers can pick up the same dresses worn by the Hadid or Kardashian sisters, dazzle for a night out and return them a week later.

The luxury vintage rental service opened a permanent Los Angeles space in September, adding to its original space in Chicago. Owner Janet Mandell rented a 2,800-square-foot Hollywood Hills West house as a glamorous and intimate showroom offering personal stylist appointments and a large range of fashion and accessories from brands such as Versace, Hermès, Gucci and Valentino. Most of the items are from the 1980s and 1990s.

“I’m able to curate the collection exactly how I want,” said Mandell, who buys pieces outright, unlike consignment boutiques. “We have an assortment of cocktail dresses and gowns but also suits, resort, coats and accessories.” She said standouts from her collection include the safety-pin dress — as it is known — designed by Gianni Versace and worn by British actress Elizabeth Hurley in 1994, and a pink mirrored dress worn by Kourtney Kardashian. Mandell also has a range of Hermès bags — from Kellys to Birkins. Rentals are for seven days and include dry cleaning. Evening gowns start at $300; the safety pin dress is $1,500; and a rental Birkin is $600. Clothing sizes are from 0 to 8, and entry is by appointment. Also, there will be an open house (8638 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles) with cocktails and a chance to check out pieces from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14.

By:Fashionaholic, janetmandell.com

Madewell

New York-based fashion brand Madewell chose its Santa Monica store as one of a handful in the country to carry its year-old men’s offering. In October, the boutique was reconfigured to hold Madewell’s signature denims and other casual pieces. The brand has a stand-alone men’s store in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We’re so excited to bring our laid-back men’s offerings to our Santa Monica community as one of our first men’s shop-in-shops in the country,” said Joyce Lee, Madewell’s head of design.

New arrivals for fall include twill shirts in a large checked pattern in autumnal shades of rust and saffron as well as everyday crewneck tees and cashmere sweaters.

Denim is about $110 and up, while puffer jackets are $148 and short-sleeve T-shirts are about $30.

Madewell, 1349 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, madewell.com

Kitsch X Justine

While working at the international runway shows earlier this year, L.A. celebrity hairdresser Justine Marjan noticed that hair accessories were everywhere. “It looked like 70% of the models had something in their hair, including the high-end designers,” she said.

Some of those trends she noticed — think sleek headbands and bejeweled clips — are now in the newly launched Kitsch X Justine collection, launched in October, as part of a collaboration between Marjan and the L.A.-based hair accessory company.

“Justine had been authentically using our products anyway and tagging us on Instagram, and we thought, ‘Who is this person?’” said Cassandra Thurswell, owner of Kitsch, which is now sold in 20,000 stores in 27 countries. “It was a cold call.”

The 24 pieces in the line, which is priced from $12 to $49, include faux leather, blush-colored knotted hairbands with gilt chains, patent black scrunchies and hefty rhinestone bobby pins. Clips spell out words such as “boss” and “vibes.” At this year’s Met Gala, model Ashley Graham wore Kitsch hair bling.

“Knotted headbands are a standout this season,” Marjan said. “They can be worn day in, day out. We wanted to make them wearable but feel glamorous.”

Kitsch X Justine, mykitsch.com

Roven

One thing you’ll notice about Roven, a multibrand beauty boutique that opened in Venice in October, is that it’s laid out differently from traditional beauty stores. Instead of aisles stacked with products by brand, Roven co-founder Nicole Farb arranged options by morning routine. Therefore, the space starts with cleansers and cleansing oils near the entrance before moving on to toners and moisturizers. Color cosmetics and fragrances are toward the rear of the shop.

“It’s an easy and accessible way to shop clean beauty,” said Farb during the opening party, which was attended by Julianne Hough, an investor in the brand.

There are some 30 brands carried by Roven in-store. (It also launched digitally on the same day.) Brands include Pai, Abel, Burt’s Bees, Lip Whip and Josh Rosebrook. The 1,500-square-foot space is the latest venture from San Francisco-based Grove Collaborative, a natural home products and personal care e-tailer, which reached a $1-billion valuation in September. The store is outfitted in soothing nature-inspired shades of sky blue and sunset. According to Farb, top sellers so far have included the Ere Perez Avocado Waterproof Mascara and Osea Atmosphere Protection Cream. Prices for items range from $12 to $150.

