Latest news with #megaCity
The Sun
28-06-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Meet the ‘Neom' WAGS – glam Brit TikTok housewives of Saudis building $1tn mega city… and why it's hiding a dark secret
IN the deserts of north-western Saudi Arabia sits a gated Brit family enclave - and while wives stay home to look after their young kids, their husbands are busy building Neom - the $1 trillion mega-city. But the glamorous Brit influencers also act like they too are working for the project as they spend their days posting social media content, painting a glossy picture of life there - but it hides a dark secret. 19 A dozen now- influencers - most with young children - made the move months or even years ago as their husbands landed various jobs working for the Saudi project. The high salaries are said to be the main attraction for a new life in the desert - as well as the often free accommodation - with some senior executives offered over $1 million annually. It appears that most, if not all of the women had normal jobs before taking up social media as they moved thousands of miles away. And, by offering an insight into the project and their luxurious life there, the women have accumulated thousands of followers across Instagram and TikTok. Footage uploaded to social media shows perfect pre-schools, playgrounds, virtually zero traffic and community-building activities like coffee mornings for the housewives. Families also come together in a central food hall on the site for buffet-style eating for every meal of the day. The temporary accommodations are also equipped with luxury amenities like swimming pools, spa facilities, playgrounds and football pitches. One TikToker shared a video on how items compare price-wise in Saudi supermarkets, with a punnet of strawberries or blueberries costing up to £10. But the Brit expat insists, "considering where we are, the prices are really really good". And to help deal with such a change in environment, UK chocolates and sweets are stocked on the shelves. Humiliation for Saudi Arabia as £1trillion 110-mile long sideways skyscraper The Line will only be 1% of planned size But the rosy image posted of Neom c ouldn't be further from the underlying truth, having been built on bloodshed and slavery - with women in the country reportedly slaughtered for speaking out against the ruling regime. Neom was announced as part of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's Project 2030 in 2017 - a major push to wean the oil-rich nation's economy off its reliance on fossil fuels. The anticipated cost of delivering the gargantuan scheme is reported to have spiralled from a $500bn (£386bn) estimate to a head-spinning $8.8 trillion (£6.8 trillion), according to The New Civil Engineer. But even more shocking are the human rights abuses and brutal conditions for workers looming over Neom - issues that have plagued the country well before the project. I absolutely love the community here, and I just wouldn't change it for the world. Samantha Brit mum As many as 21,000 are reported to have died during construction on various sections of Neom, although Saudi authorities have disputed this figure. But as some international workers continue to ensure the high-tech, blood-soaked utopia is built on time, their families are residing in a gated community equipped with everything they could possibly need - including a Starbucks. Nick McGeehan from NGO FairSquare told The Sun how mumfluencers in Saudi are "very clearly a public relations strategy" - and "quite an effective one". He said: "It is trying to attract all sorts of investment into the country to sort of realise its commercial ambitions for the country, and to do that, it needs to sort of exhibit this progressive, tolerant face. 19 19 "Western women are a key part of that. Sending this message to audiences that this is a safe place, it's a good place for families, is very important to them. "And of course, the reality in Saudi Arabia is quite different to the one that's being presented, unfortunately." Life in Neom Brit mum Samantha films day-in-the-life videos showing off her new lifestyle over 4,000 miles away. This consists of school runs, gym sessions and salon appointments, which she describes as "great" and "amazing" in nearly all of her videos. Similarly, another Brit mumfluencer Samara has lived at the compound for over two years. She has dubbed her time on Neom as "incredible" and, like Samantha, shows off the amenities and what she and her family get up to day-to-day. Samara says in one video: "I can't believe I am saying this, but it has been nearly two years since I packed up my life in the UK and I got on an aeroplane with my then five-week-old baby to move to somewhere that I had never ever been before. "It was absolutely madness if you ask me but honestly it was the best decision I have ever made in my life and it still is. "I absolutely love the community here, and I just wouldn't change it for the world." 19 19 Despite previous denials from Neom that influencers aren't paid, Nick has his doubts. He said: "I would be very surprised if there wasn't a commercial dimension to this. "We've seen this in the past, and we know that Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States spend millions and millions of pounds on public relations, and they're very smart how they do it." Just two weeks ago, Saudi journalist Turki al-Jasser was executed for "high treason". He was the founder of news blog The Saudi Scene, which is said to have regularly addressed topics in the country, like its infamous lack of rights for women. Nick pointed out how the life of expat influencers in Saudi differs greatly from the women who were born and raised there. The reality is, it's still quite a brutal place for anyone who wants to speak out, and it's still not a great place for women to go because of the way that women are still second-class citizens in the country Nick McGeehanNGO FairSquare Women's rights are incredibly patchy in the country and women exercise little control over their marriage, children, education, and even healthcare. Only six years ago were Saudi women were granted the right to drive. It is also known that women are being jailed, starved and flogged in "hellish" Saudi prisons for being "disobedient" to their husbands. Documented cases show various evidence of abuse and neglect at the notorious Dar al-Re'aya jails, according to rights group ALQST. Prisoners are left malnourished and locked up in solitary confinement, the organisation claims. Several cases of suicide attempts in recent years have also been reported. 