David R. Sands
Articles by David R. Sands
American chess stars in the hunt for coveted Candidates’ slots at FIDE Swiss fight
Some 164 top players are competing now in the FIDE Grand Swiss and the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss tournaments on the Isle of Man. The prize for the two top qualifying players in both 11-round events: a slot in the 2024 open and women's eight-player Candidates Tournaments that will identify the next challengers for the world chess titles. Published October 31, 2023
U.S. faces balancing act as Israeli campaign builds against Hamas
The Biden administration escalated its tricky balancing act Sunday as Israel prepared for an expanded clash with Hamas militants in Gaza, again insisting Israel has the right to avenge the deadly Oct. 7 terrorist rampage but also cautioning that Israeli forces must take extra steps to avoid civilian casualties in the densely populated enclave. Published October 29, 2023
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi presses U.S. for ‘sincerity’ in bumpy relationship
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up three days of talks in Washington saying the onus is on Washington to take active moves to bolster the troubled bilateral relationship. Published October 29, 2023
Caruana claimed third U.S. chess title by holding off the young guns
GM Fabiano Caruana not only captured his third U.S. national title with a dominating performance earlier this month at the St. Louis Chess Club, the world's No. 2 player also had a message for a generation of rising American stars aiming for his crown. Published October 24, 2023
Kremlin slams dismissive tone of Biden’s speech on Putin, Ukraine
The Kremlin did not appreciate the text -- or the tone -- of President Biden's Oval Office address Thursday night seeking a major new funding package that would include tens of billions of dollars to aid Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion force. Published October 20, 2023
Biden declares Putin, Hamas threats to democracy in prime-time speech
President Biden laid out his case to the country and Congress that the U.S. must send $100 billion of taxpayer-funded aid to Israel and Ukraine, arguing that two wars in other parts of the globe threaten to undermine democratic stability around the world and to damage U.S. national security. Published October 19, 2023
Mayhem across regional tinderbox obscures direction for U.S., Israel
The string of incidents underscored the tinderbox nature of the region and sparked a retaliation campaign in Gaza that could soon lead to a ground war in the Palestinian enclave. Published October 18, 2023
Caruana romps, Yip survives in U.S. chess title tournaments
GM Fabiano Caruana coasted to his third U.S. national chess championship this week, while IM Carissa Yip took a more arduous route to claim her second U.S. women's title Tuesday at the events' traditional home at the Chess Club of St. Louis. Published October 18, 2023
Violent protest at U.S. Embassy in Lebanon prompts new do-not-travel warning
The State Department on Wednesday issued a hasty "do not travel" to Lebanon warning for American citizens hours after a pro-Palestinian protest ignited a fire in the U.S. Embassy complex in Beirut. Published October 18, 2023
Blinken cautions Israel against strike on Gaza civilians; shaken by images of atrocities
Israel's military on Thursday ramped up its promised campaign of retaliation for last weekend's murderous rampage by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, leveling entire neighborhoods in the Gaza Strip, massing troops for a possible ground operation against the Hamas stronghold, and vowing that a punishing blockage of the densely populated Palestinian enclave would continue until the 100-plus Israeli and foreign hostages are freed. Published October 12, 2023
U.S., Qatar put hold on Iranian $6 billion fund after Hamas attack
Facing bipartisan criticism at home, the Biden administration has reportedly put a new hold on some $6 billion in Iranian funds held in a Qatari bank account in the wake of the attack by Palestinian Hamas militants on Israel that has killed more than 1,200 Israelis and foreigners. Published October 12, 2023
Blinken assures Israel of support, says civilians must be protected
The U.S. will stand beside Israel as it battles Hamas terrorists whose "litany of brutality and inhumanity" calls to mind the savagery of ISIS, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday following a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Published October 12, 2023
Signs point to ground war in Gaza as scale of Hamas atrocities emerges
A bloody and extended ground battle in the densely populated winding streets of Gaza appeared imminent Tuesday as Israel massed its forces along the border to the sealed Palestinian enclave and called up 360,000 reservists to avenge a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group Saturday. Published October 10, 2023
Strong fields, tight battles as U.S. national chess tourneys kick off
In a healthy sign for American chess, two of the strongest fields ever are battling it out as the 2023 U.S. Championship and U.S. Women's Championship kicked off at their now-traditional home at the Chess Club of St. Louis last week. Published October 10, 2023
Death toll mounts on both sides as Israeli-Hamas clash intensifies
Over 1,000 Israelis are confirmed dead along with more than 700 Palestinians in the Gaza enclave in four days of fighting since Hamas launched a surprise attack Saturday, officials from the two sides said Tuesday. Published October 10, 2023
Cardin freezes military aid to Egypt, questions support for Azerbaijan
Newly installed Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin is moving quickly to put his stamp on the panel, announcing a freeze on new military aid and arms sales to Egypt because of the Cairo government's poor human rights record and calling for a "reevaluation" of U.S. aid to Azerbaijan after its forcible takeover of a large Armenian-majority enclave in Nagorno-Karabakh. Published October 4, 2023
Alliance maintenance: Putin to visit North Korea as Biden reassures Ukraine coalition
The Kremlin confirmed Tuesday that Russian President Vladimir Putin will travel to North Korea in the coming weeks, reciprocating a high-profile visit by Kim Jong-un last month and setting off alarm bells in the U.S. and South Korea. Published October 3, 2023
IM Jeremy Silman, top-selling chess author with engaging style, dies at 70
Sad news out of California to start off this week: IM Jeremy Silman, one of the best-selling chess authors this country has ever produced, died Sept. 21 from a form of progressive dementia at the age of 69. Published October 3, 2023
Ukraine takes U.S. funding block in stride after Hill vote
The Ukrainian government insisted Sunday it was not worried about U.S. support after a new package of aid to Kyiv was stripped out of the stopgap bill approved by Congress and signed by President Biden over the weekend to avoid a government shutdown. Published October 1, 2023
Populist Fico, skeptical of Ukraine war, tops Slovakia vote
A conservative populist party critical of NATO's support for Ukraine in its war with Russia emerged as the top vote-getter in Slovakia's national elections Saturday. Published October 1, 2023