Roven, 1132 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, grove.co/roven

Cariuma

Cariuma, the Rio de Janeiro-based casual shoe brand that counts Los Angeles as its single largest market, in late October launched its latest piece. It’s called the IBI and it’s a shoe made from a blend of natural and recycled fabrics, originating from bamboo and sugar cane.

“We started planning this shoe 14 months ago,” said Fernando Porto, Cariuma co-founder. “We wanted to use bamboo. It’s a super material that has strength and flexibility but is also lightweight. And it’s a fast-growing plant.”

Porto said the new IBI style is in keeping with the brand’s ethos of creating sneakers that are designed to last “and in an aesthetic that will still be pleasant for your eyes in a decade. We also wanted to minimize waste and make sure we would get to the most sustainable product we could create.”

The IBI style comes in eight colors, ranging from neutrals (sand and stone gray) to bold (raw red and sun yellow), and is available in men’s and women’s sizes. Porto said Cariuma shoe launches usually generate thousands of preorders, the majority of which come from L.A.

“California is like Rio with the culture of surf and skate,” Porto said. “The bamboo makes these very breathable, absorbing the temperature.”

Cariuma IBI, cariuma.com

Asystem

In figuring out their next move, Oli Walsh, who previously had a creative-agency business with clients such as men’s e-retailer Mr. Porter, and Josh LeVine, co-founder of fashion brand Frame, realized that there was a white space in the men’s grooming and wellness market.

“It seemed to be showing an antiquated viewpoint of masculinity,” said Walsh. “It didn’t speak to us.”

Therefore, the friends and business partners co-founded Asystem, a skincare and supplements subscription brand predicated on clean ingredients. “The skin care is fragrance-free and with essential oils and other natural ingredients,” LeVine said. “They are formulated according to European standards, which are high.”

The three skin-care products in the Asystem line, which launched in September, include the Twice Daily Invigorating Cleanser, containing bamboo stem cells and bergamot, and the Overnight Rebuilding Cream, which has as a key ingredient the Indian anti-aging herb swertia chirata.

The supplement packets include five capsules, such as a multivitamin and others to boost brain function (omega-3 fatty acids) and overall rebuilding (ashwagandha). In September, Walsh and LeVine opened a 4,200-square-foot space in Venice, where they have events focused on mind and body topics, including guided meditations and workout classes. (Subscribers and customers of the brand are invited to the events.) In October, for example, there was a guided visualization with hypnotherapist Camilla Sacre-Dallerup in partnership with meditation studio Unplug.

“For us, these are the ways to build a community that men would want to be a part of,” LeVine said.

A 30-day supply of the skin-care products as well as supplements is $99. The items also can be ordered separately.

Asystem, asystem.com

Natureofthings

The ritual of bathing and an infusion of CBD (short for cannabidiol) is at the heart of Natureofthings, a luxe Newport Beach-based brand that launched in October.

JP Collett, co-founder of the brand, said he wanted the products to center around three things: plants, water and minerals. The initial rollout, which will be available at Mohawk General Store locations in L.A., comprises six products, including the brand’s Restorative Floral Bath, a concoction of shea butter, green-tea oil and extracts of malachite and quartz; and Nourishing Body Cream (botanical oils, black pepper, a hint of the scent of jasmine).

Natureofthings also makes digestible powders that can be taken daily: Lucidity, with 15 milligrams of CBD — it’s a compound found in cannabis plants — mixed with energizing ingredients such as bacopa and lion’s mane mushroom for daytime; and Soothing, with 30 milligrams of CBD combined with turmeric and black pepper for relaxation and sleep. Collett said the objective of the brand is to offer CBD as “a medicinal and highly effective part of your routine, whether it’s skin care, a dietary supplement or a mix of both.”

