David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Battle of the exes — a great game from former chess champs
Way back in the day, it was a very rare sighting: a game pitting two ex-world champions. Published October 4, 2016
Thoughts from champ Magnus Carlsen on chess, intuition and fashion
It was the first visit by the world's greatest chess player to the world's most powerful city. After a traditional Norwegian repast of cod and red wine hosted by Ambassador Kare R. Aas last week, world chess champ Magnus Carlsen met with a small group of reporters at the Norwegian Embassy here to talk chess, intuition, fashion, and his upcoming title defense match starting Nov. 11 at the Fulton Market building in Manhattan's Seaport District. Published September 27, 2016
North Korea cyber leak exposes reclusive nation’s registered websites — all 28 of them
North Korea does not exactly enjoy a reputation for openness, but this week the regime of Kim Jong-un became the first government in history to reveal every officially registered website operating in the country -- all 28 of them. Published September 21, 2016
Eugenio Torre, a tower of strength, taking gold at 42nd Chess Olympiad
It's the ultimate team competition, but that doesn't mean there wasn't a little individual glory to be had at the just-concluded 42nd Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan. Published September 20, 2016
Obama honors celebrity chef Jose Andres who is feuding with Donald Trump
He still isn't welcome at Donald Trump's brand spanking new Trump International Hotel, but celebrity chef Jose Andres will soon be honored at another famous Pennsylvania Avenue address -- the White House. Published September 14, 2016
U.S. wins first gold in four decades at chess Olympiad
Add another gold medal to the U.S. haul this summer. The U.S. "Dream Team" came through in the clutch to claim the first American gold medal in 40 years at the 42nd Olympiad that concluded Tuesday in Baku, Azerbaijan. Published September 13, 2016
Big chess matches loom as U.S. fights for Olympiad gold
The early rounds of the biennial Olympiad tournament are in the books in Baku, Azerbaijan, and the highly touted Americans have so far avoided stepping on any major landmines. Published September 6, 2016
Not waiting for U.S., Canada signs up for Chinese investment bank
The Obama administration increasingly finds itself on the outside looking in as Canadian officials announced Thursday plans to apply for membership in the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the first North American country to join the China-founded development bank. Published August 31, 2016
Apple’s $14.5 billion tax penalty threatens ‘spirit of economic partnership’ between U.S., EU
Hailed as a breath of fresh air across the Atlantic when he took office eight years ago, President Obama will leave office soon with the state of U.S.-European economic ties in deep crisis. Published August 30, 2016
U.S. furious over European Union’s Apple tax ‘money grab’
The Obama administration and key lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Tuesday strongly condemned a European Union judgment that U.S. computer giant Apple must pay billions of dollars in back taxes to Ireland because it had received what EU officials deemed "improper" tax breaks over the past decade. Published August 30, 2016
Loaded U.S. chess teams in hunt for Olympiad gold
The American squad starts play Thursday in the 42nd Chess Olympiad in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku laboring under an unusual burden -- sky-high expectations. Published August 30, 2016
Fashion statement: Ukrainian troops debut post-Soviet uniforms
Ukraine's military has taken its clash with neighboring Russia to a new level, debuting new "Western-style" uniforms that deliberately break with old Soviet sartorial motifs. Published August 25, 2016
Elshan Moradiabadi tops global chess field to capture International
An Iranian-born grandmaster, by way of Texas, thriving in suburban Maryland -- was a highly appropriate winner of the fifth annual Washington International Tournament last week. Published August 23, 2016
Germans fear more terror attacks over Angela Merkel’s immigration open-door policy: poll
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump calls it an unmitigated disaster for Germany, but Germans themselves are more evenly divided over Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door policy for migrants seeking to enter the country from Syria, Afghanistan and other world crisis spots. Published August 22, 2016
China, Russia to hold South China Sea ‘drills’ next month
Amid rising tensions with the Obama administration and its neighbors across East Asia, China will hold a week of naval drills with Russia in the South China Sea next month, the two countries said Monday. Published August 22, 2016
Evan Mawarire, #ThisFlag movement leader, challenges Robert Mugabe’s reign in Zimbabwe
The national flag draped around his shoulders, Zimbabwe's most unlikely dissident said Wednesday that his popular protest movement has already triumphed over the government of authoritarian President Robert Mugabe and outlined plans to turn up the heat against the government in the run-up to elections in 2018. Published August 17, 2016
Rising U.S. chess star captures high-powered Sinquefield Cup
It wasn't the biggest payday of his career, but it was easily his biggest win. U.S. GM Wesley So scored his first clear win in a superelite event, taking home the top prize and $75,000 at the 4th Sinquefield Cup tournament at the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of St. Louis. Published August 16, 2016
Woodrow Wilson Center, D.C. think tank, rejects charges of helping spur Turkish coup
The Woodrow Wilson Center, one of Washington's best-known think tanks, is defending itself against charges that it played a role in the failed military coup against the government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month. Published August 9, 2016
Alex Shabalov, Gil Popilski top the chess field at 117th U.S. Open
It was a popular -- and familiar -- figure atop the final wall chart at the 117th annual U.S. Open, which wrapped up Sunday in Indianapolis. Published August 9, 2016
GOP foreign policy experts call Trump unfit to lead
More than four dozen members of the Republican foreign policy establishment, including the former heads of the CIA, World Bank and Department of Homeland Security, have put their names to an open letter saying GOP nominee Donald Trump is unfit and unqualified to serve as president and commander in chief. Published August 8, 2016
