David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Blinken trip still on despite latest Israeli-Palestinian violence, State Department says
Secretary of State Antony Blinken will proceed with a planned trip to Israel and the Palestinian-controlled West Bank despite an outburst of violence that has racked the region the last two days, the State Department said Friday. Published January 28, 2023
Clash kills nine Palestinians, inflames tensions ahead of Blinken trip to Israel
A deadly Israeli military raid Thursday in the occupied West Bank killed nine suspected Palestinian militants and sent regional tensions soaring ahead of a planned visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken to the region in the coming days. Published January 26, 2023
Playing chess is a great way to see the world
Chess is said to boost math skills and logical thinking, but our favorite game may work best as a tool for teaching geography. Published January 24, 2023
Netanyahu bows to court and fires key Cabinet ally Aryeh Deri
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dismissed a key ally from his new Cabinet, bowing to a ruling from the Israeli Supreme Court after days of temporizing. Published January 22, 2023
Pressure grows on Germany to authorize tank shipment to break Ukraine war stalemate
Germany found itself under intense and growing pressure Sunday as the government of Chancellor Olaf Scholz weighed whether to authorize the shipment of its coveted Leopard-2 tanks to Ukraine. Published January 22, 2023
Germany punts on Leopard 2 tanks for Ukraine
Germany said Friday it needed more time to decide whether to let its coveted Leopard 2 battle tanks be sent to Ukraine, putting off pleas from the government in Kyiv and disappointing U.S. and NATO allies eager to bolster Ukraine's forces against a possible new Russian advance. Published January 20, 2023
A Romantic chess opening that gets few dates these days
The most romantic of chess openings doesn't get many dates these days. Published January 17, 2023
Viennese hits and misses from storied chess tournament 150 years ago
It's a new year, and for a chess columnist that means a whole bunch of anniversaries and milestones to celebrate in 2023. Published January 10, 2023
One head, three crowns: Champ Carlsen adds blitz, rapid chess titles
It's the equivalent of the Grand Slam or Triple Crown of chess, and Magnus Carlsen has just done it for a hard-to-believe third time. Published January 3, 2023
Key Republican steps up warning on China’s TikTok, calls it ‘digital fentanyl’
The Wisconsin lawmaker expected to be the new House Republican point man on China voiced fresh concerns Sunday about TikTok, the Chinese-owned social media site that has become wildly popular with America's youth but which many see as a major security danger. Published January 1, 2023
Bolsonaro bolts from Brazil ahead of rival’s inauguration
Outgoing conservative populist President Jair Bolsonaro has abruptly flown out of Brazil, just two days before his rival and leftist successor, President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was set to take office. Published December 30, 2022
For the holidays, chess stars rise in the East
It is that time of year again when we start looking for that star out of the East. Right now, we have a whole constellation full of them. Published December 27, 2022
Putin recruits military bloggers to sell mobilization drive toward criticized war effort
While supporting Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine, many of the bloggers have emerged as among the harshest domestic critics of the Kremlin's prosecution of the war. Published December 21, 2022
Zelenskyy eyeing trip to Washington as Pentagon plays down Belarus threat
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is traveling to Washington perhaps as soon as Wednesday for talks with Biden administration officials and an address to Congress on the state of the 10-month war with Russia, according to multiple news reports. Published December 20, 2022
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy reportedly headed to Washington for meetings, congressional address
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is traveling to Washington perhaps as soon as Wednesday for talks with Biden administration officials and an address to Congress on the state of the 10-month war with Russia, according to multiple news reports. Published December 20, 2022
D.C.-area scholastic chess tournament smashes attendance records
The DMV represented, and the future of American chess is blindingly bright. That's two easy conclusions in the wake of the U.S. Chess Federation's record-shattering 2022 National K-12 Grade Championships, held Dec. 9-11 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Published December 20, 2022
Bipartisan push to clip TikTok gains momentum in Washington
In Washington, the move to curb U.S. operations of the Chinese-controlled social media site is gaining new adherents every day, with both conservative Republicans and liberal Democrats expressing concern the popular platform represents a major security risk. Published December 18, 2022
Vatican defrocks leading U.S. pro-life priest Frank Pavone for ‘blasphemous communications’
Frank Pavone, a leading U.S. Catholic voice against abortion and founder of the group Priests for Life, has been defrocked on direct orders from the Vatican for disobeying his superiors and "blasphemous" comments on social media. Published December 18, 2022
Putin’s war is a disaster, but peace talks not in the offing, says CIA chief William Burns
Russian President Vladimir Putin is digging in and not looking for a cease-fire deal with Ukraine despite many battlefield reverses, CIA Director William Burns said in an interview over the weekend. Published December 18, 2022
Dealing with imperfection at the chessboard
Chess is not a game of perfect. If every move were impeccable, every game would end in a draw. Very often, it's what the player does after he screws up that determines the outcome. Published December 13, 2022