Prices range from $50 for a packet of 12 sachets of digestible powder to $150 for the Restorative Floral Bath (enough for five pours).

Natureofthings, natureofthings.com

LONDON — 

British lawmakers on Tuesday endorsed a rare December general election, with politicians on both sides of the Brexit divide supporting balloting that they hope will at last break the impasse on when, how and whether to leave the European Union.

The daylong haggling over the exact election date came just two days before Britain was set to miss yet another scheduled date for departing the EU. Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who had earlier declared he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than seek an extension of Thursday’s deadline — accepted the bloc’s offer of a postponement of up to three months, the third such delay.

Well into the evening, the House of Commons overwhelmingly endorsed a Dec. 12 date for the vote. Following expected approval by the House of Lords, Parliament will be dissolved next week and the country will head into a five-week election campaign.

Lawmakers on Monday had rebuffed a call from Johnson to hold early elections, but the opposition Labor Party on Tuesday reversed itself and signaled support for December balloting after the prime minister agreed to drop — for now — the EU-withdrawal plan he had unsuccessfully tried to fast-track through Parliament in time to meet this week’s deadline.

Elections weren’t scheduled to take place until 2022. But the June 2016 referendum to leave the EU has produced more than three years of political infighting that has toppled two prime ministers, polarized families and communities and been a continuing irritant for the EU, which has signaled increasing impatience with repeated delays.

In setting the stage for a Brexit-dominated confrontation at the ballot box, both sides face a major gamble. Johnson, who took office in July, risks punishment at the hands of voters who embraced his promise that he would deliver an Oct. 31 Brexit — “do or die,” and “no ifs or buts.”

But those who support remaining in the EU — or at least want to head off a chaotic no-deal departure from the bloc — face an uphill fight too. Johnson will probably benefit from a divided opposition, with proponents of staying in the bloc split among several parties.

In his short tenure as prime minister, Johnson has suffered serial Brexit-related rebuffs from lawmakers, but he may be able to turn that to his advantage — by blaming Parliament for thwarting his plans.

As he has previously, the prime minister on Tuesday excoriated lawmakers for boxing him in with an earlier measure to prevent Britain from “crashing out” of the EU without a withdrawal agreement, a scenario that would probably cause enormous economic upheaval and possibly tip the country into a recession. Until that law was passed, and even after, he threatened that Thursday’s departure would proceed, deal or no deal.

“They just want to stay out forever, till the twelfth of never — and when the twelfth of never comes around, they will devise one of their complicated parliamentary procedures for more delay,” he told Parliament members during a sometimes-raucous debate, waving his arms for emphasis.

The head of the opposition Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn, in turn decried Johnson’s “reckless and destructive” government and taunted the prime minister for running after “sweetheart trade deals with Donald Trump.”

The U.S. president has been an enthusiastic Brexit booster, suggesting that Britain’s rupture with its biggest trading partner, the EU, will be offset by closer trade ties with the United States. Critics like Corbyn, though, say that Britain would be at a considerable disadvantage in such trade negotiations, particularly under Trump.

Public polling puts Johnson’s Conservatives in the lead heading into a new vote, but analysts warn that public opinion is particularly volatile and that an election result is difficult to forecast. A close contest could result in no clear path forward.

Another wild card: Johnson could find himself outflanked on the right by the insurgent Brexit Party, which romped to a strong showing in May’s European Parliament election. That could drain off some of the Brexit support from the prime minister’s Conservatives.

The push for a December vote illustrated the immense degree of frustration felt by both sides as the Brexit battle has dragged on. Not since 1923 has Britain held a general election in the last month of the year, when there are worries that gloom, cold and early darkness, particularly in the north of the country, could suppress voter turnout.

And even a multicultural modern Britain takes its year-end holidays very seriously, with weeks of shopping and holiday parties. Often, not much else gets done in the run-up to Christmas.

The precise dates under consideration, though only days apart, were also sensitive because college students — a key constituency, since their futures stand to be greatly affected by Brexit — would be heading home for a holiday break. Many are registered to vote where they attend school rather than in their hometowns. The opposition sought Dec. 9 balloting, when more students would still be at university, but the government’s proposed date of Dec. 12 won out.

