David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Merkel set to leave as Germany’s Greens agree to join new government
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's era will officially end this week as the final piece fell into place Monday for a new center-left-led coalition government headed by Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and his Social Democratic party. Published December 6, 2021
Carlsen seizes two-game lead in chess title fight after Russian’s blunder
A stunning blunder by Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi gifted world champion Magnus Carlsen his second win in three games in their scheduled 14-game world chess title match in Dubai Sunday. Published December 5, 2021
Taliban deny targeted killings of officials linked to U.S.-backed government
Afghanistan's Taliban leadership on Sunday rejected sharp criticism from the U.S. and a host of Western allies that the regime has embarked on a campaign of targeted killings of security officials linked to the ousted U.S.-backed government in Kabul. Published December 5, 2021
Carlsen keeps lead in world chess title fight after tame Game 7 draw
After a titanic 136-move victory Friday that clocked in as the longest game in the 150-year history of world chess championship matches, Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen comfortably held a draw with the Black pieces against Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi, retaining a one-point lead at the halfway point of their scheduled 14-game title fight in Dubai. Published December 4, 2021
Champion Carlsen takes lead in chess title fight with epic 136-move win
It took 136 grueling moves, but world chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway broke through to score the first decisive result of his title match with Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi Friday in Dubai. Published December 3, 2021
Oklahoma sues Biden administration over vaccine mandate for state National Guard
The state of Oklahoma has sued the Biden administration over a Defense Department mandate that its National Guard forces must get the COVID-19 vaccine, calling it an unconstitutional and dangerous overreach by the federal government. Published December 3, 2021
Champ Carlsen suffers, but holds draw to keep chess title fight tied
There were some uncomfortable moments for Norwegian world chess champion Magnus Carlsen, but he was able to secure a draw with the Black pieces in Wednesday's Game 5 of his scheduled 14-game title match with Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi. Published December 1, 2021
Critics pan Pentagon’s strategic posture review, lack of action on China threat
Critics across the spectrum say the strategic blueprint ordered up by President Biden and outlined by Pentagon officials Monday falls far short of its own self-described mission: to reorient the U.S. military to face what Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calls the "pacing threat" posed by a rising China in the Indo-Pacific region. Published November 30, 2021
Drawn out: Bloodless opening to Carlsen-Nepomniachtchi world chess title match
'We try." That was a more than slightly peeved Magnus Carlsen, as the Norwegian world chess champion and challenger GM Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia faced questions Sunday over the three (now four) draws to open their scheduled 14-game title match in Dubai. Published November 30, 2021
New opening produces another draw in chess title match
Chess champion Magnus Carlsen tried a new opening with White Tuesday, but the result was the same: yet another draw in Game 4 of his title defense against Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi. Published November 30, 2021
Iranian demands raise fresh doubts as nuke talks resume
Iran refused to meet face-to-face with American diplomats as talks over the Islamic republic's suspect nuclear programs resumed Monday in Vienna following a five-month hiatus -- a period in which a hardline new government has come to power. Published November 29, 2021
Honduras election a cause for celebration — in China
The apparent victory of leftist challenger Xiomara Castro in Sunday's presidential election in Honduras is being warmly welcomed in another capital -- Beijing. Published November 29, 2021
Israeli leaders warn: Iran can’t be trusted as nuclear talks resume
Israeli leaders are escalating a lobbying campaign against the nuclear deal with Iran, even as expectations are low that resumed negotiations in Vienna this week will produce a breakthrough to revive the accord. Published November 29, 2021
Low-key struggle leads to quiet draw as world chess title fight remains tied
They avoided the theatrics of the first two games, but a draw was again the result Sunday as world chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway and Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi remain tied with 1 1/2 points apiece in their scheduled 14-game match in Dubai. Published November 28, 2021
Seesaw battle leads to second draw to open world chess title match
Both players had chances in a sharp struggle, but the result was 58-move draw in the second game of the 14-game world chess championship match between titleholder Magnus Carlsen of Norway and challenger Ian Neponiachtchi of Russia Saturday in Dubai. Published November 27, 2021
Carlsen presses but held to draw in world chess championship match’s first game
World chess champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway, playing the Black pieces, survived some early pressure and then mismanaged a favorable position to draw Russian challenger Ian Nepomniachtchi in the first game of the scheduled 14-game title match in Dubai Friday. Published November 26, 2021
‘Squid Game’ smuggler gets death sentence as North Korea cracks down
In totalitarian North Korea, it's not just the fictional characters competing in "Squid Game" who are in mortal danger. Published November 25, 2021
Carlsen, Nepomniachtchi square off for chess crown this week
Magnus Carlsen is sounding a little cocky -- and history suggests he may have a right to preen. There have been some 60 or so world championship matches (the numbers get a little fuzzy with the Split Crown Era of the late 1990s and early 2000s) since the mid-19th century, and there have been no real shocking upsets on the order of Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson or the 1969 Mets winning the World Series. Published November 23, 2021
Missing Chinese tennis star surfaces in video from Beijing tournament
Chinese female tennis star Peng Shuai has been seen publicly for the first time in weeks Published November 21, 2021
Vets get a big jump in retirement pay to help fight inflation
In another sign that the U.S. military is facing the same economic headwinds as the civilian population, the Defense Department announced Friday that military retirees and survivors will receive a 5.9% cost-of-living boost in pay and survivor benefits. Published November 19, 2021