19 19 19 The name of the jails, Dar al-Re'aya, literally translates to "care homes". They have existed since the 1960s and were initially presented as a rehabilitative "shelter" for women accused or convicted of certain crimes. The infamous cells house women and girls between the ages of just seven to 30. Nick said: "We cannot believe the sort of public relations image that we're sold about the country from influencers on TikTok and other social media. "The reality is, it's still quite a brutal place for anyone who wants to speak out, and it's still not a great place for women to go because of the way that women are still second-class citizens in the country." Nick believes it is "dangerous" to perpetuate this kind of unrealistic lifestyle on social media, based on the idea "you just have to shut up, consume, shop, sunbathe - and don't say a goddamn thing about what's going on to the people who've stood up and ask for their basic rights". He concluded: "It's cheap PR, right?" Some influencers living in Neom have been approached for comment. Futuristic city Neom is to be an unbelievable futuristic city across 26,000 sqft on the Red Sea and will include smaller projects like The Line, Oxagon, Trojena, Sindalah and the Gulf of Aqaba Projects. Some infrastructure in the plans includes floating buildings, as well as ultra-luxurious holiday and ski resorts. 19 19 19 But even after eight years, little progress has been made. And the project has been the subject of a number of controversies. One former employee has shared their story of working at the gigaproject with The Sun, shedding light on the atrocities taking place behind Neom's doors. Rights organisations have long blasted the Saudi regime's record on workers' welfare, with a recent Human Rights Watch report detailing the "gruesome yet avoidable" deaths faced by many migrant workers. The advocacy group mentions that some workers died falling from buildings, by electrocution, and even decapitation. Human Rights Watch researcher Joey Shea told The Sun: "Unfortunately, migrant workers in Saudi Arabia continue to face widespread abuses, some of which may amount to situations of forced labour, including at high-profile gigaprojects. 19 "On Neom, Human Rights Watch has found that ambitious targets set by Saudi authorities have tight and unrealistic deadlines which can lead employers to demand that workers continue to work under dangerous conditions. "Migrant workers in Saudi Arabia experience illegal and exorbitant recruitment fees, limits to job mobility, obstacles exiting the country, as well as serious health and safety risks." Michael, whose name has been changed to protect his identity, told The Sun that the project is unlikely to be anywhere near complete before 2055. Talking about delays, Michael said: "From the very beginning, Neom had a very long timeline. "There were certain objectives they wanted to achieve by 2030, but most of the leadership were aware of a longer timeframe." Michael said Neom's management has "overspent quite a bit" since its announcement. He says: "They were focusing on way too many things at the same time. "They just wanted everything at the highest level possible. The biggest entertainment complex in the world. The biggest media studio in the region. "No matter how much money you throw at the thing, it takes more than just money to make it work." The much hyped project, aided by an aggressive social media marketing campaign, has sought to big up Neom as a vision of futuristic city living. Sci-fi ideas from levitating trains to an artificial moon are reported to have been among the features of the project. But Neom continues to fall chronically behind schedule, with many of its most ambitious projects still looking like a distant dream. Top 5 blunders plaguing NEOM project By Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter Saudi Arabia's NEOM project, despite its ambitious vision, has been criticized for several major blunders that have raised concerns about its feasibility, ethics, and overall execution. Here are the top five major blunders associated with the project: Forced Displacement of Indigenous Communities: One of the most significant controversies surrounding NEOM is the forced displacement of the Huwaitat tribe. This indigenous community, which has lived in the area for centuries, was forcibly removed from their ancestral lands to make way for the development of the mega-city. The Saudi government's crackdown on those who resisted, including the killing of a tribal leader, Abdul Rahim al-Howeiti, has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights organisations. This blunder not only sparked international outrage but also tainted NEOM's image as a forward-thinking, humane project. Environmental Impact and Sustainability Concerns: NEOM has been marketed as an environmentally sustainable city, but the environmental impact of such a massive development is a major concern. The project's scale—covering over 26,500 square kilometers—poses significant risks to local ecosystems, particularly in the Red Sea, which is home to rich marine biodiversity. Critics argue that the construction of artificial islands and extensive urbanisation could lead to irreversible ecological damage. The enormous water and energy demands required to maintain a green city in the desert also raise questions about the project's sustainability. Economic Viability and Cost Overruns: NEOM is one of the most expensive development projects in history. But there are serious doubts about its economic viability. Critics question whether the project can attract the necessary foreign investment and whether it will generate sufficient returns to justify the enormous expenditure. The economic risks are further compounded by potential cost overruns and delays, which are common in megaprojects of this scale. This financial gamble has led some to worry that NEOM could become a costly white elephant if it fails to meet its ambitious goals. Technological Overreach and Ethical Concerns: NEOM is envisioned as a high-tech city, heavily reliant on artificial intelligence, robotics, and extensive surveillance systems. While this technological ambition is central to NEOM's identity, it also raises significant ethical concerns. The level of surveillance planned for the city could lead to unprecedented control over residents' lives, sparking fears about privacy and civil liberties. The lack of transparency about how AI will be used, coupled with concerns about job displacement, has also led to criticism that NEOM's technological vision may be more dystopian than utopian. Cultural and Social Disconnect: NEOM's vision of a futuristic, liberalized society clashes sharply with Saudi Arabia's deeply conservative cultural norms. The project plans to introduce mixed-gender sports, entertainment events, and other liberal lifestyle elements that are rare in the kingdom. This cultural shift has raised concerns about a potential clash between NEOM's globalised vision and the traditional values of Saudi society. The disconnect between the project's ambitions and the broader cultural context has led to skepticism about whether NEOM can truly integrate into Saudi Arabia's social fabric without causing significant friction.