CANBERRA, Australia — 

Conservationists fear hundreds of koalas have perished in wildfires that have razed prime habitat on Australia’s east coast.

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital President Sue Ashton said she hoped wildlife carers would be allowed to begin their search of the fire zone for survivors on Thursday. The fire was started by a lightning strike on Friday in a forest in New South Wales state, 190 miles north of Sydney, and has since burned 4,900 acres.

Two-thirds of that area was koala habitat, Ashton said.

“If we look at a 50% survival rate, that’s around about 350 koalas and that’s absolutely devastating,” Ashton said of the death toll.

“We’re hoping it’s not as bad as that, but because of the intensity of the fire and the way koalas behave during fire, we’re not holding out too much hope,” she added.

Koalas climb high into trees during wildfires and survive if the fire front passes quickly below them.

The koala colony was genetically diverse, Ashton said. Koalas prefer coastal forests, which are being cleared for suburban expansion. Increasingly isolated koala colonies have become inbred and diseased.

Australia’s wildfire season has made a particularly early and devastating start in the southern hemisphere spring due to above-average temperatures and below-average rainfall that has left much of the east coast in drought.

Click Here: All Blacks Rugby Jersey

MOSCOW — 

Following the cast of characters in the impeachment inquiry of President Trump is daunting, particularly when trying to figure out who’s who on the Ukrainian side. To help make things easier, here’s a snapshot guide to the main players.

Click Here: All Blacks Rugby Jersey

Volodymyr Zelensky — President of Ukraine. Zelensky won a landslide presidential election in April with 73% of the vote, defeating incumbent Petro Poroshenko. A political novice, Zelensky is a former comedian. He starred in “Servant of the People,” a popular television show in which he played a schoolteacher who unexpectedly becomes president. He had been in office just two months when he received the now infamous July 25 phone call from Trump that is at the center of the impeachment inquiry.

Andriy Yermak — Top advisor to Zelensky. Yermak met with Trump’s private lawyer, Rudolph W. Giuliani, on several occasions after Zelensky’s election in late April. Yermak said that during the meetings, he became concerned that the Trump administration’s perceptions of Ukraine were not favorable or accurate. Yermak’s text exchanges with Kurt Volker, the former U.S. special envoy to Ukraine; Gordon Sondland, U.S. ambassador to the European Union; and acting U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine William Taylor, in which the advisor tried to arrange a meeting between Zelensky and Trump, were released as part of the impeachment inquiry.

Yuri Lutsenko — Ukrainian prosecutor general from May 2016 to August 2019. Lutsenko fed information to Giuliani in early 2019 that helped fuel Trump’s conspiracy theories that former Vice President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden was involved in nefarious dealings with a Ukrainian gas company, as well as the idea that Ukraine had colluded with Democrats in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Lutsenko’s animosity toward former U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch was also shared with Giuliani and appeared to stem from her criticism of his office’s lack of progress fighting corruption. His comments about Yovanovitch may have contributed to Trump’s decision to recall the diplomat. In the July 25 call, Trump appeared to praise Lutsenko, saying he was “very good” but was “shut down” by “bad people.” A close ally of former President Petro Poroshenko, Lutsenko was fired by Zelensky shortly after the newly elected president took office. In early October, Ukraine opened an investigation into Lutsenko’s possible abuse of power.

Viktor Shokin — Ukrainian prosecutor general from February 2015 to March 2016. Shokin was seen as lax in the pursuit of corruption cases, leading to Biden’s push for his removal in 2016. That call was backed by other international donors to Ukraine. Shokin filed an affidavit with an Austrian court in defense of oligarch Dmytri Firtash, who is fighting extradition to the U.S. to face bribery charges. In the affidavit, Shokin wrote that Biden had warned the Ukrainian government to keep Firtash out of Ukraine so the tycoon wouldn’t further influence the country’s politics. The affidavit also stated that Poroshenko dismissed Shokin because he was investigating the Ukrainian gas company where Hunter Biden was a member of the board of directors. However, there is no evidence that Ukraine was investigating either of the Bidens at the time of Shokin’s dismissal.

