David R. Sands

When a single oversight in chess spells instant doom

Those who don't appreciate the mental stress of top-level chess should consider that every single position offers the opportunity for disaster. Published October 26, 2016

Going beyond the chess rules to get the win

This just in from our Other Board Games Bureau: The Japan Shogi Association will soon ban players from bringing any electronic devices with them to matches, and players will have to go through metal detectors before they can enter the playing hall. Starting Dec. 14, leaving the tournament room in midmatch will also be forbidden, and those caught cheating will be permanently expelled from the association, the BBC reported last week. Published October 18, 2016

U.N. agency pushes global soda taxes to curb obesity, fight disease

The United Nations jumped into the soda wars Tuesday, urging the nations of the world to start taxing everything from Pepsi to papaya juice as a way to trim expanding global waistlines and fight diseases such as diabetes. Published October 11, 2016

A busy calendar as the world title chess match looms

Just because there's this big showdown next month doesn't mean the rest of the world is on hold until a winner is declared. Published October 11, 2016

Prestige foreign policy journal makes first-ever endorsement — HIllary Clinton

Foreign Policy, the influential journal that is one of the establishment's favored debating grounds on international politics, economics and diplomacy, is the latest media publication to break with tradition and endorse a presidential candidate -- Democrat Hillary Clinton. Published October 9, 2016

U.K. Independence Party at war with itself after Brexit triumph

It's been an abrupt fall -- figuratively and literally -- for the U.K. Independence Party, which this summer saw its dream of a British withdrawal from the European Union come to pass but Thursday saw its would-be next leader laid out cold on the floor after a fistfight with a rival over the party's next act. Published October 6, 2016

Antonio Guterres set to become U.N. secretary general as push for first female head falls short

Under pressure to open up the process and break with seven decades of tradition, the United Nations is set to elect a white, male Western European insider as its top diplomat for the next five years. Published October 5, 2016

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