Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Antony Blinken offers mixed message on Russian Nord Stream 2 pipeline
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says the Biden administration is committed to imposing sanctions to block Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline to Western Europe. Published March 28, 2021
U.S.-China sanctions battle escalating under Biden with focus on Xinjiang abuses
A tit-for-tat sanctions battle between the Biden administration and China has reached new heights in recent days, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken accusing Beijing of attempting to "intimidate and silence" U.S. officials who speak out for human rights around the world. Published March 28, 2021
China flouts Iran sanctions on oil as Trump-era pressure campaign crumbles
The Biden administration claims to be upholding the Trump-era pressure campaign on Iran, but there are clear signs sanctions are crumbling as China dramatically increases its purchases of embargoed Iranian crude oil. Published March 25, 2021
North Korea launches two more missiles in latest provocation aimed at Biden administration
North Korea on Wednesday escalated its provocations toward the Biden administration and U.S. allies in Northeast Asia by launching two ballistic missiles into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Published March 24, 2021
France summons Chinese ambassador over ‘mad hyena’ insult
A spat between China and France has burst into the open this week with Paris sharply reprimanding China's ambassador over undiplomatic insults and threats the Chinese Embassy has been hurling at French lawmakers and a key French strategy scholar. Published March 24, 2021
Biden decision on U.S. troops in Afghanistan may be imminent
President Biden is facing growing pressure to lay his cards on the table in Afghanistan, as disagreements mount with the U.S.-backed government in Kabul and uncertainty swirls around whether or not the White House will proceed with a May 1 deadline set by the Trump administration for a full U.S. troop pullout. Published March 23, 2021
Iran presidential election complicates Biden bid to rejoin nuclear deal
Anti-American hard-liners are poised to dominate Iran's upcoming presidential election, presenting a major new headache for the Biden administration as it tries to contain Tehran's nuclear weapons ambitions and promote stability in the Middle East. Published March 22, 2021
U.S., EU ramp up sanctions amid junta’s crackdown on democracy in Myanmar
The U.S. on Monday escalated its sanctions targeting officials in Myanmar in response to the increasingly violent crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators unfolding in the Southeast Asian nation since the military coup that took place there last month. Published March 22, 2021
Two Taiwanese fighter jets crash amid heightened tensions with China
Two Taiwanese fighter jets crashed into the sea off the island's southeastern coast on Monday after apparently colliding in mid-air during a training mission, according to initial reports. Published March 22, 2021
U.S.-North Korea fight bursts into the open in Malaysia
Behind-the-scenes tension between the U.S. and North Korea burst into the open in Malaysia over the weekend, with Pyongyang accusing the southeast Asian nation of being "subservient" to Washington. Published March 22, 2021
William Burns confirmed by Senate as CIA director
The Senate unanimously confirmed veteran diplomat William Burns as the new director of the CIA on Thursday, setting the stage for him to take over following the retirement of Gina Haspel, who was director since 2018 and was the first woman to head the spy agency. Published March 18, 2021
Joe Biden to host first Quad meeting between U.S., India, Australia and Japan
President Biden on Friday will host a first-ever meeting of the leaders of the so-called "Quad" countries -- the U.S., India, Australia and Japan -- as his administration seeks to build on momentum to combine Asia's most powerful democracies into a more formal grouping to confront and contain China. Published March 11, 2021
U.S. to consult allies on North Korean problem
The Biden administration's still-evolving policy for dealing with the North Korean nuclear threat will loom large and may get some clarity as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin make a first visit to Japan and South Korea next week. Published March 10, 2021
Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin to take joint trip to Japan and South Korea to rally allies
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will travel together to Japan and South Korea next week to rally democratic allies in the Indo-Pacific in an effort to more effectively confront and compete with China's rising influence there, the Biden administration announced Wednesday. Published March 10, 2021
Lawmakers urge Biden not to ignore Iran’s support for terrorism
A bipartisan group of 140 members of Congress says it supports the Biden administration's desire to engage with Iran, but only if the goal is to reach a deal that goes beyond simply limiting Iranian nuclear activities and addresses Tehran's ballistic missile programs and support for terrorism. Published March 9, 2021
Xi Jinping warns Chinese military to increase readiness
Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Tuesday that China faces a "largely unstable" security situation, telling the country's military commanders they must be "prepared to respond" to complex threats that may arise suddenly. Published March 9, 2021
Biden administration extends Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelan migrants
The Biden administration said Monday that hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants who have fled the economic and humanitarian crisis in their homeland can stay in the U.S. for now, moving to cement a policy President Trump had put in place in his last days in office. Published March 8, 2021
Slain Afghan midwife among those to be honored for courage by State Department
It was nearly a year ago that Maryam Noorzad, a midwife at a hospital in Afghanistan, took a stand when extremists went on a rampage at the maternity ward where she worked in Kabul. Published March 5, 2021
China uses global COVID-19 vaccine exports to one-up U.S.
The Biden administration says it is committed to strategically countering China on the global stage, but Beijing has already seized the public relations high ground in the soft-power fight to win friends and influence through strategically placed COVID-19 vaccine deliveries to countries in need. Published March 4, 2021
Biden nominee vows to fight Russian gas pipeline to Germany
President Biden's nominee for the number two State Department leadership post says that if confirmed, she'll fight to block Russia's controversial Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline to Western Europe. Published March 3, 2021