Under The Radar

Here you will find stories about some of the vital but less-obvious developments involving international organizations.

Summit marks U.S. re-entry to climate fight
By Arete News - January 25, 2021

A global summit’s mood was perhaps best reflected in the U.N. chief beaming at the new U.S. climate envoy’s pledge to restore American climate leadership.
U.S. and U.N. roles at odds in Western Sahara
By John Heilprin - January 11, 2021

Pro-independence leaders in Western Sahara want the Biden administration to resolve a contradiction: U.S. policy runs counter to U.N.-led peace efforts.
Tug-of-war over pulled WHO Italy report
By Arete News - December 21, 2020

A suppressed WHO report on Italy’s pandemic response says hospitals were “chaotic,” dangers to elderly went unrecognized, and training was haphazard.
New U.N. ‘day’ to aid efforts against epidemics
By Arete News - December 7, 2020

After holding its first high-level session on the pandemic, the U.N. General Assembly created a new “international day” to prevent health crises like COVID-19.
Asia-Pacific nations sign world’s biggest trade pact
By Arete News - November 15, 2020

Fifteen Asia-Pacific nations including China signed a pact to create the world’s biggest trading alliance, covering 30 percent of global GDP.
IPBES ties pandemic risks to nature crisis
By Arete News - October 29, 2020

Pandemics will become more frequent, faster-spreading and deadlier than COVID-19 if Earth’s natural life support systems are not restored, IPBES reported.
Trump pushes New START before election
By John Heilprin - October 6, 2020

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to be pushing for a foreign policy win before Election Day, seeking to renew a nuclear arms control deal with Russia.
U.S. unilaterally restores U.N. sanctions on Iran
By Arete News - September 21, 2020

The U.S. followed through on its threat to unilaterally restore sanctions against Iran, defying widespread international criticism.
Rebuilding tourism industry a U.N. priority
By Arete News - August 25, 2020

The pandemic could eliminate 40 percent of global tourism’s 300 million jobs — one of every 10 — and trillions of dollars essential to developing economies.
Cybercrime and terrorism profit off pandemic
By Arete News - August 6, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is being exploited to radicalize would-be terrorists and to target vulnerable networks used by hospitals and healthcare systems.
COVID-19 ‘most severe’ health emergency
By Arete News - July 27, 2020

The coronavirus pandemic is the worst global public health emergency to be declared under a 13-year-old international law for deadly disease outbreaks.
Chronic hunger threatens 130 million more
By Arete News - July 13, 2020

The number of people not getting enough nutrition rose by 60 million since 2014 — and the pandemic may add up to 132 million more this year.
U.S.-Russia nuclear weapons talks restart
By Arete News - June 22, 2020

U.S.-Russia nuclear talks resumed after more than a year, despite unknown factors like China’s non-participation and a U.S. presidential election.
Candidates vie to become next WTO chief
By Arete News - June 8, 2020

The embattled WTO shifted to selecting a new director-general in an expected race between candidates from Mexico, Africa and Europe.
U.S.-China feud dominates WHO assembly
By Arete News - May 19, 2020

Under U.S. pressure, the World Health Assembly unanimously approved a resolution calling for a review of WHO’s pandemic response.
U.N. finds abuses with some lockdowns
By Arete News - April 27, 2020

The U.N. human rights chief warned some governments are abusing emergency powers to fight the pandemic by resorting to police brutality and other tactics.
UNESCO battles COVID-19 ‘disinfodemic’
By Arete News - April 13, 2020

False information campaigns about the coronavirus pandemic are a “grave danger” to many people’s lives around the world, UNESCO warned.
U.N. urges cease-fire as cases near 400,000
By Arete News - March 23, 2020

The U.N. chief called for a global cease-fire to help vanquish the pandemic, imploring warring parties to disarm and fight the virus as a “common enemy.”
U.N. reboots 1995 plan for gender equality
By Arete News - March 9, 2020

A U.N.-led global commission recommitted the world to achieving gender equality, in a relaunch and update of a quarter-century old landmark agreement.
Treaty talks to save more migratory species
By Arete News - February 17, 2020

Delegates from 111 nations at a U.N. conference in India met to protect migratory species and their habitats at a time when nature is nearing a breaking point.
Libya clashes resume despite interventions
By Arete News - January 27, 2020

Renewed fighting ended a fragile cease-fire in Libya as U.N. officials urged warring parties to investigate airstrikes that killed at least 53 people last July.