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Recent episodes
Let the Race for UN Secretary General Begin!
Apr 24, 2026
45m 20s
The UN Has a Plan to Open Hormuz (Two of Them, Actually.)
Apr 5, 2026
17m 25s
How the US is Justifying the Iran War to the UN
Mar 20, 2026
27m 53s
The War in Iran Comes to the United Nations
Mar 6, 2026
23m 08s
Board of Peace v United Nations | US To Attack Iran? |Plus, Trump's Very Odd Pick to Lead Outreach to International Organizations
Feb 23, 2026
19m 21s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4/24/26 |  Let the Race for UN Secretary General Begin! | On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, the four candidates for UN Secretary-General made their case at the UN General Assembly. Across twelve hours spanning two days, they took questions from UN member states and civil society groups eager to learn more about their priorities, proclivities, and leadership styles should they become the next UN Secretary-General on January 1, 2027.It was a marathon — and my To Save Us From Hell co-host Anjali Dayal and I watched it all! In today’s episode, we tell you what we learned.To kick things off, we explain how the process for selecting a UN Secretary-General works — and how these hearings fit into it. We then break down what we heard from each of the candidates: Michelle Bachelet, Rafael Grossi, Rebeca Grynspan, and Macky Sall, bringing you the key highlights and takeaways. Consider this your curtain-raiser for a year of public campaigning and backroom dealmaking that will result in the selection of the next UN Secretary-General in the coming months.This episode is free for all and can also be found later today on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen.The selection of the next Secretary General is a major story in international diplomacy and I plan on covering it to the finish line — whenever that may be (but hopefully before January 1!) 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 | 45m 20s | ||||||
| 4/5/26 |  The UN Has a Plan to Open Hormuz (Two of Them, Actually.) | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe war in the Middle East has claimed its first UN casualties: three Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon were killed in under 24 hours. With Israel intent on occupying the same part of southern Lebanon that UN peacekeepers are meant to patrol, can the peacekeeping mission even continue? Meanwhile, in New York, a Secretary-General-led diplomatic effort t… | 17m 25s | ||||||
| 3/20/26 |  How the US is Justifying the Iran War to the UN | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgOne of the fundamental precepts of the United Nations Charter is that waging war against another UN member state is simply not permitted. It’s illegal. There are, however, some narrow exceptions — and here the United States is playing a game of legal legerdemain. In the first segment of our show, we break down the formal legal justification the Trump administration invoked at the United Nations to defend its bombing campaign against Iran. Does it hold up? And more importantly, how do other countries view this retroactive justification for America and Israel’s war of choice? We also discuss a potential UN diplomatic intervention in the Strait of Hormuz that is gaining some traction, modeled on one of the UN’s successes during the Russia-Ukraine war.After the fold, and for paying subscribers, we examine why the United States is standing virtually alone at the Commission on the Status of Women, casting lone “no” votes on a host of measures intended to promote gender equality. Finally, we discuss the newest entrant in the race to replace António Guterres as secretary-general, Virginia Gamba, and how her nomination may shake up the race.https://www.globaldispatches.org/40PercentOff | 27m 53s | ||||||
| 3/6/26 |  The War in Iran Comes to the United Nations | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgWe cover a lot of ground in this week’s episode of To Save Us From Hell! There are two new entrants to the race to succeed António Guterres as the next UN Secretary-General; Cindy McCain announced she is stepping down as head of the World Food Programme, meaning there will soon be a vacancy at the top of one of the largest UN agencies—one typically led … | 23m 08s | ||||||
| 2/23/26 |  Board of Peace v United Nations | US To Attack Iran? |Plus, Trump's Very Odd Pick to Lead Outreach to International Organizations | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgIt was an odd juxtaposition: Trump’s inaugural Board of Peace gathered in Washington, D.C. as the U.S. appeared to be readying for war with Iran. In this week’s To Save Us From Hell episode, Mark and Anjali discuss why this Board of Peace can’t really compete with the Security Council, and what its advent says about international relations today. They t… | 19m 21s | ||||||
| 2/5/26 |  The Secretary-General Race Heats Up — And the Epstein Files Hit the UN | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgFor the first time in history, multiple countries have jointly nominated a candidate for UN Secretary General. Earlier this week, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico endorsed Michelle Bachelet—a former president of Chile, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and a survivor of brutal repression under the Pinochet regime. The move is unprecedented—and pote… | 17m 28s | ||||||
