By Melanie Rodham Jenkins

Reviewed by Afilonius Rex, for FT Weekend

Madrid, Monday 9th March 2026

In an era when wealth inequality feels like an intractable virus, Martyn Jones’s Revealing Wealth: Combatting Tax Evasion with Data, Political Will and Technology arrives as a potent antidote – or at least a blueprint for one. Published in 2025, this ambitious tome blends technical savvy with moral urgency, proposing a global “World Asset Register” (WAR) to unmask hidden fortunes. Jones, a data architecture veteran once hailed as one of the world’s top information experts, teams up with his alter ego, Afilonius Rex – a pseudonym for a collective of contrarian thinkers – to argue that technology can pierce the veil of offshore secrecy. But as Gillian Tett might observe, drawing from her anthropological lens on finance, this isn’t just about algorithms and databases; it’s about the cultural rituals of power, where the ultra-rich perform elaborate dances to evade civic duty, leaving the rest of us footing the bill.

Martyn Rhisiart Jones

Madrid, Sunday 7th March 2026

History has a peculiar habit of clearing its throat at inconvenient moments. Unfortunately, the present tends to respond by turning up the volume on cable news.

In an age where political discourse is conducted through rallies, retweets, and the occasional midnight proclamation on social media, one cannot help but wonder what the great minds of earlier centuries might make of it all. The phenomenon surrounding Donald Trump and the rallying cry of Make America Great Again (MAGA) has spilt far beyond the borders of the United States, casting a long and argumentative shadow across Europe and the broader international order. Nationalism, isolationism, suspicion of alliances, and the rhetorical targeting of those deemed “other” are hardly new ideas, but like vintage fashions and bad moustaches, they have returned with startling enthusiasm.

Trump’s Digital Assault: How the Far-Right Weaponises Social Media to Wage War on Europe and Democracy

By Elena Vasquez

The Guardian Angle, 9 March 2026

In the shadow of Trump’s second term, a toxic alliance between far-right extremism and social media algorithms is accelerating the erosion of democracy, not just in America, but across Europe. As recent analyses reveal, this isn’t mere happenstance; it’s a calculated siege on rational discourse, institutional trust, and transatlantic solidarity. Drawing from three incisive critiques on social media’s suppression of intellectual rigour, the extreme right’s manipulative tactics online, and Trump’s undeclared economic and military aggression against Europe, we can forge a clear antithesis to the far-right’s “free speech” facade and synthesise a roadmap for resistance. The stakes? Nothing less than reclaiming democracy from digital vermin.

Radio Debate: Trump’s Undeclared War on Europe

Martyn Jones (Moderator): Good evening, everyone, and thank you for joining this special extended edition of Global Echoes on March 8, 2026. Tonight, we’re taking a thorough, step-by-step look at what has come to be known as “Trump’s Undeclared War on Europe.” This isn’t hyperbole; it’s a phrase that’s gaining traction as we see the real-world fallout from recent U.S. actions. Just over a month ago, on January 3, U.S. forces launched Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela, capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a dramatic raid on Caracas. They were flown to the U.S. to face charges related to narco-terrorism and drug trafficking. President Trump announced that the United States would essentially “run” Venezuela during a transition period, with Vice President Delcy Rodríguez stepping in as acting leader. Celebrations erupted in some places, protests in others, but the core issue seems tied to Venezuela’s vast oil reserves and giving American companies like Exxon and Chevron greater control.

Martyn Rhisiart Jones

Madrid, Sunday 8th March 2026

The Algorithmic Silence: Why Serious Writing Disappears on Social Media

For much of the early internet era, there was a widespread belief that digital platforms would democratise public discourse. Anyone with a good idea, a well-written argument, or a compelling piece of criticism could reach an audience. Gatekeepers would fall away. Thoughtful debate would flourish.

Two decades later, that promise looks increasingly hollow.