Chess King Bobby Fischer Dies

Lana Peters defected from Soviet Union in 1967

(NEWSER) - Josef Stalin's only daughter has died in Wisconsin at the age of 85. Lana Peters—born Svetlana Alliluyeva Stalin—handed the US a massive Cold War publicity coup when she defected to the US in 1967, publicly burning her Soviet passport, and declaring: "I have come here to seek the self-expression that has been denied me for so long in Russia." A memoir she published soon after arriving in the US, in which she described her father as distant and paranoid, became a best-seller. More»

DNA will settle woman's claim he fathered 9-year-old Jinky Young

(AP) - Authorities in Iceland have exhumed the body of American chess champion Bobby Fischer to determine whether he is the father of a 9-year-old girl from the Philippines. A police commissioner said Fischer's corpse was dug up "in a professional and dignified way and according to law. The privacy of the deceased was protected at all times." He said Fischer was reburied after DNA samples were taken. More»

Fault the Soviets, and other reasons for no medals since 1936

(NEWSER) - Though the Scandinavian nations generally fare well in the Winter Olympics, there’s a gaping hole in their success when it comes to figure skating (no medals since 1936), leading some bloggers to try to figure why. Some theories:

• Blame the Soviets. During the Cold War, the Eastern Bloc sunk untold money and energy into high-profile figure skating, writes Scott Beaulier —totally blotting out the Swedes, Finns, Norwegians, Danes, and Icelanders.

IOC says the game, along with bridge, isn't physical enough

(NEWSER) - Chess players and bridge players will be spectators when the Olympics begin this week, but both are making a strong push to be official sports at the 2012 Games, Time reports. First, they'll have to convince a skeptical International Olympic Committee that they belong, despite their decided lack of physical activity. "Mind sports, by their nature, cannot be part of the program," says one IOC official. More»

Ruled for 32 years; resigned amid corruption, human rights charges

(NEWSER) - Former Indonesian president Suharto, a US Cold War ally whose legacy of economic development was marred by charges of human rights abuses and corruption, died today of organ failure at 86, Reuters reports. Suharto ruled for 32 years until being forced out in 1998; his deteriorating health prevented him from ever going to trial even though accusers allege he had perhaps 1 million opponents killed and had embezzled billions. More»