Saudi forces were ‘licensed to kill’ to evict villagers for NEOM - the futuristic, eco-city - an ex-intelligence officer told us.

We spoke to former execs who called it a climate disaster and a UK company who pulled out of a £100m contract in The Line.

bbc.co.uk/news/world-mid…

What’s with ’Spoons boss Tim Martin and breakdancing? on.ft.com/3WwzFh2

OK maybe Trump Media’s auditor is really bad at a lot of things on.ft.com/3UmFgDX

i know some of you have the power to make my life easier

We’re seeking a long-term sponsor for the FT Alphaville Pub Quiz. Could that be YOU? on.ft.com/3UpPi7b

NEW PIECE: I'm in FT Alphaville today assessing whether the FTC's new Non-Compete ban will run up against the Fed's desire for wage growth to fall &, more generally, whether pro-worker non-financial regulation will be seen as a price stability threat
ft.com/content/6afe46…

The largest western banks in Russia paid the Kremlin more than €800mn in taxes last year, a fourfold increase on prewar levels, despite promises to minimise their exposure after the invasion of Ukraine.

With Anastasia Stognei.
on.ft.com/3UBv6k3

The very kind folks at FT Alphaville (well, Louis Ashworth) gave me the opportunity to write about nerdy trade stuff for them.

So here it is, why buying things online looks set to get more expensive:

ft.com/content/e8d77d…

— has the Government’s wine cellar been captured by Burgundian interests?
— what does the Wine Committee actually talk about?
— is there anything the Government won’t redact?

these questions, and more, are sort-of half answered in my piece today:

ft.com/content/cf6931…

Another pointless article about the UK’s strategic wine reserves on.ft.com/3Ujfmki

One in 17 Britons work directly for a private equity portfolio company.

“Like all truly successful capitalists, PE managers appear to have assembled human shields around their ability to extract seven figure payouts.”

great piece on PE from Toby Nangle ft.com/content/806034…

You may expect a Monaco financier who dabbles in crypto to move in different circles to local councillors in the north of England

Yet a hard-charging trader based 1,000 miles away has become enmeshed in Warrington council’s finances

✍🏻 w/ Jennifer Williams
ft.com/content/acf745…

Trump Media’s auditor is really bad at spelling his own name on.ft.com/4b6rg80

Five ways in which the FTSE 100 is not at a record high on.ft.com/3UbWdk7

FT Alphaville's Louis Ashworth has been digging through the US proxy filings again .. This is superb: Meet the pest-control boss with the $140,000 dining perk
on.ft.com/4dbiTtx

BlackRock more than tripled its spending on home security for Larry Fink last year, after the asset manager’s chair and chief executive became a target for “anti-woke” activists and conspiracy theorists.

ft.com/content/c1296b… via Louis Ashworth Brooke Masters

BlackRock steps up security for Larry Fink after ‘anti-woke’ backlash on.ft.com/3QdtBWz

✅ David Bowie 'Heroes' pun in headline
✅ Teutonic Woodford photoshop
✅ corporate sleuthing leading to hasty rejig of the website

all key ingredients to a vintage Alphaville post from Louis Ashworth, Cynthia O’Murchú & Owen Walker

ft.com/content/32c08f…

Henley, Oxford, Marlow, Jersey, Caymans, Delaware ... Germany?

In search of the elusive Neil Woodford, with Louis Ashworth and Cynthia O’Murchú for FT Alphaville

ft.com/content/32c08f…

Today is my last day at the Financial Times. Later this year I'm starting as Asia correspondent at The Economist, based in Singapore.

Writing Unhedged with the great Robert Armstrong has been a privilege. Rob brings the wit, wisdom and substance day in & day out.

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