Archive of entries posted on 17th May 2024

… Meanwhile, The Saudis Can Kill Anyone Who Gets in the Way of Their Cities

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Denver, take note:

Saudi Forces ‘Told To Kill’ To Clear Land for Eco-City
BBC | May 9 | BBC

Saudi authorities have permitted the use of lethal force to clear land for a futuristic desert city being built by dozens of Western companies, an ex-intelligence officer has told the BBC.

Col Rabih Alenezi says he was ordered to evict villagers from a tribe in the Gulf state to make way for The Line, part of the Neom eco-project.

One of them was subsequently shot and killed for protesting against eviction.

“Do you expect to use Eminent Domain, BlackGoldFinger?”

“No, Mr. Bond: I expect to use Imminent Demise!”

The Saudi government and Neom management refused to comment.

Neom, Saudi Arabia’s $500bn (£399bn) eco-region, is part of its Saudi Vision 2030 strategy which aims to diversify the kingdom’s economy away from oil.

Its flagship project, The Line, has been pitched as a car-free city, just 200m (656ft) wide and 170km (106 miles) long –

? A bowling alley with shops on both sides?

(Too bad it’s car-free, or it could make a nice drag strip.)

though only 2.4km of the project is reportedly expected to be completed by 2030.

Dozens of global companies, several of them British, are involved in Neom’s construction.

The area where Neom is being built has been described as the perfect “blank canvas” by Saudi leader Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman.

Well, with a little blood spatter around the frame, but otherwise perfectly blank.

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Straight Line of the Day: Illegal Aliens in Denver Have a List of Demands. Among Them: …

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Group of Migrants Sends List of Demands to Denver’s Mayor
KDVR | 5-7-24 | Rogelio Mares

A group of migrants staying at an encampment in Denver sent a list of demands to the mayor’s desk.

That group said if their demands are met, they will voluntarily stay in city-funded shelters and leave their encampment where families, including young children, still live in tents. The migrants have been lobbied by Denver Human Services to get off the street and into shelters — an offer that remains, according to city officials. But they are holding out and said the city has reneged on its deal with them, while the city maintains it will continue to offer services to migrants that choose shelter over encampments.

“The camp as a collective came up with a list of demands,” V Reeves, a migrant advocate, said.

That came after a petition by city officials to move people from an encampment near train tracks and under a bridge to indoor shelters funded by the city.