| 1/23/26 |  The Stories that Will Drive the UN Agenda in 2026 | Plus, Can Trump's "Board of Peace" Compete with the Security Council? | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgCan Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace really compete with the Security Council? Will we even be discussing it a week or two from now, or will Trump and other world leaders simply move on? And what’s with the Board’s logo, which looks almost like a parody of the United Nations emblem?Mark and Anjali break down the newest—and perhaps strangest—entrant int… | 20m 43s | ||||||
| 1/8/26 |  Is This an Existential Moment for the United Nations? | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Monday in response to American military operations in Venezuela that captured Nicolás Maduro and his wife— forcing dozens of countries to publicly respond to one of the most audacious U.S. actions in recent memory. Anjali and Mark break down what unfolded in the chamber: which countries issued the st… | 22m 02s | ||||||
| 12/18/25 |  Anjali Addresses the Security Council! | Plus: Rafael Grossi Gets "The New Yorker" Profile Treatment | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgDiscount link for full episode: https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff Your very own To Save Us From Hell co-host Anjali Dayal briefed the United Nations Security Council on Monday! She was paired with former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for a special meeting of the Council dedicated to examining the role of the Secretary-General and the process for selecting Antonio Guterres’s successor. Anjali gives co-host Mark Leon… | 22m 12s | ||||||
| 12/4/25 |  The Security Council Goes To Syria | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgOn December 4, the entire United Nations Security Council made an unprecedented trip to Syria. It is hard to overstate what a significant turning point this represents — both for the Security Council and the United Nations as a whole. For thirteen long years, the civil war in Syria was the largest and most brutal conflict in the world, and one that stymied the United Nations by exposing massive geopolitical rifts between key global powers. We may now look to Gaza or Ukraine as examples of paralysis at the Security Council — but it was Syria that first broke it.Now, all fifteen members are in Damascus, in an important show of unity. Mark and Anjali break down why this trip is so significant and what role the UN can play in supporting Syria’s democratic transition.After the paywall: Mark and Anjali discuss shocking new revelations about the UN’s budget, and what the official “pre-launch” of the selection process for the next Secretary-General tells us about how the UN’s next leader will be chosen.Discount link: https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff | 28m 23s | ||||||
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| 11/20/25 |  What We Think About the Gaza Resolution at the Security Council | On Monday evening, the Security Council adopted Resolution 2803, formally endorsing Trump’s peace initiative for Gaza. The resolution passed overwhelmingly, with 13 votes in favor, none against, and two abstentions (from Russia and China), following several weeks of U.S.-led diplomatic wrangling. There are a few ways to interpret this resolution. On one hand, it finally offers a semblance of international unity on how to confront the crisis in Gaza and the devastation wrought by Israel’s conduct during the war. On the other hand, the resolution is half-baked. It contains ideas that might work in theory, but in the specific context of Gaza, it is difficult to see how they could be implemented.In today’s (free!) episode of To Save Us From Hell, Anjali Dayal and I break down what we see as the key challenges to implementing this resolution. We discuss how it came together — and whether it can help this fragile ceasefire hold.Most of To Save Us From Hell is behind a paywall, but we recorded this episode live and wanted to bring it to you for free. We’d love your support to keep this show thriving — please upgrade to a paid subscription! 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 | 23m 45s | ||||||
| 11/7/25 |  What Zohran Mamdani's Win Means for the UN | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgNew York isn’t just the cultural and media capital of the United States — it’s also the host city to the United Nations. Since 1962, City Hall has maintained a special office dedicated to liaising with the UN. Anjali and Mark discuss the history of this office and how municipal elections in New York are actually quite consequential for the United Nations.Also discussed this week: a new development in the race to replace António Guterres as UN Secretary-General; how the UN is responding to the unfolding disaster in Sudan; and whether the Security Council will approve a U.S.-drafted resolution to deploy an international security force to Gaza.https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff | 19m 27s | ||||||
