David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
Sevian, Nyzhnyk share top honors at revived St. Louis chess tournament series
In a welcome return after two years of shutdowns and two weeks of depressing headlines, the St. Louis Chess Club revived its much-missed invitational Classic Chess series this month, with American GM Sam Sevian and Ukrainian GM Illya Nyzhnyk sharing top honors in the 10-player St. Louis Spring Classic A Tournament. Published March 15, 2022
Iran nuclear deal on hold over last-minute snags
The European Union's foreign policy chief Friday requested a "pause" in multilateral talks on reviving the nuclear deal with Iran, apparently after a last-minute Russian gambit threatened to torpedo the nearly completed pact. Published March 11, 2022
Nuclear watchdog sees no critical impact, despite Ukraine’s fears over Chernobyl
The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog agency expressed concern Wednesday about a loss of power at the contaminated site of the shuttered Chernobyl nuclear plant in northern Ukraine, but said it so far has seen "no critical impact" on safety from the still-smoldering radioactive facility. Published March 9, 2022
Troubled by the war, struggling at the chessboard
Playing top-flight chess is hard enough; playing it with the weight of world events on your shoulder is infinitely tougher. Published March 8, 2022
Pentagon to shutter fuel facility that leaked into Pearl Harbor tap water
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has ordered the permanent closure of the Navy's Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in Hawaii, the final chapter in an embarrassing saga for the Pentagon after leaks from the massive facility contaminated Pearl Harbor's tap water. Published March 7, 2022
Russia: We’re keeping track of who’s against us
Russia sent a message Monday to the U.S. and all other countries that have responded to the invasion of Ukraine with "unfriendly actions": We've got a list. Published March 7, 2022
Ukraine says third round of talks with Russia set for Monday
Russian and Ukrainian officials will meet for a third round of direct talks Monday to discuss a possible cease-fire in the 10-day-old war launched by the Kremlin. Published March 5, 2022
D.C. braced, uncertain as trucker convoy puts the hammer down
The nation's capital was braced for it was not quite clear what as a sizable convoy of truckers protesting COVID-19 vaccine mandates and other causes bore down on the city from the north. Published March 5, 2022
Pence escalates break with Trump with attack on Putin praise
Former Vice President Mike Pence is broadening the breach with his former boss, taking a barely veiled shot at former President Donald Trump for offering mixed praise for Russian leader Vladimir Putin even as the Kremlin's 10-day invasion of Ukraine grinds on. Published March 5, 2022
Putin warns on NATO no-fly zone as Zelenskyy addresses U.S. senators
Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a stark warning against a NATO "no-fly zone" over the skies of Ukraine as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy addressed a virtual meeting of U.S. lawmakers Saturday to plead for a more aggressive Western response to Russia's 10-day-old invasion. Published March 5, 2022
Kremlin defends media crackdown as more Western news organizations shut down
Two more Western news organizations announced Saturday they were suspending operations inside Russia following the passage of a new law imposing fines and criminal penalties for publishing "fake news" about the invasion of Ukraine. Published March 5, 2022
Britain plans major boost in sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
The British government Friday announced a new round of sanctions against Russia as the Kremlin's war against Ukraine escalates. Published March 4, 2022
U.N.: Ukraine refugee flow may top 4 million
The number of Ukrainian citizens fleeing the fighting in their country may eventually top 4 million people, or nearly a 10th of the population, according to new estimates this week from the United Nations' top refugee agency. Published March 4, 2022
Stoltenberg nixes NATO ‘no-fly zone’ for Ukraine
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday firmly ruled out plans for the Western military alliance to enforce a "no-fly zone" over Ukraine, despite the pleas of the Kyiv government as it tries to hold back a massive invasion from neighboring Russia. Published March 4, 2022
Russian chess grandmasters slam invasion of Ukraine in joint appeal to Putin
Nearly three dozen top Russian chess players, including a recent challenger for the world crown, a former women's world champion and a grandmaster who has won the Russian national title eight times, have issued an "official appeal" to President Vladimir Putin condemning the invasion of Ukraine and calling for the fighting to cease. Published March 3, 2022
China won’t join Western financial sanctions on Russia over Ukraine
China's communist government said Wednesday that it will not be joining a wide-ranging sanctions campaign by the U.S. and countries around the world against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, adding it opposes "unilateral" measures and doubts they would be effective. Published March 2, 2022
IMF, World Bank condemn invasion, prepare emergency aid for Ukraine
The world's two biggest international financial bodies have condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine and announced a multibillion-dollar emergency financing package for the beleaguered Ukrainian government. Published March 1, 2022
Russian chess suffers as war divides two great powers of the game
It doesn't even rate as a footnote as the bombs fall and families cower in bomb shelters, but there is something inexpressibly sad about seeing two of the world's great chess-loving nations at war. Published March 1, 2022
Famously neutral Swiss sign on to European sanctions against Russia
Switzerland, which has long jealously guarded its neutral status in the face of past world crises, said Monday it will join European Union sanctions against Russia and top officials including President Vladimir Putin in the wake of last week's invasion of Ukraine. Published February 28, 2022
Pressured Putin hints at nukes but agrees to talks with Ukraine
Facing a wall of global opposition and unexpectedly fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces, Russian President Vladimir Putin played the nuclear card Sunday, ordering the country's vast nuclear arsenal be put on a "special combat readiness" status to persuade the U.S. and European nations not to come to Kyiv's aid. Published February 27, 2022