Dmytri Firtash — A Ukrainian oligarch fighting U.S. extradition charges in Vienna. A U.S. District Court indicted Firtash in 2013 on bribery and racketeering charges stemming from allegations that he paid bribes to Indian officials in a titanium deal. Firtash made his fortune selling Russian and Central Asian gas to Ukraine. His business interests include titanium, metals, chemicals and media. He financially backed pro-Russia political parties in Ukraine, had business ties with former Trump campaign Chairman Paul Manafort and claims that the U.S. charges against him are politically motivated.

Lev Parnas — A Ukrainian-born American businessman who worked as a fixer for Giuliani in the pursuit of a disinformation campaign that included the idea that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Parnas is one of two Giuliani associates arrested this month on charges stemming from alleged efforts to funnel foreign money into U.S. elections. Parnas acted as a translator for Firtash’s team of American lawyers.

Igor Fruman — Born in Soviet Belarus, Fruman is a Florida-based businessman who was arrested along with Parnas on charges he invested foreign money in U.S. political campaigns. He is an associate of Giuliani and worked with Parnas to try to broker deals that included a proposal to bring American government officials to Zelensky’s inauguration for $250,000.

Ihor Kolomoisky — Ukrainian billionaire who made his fortune in banking, metals, oil and mass media. Kolomoisky’s television channel aired the popular sitcom starring Zelensky before he entered politics early last year. Kolomoisky’s close business ties to Zelensky have raised alarms for some Western governments, who fear the new president’s independence may be compromised by the oligarch. So far, there is no evidence that is true. Kolomoisky said in an interview with the Ukrainian Truth news website in May that Giuliani was trying to push a conspiracy against Joe Biden that would embroil Ukraine in a U.S. political scandal. Kolomoisky’s comments came after he said Giuliani’s associates, Parnas and Fruman, “demanded” he set up a meeting between Giuliani and Zelensky. Kolomoisky said he threw the men out of his office.

Andriy Bohdan — Zelensky’s chief of staff. Bohdan has close ties to Kolomoisky, for whom he was a personal lawyer.

Mykola Zlochevsky — Ukrainian businessman and former government minister behind the Ukrainian gas company Burisma. Hunter Biden served on Burisma’s board of directors, which has been at the heart of Trump’s allegation of corruption. Zlochevsky and Burisma have both been the subjects of various corruption investigations, but no formal charges have been brought. There is no evidence that any investigations into Hunter Biden’s affiliation with Burisma or Zlochevsky have been opened in Ukraine.

Sergei Leschchenko — Former lawmaker and investigative journalist. In 2016, Leshchenko revealed the existence of payments made to Manafort by a pro-Russia political party in Ukraine. Manafort was later convicted of charges related to money laundering in part because of the work he did in Ukraine. Giuliani accused Leshchenko of trying to undermine Trump by colluding with the Democrats in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, calling the young lawmaker an “enemy of the president of the United States.” Leshchenko was in consideration for a top position in the Ukrainian president’s new administration at the time but subsequently dropped his application to avoid jeopardizing relations with the White House.

Here are the stories you shouldn’t miss today:

TOP STORIES

California’s Dangerous Winds

After enduring weeks of destructive fires, widespread blackouts and extreme weather conditions, California is facing another test today: powerful winds that forecasters are describing as historic and potentially disastrous.

In Southern California, Santa Ana winds of 50 to 70 mph, with isolated gusts of 80 mph, could ground helicopters that have been essential in fighting the Getty fire, which was started by a tree branch that fell on power lines (see the video). An “extreme red flag” warning has prompted urgent preparations for more potential fires and evacuations.

In Northern California, the winds could hit 65 mph, hindering efforts to contain the 76,000-acre Kincade fire, which has destroyed 189 structures, including 86 homes, and forced nearly 200,000 people to flee. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. said it could shut off power to well over 1 million people in its latest bid to reduce wildfire risk.