| 10/22/25 |  Will the Security Council Back a Gaza Stabilization Force? | Trump vs. the International Maritime Organization | Plus: Heba Aly on a New Push for UN Charter Reform | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe ceasefire in Gaza is hanging by a thread. One idea on the table: an International Stabilization Force made up of troops from around the world. The Security Council is deep in negotiations over a resolution to authorize it — but even if it passes, will the mission ever deploy? Mark and Anjali have their doubts.Meanwhile, the Trump administration just blew up a global deal to put a price on carbon in international shipping — a move that would have pushed the industry toward zero emissions. Mark and Anjali break down this latest clash between Washington and the U.N.Those conversations are behind the paywall for our subscribers. Up first, they sit down with Heba Aly, director of a new coalition called Article 109, which is taking on a bold mission: reforming the U.N. Charter itself. Get a discounted subscription: https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff | 21m 25s | ||||||
| 10/9/25 |  Did The Gaza Ceasefire Emanate From UNGA? Plus: A New "Gang Suppression Force" for Haiti and our Nobel Predictions | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgUNGA is over. But its legacy lives on. We recorded this episode as news broke of a potential ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, and so we look back at UNGA80 to trace the ways in which the world’s largest diplomatic gathering may have provided some key momentum for a breakthrough on Gaza. Mark and Anjali also go deep on a new Gang Suppression Force that the Security Council just authorized for Haiti. But can this international intervention in Haiti succeed when so many before it have failed? Finally, Mark and Anjali make their Nobel Peace Prize picks. Spoiler alert — it ain’t Donald Trump.Unlock full access to this episode with a 40% discount https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff | 18m 12s | ||||||
| 9/24/25 |  “Your Countries Are Going to Hell”: Trump’s UNGA Speech, Unpacked | Live From UNGA | It was Donald Trump’s fifth speech before the United Nations General Assembly.It was also his most rambling. For 55 minutes, the President of the United States riffed: on migration, windmills, hot air, London’s mayor, offshore oil in Aberdeen, even the flooring and décor of UN headquarters. At one point, Trump told the assembled world leaders: “Your countries are going to hell!”But was there a method to this madness? What can we discern about U.S. foreign policy and Trump’s approach to the United Nations from this speech? Joining me for a timely conversation on these questions and more are Anjali Dayal and Maya Ungar—two seasoned UN watchers. Anjali Dayal, of course, is my To Save Us From Hell co-host and a professor of international relations at Fordham University. Maya Ungar is a UN analyst at the International Crisis Group.We spoke just moments after Trump’s speech concluded, beginning with our knee-jerk reactions to a very odd address before turning to a longer conversation about what Trump’s UNGA remarks reveal about American foreign policy and its approach to the UN.This episode is free for all, but I do need your support to keep doing what I do. Please get a paid subscription to support my work. Here’s a discount link.You can support Global Dispatches at full price using this link 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 | 40m 04s | ||||||
| 9/11/25 |  These are the Stories that Will Drive the Agenda at UNGA This Year | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgHundreds of presidents and prime ministers are coming to the UN for the annual opening of the General Assembly. UNGA officially kicked off on September 9, but the big events—including the parade of speeches from world leaders—begin on September 22.In this special episode of To Save Us From Hell, Mark and Anjali preview the key storylines, speeches, events, and encounters that will shape the agenda at this, the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. This is always one of our most popular episodes because we bring you a true insider’s account of what to watch for at UNGA80. And this year, we’re offering a special 40% discount off our regular subscription price so that as many of you as possible can access one of our most anticipated episodes of the year.https://www.globaldispatches.org/40percentoff | 15m 58s | ||||||
| 8/29/25 |  US Nixes UNIFIL and Denies Famine in Gaza | Plus, is Antonio Guterres Too Timid? | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe United States this week pulled the plug on UNIFIL, the decades-old UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon. Every other member of the Security Council—and Lebanon itself—wanted it to stay. But Israel has long bristled at the mission, and Washington was happy to do its regional ally a favor. At another Council meeting, the U.S. stood completely alone — literally — in denying that famine is underway in Gaza. And in the Guardian, former top UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths blasted a lack of “courage” at the UN. Was that a veiled jab at his old boss, António Guterres?Mark and Anjali break it all down and more in this episode of the smash hit podcast To Save Us From Hell — which really does have a cult following at the UN these days! Super discount link: https://www.globaldispatches.org/40PercentOff | 20m 27s | ||||||
