Latest news with #Saldana
New Indian Express
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Blue the doors off fashion
Best Dressed (International celebs) The blue carpet saw a lot of structured silhouettes, striking collars, stripes, capes, and more. 'Saldana and Kaling's looks bring out black dandyism at its best. Even though Saldana's is a very masculine cut, there's a corset element which is very feminine, and beautifully blended. I felt the same with Mindy Kaling — very structured and sharp,' says designer Raj Shroff. Sarika Pawar, founder of the designer label House of Soi, picks Zendaya's look as her favourite, saying, 'The designers took it a notch forward, especially with the limited theme compared to previous years where you could wear a lot of bounce and fluff. I loved Zendaya's hat and the tailored, all-white look.' But city-based writer, Aashna R was let down by Zendaya's looks, 'I have such high expectations for her, especially with Law Roach by her side, but this year it felt like she missed the mark.' Sounak notes that Black celebrities took it to the next level. Pointing out Janelle Monae's Thom Browne suit, he says, 'It's a crazy avant-garde take on a classic bespoke suit that is very androgynous with a constructed jacket and exaggerated shoulders to give a sense of power,' He adds, 'All the Black people at the Met Gala wore the theme with a certain pride because these are stories of their forefathers. That sense of belonging was missing from the Indian diaspora who could have drawn from India's colonial struggles and made the theme their own.'
Los Angeles Times
17-04-2025
- Los Angeles Times
A 331-year-old violin was stolen from a USC student. How police recovered the $650,000 instrument
There's at least one encore left for a $650,000 violin stolen from USC this month and thought to have been lost forever. Los Angeles Police Department detectives announced Tuesday that a Milanese 1694 Giovanni Grancino violin that had been stolen nearly two weeks earlier was recovered, and a suspect is in custody. Det. Stephanie Gutierrez, who led the investigation, said the instrument appeared unharmed, but a specialist paid for by a private party would inspect the violin to confirm its condition. 'I'm a history person, and when I heard this was from 1694, I just said, 'They can't replace this' and it needs to be found,' Gutierrez said. The Los Angeles County district attorney's office confirmed that Jonathan Saldana, 31, has been charged with felony grand theft. He was arrested April 9 and pleaded not guilty April 11. Saldana is being held in the Pitchess Detention Center North Facility in Castaic. He's due back in court April 25. A call to his public defender was not returned. Police allege that the suspect, who Gutierrez believes is homeless, followed a USC graduate student into the music department April 2. The student swiped her card for door access, which police believe allowed Saldana to slip in behind the student. 'It's a secure facility, but the door closes so slowly that anyone can walk in right behind,' Gutierrez said. 'I sat across from the door, and I could go back and forth 10 times before it closed.' USC did not respond to questions from The Times. Gutierrez said surveillance camera footage showed that the student was practicing with the 331-year-old violin on a couch. She then put the instrument down to study. During that time, Gutierrez said, Saldana allegedly saw the violin unattended and walked out with the instrument and its case. He is also accused of stealing a scooter on his way off campus around 5:30 p.m. Gutierrez said she used surveillance footage to identify a county building where Saldana received homeless services. She eventually identified him and his family's home. Though he no longer lived at the house, he stopped by frequently and dropped off laundry, according to police. Gutierrez said Saldana's step-father confirmed that he saw Saldana carrying the violin case. The violin was recovered in an encampment near West 31st Street and Main Street, not far from USC. Gutierrez said no one wanted to barter with Saldana for the instrument and that another homeless person eventually stole it. Gutierrez said she spoke with this individual, who returned the violin Thursday around 9:30 p.m. Gutierrez said the violin had been on loan from private owners in Los Angeles to a music shop in Koreatown, where it was borrowed by the student. 'I told the owners that, honestly, the violin was probably sold immediately and finding the suspect would be difficult,' Gutierrez said. 'I was shocked the violin was still in the vicinity, and I'm so happy we found it.'