A Brief Wildfire Preparation Guide

— Get your household ready for a wildfire in your area.

— Kids and smoke exposure: First off, don’t buy masks.

— How to prepare pets and large animals.

— Ways you can keep the lights on when the power goes out.

Fresh Ammunition

Click Here: NRL Telstra Premiership

Lt. Col. Alexander S. Vindman, a decorated Army officer and the top Ukraine expert at the National Security Council, has told a House panel that he was so alarmed by White House efforts to press Ukraine to investigate President Trump’s political foes that he repeatedly complained to a superior. The testimony, which took place behind closed doors, gives fresh ammunition to Democrats, who introduced a resolution that could be approved Thursday to formalize procedures for their impeachment inquiry and quiet GOP complaints about the process.

In a Giving Mood

Californians don’t have a U.S. Senate race on the ballot in 2020. No matter. They have donated more than $13.2 million this year to senators or their challengers across the country, according to federal fundraising disclosures tracking donations of $200 or more. And it’s not all going to Democrats. Some candidates, such as Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Doug Jones (D-Ala.), have raised more money here than in their home states.

A Blot on D.C.’s Landscape

Spare us the political jokes for a moment. Mysterious black splotches are creeping over the gleaming Jefferson Memorial, a hallowed shrine at Arlington National Cemetery and other historic monuments and buildings in Washington. What’s causing the unsightly mix of bacteria, fungi and algae known as “biofilm”? As our latest Column One shows, theories abound.

The Battle of 187

The year was 1994. The issue: Proposition 187, an initiative that sought to punish undocumented immigrants by denying them certain services, including access to public healthcare and education, in California. The measure sparked massive protests. Yet it won easily at the ballot box. But the true battle of Prop. 187 was just beginning, and eventually it would transform the state. A new three-part podcast hosted by reporter Gustavo Arellano, “This Is California: The Battle of 187,” explores the history.

Your support helps us deliver the news that matters most. Subscribe to the Los Angeles Times.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

On this date in 1949, the Rev. Billy Graham preached to thousands of faithful in an enormous tent at Washington Boulevard and Hill Street in Los Angeles — part of a more than eight-week tent revival that drew 350,000 and catapulted the young Southern Baptist preacher to religious stardom.

He quoted the Bible, discussed his tours of Europe after World War II and invoked the Cold War: “All across Europe, people know that time is running out,” he said. “Now that Russia has the atomic bomb, the world is in an armament race driving us to destruction.” This photo appeared in the Nov. 14, 1949, edition of The Times.

CALIFORNIA

— Long Beach authorities say three people were killed and nine were hurt Tuesday night during a mass shooting at a home.

— Southern California Edison says its electrical equipment will probably be found to be “associated” with 2018’s deadly Woolsey fire, which burned more than 1,000 homes in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

— Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. Jackie Lacey told a political club that errors committed by sheriff’s department deputies and a coroner’s office investigator may have played a significant role in the decision not to criminally charge Ed Buck in the death of a man who overdosed in his West Hollywood apartment in 2017.

— Several groups are demanding the University of California drop the SAT and ACT as admission requirements, saying the tests violate state civil rights laws by discriminating against disabled, low-income and underrepresented minority students.

— George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide who was a key figure in the FBI’s Russia probe and spent 14 days in prison, is running for the U.S. House seat left vacant by resigning Rep. Katie Hill.

— On Day 1 of the new system for taxi and ride-hail pickups at LAX, there was plenty of confusion — but also plenty of quiet on the once-chaotic sidewalks next to the terminal.

HOLLYWOOD AND THE ARTS

— With the long-awaited HBO Max, WarnerMedia is betting consumers will pay more for streaming — to the tune of $14.99 a month, making the service the most expensive gladiator in the streaming wars. Here’s everything you need to know about it.

— Martin Scorsese’s latest gangster movie “The Irishman” is a revelation that recalls another director’s late-career classic, critic Kenneth Turan writes.

— “Parasite” deserves to win all the Oscars, but it might not win any, columnist Glenn Whipp writes.

