Go Beyond the Headlines January 12, 2021 Dear readers, We know you’re busy. We know you want to stay informed. We know you want to get to the facts that matter and keep moving.
That’s why CFR has enhanced one of its most popular series: Backgrounders.
These explainers offer quick and authoritative guides that help you understand the most important stories unfolding around the world.
Dozens of Backgrounders have been updated recently, including essential primers on this extraordinary moment in history, such as the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and the role of the U.S. National Guard.
The redesigned Backgrounders showcase many enhancements, including:
We invite you to take a look at a sampling of our recently published or refreshed pieces below.
—The CFR Editorial Team
The United States’ withdrawal from this arms control agreement has heightened tensions and left the remaining signatories scrambling to keep the deal alive. 
The federal agency has a broad mandate to protect Americans’ health and an expansive global reach. But the pandemic has emerged as one of its most daunting challenges. 
More than a million Muslims have been arbitrarily detained in China’s Xinjiang region. The reeducation camps are part of the government’s crackdown on Uighurs. 
After the U.S. weakening of the World Trade Organization’s primary functions and with Doha negotiations stalled, the future of global trade rules is in doubt. 
International efforts, such as the Paris Agreement, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. But countries aren’t doing enough to limit dangerous global warming. 
Venezuela’s descent into economic and political chaos in recent years is a cautionary tale of the dangerous influence that resource wealth can have on developing countries. Council on Foreign Relations 58 East 68th Street — New York, NY 10065
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