David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
In a war gone sideways, some Russian hawks push Putin to do more
The two Russian senior colonels caught on tape did not hide their fury as Moscow's invasion of Ukraine ground into its fourth inconclusive month, but the target of their anger was not the Ukrainians shooting at them but their own military and political superiors, who they said -- profanely and repeatedly -- were not trying to win the war they started. Published June 5, 2022
British PM Boris Johnson facing fresh party revolt: Report
The Partygate may not be over for British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Published June 5, 2022
Russians launch first strikes on Kyiv in weeks to curb weapons flow
Residents of Kyiv received a harsh reminder that Ukraine is still a country at war as a salvo of Russian missiles fell on two outlying districts of the capital early Sunday. Published June 5, 2022
Making the cut: Finalists shine in Chessable Masters knockout rounds
The two finalists may have done their best work just getting to the finals. Chinese No. 1 GM Ding Liren edged rising Indian star Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa in the finals of the online Chessable Masters 2022 rapid tournament, which featured a strong preliminary section followed by a series of rapid knockout matches. Published May 31, 2022
EU leaders agree to watered-down compromise on Russia energy sanctions
European Union leaders gathering Monday for a two-day summit in Brussels are setting a low bar for expectations for a tough new sanctions policy to cut off the supply of Russian oil exports as a punishment for Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Published May 30, 2022
Russian foreign minister again denies reports of Putin illness
Russia's top diplomat has again been forced to address persistent reports in the West that President Vladimir Putin is suffering from an undisclosed illness, denying the 69-year-old Mr. Putin faces any serious health issues and accusing those who question his stamina and judgment of having ulterior motives. Published May 30, 2022
A Rocky-like Philly chess brawl from the Romantic era
World champion visits Philadelphia. Sportingly agrees to a match with a local star. Gets clocked. It sounds like the plot of a "Rocky" movie, but I discovered Sylvester Stallone's screenplay eerily prefigured while perusing some 140-year-old chess columns from the Baltimore Sunday News. Published May 24, 2022
Watchdog: U.S. pullout ‘most important factor’ in Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan
The pullout of American forces begun by President Trump and accelerated under President Biden was the "single most important factor" in the rapid collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Afghanistan and the takeover of the country by the radical Islamist Taliban movement last summer, according to a new report by the chief U.S. watchdog over the failed 20-year American mission in Kabul. Published May 18, 2022
The mating game: Reaching a convincing conclusion
"'Shut up,' he explained." Novelist Ring Lardner's famed, unanswerable riposte has its analog in chess. Many amateurs can't fathom why a grandmaster would resign a game when he's down only a pawn with rooks, bishops and queens still on the board, even when a more experienced player can quickly see the hopelessness of the situation. Published May 17, 2022
Upstart newspaper proves skeptics wrong
If there is a signature image of the impact and influence The Washington Times has had over its four decades chronicling the city, the nation and the world, it came on the night of April 29, 1995, in a Washington ballroom packed with politicos, bureaucrats, journalists and celebrities. Published May 16, 2022
Putin’s troubled war sees battlefield, diplomatic reverses
Russian President Vladimir Putin's nearly 3-month-old invasion of neighboring Ukraine suffered reverses on the battlefield and in the halls of power Sunday as long-neutral Finland said it would apply to join the NATO military alliance and neighboring Sweden signaled it wouldn't be far behind. Published May 15, 2022
Sweden takes big step toward bid for NATO
Sweden took a major step toward ending its longstanding policy of neutrality Sunday as the ruling Social Democratic Party said it now favored applying for membership in the NATO military alliance. Published May 15, 2022
North Korea, once officially COVID-free, reports rising ‘fever’ cases, deaths
North Korea on Sunday acknowledged it was facing a spreading outbreak of COVID-19, after denying for more than a year that the virus had reached its shore. Published May 15, 2022
Finnish leader holds his ground on NATO in talk with Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin tried to ratchet up the pressure on Finland over its plans to apply for NATO membership, but Finnish President Sauli Niinisto said Russia's own actions were the reason Helsinki decided to change course. Published May 15, 2022
Tuneful revenge: Embattled Ukraine takes Eurovision song contest
Ukraine's entry reportedly overcame strong early performances by entries from Britain, Spain and Sweden. It is the third Eurovision victory for the Ukrainian entrant since the country joined the competition nearly two decades ago. Published May 15, 2022
Turkish leader Erdogan pours cold water on NATO membership for Finland, Sweden
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he opposed plans by Finland, and possibly Sweden, to apply to join NATO - an application which must be unanimously endorsed by the 27 countries of the Western military alliance to be approved. Published May 13, 2022
Russia fumes as NATO leaders welcome Finland bid to join alliance
Russian officials were quick to promise retaliation Thursday as Finland's top leaders confirmed they were ready to abandon decades of neutrality and apply to join the NATO military alliance "without delay." Published May 12, 2022
Fischer was a model of sanity and realism — at the chessboard
Incredibly for those of us who were first drawn to the game by the excitement and spectacle of the time, this year marks the 50th anniversary -- a full half-century -- of Bobby Fischer's epic run to the world chess title, culminating in the on- and off-board drama of Bobby's defeat of star-crossed Soviet world champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland. Published May 10, 2022
Channeling a champ at his own chess tournament
The great Cuban world champion Jose Raul Capablanca had a trademark touch that propelled some of his greatest victories -- the petite combinaison, the little tactical flourish designed not to mate a king or win a queen but to secure the tiniest of positional advantages such as control of a vital square or the trade of a bad bishop for a good knight. Published May 3, 2022
Macron talks to Putin as Germany’s Scholz shuns trip to Kyiv
French President Emmanuel Macron held a two-hour telephone conversation Tuesday morning with Russian President Vladimir Putin amid reports the Kremlin could be ready to declare breakaway parts of eastern Ukraine as part of Russia's sovereign territory. Published May 3, 2022