— It’s the season for Santa Anas, and cultural crankiness, columnist Mary McNamara writes.

— Kevin Spacey won’t face criminal charges in a sexual assault case involving a massage therapist who died unexpectedly last month.

NATION-WORLD

— The House overwhelmingly approved a resolution reaffirming its recognition of the Armenian genocide.

— For transgender migrants fleeing death threats, asylum in the U.S. is a crapshoot.

— Peru is confronting its dark past of forced sterilizations.

— The prime minister of Lebanon is resigning under pressure from paralyzing protests over corruption and taxes.

— In her quest for fair treatment by the British media, Meghan Markle has 72 female members of Parliament on her side.

BUSINESS

— Uber, Lyft and DoorDash have launched a $90-million fight against a new labor law, in an effort to exclude workers from being deemed employees.

— Tesla had a surprise third-quarter profit that came despite a nearly 40% revenue drop in its largest market.

— Senators grilled the CEO of Boeing about two 737 Max crashes and whether it hid information about a critical flight system from regulators.

SPORTS

— The NCAA is working on a plan to let athletes benefit from the use of their name, image and likeness. But will it meet California’s new standards?

— In the World Series, the Washington Nationals have forced a Game 7 against the Houston Astros after a huge disputed call.

— Kobe Bryant says Dwight Howard will “make a hell of an impact” with the Lakers.

— In a disappointing season for the Chargers, Joey Bosa’s been a highlight.

OPINION

— Republican lawmakers asked for a floor vote on impeachment. Now they’re getting one and are still upset. History may not look upon them well.

— House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has become the anti-Trump: disciplined and implacable.

WHAT OUR EDITORS ARE READING

— How Scientology took over a Florida city. (Tampa Bay Times)

— Apps that purport to interpret the results of direct-to-consumer genetic testing are provoking fears of “the Wild West of genetics.” (Nature)

ONLY IN L.A.

Attention, bargain shoppers. A house in Holmby Hills has just gotten a huge price cut. Now, it was created by architect-to-the-stars Paul Williams. And it did belong to Max Azria, the late fashion mogul, and before him, Sidney Sheldon, an Oscar-winning producer-writer whose novels have sold over 300 million copies. But the 30,000-square-foot, 60-room mansion known as Maison du Soleil has resurfaced for sale at $78 million, down $10 million from its previous asking price. You can get a look for free here.

If you like this newsletter, please share it with friends. Comments or ideas? Email us at [email protected].

As a top supermodel-turned-beauty-entrepreneur, it’s safe to assume Rosie Huntington-Whiteley has good taste – if her incredible wardrobe is any indication, that is. 

And while matchy-matchy pantsuits and oversized blazers might be one thing, it seems the model’s good taste extends to her interiors. Listing their Malibu house this month, Huntington-Whiteley and her actor-husband Jason Statham let us look inside their Californian beach house — and it doesn’t disappoint. 

Listed for $29 million, this four bedroom and bathroom family home has serious style credit. Spanning over 3,900 square feet, the home — dubbed ‘Black House’ thanks to its all-black facade — is something of a looker (much like its owners). Featuring blonde timber floors, plenty of expansive windows and neutral finishings, it is refined, understated and beachy. 

Located in an exclusive, star-studded section of Malibu nicknamed ‘The Colony’ (after Colony Road), whoever buys the home will have neighbours including Tom Hanks and Jim Carrey. 

The house looks out directly onto the beach, with a small set of stairs leading directly from the terrace on to the sand. Finished with a custom spa, the house really does have it all — no matter the weather. 

With plenty of natural tones and finishes, Huntington-Whiteley’s easygoing aesthetic is on display, with a cream and coffee colour scheme found throughout the living and bedroom areas. Dark timber accents in the kitchen and part of the sitting room make the accent spaces pop, providing depth to the otherwise-neutral space. 

The entire space has been outfitted with custom lighting and a bespoke sound system. 

The couple share one son together, Jack, and also have a house in Beverly Hills, closer to the Los Angeles city centre. For those with a spare $29 million, the listing can be found here. 

