Chess Updates

Is there anyone out there who hasn't read by now that Garry Kasparov was arrested by the Facist Putin government and sentenced to 5 days in jail for participating in an "illegal" demonstration? I've never been a particular fan of Kasparov, but the man has a right to demonstrate peaceably against the Putin regime. Putin is just another Lenin - in better clothes. And he buries the bodies better. I weep for Russia. Putin has most of the people there totally schmoozed because he's filled the government coffers with oil and gas revenues; those he hasn't been able to pay off he's eliminated in various ways. Russia has gone back to the Dark Ages, regressing backward in terms of political freedom and economic development for the average person. What a shame, what a dirty rotten shame. Other chess updates: 2007 World Cup WGM Xu Yuhua (CHN 2517) was eliminated from the World Cup after losing both of her first round games (0 0) to Vladimir Malakhov (RUS 2690). As far as I can tell, Xu was the only female participating in the event, so I won’t be following it any further, it's just the same old boring faces playing each other. 2007 World Youth Chess Championships Things are moving along; 8 rounds have been completed. Top 10 Under 18-Girls Standings (79 players): Rank SNo. Name Rtg FED Pts Fide Rp 1 5 WIM NEMCOVA Katerina 2255 CZE 7 31 2496 2 9 WIM YILDIZ Betul Cemre 2220 TUR 6½ 29 2384 3 23 WFM STEIL-ANTONI Fiona 2104 LUX 6½ 29 2309 4 3 WIM GOMES Mary Ann 2262 IND 6 33 2264 5 1 WFM GUNINA Valentina 2359 RUS 6 25 2189 6 13 WFM HAMRAKULOVA Yulduz 2185 UZB 5½ 28 2164 7 12 WIM UMUDOVA Nargiz 2188 AZE 5½ 27 2211 8 17 WFM RYSBAYEVA Aigerim 2163 KAZ 5½ 27 2278 9 18 ANDRENKO Irina 2145 UKR 5½ 27 2291 10 8 WIM IGNACZ Maria 2223 HUN 5½ 26½ 2230 USA: (20) NIKOLOVA Ettie 2049 USA 5; (53) KATS Elina 0 USA 3½. Top 10 Under 16-Girls Standings (106 players): Rank SNo. Name IRtg FED Pts Fide Rp 1 11 TSATSALASHVILI Keti 2161 GEO 7 32½ 2395 2 1 WFM GIRYA Olga 2338 RUS 7 31½ 2400 3 20 WFM NAKHBAYEVA Guliskhan 2098 KAZ 6½ 28 2211 4 33 IORDANIDOU Zoi 2012 GRE 6½ 28 2265 5 29 BERIDZE Tinatin 2033 GEO 6 31½ 2301 6 16 IVANENKO Olga 2125 UKR 6 27 2130 7 21 ERIC Jovana 2094 SRB 6 26 2129 8 13 WFM TON Nu Hong An 2142 VIE 5½ 30 2200 9 12 WFM REPINA Varvara 2154 RUS 5½ 29 2231 10 17 AGREST Inna 2121 SWE 5½ 27½ 2165 USA: (19) WFM MARSHALL Abby 2208 USA 5; (30) WFM MELEKHINA Alisa 2208 USA 4½; (36) LIVSCHITZ Louiza 2005 USA 4½; (46) JAMISON Courtney 1949 USA 4. In the Under 14 (Boys) Section, USA’s Ray Robson is in 2nd place at the moment, with 6.5 after 8 rounds. Yippee for Ray!