weekly dispatch (with an important request from me).
an assortment of things I would have liked to have talked about in more detail this week and updates on the Magazine from Deaglan.
Good day, spectators,
Welcome to this week’s dispatch a curated selection of geopolitical absurdities and atrocities that deserve your attention but that I, as one singular writer, didn’t have time to cover in the week.
So, let’s dive in.
Trump’s ‘JFK Files’ reveal CIA’s role in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution
The latest batch of declassified JFK files includes a 1956 CIA memo detailing covert support for the Hungarian Revolution against Soviet rule. The document, buried for decades, confirms what many of us already knew: the uprising was neither spontaneous nor purely local. Trump inadvertently spotlighted the revelation by tweeting it as a triumph of US interventionism—apparently unaware it undermines his own rhetoric about ‘foreign meddling’ in domestic affairs. The files also contain other juicy details about Cold War-era coups and MKUltra operations, which I will explore in a full microscope deep dive soon.
Have a read: National Archives JFK Release (Doc. 104-10110-10525)
Trump threatens to bomb Iran over nuclear talks refusal.
Keeping on Trump, the 'no war president' has today threatened Iran with military strikes—a threat that came just days after Tehran rejected US overtures for direct talks via Omani mediators.
The irony is, as always, rich: the man who campaigned on ending ‘forever wars’ is now casually threatening new ones all over. Iran's refusal to engage evidently bruised the presidential ego, triggering the diplomatic finesse we've come to expect: bombing threats delivered via social media. Meanwhile, oil markets jitter and Pentagon officials scrambled to sell it as something positive.
Lord save us.
Israel kills Al-Jazeera journalist, Hossam Shabat, in Gaza precision strike.
Hossam Shabat, who was a veteran Al Jazeera correspondent and my personal favourite journalist on the ground in Gaza, was killed this week when an Israeli strike hit his car. Shabat had documented Gaza’s devastation since October 2023, often broadcasting without fear from bombed-out hospitals and refugee camps. His body, photographed with limbs torn apart, joins the grisly toll of over 120 Palestinian journalists killed in this genocide.
The strike occurred just hours after the ICJ ordered Israel to halt its obstruction of aid into Gaza—a ruling Israel has obviously ignored while continuing to bomb aid convoys.
Turkey’s protests escalate as Erdogan targets opposition.
Watch: Turkish demonstrator defiantly does pushups amidst a hail of rubber bullets being fired by Erdogan's stormtroopers.
Protests have erupted across Istanbul and Ankara following the detention of Ekrem Imamoglu, the opposition CHP party’s de facto leader and mayor of Istanbul. The charges—alleged ties to the PKK—are widely seen as politically motivated, especially given Erdogan’s own history of being jailed for dissent in the 1990s. The demonstrations, Turkey’s largest since the 2013 Gezi Park uprising, reflect growing frustration with Erdogan’s authoritarian turn. Internet throttling and social media blocks have failed to suppress the backlash.
Funnily enough, there are some people in the community who instinctively try to paint this as some kind of colour revolution backed by the West. I find that very difficult to believe considering Erdogan has mostly kept in line especially on Israel. You will remember, he promised to stop shipping to Israel and never fulfilled that promise. I have no love for the guy at all so let them have him.
the Empire’s $23B Panama Ports deal collapses after China veto.
BlackRock’s bid to buy two strategic Panama Canal ports from Hong Kong’s CK Hutchison has collapsed after China’s antitrust regulator blocked the sale. The deal, championed by Trump as a blow to Chinese influence, would have given the US -aligned consortium control over 3% of global trade transit points. Beijing’s veto underscores the reality that ‘free markets’ bow to geopolitical power—especially when chokepoints like the Canal are at stake.
I actually did talk about this in the article above but what I didn't talk about enough is the implications of this especially considering the United States recent administration which is not shy at all of using brute force to get what it wants. Is Panama, and are the Panamanian people going to be paying the price for this move?
Sudan's national military seizes complete control of the capital of Khartoum marking a significant turning point in the war.
A few months ago, I knew absolutely nothing about Sudan but after writing my recent microscope deep dive on the topic - I consider myself to be well read. The above news is positive as the national military of Sudan, which has the support of the people, has ousted the genocidal RSF which is sponsored by the United Arab Emirates. The army has slowly but surely been building momentum and this is a great sign.
a personal note from me…
Hello everyone, it’s Deaglan your loyal scribe and you might not know this but…the spectacle is my passion project, not my day job.
I'm currently about to retrain as a registered nurse (100% self-funded) to fulfil my goal of working in healthcare.
This, unfortunately, means my finances are going to be stretched thinner than they have ever been for the next couple of years.
I love writing about all of the interesting geopolitical and world news that is neglected and if you appreciate me doing so, now's an ideal time to start supporting me. I will keep writing as long as you keep reading.
I currently have a very special offer. Subscribe for a year today and I'll upgrade you to a lifetime subscription for free:
That's less than 50 euros or dollars for a lifetime of reading. Alternatively, you could just consider buying me a sandwich which is also a great way to show support.
Your contribution will help keep this publication alive while I balance journalism with becoming a fully trained healthcare professional. Ultimately, I would like to write full time but until then - I want to give back to the world by helping sick folks.
And on that thought, I will let you go for today,
(As always, thanks for reading.)
Hossam Shabat's murder hit particularly hard, I'd been following him on twitter for months when he was the only journalist left in North Gaza and having close calls one after another, it was such a relief when the ceasefire meant he could finally see his family again. I'm heartbroken for his family, and for the life he was robbed of just for being who he was - a Palestinian, and a journalist.
Thank you for the update, Deaglan, and I wish you luck on your path, you'll be doing important work helping people in both fields. I have a standing commitment via ko-fi and that will remain, I don't comment often but please know that I do read and wish I could do more.
Thank you for the dispatch deaglan, Unfortunately I canot subscribe another time but I recommend everyone should! Love the deep dives and I love your way of writing without pulling any punches, happy to see the community growing, as I'm subscribed I'll buy you a sandwich enjoy
From shan