Digital Trends
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
Possessor(s) has all the makings of a strong Metroidvania already
By the time 2025 ends, we may be looking at a major year for the Metroidvania genre. Hollow Knight: Silksong is slated to hit sometime this year, as is Metroid Prime 4: Beyond. Both could stand to shake a well-trodden genre up in exciting ways. While those are the biggest games on the horizon, there's another Metroidvania that should be on your radar to: Possessor(s), the latest game from Hyper Light Drifter studio Heart Machine. It promises to infuse a familiar action-adventure format with the developer's signature style. Ahead of its release later this year, I played the first 45 minutes of Possessor(s) to get a sense of how Heart Machine is tackling the Metroidvania genre. There aren't any major overhauls here yet, as the slice I played had some familiar ideas that brought me back to Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown. Instead, it more feels like it's collecting as many good ideas as possible, executing them well, and tossing them all in a mysterious world that I'm eager to explore deeper. That may be all it needs to stand out. Possessor(s) opens with an explosion. A bomb goes off in a mega city and Luca, the adventure's hero, is left crawling out of the rubble. I mean that literally, as her legs have been blasted off. I drag her bloody torso across the floor until I meet a demon who offers to fix me if I help them on their own journey. It's a deal with the devil that the legless Luca doesn't have much of a choice. Soon enough, she's back up and running, exploring the ruins of the city and trying to learn about the corporation that may be to blame. Recommended Videos I've only gotten teases into the story so far, which combines technology and demons, but it has a strong pull. The 2D environments are littered with abandoned machinery, corporate advertising, and an occasionally computer terminal filled with emails. It looks as though there's a strong anticapitalist undertone brewing under a supernatural horror story. That tonal pairing gives Possessor(s) a unique darkness that I want to dig into more. That tone hangs over what's an otherwise straightforward side-scroller so far, though that's not a knock against it. Within my first 30 minutes, I accumulate a whole bunch of abilities that build out what Luca can do. First, I get a melee weapon that I can use to perform basic slashing combos. Later, I'm able to add a perk onto those, which gives me a bit of a movement speed increase. Luca can equip up to three secondary special attacks too, which take advantage of the setting. The one I found let me use a discarded computer mouse like a bludgeoning yo-yo. Fights are all a bit basic at first, but the complexity starts to build gradually. I eventually get a grapple that lets me swing off of specified points in the environment. It takes me a few minutes to realize that I can shoot that at enemies too and yank them towards me. I unlock a parry at the end of my demo too, letting me knock projectiles back at enemies. None of this is particularly new, of course, but it all goes to good use in some tough fights. The climax of my demo had me fighting a berserk corporate worker who thoroughly thrashed me. I had to act carefully, dashing and slashing to avoid its sentient briefcase that wanted to take a bite out of me. Combat very much feels like it's cut from Hollow Knight's cape, but the movement feels more in line with Prince of Persia. It's a movement heavy platformer that has me wall jumping up decaying structures, swinging off of abandoned cranes, and air dashing through security walls. That makes for some reliable Metroidvania exploration that has me chaining movements together to find secret keys, weapon perks, and upgrade currency. There's still room to smooth the feel of it out here, as I found myself getting stuck to the side of walls a little too easily. It's a little stiff at present. If all of that sounds a little par for the course, it is. This doesn't so much feel like Heart Machine trying to upend the genre so much as put its stamp on it. The biggest place that it stands out is in art direction, as it all unfolds in a dark and moody 2D world that still somehow feels colorful. There's a minimalistic art style being used here that allows neon color splashes to stand out among a sea of rubble. It's the same kind of style that I loved in Hyper Light Drifter and it adapts to a side-scroller quite well so far. Hopefully that will be enough to help it stand out amongst other genre giants looking to launch later this year. It'll be a fight for attention, but Possessor(s) is making all the right moves. Possessor(s) launches later this year for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
