Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Joe Biden drops bid to block Russian-German Nord Stream 2 pipeline: Report
The Biden White House has reportedly decided to effectively drop efforts to block the nearly-completed Nord Stream 2 pipeline supplying Russian natural gas directly to Germany, according to a new report, despite vows from top administration officials to prevent the pipeline's completion. Published May 18, 2021
Iran’s FM Mohammad Javad Zarif meets with pope about Israeli-Palestinian violence: Report
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif sought to win Pope Francis' support for Tehran's perspective on the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian violence during a private meeting between the two at the Vatican on Monday. Published May 17, 2021
Israeli strike kills Palestinian commander as cease-fire calls mount
Fresh Israeli strikes on Gaza on Monday killed a top military official of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, which the State Department considers an Iranian-backed terrorist group blamed for some of the thousands of rockets launched at Israeli in recent days. Published May 17, 2021
Biden warned against cozying-up to socialist Maduro
Venezuela's socialist president, Nicolas Maduro, is offering an unexpected diplomatic olive branch to Washington now that Democrats control the White House, but the Biden administration faces pressure at home not to weaken the campaign that former President Trump built against Caracas. Published May 10, 2021
Trump-era officials join leaders to promote world peace
Top officials of the former Trump administration joined other world leaders for a summit over the weekend to promote world peace and mobilize hope behind efforts to end the North Korean nuclear crisis and the decades-old conflict between North and South Korea. Published May 9, 2021
General: China’s Africa outreach poses threat from Atlantic
China is moving behind-the-scenes toward establishing a major naval port on the west coast of Africa that would host Chinese submarines and aircraft carriers capable of projecting Beijing's military power directly into the Atlantic, a top U.S. military official warned on Thursday. Published May 6, 2021
U.S. ‘far left’ susceptible to Chinese government’s COVID-19 disinformation: Report
Americans on the far left, including "Trump administration critics" and "capitalism skeptics," are most likely to have soaked up Chinese government disinformation about the origins of the coronavirus, according to a new report by a prominent U.S. think tank. Published May 3, 2021
Biden admin.’s ‘goal’ remains to close Guantanamo Bay prison
The Biden administration's "goal" remains to close the Guantanamo Bay prison for suspected terrorists, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who says the White House is intent on moving the facility's 40 remaining prisoners away from the U.S. naval base in Cuba. Published May 3, 2021
Joe Biden foreign policy marked stumbles on Iran, Russia, China
NEWS ANALYSIS: President Biden has moved swiftly to reassure allies from Europe to Asia that America has their back, but when it comes to sharpening U.S. policy toward adversaries and enemies, the administration's first 100 days have proved far from game-changing. Published April 29, 2021
Leaked recording of Iran’s top diplomat offers blunt talk
President Biden's effort to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal with Tehran may be in jeopardy after a leaked tape exposed deep divisions between military leaders and diplomats inside Iran, with the credibility of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif now in doubt at a crucial moment in negotiations. Published April 26, 2021
Turkey summons U.S. ambassador after Biden declaration on Armenian genocide
The Turkish Foreign Ministry summoned the U.S. ambassador in Ankara to protest President Biden's recognition over the weekend that the former Ottoman Empire's mass killing of Armenians was a genocide. Published April 25, 2021
EU joins U.S. in criticizing China provocations to the Philippines
The European Union joined in U.S. criticism of China's ongoing maritime provocations toward the Philippines in the South China Sea over the weekend, with Brussels accusing Beijing of making waves that "endanger peace and stability in the region." Published April 25, 2021
North Korean propaganda spike suggests looming challenge to Biden, U.S.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been uncharacteristically quiet as the new Biden administration weighs its policy for the divided Korean peninsula, but there are signs that's about to change. Published April 22, 2021
Timothy Lenderking, U.S. special envoy: Iran is still fueling Yemen conflict
A top U.S. diplomat painted a dark picture of Iran's meddling in Yemen on Wednesday, telling a congressional hearing that Tehran continues to provide "lethal" support for Houthi fighters even after the Biden administration eased pressure on the rebel group by removing them from the State Department's foreign terrorist list. Published April 21, 2021
China, neighbors weigh options and hedge bets as Biden prepares Afghan exit
China is eying Afghanistan's natural gas and precious metal deposits. Russia and Iran are cultivating ties with both the Afghan government and the Taliban insurgents, with the goal of wielding influence no matter who ends up in control of Kabul. Published April 21, 2021
Putin threatens ‘harsh’ punishment if West crosses ‘red lines’
Russian President Vladimir Putin threatened on Wednesday to respond with "asymmetrical, swift and harsh" punishment if America and its allies cross "red lines" the Kremlin has set with regard to friction points between Russia and the West. Published April 21, 2021
Russian envoy says ‘no famine’ in North Korea, describes ‘extra-harsh’ COVID-19 restrictions
Russia's top diplomat in North Korea is downplaying claims by Kim Jong-un that the North Korean economic situation has become so dire it now compares to the 1990s famine that killed hundreds of thousands in the isolated nation. Published April 16, 2021
White House claims ‘indirect’ Iran talks are on for Thursday, despite setbacks
Iran's supreme leader on Wednesday slammed the latest U.S. offer for renewed nuclear diplomacy, but the White House was undeterred, with officials saying they are preparing for "a long process," even as Tehran ramps up its uranium enrichment to near bomb-grade levels. Published April 14, 2021
Joe Biden urges Russia to ‘de-escalate tensions’ with Ukraine, proposes summit
NATO leaders and Russia traded sharp threats Tuesday over a military standoff in Ukraine, with President Biden pressing the Kremlin to de-escalate the situation and suggesting it was time for him and Russian President Vladimir Putin to have a face-to-face talk about Russian provocations. Published April 13, 2021
Russian provocations surging as Blinken and Austin huddle with NATO allies
The threat of a new Russian invasion of Ukraine will top the agenda as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin attend meetings with their counterparts at NATO headquarters in Brussels on Tuesday. Published April 13, 2021