Konoz Initiative Wins Two Platinum Awards at MUSE Creative Awards for 'Horizon'

17:28-16 March 2025 AD ـ 17 Ramadan 1446 AH

Konoz Initiative Wins Two Platinum Awards at MUSE Creative Awards for 'Horizon'

The Konoz initiative, a Saudi Ministry of Media project, has achieved a global milestone by winning two platinum awards at the international MUSE Creative Awards competition for "Horizon" in the cinematography and documentary film categories.

The win brings to 31 the total number of awards won by the initiative locally and internationally, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

"Horizon" is one of the production, artistic, and visual works of the Konoz initiative, documenting the richness and diversity of wildlife and natural resources in the Kingdom.

Produced in collaboration with the National Center for Wildlife, the film aims to raise awareness about the environmental diversity in the Kingdom, its unique geographical regions, and efforts to protect wildlife and preserve rare species.

It also introduces the world to the Kingdom's treasures by showcasing its stunning landscapes, rich in diverse plant and animal life, while promoting awareness of its natural wealth.

The international competition celebrates excellence and innovation in design, advertising, and digital media, honoring works that leave a lasting impact on audiences.

Latina Star Selena's Killer Denied Parole 30 Years After Murder

FILE - A portrait of the late singer Selena Quintanilla is seen in the crowd following a posthumous star ceremony for Quintanilla on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Friday, Nov. 3, 2017, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP, File)

Asharq Al Awsat

08:31-28 March 2025 AD ـ 29 Ramadan 1446 AH

Asharq Al Awsat

08:31-28 March 2025 AD ـ 29 Ramadan 1446 AH

Latina Star Selena's Killer Denied Parole 30 Years After Murder

A woman sentenced to life in prison for murdering a Mexican-American pop star in a Texas motel was denied parole on Thursday, almost three decades after the killing.

Yolanda Saldivar was president of Selena's fan club and had claimed she accidentally shot the singer on March 31, 1995 at a motel room in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The 23-year-old star, whose full name was Selena Quintanilla Perez, was wildly popular in the Mexican-American community of Tejano music -- an upbeat mingle of Texan and Mexican sounds -- and on the verge of breaking through to a larger mainstream audience when she was killed.

"After a thorough consideration of all available information, which included any confidential interviews conducted, it was the parole panel's determination to deny parole to Yolanda Saldivar and set her next parole review for March 2030," the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole said in a statement, according to AFP.

According to the board, the decision was based on the "brutality, violence, assaultive behavior or conscious selection of the victim's vulnerability" of the murder, which indicated Saldivar "poses a continuing threat to public safety."

The singer's family welcomed the decision.

"While nothing can bring Selena back, this decision reaffirms that justice continues to stand for the beautiful life that was taken from us," her family and widower Chris Perez said in a joint statement.

Saldivar, now 64, was a personal assistant to Selena and an employee at her boutique when she fatally shot the star in the back after meeting her at a motel.

The singer had reportedly confronted Saldivar about more than 30,000 dollars missing from her fan club and two of her boutiques.

Witnesses told police that Selena identified Saldivar as her killer before she collapsed and died.

Listed by Billboard magazine as one of the greatest Latin artists of all time, Selena won a Grammy in 1993 and received a posthumous award in 2021.

In 2017, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Konoz Initiative Wins Two Platinum Awards at MUSE Creative Awards for 'Horizon'