Express Tribune
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Avatar 3' clips unveiled for the first time
Fire and Ash will be over three hours long. Photo: File Evil Na'vi. Giant volcanoes. Airborne boats. The first-ever footage from Avatar: Fire and Ash, the sequel to two of the highest grossing movies of all time, debuted at the CinemaCon event on Thursday. Out this December, the film "expands the beautiful world of Pandora and introduces two new clans," explained star Zoe Saldana, from the stage of the Las Vegas convention of movie theatre owners. Director James Cameron, speaking in a pre-recorded clip from New Zealand, where he is finishing the film, said the movie's heroes must "face not only the human invaders, but new adversaries, the Ash People." The stakes for Avatar: Fire and Ash could hardly be higher for the movie industry. More respected than loved by critics, the previous two Avatar films were unprecedented commercial hits. They are the top and the third-highest grossing films of all time, collectively earning well over $5 billion globally. But across the industry as a whole, box office takings have never recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and 2025 is off to an unexpectedly weak start due to flops like Disney's Snow White. Cameron said he hoped "this film can provide a shot in the arm for theatre owners, as we're still struggling after the one-two punch of the pandemic and streaming." Footage from the third Avatar film shows heroes Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Saldana) aboard giant, balloon-hoisted wooden ships, being towed through the air by huge blue stingray-like creatures. The convoy comes under attack from the Ash People – who look like Na'vi but sport bright-red head-dresses, and shoot flaming arrows. "The Wind Traders are a peaceful, nomadic, air travelling clan. And the Ash People are former Na'vi who have forsaken Eywa," the blue-skinned humanoid tribe's goddess, explained Saldana. Cameron has previously said the new film will be longer than Avatar: The Way of Water, which ran for three hours and 12 minutes. Two more Avatar films are dated for 2029 and 2031. AFP
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
First ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash' Footage Features Living Airships and Evil Na'vi
It's fitting that CinemaCon closed on Thursday with the first teaser trailer for 'Avatar: Fire and Ash,' a film that when all is said and done could be the highest grossing film of 2025. Director James Cameron appeared on screen in a recorded message to introduce the film. Zoe Saldana appeared on stage. 'This film is unlike anything audiences have ever seen,' Saldana says. In the new teaser, we meet the Wind traders and the Ash people. 'The strength of the ancestors is here,' Saldana says. A ship is out to sea as the crew works on the galley. Netiri sounds the alarm as a battle ensues. More gorgeous shots of Pandora fill the screen. The villain's name is Varang. The airships don't have a name yet but are run by a tribe called the Wind Traders. They are attacked by Varang and the Ash People, a group of pyromaniac Na'vi who have forsaken Ewya. A little over three years ago, 'Avatar: The Way of Water' grossed $2.3 billion at the global box office, standing among the top 3 highest grossing films of all time before inflation. If 'Fire and Ash' also crosses the $2 billion mark, 'Avatar' will become the first franchise to have three films that do so. The post First 'Avatar: Fire and Ash' Footage Features Living Airships and Evil Na'vi appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Erie announces latest round of Flagship grants
The City of Erie is investing more than $84,000 into small businesses to help them grow and thrive. The administration announced their 2025 Flagship Grant awardees Thursday morning. Erie tax expert offers tips of to navigate tax season The atmosphere inside Erie City Hall Thursday morning was full of excitement as small business owners gathered for a special announcement. Nineteen recipients were selected for the City of Erie's Flagship Fund Micro-grant Program out of the more than 120 that applied. Their objective with these grants is to enhance the city's reputation in multiple areas including innovation, quality of life and environmental sustainability. 'Typically we roll this out twice a year,' said Chris Groner, director of the City of Erie Office of Development Services. 'It lets small businesses know that we appreciate what they do. Almost all of the economic development programs out there are really tailored to very large businesses, large projects.' Kayla's Sweet Treats opens up shop in Urbaniak's Groner said that small businesses invest and add to the well-being of our communities and deserve to quality for economic development assistance programs like large businesses. And that's why Mayor Joe Schember and his administration created this program. Since 2018, they have continued to assist small business owners by using some of the interest that is being earned from their revolving loan fund. 'We're just really happy to be able to directly support small business in a simple straight forward way,' Groner said. Wattsburg church nearing re-opening after 2024 fire Funding awards are granted up to five thousand dollars…matching money that businesses themselves come up with. Some businesses that were selected were Lakeshore Towing Services for a specialized crane, Popluck for a new popcorn cooker, and Copy King for a backup generator. After 10 years of being downtown, El Amigo plans to use their funding to begin a renovation project including new flooring and bar upgrades. 'The building itself is old fashioned and it looks really nice but there's some things that need to be changed,' said David Saldana, owner of El Amigo. 'Thanks to the mayor this grant is going to help us reach our goal.' Saldana hopes to start construction next month to be ready by May for Cinco de Mayo at his Mexican grill. 'We are thinking and hoping to have the biggest fiesta of the year and all time for Cinco de Mayo so we're just going to get ready for that,' Saldana went on to say. In addition to Cinco de Mayo, Saldana said they cannot wait for this summer season. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
