To Save Us From Hell

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe Trump administration has turned the United Nations into a battleground in its war on gender equality. At the Commission on the Status of Women this week, the U.S. sought to block references to gender equality…in a conference dedicated to that very cause! Meanwhile, at the Security Council, the U.S. refused to join a statement condemning the Taliban’…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgOn Monday February 24, the General Assembly convened for a long-scheduled vote marking the third anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a stunning shift, the United States abandoned its European allies and abruptly sided with Russia in an attempt to block any condemnation of Russia’s aggression and any affirmation of Ukrainian sovereignty.This …

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe Trump administration’s fight against DEI has come for the United Nations. In this episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and Mark Leon Goldberg discuss what we are seeing unfold at the UN in terms of Trump’s push against inclusion and gender equity. These moves are already disrupting the regular order of business at the UN, and we explore wha…

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe major city of Goma, in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, is now under the control of a Rwanda-backed rebel group. UN peacekeepers in the area were unable to repel the assault but continue to play a key role in protecting civilians from violence. Meanwhile, the Security Council has held emergency meetings to address this growing crisis, w…

In this special live recording of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I break down the highlights (and lowlights) from the confirmation hearing for Donald Trump’s pick as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.Elise Stefanik, a member of Congress from New York and a staunch Donald Trump loyalist, did not project the hardcore MAGA vibes one might expect during her confirmation hearing. As Anjali and I discuss, she came across as a fairly conventional Republican—hitting many familiar GOP talking points about the United Nations but avoiding any indication that she believes the U.S. should withdraw from the UN or pursue anything particularly radical.Our conversation was recorded live using Substack’s new livestream platform and is available wherever you listen to To Save Us From Hell, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and right here in the Substack app. The video of our recording is below! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globaldispatches.org/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgA new year. A new United Nations. In this 2025 debut episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I discuss what to expect in the year ahead at the United Nations. We cover a lot of ground—from the new composition of the UN Security Council to China’s new status as a major funder of the UN system, the chaos Trump is likely to bring, and much, much more. Get 40% off your subscription by following this link! https://www.globaldispatches.org/40Off

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgIt’s a new day in Damascus. But what about New York? For the last 14 years, the United Nations’ role in Syria has been relegated to the circumscribed (but vital) task of supporting the humanitarian needs of Syrians. Now, there is an opportunity for the UN and the broader international community to support Syria’s political transition, post-conflict reco…

We cover a lot of ground in this week’s free episode. Just hours before we recorded our conversation, the ICC issued formal arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Anjali Dayal and Mark Leon Goldberg explain what this means for the UN. We then travel to Baku for an update on COP29 before heading back to UN headquarters to discuss the latest US veto of a Gaza ceasefire resolution. Finally, we check in on the new UN Humanitarian Chief, Tom Fletcher, who started his role this week. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globaldispatches.org/subscribe

In this special post-election edition of To Save Us From Hell, Mark Leon Goldberg and Anjali Dayal explain what to expect — and what not to expect — from Donald Trump’s approach to the United Nations during the next four years. Will he burn Turtle Bay to the ground? Mostly ignore the UN? Cozy up to Russia at the Security Council? And will the next UN Ambassador be Anjali’s old Middle School classmate? We discuss all this and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globaldispatches.org/subscribe

UNRWA is a unique humanitarian agency. It is both a humanitarian relief provider for millions of Palestinians across several countries, and in many places, it functions as a de facto municipal government, providing services like schools, healthcare, and trash collection. Together, UNRWA provides a social safety net for 2.5 million people in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza.And now, all of that might end.Earlier this week, the Knesset passed a bill that would effectively force UNRWA to cease operations in the Occupied Territories and Gaza. The bill establishes bureaucratic barriers that prevent the Israeli government from cooperating with UNRWA, effectively dismantling it by making it impossible for UNRWA to operate in the West Bank and East Jerusalem without Israeli consent. In Gaza, it technically could continue its operations, but practically, UNRWA would not be able to function. It would lack the ability to coordinate with the Israeli government to ensure the safe passage of humanitarian goods or interact with Israeli inspectors who vet all goods entering the Gaza Strip. UNRWA is the single most important humanitarian agency still operating in Gaza, and when this bill comes into force, it will simply be unable to function in that capacity.On this special episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I take a deep dive into the implications of Israel’s decision to evict UNRWA. We discuss UNRWA’s unique history as a UN agency, its singular role in Palestinian life, and explain why a wildly diverse set of countries — from Cuba to the United States — has condemned Israel’s actions against UNRWA.This episode is available exclusively to our paid supporters. Subscribe to unlock all our content, including every episode of our new UN podcast.Substack makes it very easy to access these paid episodes on either Spotify, Apple Podcasts or directly in the Substack App. Once you get a paid subscription you’ll receive instructions. If you have any questions, just reach out This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.globaldispatches.org/subscribe