Pod Save the World Trump & Saudi Arabia: A Tale of Corruption
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Nov 19, 2025 
Atul Gawande, a surgeon and public health leader, discusses his New Yorker documentary 'Ravina's Choice' and the dire consequences of USAID dismantlement. He highlights the staggering rise in preventable malnutrition and deaths resulting from cuts to foreign aid. Gawande sheds light on how these systemic failures in global health are affecting vulnerable populations, emphasizing the need for long-term investment and independent development agencies to rebuild capacity and restore credibility in humanitarian efforts.
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MBS's 2018 U.S. Charm Offensive
- In 2018 MBS was feted across the U.S. by CEOs, academics, and Hollywood before Khashoggi's murder exposed him.
- That social embrace collapsed briefly but now MBS is back on the global stage receiving high-level visits.
Abrupt USAID Closure Killed Urgent Programs
- USAID's rapid shutdown in January halted lifesaving programs and left medicines and food stranded.
- The pause turned into a dismantling that immediately risked hundreds of thousands of lives.
Community Systems Prevent Child Deaths
- Community-based malnutrition systems cut child death rates dramatically by treating most cases at home.
- Dismantling those systems reverses decades of progress and raises child mortality sharply.