Click:小型辦公室

With the ranking of the fashion industry’s dominating brands constantly in flux, you’ll be pleased to know that the fight for the title of the one brand that out-popularises all others has come to a close.

Global fashion search platform, Lyst—who recently released their ranking of fashion’s hottest brands for the months of July to September—have analysed the search results from 2019’s third quarter of their more than nine million-strong shopper database to dictate the brands you should be adding to cart.

Unsurprisingly, Virgil Abloh’s Off-White performed exceedingly well within each and every criteria that brands are filtered through, including global Lyst and Google search data, conversion rates and sales, brand and product social media mentions and social engagement statistics worldwide.

And we could absolutely hazard a guess as to why the Milan-based brand has ranked highly. There’s no doubt Abloh is as hard a worker as they come within the industry, so much so that he’s taken a brief leave of absence from helming not only his own label, but also the menswear arm of French fashion house, Louis Vuitton.

But not before earning a highly-coveted seat on the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s (CFDA) board, launching his own signature homewares brand, Off-White “Home”, and perhaps most notably, designing Hailey Bieber’s custom lace wedding gown she wore at her recent nuptials to Justin Bieber.

Not to mention that his own brand has produced a constant stream of unique designs, with almost all of them instantly earning cult status upon their release, sneakers featuring the brand’s signature orange zip tie and garments emblazoned with graphic lettering immediately springing to mind.

One brand which has dramatically dropped out of favour, however, is Vetements. Having often appeared within Lyst’s top three brands for the past two years, it’s likely the label’s drop is related to Demna Gvasalia’s recent exit as its principal designer.

But it’s not all bad news—industry mainstays, including Gucci, Prada and Fendi, each responsible for creating covetable ready-to-wear items and accessories in their own right, have also ranked highly.

For 2019’s top ten most popular brands ranked, scroll on.

10. Vetements (previous quarter ranking, 11)

9. Saint Laurent (previous quarter ranking, 10)

8. Burberry (previous quarter ranking, 12)

7. Fendi (previous quarter ranking, 7)

6. Valentino (previous quarter ranking, 4)

Click Here: Crystal Palace Shop

5. Prada (previous quarter ranking, 5)

4. Versace (previous quarter ranking, 6)

3. Gucci (previous quarter ranking, 1)

2. Balenciaga (previous quarter ranking, 3)

1. Off-White (previous quarter ranking, 2)

Amid mixed early season reviews for Petr Cech, the defender believes the former Leverkusen man has what it takes to be a success at Arsenal

Bernd Leno has all the attributes to thrive under Unai Emery at Arsenal, according to club and country colleague Shkodran Mustafi.

Germany international Leno joined Arsenal from Bayer Leverkusen for £19 million ($25m) in June, but has been unable to displace veteran number one Petr Cech during their opening two Premier League games.

Both those matches, against champions Manchester City and Chelsea, have ended in defeat, with the 36-year-old Cech sometimes appearing ill at ease with head coach Emery’s demands that his teams build attacks from the back.

Such an approach would come more naturally to Leno, if Mustafi’s appraisal is accurate.

“I know Bernd very well because we played together since the Under-15s German team, so I have known him for a long time,” said the centre-back who, like his countryman, was overlooked for a place in Germany’s World Cup squad.

“He is a brilliant goalkeeper. He has everything a modern keeper needs: good feet, good hands and he has personality.”

Leno is one of five new arrivals at Emirates Stadium for the beginning of the post-Arsene Wenger era.

Old norms are being thrown out under Emery, with Aaron Ramsey dropped for the 3-2 loss at Chelsea, where star man Mesut Ozil was substituted during the second half.

“Competition is something that brings you to the next level, because if you have no competition and you know you are starting week in, week out, it takes a little bit of the quality [away],” added Mustafi, with Arsenal set to entertain another winless side in West Ham this weekend.

“When you know you have someone standing on your toes, you are going to try and be better and better every week.”

Click Here: cheap nrl jerseys

The Gunners will look to finally break through this Premier League season as they host West Ham on Saturday.