Guy Taylor
Articles by Guy Taylor
Pompeo slams Lavrov, blames Russia for sowing ‘chaos’ in Mediterranean
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday accused Russia of seeking to "sow chaos, conflict and division" in the Mediterranean region in a bid to advance Moscow's geopolitical interests to the detriment of the entire region. Published December 15, 2020
Trump’s North Korea envoy says Pyongyang ‘squandered’ chance for historic nuclear deal
The Trump administration's top North Korea envoy expressed regret Thursday that Pyongyang "squandered" the opportunity to reach a historic denuclearization deal with President Trump. Published December 10, 2020
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya vows protests until Alexander Lukashenko forced out of office
Belarus's pro-democracy movement will not subside until the longtime authoritarian leader, Alexander Lukashenko, is driven from office, the woman who says she beat him in the country's recent presidential vote vowed this week. Published December 9, 2020
Alexander Lukashenko clings to power in Belarus
Months of demonstrations calling for the ouster of longtime authoritarian strongman Alexander Lukashenko had raised hopes for a democratic uprising in Belarus, a country of roughly 10 million people located in the tense geopolitical battleground between Russia and the West. Published December 9, 2020
Envoy Stephen Biegun going to South Korea for last trip on behalf of Trump administration
The top U.S. diplomat for North Korea policy is headed to South Korea this week for what's likely to be a final visit on behalf of the Trump administration, amid growing uncertainty for the incoming Biden administration over the way ahead for denuclearization talks that have been stalled for over a year. Published December 7, 2020
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus opposition leader: Alexander ‘Lukashenko must go’
The leader of the Belarus' opposition said Monday that the pro-democracy movement in her nation will not subside until the former Soviet republic's longtime authoritarian strongman, Alexander Lukashenko, steps down from the presidency. Published December 7, 2020
Thousands die in secret North Korea COVID camps: Report
South Korea cast fresh doubt over the weekend on North Korea's assertions that it has not recorded a single COVID-19, while reports swirled of tens of thousands dying in secret quarantine camps run by the ruling regime in Pyongyang. Published December 6, 2020
Saudis warn Biden to call them before rushing to restore Iran deal
Saudi Arabia's top diplomat suggested that presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden will face pushback from Riyadh and other Arab powers if he neglects to consult them about resuming the Iran nuclear deal. Published December 6, 2020
North Korean hackers hunting for COVID-19 vaccine secrets: Reports
North Korea is running an elaborate cyberespionage operation aimed at hacking companies developing COVID-19 treatments and vaccines, including the U.S. pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, according to sources involved in investigating the hacking attempts. Published December 3, 2020
N. Korea defector: Biden should sanction China, Russia
One of the highest level defectors ever to flee North Korea's repressive regime said Wednesday that Trump-era economic pressure has weakened the North Korean economy and the next U.S. administration should double-down with so-called "secondary sanctions" to block Chinese and Russian support for the regime. Published December 2, 2020
Europe charts path for U.S. to rejoin Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran
European allies are preparing to pounce on presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden's arrival at the White House next month as an opportunity to breathe life back into the all-but-dead Obama-era nuclear deal with Iran. Published December 1, 2020
Mohsen Fakhrizadeh killing alters Biden Iran relations path
Iran has vowed to retaliate for the assassination last week of one of its top nuclear scientists, but intelligence sources are questioning the notion that the incident will dramatically undermine presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden's plans for a major detente with Tehran next year. Published November 30, 2020
Kim Jong-un given COVID-19 vaccine that was developed in China: Report
Kim Jong-un and other high-level members of the North Korean leader's ruling regime have been given a COVID-19 vaccine by the Chinese government, according to a report citing Japanese intelligence. Published November 30, 2020
China ‘developing nation’ status exploits benefits on trade, carbon emissions
China's status as a "developing" nation in the eyes of multinational institutions and agreements gives Beijing a range of benefits, including less strict carbon emission standards and softer foreign trade rules, despite its emergence as an economic and military superpower challenging U.S. dominance in Asia and beyond. Published November 29, 2020
Terror attack deaths down nearly 60% since 2014, survey finds
Here's one small reason for gratitude during the Thanksgiving season: Deaths caused by terrorist attacks around the world have fallen by more than half in just the last five years, declining again in 2019, according to an annual analysis released Wednesday by a prominent Australian think tank. Published November 25, 2020
Joe Biden Cabinet: Anthony Blinken, Janet Yellen, John Kerry tapped for plum posts
Brushing aside the White House's drive to sow questions about the race, presumed President-Elect Joseph R. Biden moved quickly to fill a number of top diplomatic and security posts, including some candidates who may not support a total rejection of Mr. Trump's foreign policy legacy. Published November 23, 2020
Abu Muhammea al-Masri hit reveals Iran-al Qaeda links
The reported assassination of a top al Qaeda leader on the streets of Tehran has raised fresh questions about the murky relationship between Iran and the radical Sunni terror group, as well as about the depths of clandestine U.S. and Israeli operations aimed at destroying that relationship. Published November 17, 2020
Joe Biden Cabinet candidates include Obama officials, never-Trumpers
It's become common wisdom in Washington that one of the first things presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden plans to do upon arriving at the White House is flush the Trump administration's "America First" doctrine down the drain -- but that the extent to which it actually happens is going depend upon the support team Mr. Biden chooses as his top foreign policy and national security advisers. Published November 11, 2020
Mike Pompeo foresees ‘a second Trump administration’
In his first public comments on the tight 2020 presidential race, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Tuesday that he believes President Trump will emerge as the winner of last week's election when the votes are all counted, despite the multiple media calls that Democrat Joseph R. Biden has won the race. Published November 10, 2020
Mike Pompeo says transition will be ‘smooth’ to ‘second Trump term’
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted Tuesday that he believes President Trump will emerge as the winner of last week's election, despite mainstream media coverage backing presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden's claim to victory. Published November 10, 2020