| 8/15/25 |  States Are Lining Up to Recognize Palestinian Statehood at the UN | Tammy Bruce Tapped as Deputy US-UN Amb | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgTrump’s latest UN pick is not a diplomat. He’s tapped conservative firebrand Tammy Bruce — a Fox News personality–turned–State Department spokesperson — as Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN. We break down what this shock appointment could mean for US diplomacy.Plus, in our subscriber-only deep dive: a diplomatic earthquake looms. Several Western countries, including two UN Security Council heavyweights, plan to recognize Palestinian statehood at next month’s General Assembly. We explain the path to UN membership — and why the politics are shifting now.https://www.globaldispatches.org/40PercentOff | 11m 50s | ||||||
| 7/31/25 |  A UN Expert on Enforced Disappearances Investigates the U.S. Detention of Venezuelan Migrants in El Salvador | We have a special (and timely) conversation today with Grazyna Baranowska, Vice Chair of the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances. Anjali Dayal and Dr. Baranowska discuss the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the kinds of investigations the Working Group has undertaken — in particular, the Working Group’s critical efforts to uncover details about the detention of Venezuelan migrants by the United States in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador. 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 | 19m 16s | ||||||
| 7/17/25 |  What We Learned From Mike Waltz's Confirmation Hearing | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgTrump’s pick for UN Ambassador, Mike Waltz, faced questions from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week. You may recall he previously served as National Security Advisor before being sidelined by Trump after “Signalgate.” But Waltz was never officially fired — he was banished to the United Nations instead. For over two hours, he fielded questi… | 19m 44s | ||||||
| 7/6/25 |  Searching for Compromiso in Seville | Is Rafael Grossi Radioactive? | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe major Financing for Development Conference wrapped up in Seville last week with the so-called Compromiso de Sevilla, which commits countries to accelerating efforts to fund the Sustainable Development Goals and support economic and social development in lower-income countries. In our first segment, we are joined by Michael Sheldrick, co-founder of G… | 18m 19s | ||||||
| 6/19/25 |  What the UN is Doing about the Iran-Israel War | Plus: The US walks out of a key UN conference, and why the UN might abandon its historic building in Geneva | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgBombs are dropping in Iran and Israel, with no end in sight and the very real prospect that the United States might imminently join the fight. As a hot war unfolds in the Middle East, frantic diplomacy is also underway at both the United Nations and the IAEA.In the first (and free) segment, Mark and Anjali take a deep dive into a parallel diplomatic process on Iran’s nuclear program that is unfolding alongside the escalating war. After the jump, they discuss the implications of the Trump administration’s decision to walk out of a major UN conference on financing for development and the Sustainable Development Goals.Mark and Anjali then react to breaking news that the United Nations is poised to abandon its lease at the historic and stately Palais Wilson in Geneva, which once housed the League of Nations and is now the headquarters of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.https://www.globaldispatches.org/40PercentOff https://www.globaldispatches.org/20PercentOffOr, you can support us at full price: https://www.globaldispatches.org/ | 16m 56s | ||||||
| 6/5/25 |  New Faces at the UN—and a Horse Fight at the General Assembly | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe General Assembly selected five new members of the Security Council and one new President of the General Assembly this week in not-so-hotly contested elections. These new Security Council members will take their seats in January, and former German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock will assume the PGA gavel at UNGA in September. So what can we expect… | 14m 09s | ||||||
| 5/22/25 |  Will the UN Set Up Shop in Rwanda? | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgDiscount subscription link for 40% Off --> https://www.globaldispatches.org/40PercentOff The UN is facing a major budget crunch. So how is it responding? One answer is UN80—a reform effort championed by the Secretary-General aimed at reducing the cost of operating the world body. Some proposals are beginning to take shape, including staff cuts, merging certain agencies, and—more controversially—shifting operations out of expensive cities li… | 16m 15s | ||||||
| 5/9/25 |  Who Will Be the Next UN Secretary-General? | With Richard Gowan | This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.globaldispatches.orgThe race to succeed António Guterres is unofficially underway. His term as UN Secretary-General ends in December 2026, but the backroom jockeying has already begun. In this episode, Mark and Anjali are joined by Richard Gowan of the International Crisis Group to break down the early contenders, how shifting geopolitics could shake up the selection proc… | 30m 36s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
5 placements across 5 markets.
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5 placements across 5 markets.