David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
U.S. great hope Fabiano Caruana preps for clash with Magnus Carlsen
GM Fabiano Caruana has a chance to match another phenom out of Brooklyn, Bobby Fischer, as he prepares to take on world champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway in a 12-game title match in London. Published October 30, 2018
Saudi crown prince breaks silence, condemns ‘heinous’ killing of Khashoggi
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman broke a long silence on the suspected murder of dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the hands of Saudi government agents, denouncing what he called a "heinous crime" but saying nothing of whether he had any role in or knowledge of the plot. Published October 24, 2018
Operatic struggle offers chess on a grand scale
Even chess columnists have their biases. Oh, we try to be rigorously objective, favoring neither Black nor White, but we have a clear preference for a certain kind of game -- the flashy, shortish blowout, the stunning sacrifice, the combination that ends in a satisfying (and easily analyzable) checkmate. Published October 23, 2018
Russia sticking with Saudis amid boycotts over Khashoggi murder
Russia is one country that is not letting the international furor over the fate of dissident Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi disrupt its ties with the oil-rich kingdom. Published October 23, 2018
Jon Tester-Donald Trump feud over Ronny Jackson simmers in Montana rally
President Trump rekindled a simmering feud with Sen. Jon Tester, traveling to the senator's home state of Montana yet again Thursday evening to denounce the two-term Democrat's role in blocking his choice to head the Veterans Administration earlier this year. Published October 18, 2018
Jon Tester-Matt Rosendale Montana Senate race highlights Trump anger over Ronny Jackson
A messy, partisan Senate confirmation fight may play the deciding role in Montana's too-close-to-call U.S. Senate race, but it may not be the fight that first comes to mind. Published October 17, 2018
IMF’s Christine Lagarde latest to cancel on Saudi conference amid Khashoggi furor
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Christine Lagarde is the latest high-profile figure in the financial world to scrub a planned appearance at a major investment conference in Saudi Arabia, in the wake of the growing furor over the fate of critical Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Published October 17, 2018
Small countries make big statements at Chess Olympiad
The Olympiad is the moveable feast on the chess menu, a massive biennial team competition that attracts entrants from virtually every country across the globe. There's so much chess going on -- and so much focus on what the Big Boys and Big Girls are doing on the top-seeded boards, that it's easy to overlook some impressive chess played lower down the ratings chart. Published October 16, 2018
Paula White, Donald Trump’s ‘personal pastor,’ says president serious about faith
The Donald Trump that Florida evangelical minister Paula White sees is a good listener, a man who takes his faith seriously while not always being fluent in "Christianese" and, unlike so many of his predecessors, a politician who has kept his promises to faith voters and evangelical Christian groups after he won the presidency with the help of their votes. Published October 11, 2018
IMF plans talks with Pakistan on debt help
A team of experts from the International Monetary Fund will travel to Islamabad in the coming weeks to discuss a possible financial assistance package for Pakistan -- despite warnings from U.S. lawmakers and the Trump administration that the money would be used to pay off massive debts Pakistan has run up with China. Published October 11, 2018
China scores rare double gold, U.S. earns silver at Chess Olympiad
For the first time in more than three decades, one nation went home with two team gold medals at the biennial Chess Olympiad this year. Published October 9, 2018
Chinese Open, women’s teams take gold; U.S. earns silver at chess Olympiad
China scored a rare double as its Open and women's teams both claimed the gold medal at the 43rd Chess Olympiad that concluded Friday in Batumi, Georgia. Published October 5, 2018
U.S. cancels 1950s treaty with Iran after international court rules against sanctions
The Trump administration is pulling out of an "obsolete" 63-year-old friendship treaty with Iran, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced Wednesday, just hours after an international tribunal ruled the U.S. government must roll back some of the economic sanctions it has imposed on Tehran over its nuclear and missile programs. Published October 3, 2018
U.S. chess teams off to strong starts in Batumi Olympiad
In an event where a single early setback can put a team irretrievably behind the 8-ball, the U.S. open and women's teams have been taking care of business and are still very much in the running for some medal hardware at the 43rd Chess Olympiad now just past the halfway point in Batumi, Georgia. Published October 2, 2018
Mexico, Canada trade deal gives Trump China leverage
President Trump's ability to wangle a new deal from NAFTA partners Mexico and Canada will give the White House leverage to take a harder line in the escalating trade war with China, administration backers said Monday. Published October 1, 2018
Justin Trudeau calls updated NAFTA deal win for Canada
Just an hour after President Trump hailed the proposed revision of the North American Free Trade Agreement as a win for U.S. workers and a vindication of his hard-edged approach to trade, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau predicted the new deal would be "profoundly beneficial" for Canadian families and the middle class. Published October 1, 2018
Anglo-American school dating to Cold War shutting after four decades in Russia
An Anglo-American school that has operated in St. Petersburg since the depths of the Cold War is closing its doors, the latest apparent victim of the deep chill in more recent relations between Russia and the West. Published September 28, 2018
U.S. chess team starts strong in defense of Olympiad gold in Georgia
The defending champion U.S. chess squad got off to a nice start Monday as play began for the 43rd Olympiad in Batumi, Georgia, efficiently dispatching an outranked Panama as they pursue a second consecutive gold medal. Published September 26, 2018
Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo scores breakthrough win at junior world chess championship
It may have a few problems on some other fronts, but Iran's chess future looks bright these days. Already the strongest chess-playing nation in the Middle East, Iran now has a bona fide world champion -- junior division. Published September 18, 2018
Allies plan U.N. meeting to work around Trump Palestinian aid cut-off
A group of European and Middle Eastern allies of the United States announced plans to meet on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly gathering in New York to discuss how to make up the shortfalls after the Trump administration cut off all funding for aid to Palestinian refugees. Published September 18, 2018
